“My name is Alley and today I brought M’Lady.

I made her just after the Haitian earthquake. I couldn’t stop thinking about the Haitian women there. They have endured such repetitive hardship & injustice.

I literally refer to the necklace as M’Lady. For me she definitely is a reminder of the humility, inspiration, and self-expression of these women.

I like to think of, and use, jewelry as a form of sculpture that can be more accessible.  I see it as a way to embody the primitive and abstract roots that allow us to connect to each other and the world we live in.

So that’s was the thought behind the piece. But yeah, I love it. I love her!

Coincidentally, right after I made her, I read this incredible poem by Adrienne Rich, called Stepping Backward, that speaks a bit to some of these ideas.”

Tidbit:

Ally is currently attending Yale Medical School where she is pursuing a Masters and PHD in Pathology. Her research is focused on the estrogen receptor and its roll in breast cancer. If all goes well she hopes to defend her research next spring and graduate. For now, art has to take a second seat to her academic studies.

The poem by Adrienne Rich can be found here on page 36. www.eons.com/uploads/1/2/12752988_Adrienne_Rich%20poems.pdf