08/01/2026
Day 3 of posting things I made last year.
WARNING: long one...
Technically, I finished "the monkey ring" last month but its been in my 'to do box' for sometime. All I can say is that creative block is real, and this one held on..
Several years back I met a fellow Western ave studio artist Arlette Laan. Arlette commissioned me to make a wedding band for her husband, Rich. Plain silver band with monkey face carved into it. No problem, done.
When I made this ring I had no idea of the significance of the monkey. Arlette said Rich is a hiker and hikes with a stuffed monkey. Arlette creates stuffed dolls, I figured she made Rich a hiking buddy. Yes, and No. The monkeys are beanies, not one of her hand made dolls. Definitely check out Arlette's dolls. I started following them both on social media shortly after making the ring. For those who don't know, Arlette and Rich are serious hikers, as in world known hikers. Arlette is 1st women to hike all 11 national scenic trails, and everything in between. Rich is an equally accomplished hiker. While following their hiking adventures all around the country/ world. One thing known in the hiker world are the monkeys, hiking stars if you will. I soon realized these are not mere hiking buddies but were, and are, their kids. In a few posts when Rich was hiking under the most adverse weather conditions he mentions asking the monkeys advice on where, what or how. Rich says the monkeys always know. They always get him to the top, and home. When Arlette and Rich were on their own solo adventures they would cross platform support each other. The monkeys were there every step of the way. While Arlette was getting in the miles to complete being the1st women to hike all the national scenic parks, Rich was literally speed running the presidentals in NH with the monkeys in tow. After years of following Arlette, Rich and the kids story, Rich came to me with a sad face and a worn bump on a silver ring. The original monkey was gone. He asked if I could make him a replacement but in gold. Sure, but I'm super busy won't be able to start it for few months. Ok No rush... I bet he regrets saying that. Anyway, a few months pass, I grab some wax and had a thought. They have 2 monkeys, I can't make a 1 monkey ring. Ok, I'll carve 2 monkeys facing in different directions. That should be nice surprise. I've done this before, no problem. Problem, I spent 4 hours that 1st day with a wax pen an idea and I just couldn't see it. I'd melt a little drop of wax, carve, add wax carve was on repeat. Again nope. I need better tools, that's it. So I made new set little scraper tools out of dowels and brad nails. That was no help. Ok I'll put it down and I'll try in few days. This cycle of putting it down for few days got longer and longer in between each attempt. I kept in touch with Rich and explained what's going on. Rich being Rich said he understood and said take your time. Truth be told it wasn't the only job I was stuck on at the time. I'll save that one for later. Finally I had a shift. News of me being full time in studio was the push I needed to "find it". Find what ever it takes to get through it and finish this ring. I was in middle of remodeling the studio, the excitement of new possibilities and the addition of power microscope, got me to find the monkeys. Each of their faces are smaller than a pea. Most of tools were nothing more than a flattened needle at different angles. Then it happened, I found the flow. Now here I was talking to the monkeys. Rich was right, they'll point you in the right direction, all you have to do is listen.
Rich supplied a gold coin, I added little copper alloy to make it rose gold.
Monkey ring 14k rose gold.
monkey photos by Navarre
