Years ago, I met the love of my life. Inspired, I revisited my artistic heritage through metal and wood until, at her urging, I began to offer some pieces locally. To this day, all of my designs for women first appear unannounced in the magic box that sits expectantly on her dresser. Some move on and become available locally and now, through Etsy, internationally.
With notebooks in my studio, car, and nearly every room in my home, I am always prepared to sketch my interpretations of architectural, mechanical, and natural elements I see around me or imagine. Lying awake at night, I'll sometimes reach for the note pad by my bed, turn on the tiny LED pen light anchored to my bedpost and try to flesh out an idea while she rests next to me.
About that magic box I mentioned. It started out as a simple gold-colored, satin-lined gift box she had on her dresser, housing a tangle of pieces, not of my design. One day, several years ago, when I had fashioned a new piece for her and, wanting to surprise her with it, I emptied the box, put the new piece in it, and moved the box to the entryway so she would find it when she came home. A tradition was born. Now, whenever I have a new design for her, the magic box takes it in and travels to the entryway to greet her. After our dog, of course.
For those designs that are compelled to move out to a larger audience, I will tweet their arrival with a magic box announcement.
Note About Item Names
Drew Dylan Jewelry owes much to Ireland. From my Irish roots dating back to my family’s arrival on the coast of Georgia in the 1700’s to the trips we’ve taken over the years, I’ve had a romance with the Emerald Isle since childhood. That’s why all my pieces bear the names of places, whether town, river, or lake, from across its counties. And you can hear them pronounced by various natives over at drewdylan.com.
