A Union Root and a Pentacle is a very natural combination. The Pentacle (as describe in an earlier blog) symbolizes the balance and harmony of the elements, this combined with the natural formation of roots may represent the grounding effect of balance, the natural state of peace one receives in a forest and a sense of eternity one experiences in Nature.

Solid, Heavy Sterling Silver with a strong patina to highlight the contrasting shapes and accent the depth of the carving. This Unique, One-of-a-kind Root and Star Ring is now on the hand of a very happy young man.

If you are interested in having a ring made just for you, please visit my How to order Custom page.

A pendant and earrings of the Treble Clef to adorn the musician in your life. More about the Treble Clef is written in my earlier blog (the pendant and earrings are available separately). This set is perfect for your favorite performer of the musical arts, or perhaps your music teacher as a “thank you” for patiently teaching you what the treble clef is!

One inch tall, these three dimensional Treble Clef Earrings have a bail behind the top loop. These small pieces are a great way to celebrate your love for music! Available in a variety of chain length to customize your music collection. Whether you play an instrument, sing, or simply love music; the Treble Clef Earrings are perfect for the music lover in your life.

Made in Bronze and currently keeping the boys safe from cold breezes. These pair were not made from molds, each clasp a “one-of-a-kind”. If you are interested in having a special clasp made for you of your own design, please visit my “How to order Custom” page. If you would like to see clasps in my Jewelry Line, please visit my Cloak Clasps Page.

A clef ( a french word meaning key) is a musical symbol used to indicate the pitch of written notes. Placed on one of the lines at the beginning of the staff (five lines stacked upon each other), indicates the name and pitch of the notes on that line. This line serves as a reference point by which the names of the notes on any other line or space of the staff may be determined.

The Treble Clef’s curl wraps around the second line up on the staff indicating G above middle C, most commonly used in the staff for piano. It is one of three kinds of clef used in modern music notation: F, C, and G.

One inch tall, these three dimensional Treble Clef Earrings have a bail behind the top loop. These small pieces are a great way to celebrate your love for music! Whether you play an instrument, sing or simply love music, the Treble Clef Earrings are perfect for the music lover in your life.

One of the playing hands resolves into a loop for hanging on a chain, cord, may be tied to your drum as a reminder of the Rhythms of the Drum circle, a favorite event or perhaps woven into your dreads, braids or other hair ornaments. This tiny Djembe Dangle is available in Silver and Bronze. Gold prices upon request.

The Awen was one of his favorites: his description says it all.

In his words:

“The sign of “the Three Rays” is used by members of the United Ancient Order of Druids, the Ancient Order of Druids, the Order of Bards Ovates & Druids, and many other followers of Druidry. It can be seen as symbolizing Sky Father Energy in balance with the Earth Mother energy of the Druid Sigil, as well as any of a thousand other sets of three ideas.”

The design itself is a wreath of oak leaves, three staves emanating from three Acorns. The bail from which to hang the amulet is also an oak leaf curled to hold the chain or cord. On the reverse side my “signature”: “Merlin” (Kirk McLaren of Amulets by Merlin).

After creating the original Awen I have received several requests for a larger version of the piece: same wreath of leaves, acorns and staves: but larger. I offer this (an the other pieces) in both Silver and Bronze.

When Isaac was still with us he traveled with the amulets and his books and other items; he even created a special portion of his website to feature the work. Since his passing into the Summerland I have continued to produce his line for him. For each piece purchased Isaac’s Widow receives a royalty to help through difficult times and encourage in efforts to promote good will and clarity to the world. To learn more about Isaac Bonewits you may visit his website.

To learn more about Isacc’s Awen, please visit my web-page featuring Isaac’s Amulets.

I started off as a child…

My first reach into jewelry was wanting something that I could not find. When I was seven years old I had asked Santa clause to gift me two badges: I pains taking developed sketches of that I wanted and offered it to him days before Christmas. The odd thing to me at the time was the careful “handing off” of the sketches to my parents while I was “being distracted” by a very tall elf.

