RING No. 18

Years ago, while I was doing my undergraduate studies at Winthrop University, I found a chunk of unclaimed plastic. I asked around and no one knew whose it was, so I tucked it away for future use. It stayed packed away with all my other plastic scraps until I moved to Kent, Ohio for grad school. I rekindled my love for plastics and took them all out and started thinking... It sat on my desk for a while until one day someone said, "Tabitha, there is something glowing on your desk! I saw it last night when I turned out the lights in the studio". I was baffled! I am fascinated by glow-in-the-dark stuff, but I certainly didn't have anything like that in the studio.....or did I? Come to find out, this beautiful piece of discarded plastic also glows!

While I was in South Carolina for Christmas break, I got a chance to meet up with Mike Gentry (fellow Winthrop Alum) to see his new work and awesome studio. When I was leaving his studio, I found a plastic light bulb casing outside on the ground. It must have come from some of the lights that are draped all over downtown (which is where Mike's studio is). It was chipped on the open end and there was paint on it, but I saw potential.

This brings me to my idea for the ring. I filed away at the block of plastic until I had enough to fill the bulb. I poured a new batch of resin and mixed it with the glow shavings. I poured it into the bulb and let it set. Meanwhile, I made a silver ring to set the bulb in. I formed, soldered, filed, sanded, and polished the ring before pouring a light layer of resin inside to set the bulb in. I am really excited about this ring! I want to wear it everywhere!


Materials: Sterling silver, found plastic, plastic glow shavings, and resin
Dimensions: 2.125 x .875 x .875 inches