Nature has always been humanity’s first and most profound muse. As an artist and jewelry designer, my relationship with the natural world— and particularly the celestial realm—forms the foundation of my creative practice and defines the distinctive aesthetic of Martha Seely Design.

The Sky as Inspiration

The most expansive canvas of nature surrounds us constantly: the sky.  The entire world looks to the sky, and it unites everybody all around the world. People are entranced by stars. They’re entranced by the moon and the planets.

My celestial-inspired collections draw directly from this universal experience of looking upward in wonder. The Constellation, Starburst, and Comet collections are artistic interpretations of actual astronomical phenomena that we can observe and experience.

Capturing Celestial Moments

Nature is constantly in motion, presenting fleeting moments of extraordinary beauty. My Blue Hour collection captures that time of day when the sun is just about set. You see trees that look black while the sky is blue, and with oranges from the sunset.

This transition time—neither fully day nor fully night—has a particularly fascinating moody quality. The Blue Hour pieces, with their carefully selected blue stones complemented by warm accent colors, capture this magical, transitional moment when the natural world reveals a unique palette.

Similarly, the Eclipse pieces within this collection represent another natural celestial event, where our experience of light and shadow is transformed in dramatic ways.

The Natural Color Palette

My discovery of the true colors of the cosmos transformed my approach to design. My initial reaction when I first saw images from the Hubble and Chandra telescopes was, “Oh my God, look at the color in those images!”

These astronomical photographs revealed a universe far more vibrant and colorful than what we see with the naked eye: nebulae swirling with pinks and purples, star clusters glowing with blues and yellows, and galaxies radiating with unexpected hues.

This natural cosmic color palette has directly influenced my gemstone selections. The multi-colored sapphires in my Constellation Collection, for instance, reflect the actual colors of distant celestial phenomena, as revealed by the telescopes.

Natural Formations and Structures

Beyond color, the patterns and structures found in nature also inform my designs. Star clustering in constellations inspired the gemstone arrangement for many of my pieces.  The radiating elements of the Starburst collection mirrors the explosive energy of actual stars. This collection was specifically designed to visually emulate the dramatic birth of a new star and the cosmic explosions happening constantly throughout the universe.

Honoring Earth’s Materials

My connection to nature extends beyond inspiration to a deep respect for the materials I use. As my brand story shares, “Our magnificent Earth, a jewel in its own right, holds a special place in my heart.”

This respect manifests in my commitment to using recycled metals and ethically sourced gemstones. By creating jewelry with sustainability in mind, I aim to honor not just the celestial aspects of nature that inspire my designs but also the earthly resources that make them possible.

The Changing Light of Gemstones

One fascinating aspect of working with natural gemstones is how they interact with light—a phenomenon directly related to how we experience the natural world. For my Eclipse pieces, I’ve experimented with different cutting techniques, such as “a green tourmaline that we’ve cut from underneath, so that the way that the light hits it means that you’re seeing different things from underneath.”

This play of light through natural materials creates a dynamic quality in the finished jewelry, like how natural light transforms our experience of the world throughout the day—from the soft glow of dawn to the golden hour of late afternoon to the blue hour of twilight.

Natural Phenomena as Emotional Metaphors

The natural elements that inspire my work often serve as powerful emotional metaphors. Shooting stars, for instance, which influenced some of my earlier work, traditionally represent wishes and hopes. As I’ve described them, they’re “sort of a wishing star”—connecting the natural phenomenon with the human emotion of aspiration.

Similarly, constellations represent connection and meaning-making—the human tendency to find patterns and stories in the random distribution of stars. Eclipses suggest transformation and revelation. These natural events become rich symbolic language for expressing different aspects of human experience through jewelry.

Finding Your Own Natural Connection

While my work focuses primarily on celestial phenomena, I believe every person has their own unique relationship with nature that can serve as a source of inspiration, comfort, and meaning.

