Childhood Daydream Brooch
INSPIRED BY NATURE Qiu draws design inspiration from many sources, but nature is at the top of that list. “I love nature and plants and spend a lot of time in my yard and with my houseplants,” she explains. A dandelion inspired a particularly spectacular brooch in the tradition of vintage pieces of its kind, but with a modern approach that highlights the intricacy of structure. The response was so clamorous, Qiu created a series of everyday wearables, as if tiny bits of the brooch had scattered in the wind and each became its own piece. Earrings, rings and necklaces with round, rose quartz stones or pearls — often encased in spheres of gold and platinum — represent the bulk of the collection. “The dandelion brooch was the first of my natural inspirations,” Qiu says. “It’s beautiful, but a lot of people don’t have an occasion to wear a piece like that in their everyday life. I expanded the line for those who want to wear their jewelry every day. I call them ‘Seeds.’ I made all the studs and necklaces as the floating seeds of the dandelions. I want things to still fit the scene, but with geometrically abstract shapes.” A trip down her garden walk on a rainy day was the impetus for a stunning pair of earrings, in 18k gold and set with small rubies, that earned her a first-place Vision Award for Professional Design Excellence from the Manufacturing Jewelers and Suppliers of America in 2015 — one of nearly a dozen she has earned over the years. “I walked into my yard and there was a flower petal lying on the ground with water droplets clinging to the petals,” Qiu recalls. “That kind of beauty is so temporary; it could disappear in a day. I wanted to
EXPERIENCE Baiyang Qiu’s Fine Jewelry Friday, March 20 and Saturday, March 21 | 10–6 p.m. | Grace Renee Gallery | Historic Spanish Village | 7212 E. Ho Hum Road, Carefree | Free i m a g e s a r i z| ogracereneegallery.com n a . c o m m ar c h 2 02 0 62480-575-8080