One of the bright spots of the past year is the time I've spent in the studio working on our new collection, The Sacred Grove. You know how you discover something new to you and it just captures your enthusiasm? That's how I felt when I first encountered La Tène art. 

La Tène culture was very, very early – the Iron Age, roughly 400 years BCE. The hardy, creative people flourished throughout Europe, eventually settling in Scotland, Brittany, Wales and Ireland. And when you look at the jewelry they created you’d find elegant, sophisticated designs that are every bit as beautiful and appealing today as they were first created, more than 2,000 years ago. 

These ancient asymmetrical swirling designs are extremely sophisticated and precise. They have a very exciting dynamic balance about them that reminds me of the way a river runs around rocks or the way fog descends a hillside; there's a jubilant energy that speaks of stars being born and the constantly changing face of the moon.

The beauty of the La Tène designs goes far beyond the visual. These ancient symbols have a graceful yet chaotic wild energy that can guide seekers to a deeper understanding of the universe above, below and around us. To open this message to the widest audience, I’ve created The Sacred Grove collection, inspired by La Tène, featuring familiar sacred plants and celestial elements.

When I was developing the collection, I felt it was very important that no matter where someone was living, they could recognize and identify with the organic shapes they were seeing. That's why the Sacred Grove collection features trees and celestial forms that appear both in the Celtic lands I was inspired by and throughout the world: 

• Oak – Sacred to the ancient Celts, the Oak is the symbol of strength, wisdom, truth and bravery.
• Birch – The first of the Celtic tree symbols, the Birch stands for hope, regeneration, and potential.
• Sun – Considered the source of life, the Sun represents fertility, growth and healing heat.
• Moon – Ever changing, the Moon symbolizes the search for wisdom and acceptance of grace.
• Star – There are as many fates as there are stars in the night sky. The mark of adventurers & dreamers.

These new pendants are even more gorgeous in person, and you're going to love the way they look when they're on. I spent most of last year working on this project and it's wonderful to bring it to you now, as winter turns toward spring.