("Sibli" means "to whistle" in Esperanto and also evokes the word "sibling" in English.)
It took me over four years to complete this project, which began during the chaos of the pandemic while another major "project" was also in progress—my second child, Mateo Nicolás! I wanted to create a collection for him when I was pregnant, just as I had for Lena with "Amaranta." I wanted something that could capture his attention, and I remembered my own childhood fascination with paper thaumatropes.
The image of the bird in the cage in this optical toy naturally led me to think about birds' freedom while we had to quarantine. As the world shut down and the noise of airplanes disappeared, I started hearing the birds singing more clearly. Spending hours indoors helped me appreciate the ducks and swans on the canals, and I loved watching the parakeets that visited the garden trees each evening.
Image of the thaumatrope illusion from the book Scientific Amusements by Henry Frith, 1890.
One of the hardest parts for me on those days was that my family couldn’t fly over for Mateo’s birth. I found myself envying the swallows gliding effortlessly across vast distances. Although the Netherlands wasn’t as massively affected as other countries, it was chilling to see the world grapple with death, uncertainty, and fear. The pandemic felt like a dark reflection of the past when diseases claimed so many lives. It reminded me of our vulnerability, but also of our resilience.
With this collection, I wanted to capture the positive emotions that birds inspire—resilience, freedom, finding light in dark times, the strength of love and family, and the little joys that sustain us.
INSPIRATION
The most chaotic days of the COVID-19 pandemic, even here in the 21st century, brought to mind parallels with past pandemics, like the Black Plague that devastated Europe. I wondered, how did people endure those dark times? What gave them strength, hope, or even joy? The way people coped then intrigues me, as does the art they left behind.
I've always been fascinated by medieval art, with its vivid colors and almost otherworldly compositions. To our modern eyes, it can look quirky, flat, and disproportionate. But medieval artists weren’t aiming for realism. Their creations were windows to the divine, meant to communicate spiritual truths and offer a kind of comfort, strength, and teaching for the soul, not merely to mirror the natural world. That art, so layered with symbolism, reminds me of the power of creativity and faith to uplift—even in life’s darkest seasons.
I (digitally) flipped through the pages of the medieval bestiary and illuminated manuscripts, searching for representations of birds and the allegories and morals they conveyed.
I also remembered a beautiful Langdale Rosary (ca. 1500) that caught my eye during a visit to the V&A Museum many years ago—a stunning piece made of oval and oblong gold beads, with religious scenes engraved and enameled in black.
After many rounds of sketches and gathering notes on this fantastic imagery and its allegorical meanings, I settled on designing 5 oval thaumatropes, each featuring a different bird: the hummingbird, the swallow, the parakeet, the owl, and the mythical phoenix.
THE MAKING PROCESS
Crafting the puzzle pieces of the thaumatrope with the precision needed for it to spin smoothly was quite a challenge. First, I tried casting the models in wax but couldn’t get a perfect fit. Then I attempted making them directly in metal for better precision, but that didn’t work either. It might have been easier to make them circular, but by then, I was convinced the oval shape was the right choice—a nod to the fact that birds come from eggs! ;)
Finally, I succeeded by combining ancestral goldsmith techniques with modern technology! I modeled the frames and the spinning plates on the computer and 3D printed them— this time I got a perfect fit! Having the mechanism part solved, I continued working on the designs for each side of the thaumatrope directly in metal. The gray GRS Thermo-Loc compound was a lifesaver when it came to hand-engraving all the details!
Once I had all the pieces, I made molds to reproduce them in limited quantities using the lost wax method. After casting the components, I filed, soldered, polished, patinated, and polished them again.
From the 5 thaumatropes, I created a whole series of smaller pieces like earrings and pendants to complement them.
THE COLLECTION
Hummingbirds evoke freedom and adaptability. Despite their small size, they symbolize strength through the constant movement of their wings, tracing the shape of infinity in the air as they remain suspended.
In some cultures, like the Mayan, they are considered carriers of wishes, dreams, and messengers of souls.
In the thaumatrope pieces, an open hand welcomes the visit of this magical messenger—or lets it fly free, depending on how you choose to see it. How does this hummingbird speak to you?
The open hand is a powerful symbol across cultures. It represents protection from negative energies, as seen in the Hamsa. It also signifies blessings and generosity, reflecting openness to receiving and sharing kindness.
