Saturday, January 23, 2010

ELIZABETH SHOWERS

14K Gold Filled Edwardian Era Pendant
with Cream Freshwater Pearl Drop
We are in downtown Dallas, Texas today and we would not be on point if we passed up a visit to the Hyatt Regency's Reunion Tower.

Built over 30 years ago it stands 560 feet consisting of three floors that include a revolving restaurant. Texas is also the home of featured jewelry designer Elizabeth Showers.

Feelings of fear and self-doubt are normal, but sometimes fixating on issues, personal or otherwise, can lead to destructive choices and behavior.

A survivor of anorexia, Showers knows first- hand how seriously changed perceptions can influence future decisions. An outgoing and jubilant spirit, Showers would journey down a dark and scary road.

"I started my eating disorder at age 13 the moment I noticed a small pocket of fat at my bikini line. I will never forget that moment. Very quickly, my entire self-worth became wrapped up in my body size. I became obsessed with thin models in magazines."

For seven years, Showers struggled with not only anorexia but also alcoholism and depression. By age 20, the burden of the day-to-day struggle began to take her resolve, and what was left she used to save her life. "I went to treatment for the eating disorder and I also got sober," she recalls. "My new birthday is June 10, 1992, the day I entered treatment."

Despite the challenges she faced, Showers subliminally took in the beauty of architecture and different cultures. Within a four-year period, as she physically and mentally recovered, Showers felt compelled to do something to help other women feel empowered and beautiful.

Inspired by the Terry McMillan book, How Stella Got Her Groove Back in which the protagonist decides to build her own company after a lay off, Showers built on a foundation of jewelry design courses she had taken to establish her company in 1996.

Her collected works, all offset with beautiful semi-precious and precious gemstones, include an 18-karat gold fine jewelry collection, a sterling silver collection, and a vintage-inspired collection of gold vermeil pieces.

Showers' mission is to help women get into the habit of giving themselves something good and beautiful. Her hope is that the self-affirming gesture of buying oneself jewelry becomes a reminder to women to extend goodness to themselves in other ways. Reminders where women learn to acknowledge their inner strength, redevelop self-defeating internal dialogues, and forgive shortcomings in order to evolve.

"During my addictions I had been "hungry" all the time for love, attention, and validation. I learned how to give these things to myself. I had to let go of the addictions to understand that I needed to love myself," says the designer.

Showers' jewelry collections are high polished forms of femininity with buoyant design arrangements that are a perfect balance of structure and color. The gemstones are round and smooth giving them, as well as the overall designs, softness. The aesthetic is a clean, simple beauty in which the Maltese Cross, a symbol of strength and honor, is often implemented.

The proceeds from Showers' Hope Star Collection are divided between two not-for-profit organizations: The Elisa Project, and the National Eating Disorders Association.
18K Yellow Gold Large Leaf Pendant
with Faceted Emerald Quartz and Pavé Diamonds

For more on Showers' triumphant recovery read her personal essay, Living in the Now.

For more on her jewelry designs, check out MYlyonrocks' video interview at YouTube.com.


No comments:

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...