After not getting the badges I asked for, my suspicions grew and I though about making the pieces myself. Fortunately my parents later gifted me with a copper enameling kit. I developed a technique of enameling by mixing color and design in the powder, however in the tiny kit the control over design was a bit hap hazard.

As with all things in our childhood, the kit was “over used” and eventually when the hot plate was borrowed and burnt up, I returned to other forms of art. My Mother was a professional artist and trained me in painting, sculpture and many other forms of artistic media and technique. Coupled with music (Piano and Guitar) I began to develop a way to reproduce and interpret what I saw, felt and thought.

I cannot remember a time when I was not sculpting, yet when the opportunity to take a jewelry class, I went into fabrication: working directly in the metal rather than casting. I will always be grateful for this because the broader the education in the field.

It was not until I was going through a rough patch in my life and found myself back in my parent’s home and access to a jewelry bench again that I went to an exhibit of Lalique at the LA county art museum that I found I was on the right track. In combination with my studies in metaphysics, (focusing on the art) I decided to bend the boundaries of my work to include esoteric imagery and use of my art.

For years I had attempted to develop a Tarot Deck, however these adventures into the project kept solidifying into “logo” like pictures rather than paintings. Seeking the work of a master who bent the rules as to what was to be jewelry and what was art, I was inspired.

In order to work on the project, I started to create custom jewelry for folks, building my bench of tools and honing my skills, I began to work out of a shop: the Crystal Cave, at the time in Santa Anna, California. Karen, the owner of the shop was extremely supportive and began to display my work in her cases; all the while I was driving a truck.

In 1992 I went full time into jewelry, moved to Newport News, Virginia and completed the Tarot Caster Set: the first (and only) three dimensional Tarot Deck of it’s kind. Yes, each of the Major Arcana may be used almost pharmaceutical, however when used together the set is a deck which may be dropped and read as they fall. I developed the name “Tarot Casters” because the process is much like casting a net. In some of the more esoteric writing, Tzaddii (the Hebrew letter attributed to the Star Card) is the fish hook: one drops one’s mind into the great waters of the unconscious to see what would bite. By using the entire major arcana, one is using a much broader casting for ideas, inspiration and (perhaps) answers on one’s troubles.

Within a few months of being on the East Coast, I was introduced to a more esoteric community which appreciated what I had accomplished and rewarded me with praise and commissions for more work. I began with creating jewelry for circles, covens and groves as well as Churches and other religious organizations, focusing on Serving Spirit rather a specific religious trend. The only criteria I’ve maintained is that all is focused on Good Intent.

Thanks to a commission by my land lord, I developed a Tap Handle for his private reserve, thus I returned to sculpting, one of the first steps in training in my youth. I sculpted in in pieces, then assembled them after casting – a technique used in much larger pieces, however when casting with a jewelry centrifuge you are limited in how large one can go. For several decades, I focused on tiny pieces rather than the large ones, however after working so small, the larger pieces came easy, but they required me to look to a foundry rather than relying on my tiny set up for rings and pendants.

It was when I sculpted a pair of motor cycle mirrors that I turned to a local artist for help. He (who as asked me to omit his name0 taught me the gaps I had in casting larger pieces, then introduced me to his buddy who had a foundry at his disposal.

At this point, I have the ability to cast at any size: even life size (and bigger). I continue to serve those who want jewelry through my website. I do not have a “store” but rather I do show my work at the Mystic Moon in Norfolk , Virginia, should anyone wish to drop in and see it . As always, I have a full catalog for your review and a gallery of some of my work. Most of the images of the pieces made in the past are “lost” in that I have not had a digital camera the entire time, so only in the pat ten years do I have pictures worthy of display.

If you wish to have something made for you, please view my website and don’t hesitate to email me with any questions.

I look forward to hearing from you!

I recently posted the blog of the Kitchen Witch focusing on the Symbology: the star balancing the elements formed by the tools of the Kitchen: The blade, the spoon, the broom, the herb branch and the candle. En-circled by grape vines, the piece suggests skilled hands, a clear mind and the promise of tasty things to come.

