Gnaw [naw] vb. to chew or bite on something persistently
The subject of same sex marriage is deeply rooted in the artwork that I am currently investigating. It is my desire to create work that has a connection with the unadorned human body. As a jeweler, my starting point is the body, how a piece of jewelry sits or lays on the human form. With this work I am referencing the human form through materials. I am less concerned with function and wearability, and focusing more on sculptural applications.
The wedding ring is an external visual statement of the legal documentation of marriage. I am using the image of the diamond as a symbol for marriage. Working in a jewelry store and assisting couples pick out their rings is a constant reminder that I do not have the legal right to get married. “The freedom to marry is a basic human right. The decision to marry is a deeply personal choice. Legal marriage brings with it 1400 legal rights, over 1100 federal protections and several hundred state rights.” 1
As a lesbian living in the United States I am directly affected by the fact that I do not have the right to get married. Without being married to my life partner, I would not be able to visit her in the hospital if she became ill, I would not be able to transfer property to her, if I have health benefits I would not be able to apply those benefits to her and as a couple we could not adopt a child together. These are just a few privileges of marriage. This body of work is an outer manifestation of my frustrations due to not having the same rights.
1 “Marriage Equality Petition,” Michigan Equality,
