Gilded Moss

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Summer walks through the woods on Vinalhaven, when the forest floor seems to glow from within. Moss climbs over ancient granite, sunlight filters through the trees, and every shade of green is touched with a hint of gold. Nothing is flashy. The beauty comes from layers of quiet color that slowly reveal themselves as your gaze softens and time slows down.

Gilded Moss was one of last summer's most-loved colors, and it disappeared quickly. Soft mossy green forms the foundation while flashes of warm gold shimmer beneath the surface, changing with every movement. One moment it is fresh and luminous, the next it settles into earthy olive tones that feel both grounding and timeless. Bringing it back feels a little like revisiting a favorite trail. The landscape has changed just enough to feel new, and the sense of peace it offers is exactly as you remembered. It’s a color that invites slowing down, looking closely, and finding beauty in places that don't ask to be noticed. Like the moss that quietly softens stone, its magic reveals itself over time.

The Gilded Moss Bracelet wraps your wrist in the colors of the forest floor. Each handcrafted fused dichroic glass stone reflects soft greens touched with warm gold, creating a gentle rhythm of light as you move. Comfortable enough to wear every day, it serves as a quiet reminder to slow down, look closely, and notice the beauty that often goes unseen.

$150.00

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Lightweight and effortless, the Gilded Moss Earrings bring a soft glow to every day. Their shifting greens and warm golden shimmer echo the colors of moss-covered granite, evergreen forests, and summer light on Vinalhaven. They are understated enough for everyday wear, yet distinctive enough to become a favorite you'll reach for again and again.

from $45.00

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The Gilded Moss Necklace carries the quiet beauty of the forest wherever you go. Warm gold shimmers beneath layers of mossy green, recalling those moments when sunlight filters through the trees and transforms the woodland floor into something almost magical. It is a simple piece that draws people in, revealing new depths of color each time the light changes.

from $90.00

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Last summer, a longtime customer purchased a pair of Gilded Moss earrings, and during our conversation we realized how beautifully the colors echoed Kathleen Bird's work. I asked her if she would mind photographing the earrings on the moss rug and the glass nestled so naturally among the mossy greens and golden tones that it felt like a quiet affirmation that Gilded Moss had been exactly the right name all along.

Kathleen Bird's hand-hooked rugs are an invitation to see the natural world differently. Rather than depicting sweeping vistas, she turns her attention to the intricate beauty beneath our feet, where mosses, lichens, leaves, and stone create an endlessly changing tapestry of color and texture. Layer by layer, Kathleen transforms wool into landscapes that reward close observation, revealing subtle details and quiet moments that might otherwise go unnoticed. Her work reminds us that some of nature's greatest beauty is found not in grand gestures, but in the richness of the overlooked.

If Kathleen's work speaks to you as deeply as it does to me, I hope you'll spend a few minutes exploring her collection at New Era Gallery. Her ability to capture the quiet beauty of moss and lichen is extraordinary.

Created especially for this collection, Elaine Crossman designed Understory, a 21-stone wrap bracelet that circles your wrist twice. Weaving Gilded Moss together with a collection of complementary glass, it captures the rich tapestry of the forest floor. Photographed on Kathleen Bird's breathtaking hand-hooked rug, The Beauty of Moss & Lichen, the bracelet seems to disappear into the landscape before emerging again, inviting you to look a little closer.

$350.00

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Fused glass that echoes the quiet complexity of the forest floor - flashes of soft green, warm gold, sea blues, deep evergreen, weathered browns, and even the occasional hint of lavender, just as you might discover when you slow down and really look beneath your feet on a walk through the woods.

Discover the Islandscape Collection

Each Islandscape Bracelet is a one-of-a-kind collaboration between painter Elaine Crossman and me. Inspired by the colors, light, and landscape of coastal Maine, every bracelet tells its own story and no two are ever alike.

Explore the Islandscape Collection →

This year also marks my friend and colleague Elaine Crossmans 25th season of New Era Gallery a milestone well worth celebrating. If you'd like to read more about Elaine's journey and what makes her work and her gallery so special, I shared her story on the blog last month. Read the post here →

Around the Island

When Lara O’Brien first moved to Vinalhaven, she organized an outdoor writing workshop at Lane's Island. Just one person showed up. That person was me.

What could have been a disappointing morning became the beginning of a wonderful friendship. Since then, we've discovered that we share a deep belief in the importance of building community. Lara creates spaces where people find their voices through writing, and I hope WindHorse Arts creates a place where people feel connected through color, conversation, and the simple act of gathering.

Lara's new book, The Power of the Prompt, is a beautiful invitation to begin writing, no matter where you are in your creative journey. She'll be giving an author talk at the Vinalhaven Public Library on Tuesday, August 19, and leading a half-day writing workshop at The Gathering Place on Saturday, August 23, from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The workshop is $60 and welcomes writers at every stage.

I'm delighted to be carrying The Power of the Prompt here at WindHorse Arts. If you've been thinking about putting pen to paper, I can't imagine a better guide.

Learn more about Lara, her book, and her upcoming events →

If Gilded Moss reminds you of your favorite walk in the woods, a quiet morning by the sea, or simply a moment when the light caught you by surprise, I'd love for one of these pieces to find its way to you. And if someone comes to mind while you're reading this, I hope you'll share this week's newsletter with them.

Small businesses grow one recommendation at a time, and I'm grateful every time you help tell the story. Sharing the work is one of the greatest gifts you can give a small business.

Shop Gilded Moss →

a smiling, joyful woman in her glass studio

WindHorse Arts provides connection to community and acts as a conduit to how people see themselves by: empowering the experience of joy through color, working with one’s hands, and leaning into every person’s own special magic.

WindHorse Arts store and studio are on stolen land of the Wabanaki people, a place currently recognized as Vinalhaven, Maine, nestled in the serene beauty of Penobscot’s Bay. I am grateful to steward this sacred land, honoring its deep roots and rich histories.

Handmade in Vinalhaven, Maine

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