Cooking a meal for one’s family to meet a deadline with no notice as to how it is prepared or who it is for, One misses an opportunity to bless their home and loved ones. In taking the opportunity to hum a happy tune, prepare favorite foods, make the meal a special time, One instills Magick into every nourishing bite. Imbuing sustenance with good flavor, solid nutrition and joy, You may be a Kitchen Witch!

The complex art of cuisine or exotic dishes isn’t necessary, you can accomplish great things with a simple soup, a sandwich, a salad – anything… so long as it is done with good intention and the Will to provide nourishment for the body and soul. Keeping a Kitchen with happiness and Focused Intent spills over into: how the cupboards are kept, how the dishes are cleaned and arranged, how the herbs from the garden are hung and dried, decorations and color all add the the way the Kitchen Witch blesses the home and family.

Each time I have posted the original piece the response was over whelming, I realized there are a lot of kitchen witches out there! Because the original is so massive and silver becoming so dear, I decided to re-create the Kitchen Witch pentacle in a smaller version. This one is lighter, comfortable to wear, yet still holds all of the detail of the original, larger version. Do you want your own? Please visit my website to get your Small Kitchen Witch Pentacle.

He often hovered around my tables in the Dealer’s Room as I sold my jewelry, listening in on conversations and turning his head when someone said something particularly funny, but one day he was present when I was asked to explain my Tarot Casters. I found he had pulled up a chair and sat next to my tables and simply watched.

Several years went by when on one convention he asked me to step aside for a quick nip of Scotch: “It’s as old as I am” he told me. So, we snuck away to a room, only to find he had let me into a meeting of the board of the convention. They were debating about how to expand the curriculum. I was there for the Scotch, not to be a part of the board, however after a little while (and a few shots) I found myself participating in the conversation. All the while Mark was grinning at me, offering the bottle for one more nip. Before I knew it, I had proposed and volunteered the Amulet Making Workshop.

To this day I blame Mark for my return to teaching as a way of life.

Over the years, he has been very supportive. Encouragement at the right time, careful reflection of complex issues summed up in an almost haiku statement as if he were conserving words making each syllable more potent and more profound than the volumes I have heard other people speak; all the while his simple presence said more than his words.

We lost Mark a couple of years ago due to an accident. A dreadful loss to those who knew and loved him. His wife gave me the honor of creating a memorial sculpture to be added to his tombstone. The request included a series of ideas to be incorporated: knot work, a tree dominating the image with ivy, a symbol of wisdom and the figure of a dwarf (his favorite character) whittling something under the tree. An “Aum” (OM) as the center piece, meaning “everything and nothing: a fundamental symbol of all things scared; leaves making out other images (if you look, there are dragons and many other figures in the leaves). Each of these meant something to his Family.

This custom memorial sculpture was cast in bronze with a patina set into the metal so it will colorize over the years, pulling out a variety of hue in time. The piece is five and a half inches across and twelve inches tall: developed as a one of a kind piece dedicated to Mark Bodkin: he will live in our hearts forever.

The jewelry was to be intended to represent his own personal affinity to his work, his duty and his country, he gave me a few words to focus on while I was working; however in time he blessed me with a more full explanation for the symbol, script and over all feel to the pieces.

In his own worlds:

“The piece is a symbol of a guardian or defender. “One who stands ready.” Usually to defend those who are not necessarily helpless, but who are not warriors. I think it rather fitting for a soldier. The inscription translates along the lines of “Protect Freedom” When I was younger I couldn’t really explain why I felt drawn to the job I have, but I did it for 10 years, then I got out of the military and went into civilian life for about 5 years. I did fine there, but I never had the sense of being in my place in the world.

“I rejoined the military a couple years ago, and I found my place again. It took a lot of introspection and self-discovery, but I do what I do because I *am* my brother’s keeper, and my family is made up of anyone who lives free, at peace with others. I and those like me do what we do so others don’t have to. That is what this design means to me.”

This set of jewelry was intended for him and only one set has been created. If you are interested in custom work for yourself or for others, please visit my How to order Custom Page.