Talk about art

One of a kind.

This is what every human being is. And, when human beings use their hands, hearts, and imaginations, look at what they create: one-of-a-kind works of art.

It’s easy to forget this simple, yet profound truth. We live in a world filled with big stores, which themselves are filled with quantities of products, many of which are mass produced to look exactly like their mates, which can run into the thousands, hundreds of thousands, or even millions.

These items may be pretty, they may be fun, they may be useful, but there’s one thing they’re not: one of a kind.

For jewelry artist Andrea Lyman, creating one-of-a-kind necklaces, bracelets, and earrings is a natural result of her travels, her curiosity, her love of vintage items that through years of wear, have developed a unique and natural patina. Her choice of name for her business, Awe & Wonder, reflects this way of thinking.

“It describes my personal world view, and is something I would hope people also feel when they see, experience, and wear my jewelry,” the Moscow, ID, artist says.

A music instructor who, through her position as director of Waldorf Music Teacher Training, also teaches teachers, Lyman travels around the world. On those travels she ferrets out vintage shops, flea markets, second-hand stores, and village markets where she acquires unusual, rare, and handmade treasures to incorporate into her jewelry. These beads, buttons, semi-precious stones, old fabric, lace trim, and other items that she calls “vintage ephemera,” which she then repurposes into new, one-of-a-kind creations.

“Because of the materials involved, and because I design my own patterns, no two pieces are alike,” Lyman says.

“I love to play with the colors, shapes and textures of the materials until a piece begins to create itself, guiding my hands, thoughts, and visions.”

Through December 28, Wenaha Gallery (219 E. Main, Dayton) is showcasing the Awe & Wonder jewelry of Andrea Lyman, with a broad selection of fashion accessories to please every visual palate. The gallery is open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.