The Terroir Series
Phoenixville metalsmith, Leslie Clearwater, has created a magical new line of necklaces made from rocks she’s personally harvested in Phoenixville and turned in her lapidary workshop.
Harvest site: Phoenixville, PA [Lenape land]Stone harvested by the artist and cut by hand in-house.terroir (noun):
ter·roir /terˈwär/
French for "soil" or "earth," it is the complete natural environment in which a thing is created, including factors such as soil, topography, and climate.
What is the Terroir Series?
Leslie: I've been working on a secret side project I'm calling the Terroir Series. Terroir is that French term that wine enthusiasts use to denote the particular natural environment in which a thing's created, which gives that thing its unique and special properties. Land is personal, unique, and poignant.
For the series, I've been harvesting stones from my own area of Phoenixville, PA, which I've slowly been grinding into cabochons and then setting into silver in the studio. It's a way longer, more intimate process than usual--personal handwork from collection to conceptualization to creation--turning this piece of land from plain rock to polished jewelry.
What inspired this project?
Leslie: We wear jewelry that *links* us to things. To a person, like a wedding ring, or to a moment in time, like an anniversary bracelet... to an event, like a retirement tie pin... even to a concept, like a ring stamped "brave," a cancer survivor ribbon, or a crucifix.
What about: to a place?
Tucked onto the shelves in so many homes, particularly by those who've been displaced from land that they cared for, you'll find small jars of soil or sand: a physical link to a location of personal significance.
I'm not sure where this concept will ultimately take me, but it'll be a side project for a long while. I've created a space on the website to feature the jewelry I make as the project progresses.
Do you take commissions?
Leslie: If you have land that holds significance for you, please reach out! We can chat about the details of sending rocks from your location to be turned into jewelry. Alternatively, with travel expenses as required, I will travel to your location and hand-harvest stones to create jewelry that celebrates the terroir of your home. (Commitment: 6 pieces.)
About Ten Air Studios
Artist: Leslie Clearwater
Phoenixville metalsmith Leslie Clearwater creates jewelry that aims to be talismanic: vivid, wearable emblems of the nature of a woman's spirit. Each piece is alive with color and intention, created with traditional metalsmithing techniques and an embrace of the philosophy of "slow fashion." Leslie curates a jaw-dropping and ethical library of gemstones and minerals from lapidary artists across the globe. Her work is primarily in sterling silver, often peppered with small elements of gold. She has been recognized globally in publications including Vogue and Vanity Fair, and was awarded Best of Main Line in 2021 and 2023. Leslie's work has been called fresh, vibrant, and enchanting.
As part of its mission to put love and beauty into the world, Ten Air Studios is known to frequently host impromptu "treasure hunts," hiding artisan handcrafts of value around the greater Philadelphia area.