Whether you’re drawn to the vastness of the cosmos, the rhythms of the ocean, the intricate patterns of plants, or the majestic presence of mountains, I encourage you to notice how these natural elements speak to you and perhaps influence your own creative expressions or the jewelry pieces you’re drawn to.

When you wear a Martha Seely Design piece inspired by the cosmos, you carry a fragment of that natural wonder with you—a reminder of both the awe-inspiring universe beyond us and our inherent connection to it as beings made of stardust ourselves.

A Continuous Celestial Journey

As our understanding of the cosmos continues to evolve through new telescope images and scientific discoveries, so too does my inspiration. The Webb Telescope images, for instance, reveal new cosmic wonders that may influence future collections and designs.

Just as nature itself is in constant transformation, my work continues to evolve—finding new ways to capture and celebrate the extraordinary beauty of our natural world, from the smallest gemstone to the vastest galaxy.

Creating is often more than just making something beautiful—it can be a lifeline, a sanctuary, and a path to healing. As I reflect on my journey as a jewelry designer, I’ve come to recognize how profoundly my creative practice has supported me through life’s challenges and transformations.

Finding Light in Darkness
The link between creativity and emotional wellbeing became particularly clear to me during the isolation of the pandemic.  When the world felt uncertain and isolating, focusing on creating pieces that captured the wonder and vibrance of the cosmos provided creative fulfillment and emotional sustenance. Working with vibrant gemstones and celestial imagery allowed me to connect with something larger than myself during a time when such connection felt scarce.

Persistence Through Challenges
My journey as a designer hasn’t always been smooth. There were many moments when my work didn’t resonate with certain audiences or when feedback was discouraging.

Early on, when I approached a store with my beaded designs, the owner challenged me: “Why would I put your beads into my store when everyone is making beads?” Later, another retailer told me his customers didn’t like architectural styles. As deflating as these experiences were, they also  became catalysts for evolution.

I am nothing if not persistent! This persistence in finding ways to continue creating despite setbacks has been essential to finding my creative voice, expressed throughout my designs.

A healing aspects of my creative practice has been my ability to transform negative emotions into positive expression. This commitment to positivity isn’t about denying difficulties. Instead, I consciously choose  how to respond to them. When challenges arise, I channel that energy into creating something that brings tremendous joy. I choose to focus on beauty, wonder, and cosmic connection—elements that elevate both my spirit and hopefully those who wear my jewelry.

Evolution as Healing
There’s been a continuous process of growth and transformation in my creative evolution—from beaded pieces to silver work with cold connections, from the Sequence collection inspired by the Fibonacci spiral to the celestial themes that now define my brand. Each pivot point represented new technical skills along with a new understanding of myself as a designer and what I wanted my work to express.

A graphic designer suggested the universe as a theme because my work “just LOOKED like it belongs in the sky.” Her words for me was a revelation about the essence of what I was trying to express and led me in the stylistic direction that now defines my work.

The emotional response people have to my jewelry—when they feel beautiful, special, or connected to something larger than themselves—creates a circle of positive energy that flows back to me as the designer, reinforcing the healing power of my creative process.

Creating Connection Through Jewelry
In the universe, the entire world looks to the sky, and it unites everybody all around the world. This desire to create unity and connection through my work offers purpose beyond aesthetics. When I design pieces inspired by the cosmos, I’m creating small bridges between people who might otherwise feel divided or isolated, reminding us all we share the same sky and the same fundamental human experiences.

Perhaps one of the most healing aspects of creating jewelry is the connection it fosters, both with oneself and with others.

Finding Your Creative Healing
While my medium is jewelry, I believe the healing potential of creativity exists in countless forms of expression. Whether you create with metal and gemstones, paint and canvas, fabric and thread, or words and ideas, the act of bringing something new into the world can be profoundly restorative.

Creative practice offers us several healing gifts:

·         Presence: Creating requires focus on the present moment, offering respite from ruminating about the past or worrying about the future.

