MY LIFE©  -  CHAPTER 44 (part 2)  - MY THREE MUSES

Let me tell you the REAL start of my designing spree ….

Obviously it is a big jump from fashion clothing to jewellery. After 58 years in the rag trade, having closed down the shop and …retired (scary word that!) … I was at a loss what to do. I was sauntering along Ben Yehudah Street in Jerusalem when I came across a little corner shop.

Typical tourist place, postcards, guide books, tee shirts and souvenirs…..and on a separate stand, a selection of silver earrings.  What caught my eye was their rather strange designs. They were not as the jewellery styles found in most local jewellers. These were hand-crafted by very individualistic designers expressing their taste, their concept of artistry, regardless of what was being sold in mainstream shops.
I was intrigued.
Behind the counter, sitting peacefully reading a book, was an elderly lady ….so serene and peaceful that, to me at least, she seemed like an exception to the “regular Israelis”, most of whom always appear highly strung and excitable.
In my broken Hebrew I asked the price of the earrings. She looked up, smiled that gentle smile of an older generation which has seen it all and remained at inner peace despite it all:
“In Dollars, Pounds or Shekels?” she asked in perfect English.
“Pounds” I replied, as she calmly placed a well-worn bookmark between the pages of her book, set it down, and checked the tag.
We kept on talking and I asked her about Israeli Jewellery. She was a lovely person to converse with. Talk about Indian Gurus of meditative peace, this lady was the epitome of serenity and when I left the shop an hour later I realised that her inner peace was contagious.  I walked out, having paid for the earrings, and learnt something about Israeli Silver Jewellery …. as well as with a warm and sincere feeling for Barbara, this Lady of Tranquillity in a land where such a feeling was fleeting at best. 
I was excited and alive again.
I knew I had to change tack from the Rag Trade to Jewellery. Gibraltar had never seen this particular and original style before.
She was Muse No:1.

Within the first year of opening Beau Jangles, a friend from my past walked in. 

She was holidaying in Gib and now living in America. Ora, for that is her name, is an amazing artistical and “simpatiquisima” lady, a pleasure to know and be friends with.
She saw the range of jewellery and was duly impressed. When I showed her the Antique Roman Glass Necklace I had designed she loved it and bought that and a couple of other pieces too.

Little did I know that such an ordinary event would launch me further into designing.
A couple of months after this I received a phone call from her, from Sarasota, Florida. She was working with a Dr Laufs who had created a chip to protect a person from the damaging effects of eSmog, the accumulation of electromagnetic fields and mainly those emitted by mobile phones and their transmitters.
I was asked to come up with some designs for a pendant within which the eSmog chip could be housed and worn for protection. To paraphrase a bullfighting term, “yo me tiro al ruedo como un espontaneo” (I jump into the bullring spontaneously …. this saying does not have the same ring in English, sorry).
I packed a bag and flew to Florida the very next day.

I learnt a lot there. Dr Laufs showed me the weakening effect on the body’s natural defences by eSmog.

And Ora encouraged me to take this on, which I did to excellent results. It moved me up from designer (I still smile ruefully when I use that adjective on myself) to producer. I have no doubt in my mind that whatever success I may have had was due 90% to Ora's encouragement.

To this day, when she herself has launched a calligraphy range and her second book,

I am privileged to have been so deeply influenced by her in so many ways. Ora’s first book “A HANDY WAY TO COOK YOUR BRAIN”

detailed the damage of microwaves from mobile phones. Her second, “THE PRUNING” is her personal and spiritual journey through life.
She was and remains, Muse No:2

And then there was Marsha!
This lady walked into Beau Jangles looking for some Amber Jewellery. I served her and showed her the range. While I was waxing lyrical about my pieces, she smiling and nodded … and smiled again …. till I paused to catch my breath. “David, I know all about amber, especially Baltic Amber. I am Russian”

I felt crushed! Here’s me with my practiced spiel …. almost like teaching my grandmother to suck eggs!
Marsha laughed but not maliciously, it was actually quite funny, and I totally warmed to her graciousness and …dare I use the word again?... simpatia! Throughout the 15 year of Beau Jangles, Marsha was not just a good client …a very good client in fact …. but an enthusiastic encourager and supporter of my designs.
 In fact, the very best piece I ever produced was a sterling silver bracelet with fluorite crystals.

She advised me, criticised some of my pieces, loved most of them, and gave me the bravery to keep creating new and individual pieces which all sold so well.

Yes, she is Muse No:3
No man is an island. We are all influenced in many directions by those we come in contact with. I have been very fortunate meeting my three Muses.

Without Barbara in Jerusalem, Muse No:1, I would never have started in jewellery, a beautiful trade where I learnt so much … but never enough.

Without Ora in Florida, Muse No:2, I would never have found the courage to go into my o
wn production line. It was this that made Beau Jangles such a success. It was my friendship with her that before, during and to this day that has enriched my own life immeasurably. Without Marsha here in Gib, Muse No:3, I would never have achieved the gratification of creating so many designs, all different, and many rather off the wall, as I have done over the past 15 years.

Thank you Ladies.

I am forever in your debt.