Swinging from the Bigtop

Vintage Tin, Sterling Silver, Vintage Numbers, Signature Bolts in Brass, Variscite

2.75 inches × 0.5 inches, 5 g/earring

CARIN JONES is a contemporary jewelry artist based in the Seattle area.

Drawing from her background in zoology and her childhood experiences working with her father and grandfather on construction sites, Carin’s work explores the intersection of nature, craftsmanship, and personal history.

Her early pieces questioned concepts of beauty and permanence, often using organic castings to evoke these ideas.

In her current series, Urban Taxidermy, she shifts focus to historical specimens, such as vintage tins, replacing traditional gemstones with found objects set in finely crafted precious metals. This juxtaposition challenges traditional notions of value and grandeur, inviting viewers to reconsider the relationship between material worth and artistic merit.

Similar to her previous work, this paradoxical approach invites reflection on societal perceptions of value and desirability, extending beyond the confines of the jewelry industry.

The use of tins often evokes personal memories for viewers, fostering conversations about human interconnectedness and shared history.

By reimagining heirloom jewelry, Carin disrupts conventional ideas of inheritance and legacy, prompting deeper inquiries about memory, preservation, and the future.

Through her thoughtful use of discarded tins, Carin not only honors the histories embedded in these materials but also seeks to preserve them as meaningful artifacts for future generations.