In spiritual contexts, the open hand represents healing, guidance, and fearlessness, often conveyed through gestures in traditions like Hinduism and Buddhism.
The "zunzuncito," or bee hummingbird, a native species of Cuba, is the smallest bird in the world!
I've created this small pendant in solid silver or gold intending to match the bird's actual weight, which is only 1.6 to 1.9 grams. By holding it in your fingers, you can experience how light this tiny yet mighty creature truly is.
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Swallows, throughout time and across various cultures, have symbolized love, loyalty, freedom, and hope. Known for their incredible migrations, swallows always return home and are known for choosing a lifelong mate.
In this design, two swallows reunite, representing the unbreakable bond between two souls. They represent that true love will always find its way back regardless of distance or challenges.
Do you remember the scene in Home Alone 2 when Mr. Duncan gives Kevin a pair of turtle-dove ornaments at the toy store?
"Turtle doves are a symbol of friendship and love. Keep one, and give the other to a very special person. As long as each of you has your turtle dove, you will be friends forever."
I’ve been touched by that scene for decades, and this is my version of those birds. Would you like me to ship one to you and one to your loved one at a different address? If you place them in two separate orders with different shipping addresses, I’ll gladly do it.
To make it more personal, I can hand-engrave up to 4-5 characters on the back of the swallows, perhaps initials or a short word meaningful to both of you.
This spinning ring/necklace, featuring a parrot perched on a branch, was inspired by the morning and afternoon visits of these vibrant birds to the garden I enjoyed watching from my Amsterdam apartment during the pandemic—parrots thriving in the city’s urban landscape. Though not native to the Netherlands, these resilient birds have flourished here, symbolizing adaptability and survival.
In many cultures, parrots represent vibrant communication, wisdom, and joy.
I hope this cheeky parrot reminds you of the beauty in unexpected moments and the strength to thrive, even in unfamiliar environments.
Since ancient times, owls have been viewed as symbols of wisdom, intuition, and femininity, as well as fertility. Examples of this can be found in their associations with the Greek goddess Athena, the Hindu goddess Lakshmi, and the Baltic sorceress Ragana, among others.
In this spinning piece, an owl stares calmly and alertly into a starry night. “If you cry because the sun has gone out of your life, your tears will prevent you from seeing the stars.” — Rabindranath Tagore.
Astute and sharp, the owl's wisdom encompasses not only the ability to bring to light what is hidden in the dark but also the capacity to thrive within that darkness.
What could be more iconic of resilience and reinvention than a phoenix rising from the fire, reborn from its own ashes? First depicted by the Egyptians over 3,000 years ago, the myth of the phoenix has evolved over time and has been embraced by many cultures while preserving its core symbolism of rebirth and immortality.
In this spinning piece, the image of the phoenix merges with the flames of transformative fire, inseparably connected, as the fire is essential for the phoenix’s existence.
In this set, the image of the phoenix is connected to the burning fire by a chain.
However, they can also be worn separately, as attaching the chain to the back of the brooches is optional.
"In myth as in reality, fire sometimes merely destroys, but often destroys so that from purified residue or ashy essence a new world may come into being".
(The book of symbols. 2010. Taschen)
I hope that carrying this small flame inspires you to ignite the inner fire within you, transforming you into what you wish to be and achieve.
And that's a wrap! I hope you enjoyed seeing all the pieces I've made so far and taking a peek behind the creative process to create them. Perhaps the collection will expand to different formats based on the requests of my dear customers, who always bring the best ideas!
I hope these jewels serve as a token to unlock your potential (fire), to feel close to your loved ones (swallows), to stay resilient (phoenix) and strong (hummingbird), to enjoy the little joys life gives you every day (parrot), and to find the silver lining even in hard times (owl), just as we did during the intense days of the COVID pandemic.
My little Mateo is already 4 years old. He often asks me to take off my phoenix and fire ring so he can play with it, spinning it with his chubby fingers, mesmerized as he watches the bird merge with the flames. Whatever this crazy world brings him, I wish him a long, healthy, and happy life, and that the little fire that lights his sparkly spirit never fades. I wish the same for you, curious reader, dear customer, and fellow creative. Thank you for following this story and supporting my passion.
Warmly,
Lorena
With this collection, I wanted to capture the positive emotions that birds inspire—resilience, freedom, finding light in dark times, the strength of love and family, and the little joys that sustain us.
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