Oriel Pendant Challenge -- Week 3: Animal Power Oriel -- Bobcat

Animal Power Oriel: Bobcat

In the past few months a friend of mine, Nise Santiago, and I have collaborated in designing necklaces for my Animal Power Oriels. Nise creates magic with gemstones and silver, and is a wonderful teacher. We just recently went to a bead show, which opened my eyes to the completely primal and beautiful world of gemstones. I felt that Nise's necklace creations could complement my oriels, especially the Animal Power (or Totem) oriels that I wanted to start making. These collaborations would showcase specific wild animals and the power, beauty, and substance that these animals bring to this world. And -- if you wanted to go one step further -- in wearing these necklaces you would draw on those physical, emotional, or creative qualities that each animal symbolizes.

This first Animal Power Oriel collaboration features the Bobcat, a small wildcat not easily spotted, but very familiar to the Western Hemisphere. The Bobcat constantly observes his environment, but only rarely shows itself in public. In ten years of walking my local Deer Island I have only seen a Bobcat twice -- within the same month. It was only about 10 yards down the path in both instances. It looked at me boldly, then jumped off the trail into the bushes the one time, and the next sighting casually slinked around to the other side of a fallen tree and watched me carefully as I moved on past him! Knee high in height, with a coat beautifully marked, tufts of hair at its ear tips, almond-shaped and colored eyes -- this is no ordinary housecat -- the Bobcat radiates exotic, wild beauty! In my readings about Bobcat energy, the trait that speaks loudest to me is the ability to "see deeper" or to pick up on hidden things. "Trust in your senses. Even if there is no logical reason, trust in what your inner voice is saying." -- Lin Here are some other links to Bobcat totem information: Wildspeak, Animal Properties.

Animal Power Oriel: Bobcat

Necklace: agate, muti-faceted crystal quartz, silver beads and findings
Oriel: lead-free solder, (3-D) beveled glass, paper, hand-dyed ribbon, Swavorski crystal rhinestones and beads, dried flowers, silver beads