these days i've been obsessed with the idea of space. the psychic spacial distance between the city and one's self. between a house and one's self. between a room, between a love. how these spaces and proximity inform and design the inner landscapes of the self, ever curling inward, guarded in armor.
which brings me to ammonites.
these brilliant fossils are the evidence of an extinct sea life species that swam ancient seas & armored themselves in mother of pearl. their pearlescent exterior, coupled with their complex curling spiral shape make them incredibly beautiful. but it is their mythology that attracts me the most. it is written that the shores of whitby were swarmed with a plague of snakes that were cured by the will of st. hilda who turned all the snakes to stone or what are now known as ammonites. this is how they received their second name, 'snakestones'
i've already gotten my hands on a few of these jewel fossils and am working out designs. in the meantime i'm having a late night love affair with the writings of anthony doerr, who's newest book, memory wall, is due in just a few short weeks and whose cover is graced with rows of ammonites.
xo.
ps. thank you to all of you who have recommended books. i'm still trying to track down some of them in the library. please add to the list if you have not done so. or just take a look if you are in need of a good book, the list is quite lovely thus far.
