THE GEMSTONE APOTHECARY
Hybrids of science, superstition, and jewelry signifiers, The Gemstone Apothecary explores the complex intersections of rationality, belief, and emotional resonance.
Superstitions persist in modern life, often without conscious thought—'knock on wood' remains a reflexive gesture for many. In recent years, a renewed interest in crystals, gemstones, and amulets has emerged across New Age and mainstream cultures. As psychologist Stuart Vyse notes in Believing in Magic: The Psychology of Superstition, “The absence of control over an important outcome creates anxiety. So, even when we know on a rational level that there is no magic, superstitions can be maintained by their emotional benefit.”
During my 2019 residency at Trier University’s Idar-Oberstein Campus, I sought to respond to the city’s unique environment. Idar-Oberstein, historically a hub of the gemstone industry, is now navigating the effects of globalization, with tourism emerging as a critical means of survival.
In the city's tourist shops, I encountered an abundance of healing stones, displayed with elaborate 'prescriptions' for their powers. Rooms brimming with gemstones and belief, provided a striking entry point for my research. Conversations with local colleagues revealed a deep cultural attachment to the healing properties of gemstones, offering insight into how these objects serve as conduits for hope and emotional relief.
This experience led me to reinterpret healing stones as symbols for the psychosocial contexts of jewelry—concepts that have consistently driven my practice. The Gemstone Apothecary emerged as a reflection on the enduring interplay between rational science and emotional belief, using jewelry as a lens to explore humanity’s need for meaning, comfort, and control.
Since creating these works, I am often asked if I ‘believe’ in healing stones - in a way I do, at the very least I want to…and I believe in the hope that belief provides.
The noted 'Healing Qualities of the Stones' are from Dr. Google
There are two amulet groups in the series, metal pieces fabricated from laser cut aluminum, or galvanized steel, set with healing stones. The layered colored pendants are aluminum printed with imagery of botanical psychopharmacology, hand engraved with chemical diagrams embedded with various sourced and self cut/carved 'healing stones.'