Camellia Japonica - The Magical Mother Cell
Artist: Laurel Nathanson
Materials: Ceramic, glass beads, nylon cord, silver plated findings
Dimensions: pendant 3 1/2 in, 20 in long
Fabric Motif: Camellia Japonica is a popular flower in Japan. The flower represents a spirit of depth, self-reflection, and inner strength.
Haiku: filling in the outlines
those colors
of memory
- Angela Terry
About the Work: "What I love about this fabric is the gestural quality of these beautiful flowers, the way they float and almost read as abstract forms. I wanted to capture that essence without being too literal. The forms on The Magical Mother Cell are a loose reference from the petal shapes of the fabric and I like how they begin to move and almost drift as if blowing in the wind. For my palette I choose greens, pinks and purples, with the addition of yellows to hint at the golden green fabric background. My titles are based on the anatomical flower parts, which felt like a nice contrast to the loose and gestural quality of the print and the jewelry."
Laurel Nathanson Bio: Laurel is a mixed media jeweler and artist from Northern California. She is a metalsmith of 40 years, a sewist, a knitter, and an obsessed craft enthusiast. Her current work is colorful, textural and heavily patterned ceramic, with a healthy smattering of beads. Laurel teaches jewelry/metalsmithing and sewing in San Francisco. When not creating or shaping young minds, she is hanging with her pup, Bailey, or dancing at an 80's night dance party.
This piece is part of the Yukata Inspired 2025, a collaborative exhibition between Okan Arts & Danaca Design featuring jewelry and metalwork alongside Haiku from Haiku Northwest. Learn more and view the entire collection HERE.
