The beauty of the coral polyps is highlighted in this series. Drawn by hand, digitally modified, laser cut and hand finished, each of these pieces tells a story. An inspiration for pieces of art jewelry by Sherry Cordova, snowflake coral is an invasive species in the Hawaiian Archipelago introduced via bilge water in ships. The coral crowds out endemic species and is impossible to eradicate where no natural predators live.
The idea for a snowflake coral series came to me as I was observing the invasive coral species while SCUBA diving in the Hawaiian Islands. The earring designs began as hand drawings. The digitized drawings were converted into CAD drawings and sent to a local sheet metal shop to be fiber laser cut into sheets of sterling silver. Laser technology for the shiny highly conductive metal was a hurdle jumped with the help of the sheet metal shop team and the research department of a global laser equipment company. The earrings were hand built and hand finished.
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Snowflake Coral is one species of coral that might survive and thrive in the ocean while other species struggle. Snowflake Coral polyps travel around the world in ship bilges. When the ship docks, polyps leave the bilge with the sea water and attach to the local reef, build colonies, and send out more polyps. The newly colonized shores frequently have no Snowflake Coral predators, such as the Hawaiian islands of Lanai’i and Hawai’i where I witnessed the coral.
How and why the sea and it’s creatures change is important for me to voice in my art. Humans deconstruct nature to figure it out. Corporations rebuild nature as genetically modified organisms. Plastics and other contaminants in our oceans lead to genetic mutations. My snowflake coral designs are modifications of the organisms deconstructed into flat layers of recycled sterling silver. Reconstructed with industrially produced stainless steel screws and nuts, my snowflake coral earrings are wearable portrayals of stories within our oceans. Suede and hide scraps from a local purse maker add eye catching color.
View all the Snowflake Coral pieces
Snowflake Coral Polyps Reaching
Recycled Sterling Silver, Coral Recycled Suede, Stainless Steel Fasteners, Niobium Ear Wires 2.5 x 1.4 x 0.2 inch Snowflake coral polyps reaching to invade more shores Click here to read about the design process and inspiration for the Snowflake Coral Series
Snowflake Coral Travels Brooch-Pendant
1.5 x 4.3 x 4.3 cmArgentium sterling silver, repurposed suede offcut, stainless steel Snowflake coral polyps travel in the bilge water of ships and invade and overwhelm endemic species in Hawaiian archipelago reefs. Snowflake Coral is predator free in these new environments, upsetting fragile reef ecosystems. The brooch/pendant represents the bilge port hole and water […]
Snowflake Coral Polyps Traveling
As land traffic quieted down in 2020, ocean shipping traffic increased. Snowflake Coral, an opportunistic hitchhiking animal, travels from port to port in the bilge water of ships. Bilge water released at a ship’s destination spreads the polyps who quietly invade and colonize new ports and defenseless reefs.
Snowflake Coral Polyps Deep Red
Inspired by the invasive snowflake coral species now seen more often in the waters of the Hawaiian Islands. The species is spread by cargo ships and has no natural predators in Hawaiian waters. Hand drawn, laser cut, hand finished 5.8 x 3.6 x 0.4 cm Titanium and recycled red leather. Stainless steel fasteners with handmade niobium […]
Snowflake Coral Polyps White Reaching
Titanium and recycled leather Stainless steel fasteners with handmade niobium ear wires Hand drawn, laser cut, hand finished 6.5 x 3.6 x 0.5 cm Inspired by the invasive snowflake coral species now seen more often in the waters of the Hawaiian Islands. The species is spread by cargo ships and has no natural predators in […]
Snowflake Coral Polyps Reaching Teal
Earrings Recycled Sterling Silver, Stainless Steel Fasteners, Recycled Suede, Niobium Ear Wires 2.1 x 1.3 x 0.2 inch Click here to read about the inspiration and design process for the Snowflake Coral Series
Snowflake Coral Polyps Earrings Red Reaching
Snowflake Coral Polyps Earrings Red Reaching created with argentium sterling silver and recycled hide leather, with niobium ear wires and stainless steel fasteners by Sherry Cordova Jewelry
Snowflake Coral Polyps Colonizing
Earrings Recycled Sterling Silver, Stainless Steel Fasteners 2.2 x 1.4 x 0.4 inch Snowflake coral polyps building layers as the colony grows Click here to read about the Snowflake Coral Series design process and inspiration
Coral Polyps Floating Earrings
Recycled Sterling Silver, Stainless Steel Fasteners, Niobium2.4 x 1.4 x 0.2 inch6.1 x 3.6 x 0.6 cm Snowflake coral polyps floating free The earrings were part of the juried exhibit + sale “The Earring Show 2022” at Craft Council British Columbia in Vancouver, BC, Canada. craftcouncilbc.org Click here to read about the inspiration and design […]
Snowflake Coral Polyps Reaching in the Current
Earrings Recycled Sterling Silver, Stainless Steel & Niobium Fasteners 2.4 x 1.4 x 0.2 inch Snowflake coral polyps reaching to invade more shores Click here to read about the inspiration and design process for the Snowflake Coral Series
Orange Snowflake Coral Polyps Reaching
EarringsRecycled Sterling Silver, Recycled Dead Stock Hide Leather, Stainless Steel & Niobium Fasteners2.3 x 1.5 x 0.2 inch5.8 x 3.8 x 0.5 cm Snowflake coral polyps create a hard structure which has an orange hue The earrings were part of the juried exhibit + sale “The Earring Show 2022” at Craft Council British Columbia in […]
Snowflake Coral Pendant
Recycled Sterling Silver, Stainless Steel Fasteners 2.6 x 1.5 x 0.2 inch Two layer pendant with a laser cut snowflake coral polyp and a laser scribed snowflake coral polyp Click here to read about the design process and inspiration for the Snowflake Coral Series
Red Snowflake Coral Polyps Floating
Earrings Recycled Sterling Silver, Stainless Steel Fasteners, Niobium 2.4 x 1.4 x 0.2 inch Snowflake coral polyps floating free Click here to read about the design process and inspiration for the Snowflake Coral Series
Snowflake Coral Polyps Reaching Red Earrings
Recycled Sterling Silver, Stainless Steel Fasteners, Recycled Suede, Niobium Ear Wires 2.1 x 1.4 x 0.2 inch Click here to read about the inspiration and design process for the Snowflake Coral Series