Own a one-of-a-kind piece created by seventh grade Nueva parent and jewelry designer Winnie Van der Rijn. The Golden Age is a show-stopping statement necklace made from a mix of quirky new and found objects. Set in gold and cognac tones, this stunning piece will quickly become a favorite in your jewelry collection. Winnie has been designing jewelry since 1989 and has sold her work in boutiques and galleries throughout the U.S., including the gift shops of the Smithsonians Renwick Museum of Art and Craft and the Hirschhorn Sculpture Garden. From Winnie: My current work focuses on upcycling found objects. The designs are not premeditated. I employ an organic creative process design and construction happening simultaneously. The design grows out of a conversation with the materials. Its kind of like putting a puzzle together. I am inspired by beauty and possibility. I find beauty and possibility in the imperfect and discarded. I like things that are broken and worn and a bit dirty with the patina of age. I am curious about how and why we acquire, consume, treasure, and discard. I am intrigued by the idea of value and how things are assigned value in society. I work to create some kind of visual balance in each piece and an irreverent sense of whimsy. Instead of asking why? I like to ask why not? I'm about constant reinvention, transformation, and evolution for myself and my work.

Donor(s): Winnie Van der Rijn, Eccentric Designs

Fair Market Value: $300