05/29/2026
Lena Echelle | Tephrocactus joya
Materials: Goatskin, silk, sterling silver, yerba mate dye, acrylic paint, soap, acrylic resin
Artist Statement: Tephrocactus, or paper spine cactus, is a native genus of cactus in the deserts of Northwestern Argentina. In Argentina, “joya” does not only mean jewel but also great, beautiful, awesome, precious in general — without any necessary reference to monetary value. This fantasy genus and species of ring suggests that wild plants and places might be considered the greatest “joya” of all.
Artist Bio: Originally a jeweler/metalsmith from the US, I moved to the mountains of La Rioja, Argentina, from Dallas, Texas, in 2009. The Northwestern region of Argentina is extensively mined for precious metals, but I was surprised to discover it was impossible to acquire them without travelling across the country to Buenos Aires. Eventually, I fell in love with the beauty of the hardy native plants and wide-open landscapes and began to work primarily with locally sourced, upcycled materials.
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