The Cabinet of Curiosities

A prime example of a Cabinet of Curiosities at Grandview Mercantile in Columbus, OH.

                 A personal museum. Emphasis on muse. Collections like this impressive cabinet from Grandview Mercantile in Columbus Ohio, are impossible to walk past. The oddities inside have a gravity that draws a passerby up to the glass. Human skulls, (some how legal, as a small notecard makes clear), unique crystal formations, and bizarre taxidermy specimens clutter the shelves to create a visual treasure trove. Natural wonders captivate the imagination. 

I left that shop with my arms overflowing with a carved cow skull, African porcupine quills, and skull dice. Not acquiring them wasn’t an option. This proclivity to scoop up neat objects has been a part of my life since I can remember. It has taken years to stop filling my pockets with acorns when I spot them. Though, this tendency has served me well when choosing materials for my creations. 

The jewelry and lifestyle accessories that come out of my studio have components from near and far. Parrot feathers arrive generously in my mailbox from a client who saw my work at a festival. Coyote teeth and crystals are gifted from a woman who is a farmer and happens to be the wife of the man who organizes the Scranton Tattoo Convention. Feathers and antlers appear on my studio doorstep from generous hunters who after harvesting the meat, care to extend the utility of the animal. 

   My real work is orchestrating these history-rich components, with their unique attributes into functional art. I am grateful for everyone who contributes to the fluid “stream of curiosities” that moves through my hands. The experience of interacting with you and the materials is life giving.

Forever in service to the Muse, 

                                       -Kelly Ormsby