A persona, and some Americana

The graduates are in. Meet Emily O'Brien, recent Goldsmith grad. Yep, Goldsmith. Screw the economy kids, do what you really love. A recent OCAD grad, O'brien specializes in building tiny pieces of Americana. For her thesis project O'Brien constructed recreations of scenes of American life, and plotted the miniatures out on a giant map of the U.S.A.

If I could squeeze into the America in O'brien's head and pancake tour across it, all of my Kerouac fantasies would come to fruition. Luckily, I have O'brien, a Rochester native, to lead me through the well journaled journey. Placed poignently on a blue-green map of the land are tiny pit-stops; the most miniature scenes of American life jewellery can hang on.

Oh yeah, there's jewelerry, too. Hanging on and hidden in the work is another art: the accessory. Earings, necklaces, and pendants top off the mapped mini-architecture. It's functional art and fashion, anchored in America.

But before O'brien got art-school-cool, there were the elementary years. Back then, O'brien was the only female member of the school Star Wars club. No, she wasn't Princess Laya, if that's what you're thinking. Some male member snagged that role, leaving her with Chewbacca (a position she filled proudly).

Now O'brien's a goldsmith, and a jewelery grad. The last we heard from the Laya-kid, a twister had passed through town and he was never seen again. Americans, you've gotta love them.

*When I said "Monday Morning" in yesterday's post, I meant Monday evening, when this was written. The London Stock Exchange went on a break, and so did I.