The things we hold

In the Cappadocia region of central Turkey, people over many millennia have carved arched doorways into the weathered valley walls and volcanic “fairy chimney” rock formations. These discreet doorways, small details in the vast wind-carved landscape of the Central Anatolian Plateau, only hint at the extensive networks of underground dwellings, dovecotes, monasteries, even subterranean towns that lie beyond them. Stepping inside, it takes a few moments to adjust to the subdued light and to allow heat from the sun, clinging to clothing and skin, to dissipate into the cooler air of the stone entranceways.

It is these transitions between exterior and interior spaces, as well as a sense of quiet, reverie and discovery, that Cappy Counard sought to capture in her most recent jewelry and small metal sculptures.

The ideas, forms and surfaces draw on her travels to Turkey, Mexico and the Anasazi ruins at Mesa Verde. Phytomorphic elements—including actual seeds—stem from her love of gardening, a gift from her mother. These elements were also influenced by Counard’s study of Arabic tile and architecture, which often include botanical abstractions.

Counard has used strong geometries and careful details to give the work a monumental quality. Tiny openings cut into comparatively vast planes invite exploration. Soft edges and subtle surface undulations suggest centuries of erosion by wind and sand. The marks of repoussé and chasing mirror the hammer-and-chisel marks of architectural stone workers. Seeds—so complete, poignant, purposeful—embody potential and transformation, origin and future. Gold supports like Roman numerals count the passing of seasons, cycles and time.

These details beckon viewers. The small architectures, tiny openings, fine lines, captured seeds and subtle surface marks invite viewers’ focused engagement. They invite viewers to step closer and inquire further in a quiet moment.

Counard reflects, “Sometimes on the way to a special occasion I think, ‘this will be something to remember.’ But it’s something I saw on the way there—a leaf on the sidewalk—that I remember instead. So often what we remember are these moments that catch us by surprise, these small details.”