Description
Inspiration for the Smooth Newt
Also known as the common newt, this Smooth Newt Necklace was originally made as an ornament as part of a commemorative collection to mark a long and happy marriage, in which nature and wildlife played an important role. A female smooth newt had taken residence in their garden pond and obviously captured the hearts of this happy couple.
Initially the modelling of the newt was a real challenge. I simply couldn’t make out the exact shape of the tail from the photographs that I had found on various nature websites. Finally the penny dropped! I had forgotten that the newts pass through various stages (aquious, terrestrial) in which they change shape slightly – particularly their tails. This is the female smooth newt in her “terrestrial” stage – modelled thanks to a wonderful video on one crawling across someone’s hand, showing off her amazing concertina tail.
While it started life as an ornament – me being me – I couldn’t resist making it into wearable art. Initially I worried that the female smooth newt was a bit too plain to be transformed into an eyecatching necklace. But, once done, I found that I loved her simplicity and she’s turning into one of my most frequently worn pieces of jewellery (great with t-shirts and slightly higher necklines!).
