...that which we would call a rose by any other name, etc...

From time to time I get that question that probably anyone who has an acronym in their name has been asked at some point: "What does that stand for, anyway?"

Great Minds Get Angry?
Go Make Great Art?
Give Me Good Andalusite? (hey, I like that thought!)

Pleas for andalusite notwithstanding, none of these are quite right. The real answer is "Gray Matter Gone Amok" and although that last one in my hypothetical list really appeals to me, there's a (comparatively) long history behind the actual name.

About 10 years ago (I know, eons in the online world) I was trying to decide on a name for what would be my new personal website. I really wanted to divorce myself from the concept of my previous site, so I spent quite a bit of time thinking about the name. I wanted something that would reflect my content, which included various slightly snarky essays, lots of (admittedly bad) poetry, a growing collection of fractal art and maybe an unfinished novel or two. All that needed something a little more impressive than "Jenn's Website".

The concept of using one's brain was critical, hence the introduction of "gray matter" into the name. But it wasn't about sheer number-crunching brain power, it was about the creative process involved. Said process wasn't exactly "crazy" or "mad". It was more like calculated chaos.

a∙mok
adverb (in phrase run amok)
behave uncontrollably and disruptively:
stone-throwing anarchists running amok
figurative: her feelings seemed to be running amok

What can I say, I liked the word "amok". It actually made sense in the context. And honestly, it's fun to say. Go on, try it - I'll wait.

insert pause for dramatic effect here

So what does all that have to do with jewelry? Well, the obvious answer is that I already had the domain name and couldn't very well let it go to waste. Honestly though, domains are cheap now. Really, the same concepts that are involved in my writing and my artwork go into my jewelry. There's a sense of practicality there: writing that makes a point, art derived from mathematics, jewelry that can be worn in real life rather than just on a runway. But there's also the amok component, the dash of chaos that makes it all interesting.

I suppose it's why I adore baroque pearls, prefer my turquoise heavy on the matrix, and would much rather see a nifty inclusion than endless perfection.

Labels: jewelry, name, shameless self-promotion