100 Medical Procedure Silver Earrings
I have begun my 2025 100-Day Project, titled 100 Medical Procedure Silver Earrings.
The idea for this project came to me a few years ago after undergoing a colonoscopy. Inspired by the experience, I crafted a pair of silver earrings that depicted the procedure—specifically the lassoing and removal of a polyp during a polypectomy.
To prepare for this ambitious project, I created a list of potential medical procedures I could sculpt in wax. My jewelry-making process relies on the lost wax technique, where intricate wax models are first designed, then encased in high-temperature plaster to create a mold. Once the wax is burned out, the molds are filled with molten silver (cast), and the pieces are finished and polished.
I also reached out to my social media followers, inviting them to suggest medical procedures they’d like to see transformed into silver earrings. After taking a nine-month hiatus from structured waxwork to focus on other projects, I realized I needed a warm-up period to regain my creative groove. That first week of bench work proved invaluable as I stumbled, struggled, and failed—a necessary phase to rediscover my rhythm. My initial attempts to replicate medical devices in wax left me dissatisfied. I soon realized that simply duplicating medical tools wasn’t enough; I needed to infuse each design with my signature textured aesthetic. This epiphany led me to rework the pieces, experimenting with up to six variations for each design until I was satisfied.
So far, I’ve completed four of t
he 100 earring designs:
1. Artificial Hip Joint (Depuy Synthes Corail)
2. Cataract Surgery: Insertion of the intraocular lens via the injector (eye)
3. Stapled Hemorrhoidopexy (Stapled Hemorrhoid Surgery)
4. Balloon Angioplasty with Stent (cardiac)
Now, I’ve settled into the routine for the remaining 96 days. My daily process follows these steps:
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Show up.
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Ride the creative rollercoaster.
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Solve problems.
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Rework as needed.
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Repeat.
This is my third 100-Day Project, and I’ve developed a set of rules to guide the process:
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On days when I’m home, I must go to the studio and create one “acceptable” piece under the project theme.
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If I’m away, the project is paused and resumes upon my return.
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If a design isn’t working, I will redo it as many times as necessary until it’s right. I can dedicate a second day to particularly stubborn designs if needed, but my goal is to complete a design in one day whenever possible.
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When feasible, I aim to create designs with production in mind, designing and sprueing them efficiently to streamline mold-making and treeing.
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Sharing the project is done on my terms. While building a high-quality collection and ultimately selling the work is the goal, I am not obligated to share daily progress in real time. Instead, I share images and updates strategically, in alignment with my objectives.
I’d love to hear your suggestions for other medical procedures to tackle next and any feedback on how I might refine the project as it evolves over the coming months.
– Mit