My OBT

What if you spent every day looking for One Beautiful Thing?

The Power of the Sea

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Mary MacGill

These are the glorious jewelry pieces by artist and designer Mary MacGill. She splits her time between two of the most beautiful places in the northeast – Block Island in RI and the gorgeous artists’ haven that is New York’s Hudson Valley. MacGill’s studio is responsible for many beautiful things – fashion, accessories, objects, and art – but it’s her jewelry on which I’d like to focus.

It’s unusual these days that a successful, moderate-priced jewelry label would still make their pieces by hand, but that’s just how MacGill does it. Like the ocean, her work has a quiet, inevitable power and attraction. And it’s no accident that her pieces bring to mind the sea.

“I’m drawn to the ocean. Seeing light through stone gives me a sense of calm, like watching the sun reflect on water.”

Mary MacGill to Martha Stewart Living magazine

MacGill’s pieces showcase remarkable rounded stones including aquamarine, tourmaline, moonstone, and the most amazing baroque pearls. I love how she makes the stones the story without having to overwork the gold holding them. Her simplistic, wearable designs would go equally well with an evening gown, a business suit, or a bathing suit and sarong.

You can see all of Mary MacGill’s fabulous designs on her website and on Instagram.

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New fine pieces will be up online this week :: as always, all pieces were handmade on Block Island, RI and New York :: it’s been surreal, straddling lines and asking so many questions. I’ve spoken to many jewelers this week who depend on small coastal and rural places for community, to keep their hearts full and inspiration flowing, and NYC for materials and some of the essential knitty gritty of production :: my heart goes out to everyone, everywhere and all that you and your families are going through :: my take so far – finding solace in the quiet of home, reaching out from within, trusting our healthcare professionals, and continuing to do the work I am good at :: making jewelry with a sense of lightness

A post shared by Mary MacGill (@marymacgilljewelry) on

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A few things: 1. A bit of downtime has me thinking, how can we make more of what we do accessible? Our drawers are full of never before seen pieces and I’d love to share them – hence the return of our “Instagram sales” this afternoon. Let us know if there’s anything you’ve been hoping to see! 2. As you probably guessed, our studio is closed to the public at this time, but our website is live and well and we are pushing to update it daily. Do us a solid, check it out! Now is a great time for us to receive feedback, so let us know what we can do to enhance your experience of that space. DM or email us at info@marymacgill.com 3. THANK YOU for all of the support you’ve shown already! We are proud to say that we operate largely in house and can continue to carry on business (mostly) as usual primarily because of this. Shipping just might be a little slowed as we shift our work schedule to adjust to the current state of things. Be well, make each other laugh, share a book, and for some of my favorite “at home” online resources right now, check out @naomimccannhealth for facial Gua Sha tutorials (really, you’ll thank me) and @skyting yoga TV (it’s ONLY $20 for a month of unlimited pre-taped yoga classes from the real deal, no BS, studied yoga teachers who really care about form)

A post shared by Mary MacGill (@marymacgilljewelry) on

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When pearls hug :: 14k Keshi Pearl rings

A post shared by Mary MacGill (@marymacgilljewelry) on

Author: Donna from MyOBT

I have committed to spending part of every day looking for at least one beautiful thing, and sharing what I find with you lovelies!

10 thoughts on “The Power of the Sea”

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  1. bcparkison
    April 6, 2020 at 7:29 am

    Beautiful. If I were into jewelry this would be my go to.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  3. janhaltn
    April 6, 2020 at 8:08 am

    Need a better eye, so hope somebody can help me. In the very first display there are two pair of earrings with a stone. Is the gold in the stone or are the gold wire glued to the stone? Same with the earrings in three. I enjoyed all of them. If my wife were still alive, I could see her wearing a few of them. Wonderful and beautiful. Hal

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    • Donna from MyOBT
      April 6, 2020 at 6:11 pm

      I’m not sure! Can’t get Instagram to blow up, so I just don’t know. Anyone else?

      Everything I’ve heard about your wife makes me like her more!

      Like

      Reply
    • loisajay
      April 6, 2020 at 6:19 pm

      I was dazzled by all of these–I am a jewelry kinda gal. In almost all her pieces you can see the gold post going through the stone. In the displays you question, Hal–#’s 1 and 3, it looks like the gold is glued to the stone. At least that is my take. The circle of gold does not look like it is through the stone. I hope this helps. What do you think, Donna?

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  4. Laura (PA Pict)
    April 6, 2020 at 1:25 pm

    Every single piece makes me swoon. I love this style of jewellery.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

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