Our Garden Collection kicks off a new series of projects that will be released in succession from now through the end of summer around intimate memories of family. This newest collection of work is an ode to my mother's pink chandelier and a reflection on enduring memories of small details of our family and home.   

Growing up, we had a light pink crystal chandelier that hung over the dining table. I remember it in great detail because each year, my mother would make my brothers and I complete a thorough cleaning – a laborious process of deconstructing, cleaning and reconstructing this beloved fixture. One by one, we would carefully remove each individual strand of faceted pink crystals. The crystals within each strand were connected to one another with a gold link. If the strands came undone we would be able to identify its relative position within the strand based on the position of the holes and how they would link up to one another. I remember how each piece was laid out in a specific order so we wouldn’t forget the row and position that they would need to be reattached back onto the frame to create the same layered and tiered effect. Every strand of faceted crystals would receive a bath in water with ammonia, a formula for a streak-free clean. We would leave them to dry out a towel that was spread out on the dining table just below the frame of a stripped chandelier.

For all the work involved, I don't even recall how it sparkled after a fresh cleaning. I remember the process and the small interactions. It's a vivid memory of our household chores and a tiny glimpse into the everyday details of our family life. I think of how the care of something so precious was assigned to three children and the idea that we were never too young or incapable to take great care. 

Beyond the personal associated memories, I find such enchantment and delight in how crystals capture light, create reflections and multiple perspectives, and offer a new way of seeing things.