·         Agency: When other aspects of life feel chaotic or beyond our control, the creative process puts the power of choice and decision back in our hands.

·         Expression: Creativity gives form to emotions that might otherwise remain nebulous or overwhelming.

·         Purpose: Creating something meaningful provides a sense of purpose and contribution.

·         Joy: The simple pleasure of making something beautiful or interesting brings genuine joy.

A Continuous Journey
My creative journey continues to evolve, with each collection reflecting new inspirations, technical skills, and life experiences. The healing aspect of my work remains constant, however—whether I’m developing new pieces for the Constellation Collection, experimenting with a luxury silver line, or exploring new gemstone combinations. 

I encourage you to find your own creative practice, whatever form it might take. Even if you don’t consider yourself an “artist,” the act of creating, of bringing something new into the world that reflects your unique perspective, offers dynamic power.

And if jewelry is your creative medium of choice, I hope my celestial-inspired pieces offer both inspiration for your own practice and talismans of beauty and positivity for your journey.

Jewelry is never just about adornment. At its heart, it’s about how it makes you feel, what it says about you, and the connection it creates between your inner self and how you present to the world. This emotional dimension of jewelry has always been central to my design philosophy at Martha Seely Design.

Feeling Like a Star

“If you’re wearing a star, you feel good about yourself.”

This simple statement encapsulates one of my core beliefs about jewelry. The pieces we choose to wear have the power to transform how we feel. When I design a new piece, I’m thinking not just about its visual appeal but about the emotional experience of wearing it.

The celestial inspiration behind my collections connects directly to this feeling of specialness. Stars have always represented something aspirational and magical in human culture. By creating jewelry that captures this cosmic wonder, I aim to bring that feeling of magic into everyday life.

As I’ve often expressed, “Every woman (person) should feel like a star.” For me, this isn’t just a catchy phrase. It’s the emotional foundation of every design I create.

Personal Connection in a Digital World

In an increasingly digital world, there’s something profoundly meaningful about the physical connection we have with jewelry. Unlike many other possessions, jewelry touches our skin, moves with our bodies, and stays with us throughout our day.

This intimate physical relationship creates a unique bond between the wearer and the piece. When that piece also carries meaning—whether through its celestial symbolism, its gemstone properties, or simply the memories attached to when and why you acquired it—it becomes more than an accessory. It becomes part of your personal narrative.

A Personal Statement on Color

Color is an important part of my design because of the joy color raises in you. It helps make you feel pretty. It makes you feel special. It shows who you are to people. It shows your taste.

The vibrant gemstones in my collections are selected to make statements on beauty and individual expression. The multi-colored sapphires in my Constellation Collection, for instance, are there because they capture the extraordinary palette revealed in telescope images—and because color itself is a source of happiness.

Showing Who You Are

Jewelry has always been a form of personal expression, a way to signal something about yourself to the world. Like other art forms, it’s deeply subjective. This individuality is what makes jewelry so powerful. Each piece resonates differently with different people. The Eclipse ring might speak deeply to you while the Starburst earrings might be exactly what your best friend has been searching for to express their personality.

Luxury and beauty aren’t defined by traditional expectations. It doesn’t have to be diamonds; it doesn’t have to be rubies; but it has to be about personal style. The value lies in the design, the craftsmanship, and most importantly, how it makes you feel when you wear it.

Everyday Luxury vs. Special Occasion Pieces

One aspect of my design philosophy that’s particularly important to me is creating pieces that become part of your daily identity, not just special occasion accessories. My jewelry is designed to be worn for many occasions, not to be left in a safe and only rarely worn.

The versatility of my pieces is intentional. I want the joy and self-expression of wearing beautiful jewelry to be part of your everyday experience. The Constellation Collection, for example, allows you to wear clusters of gemstones that could go with all your different outfits and styles

There is a balance between luxury and wearability:  beauty should be lived with, not locked away. The pleasure that comes from wearing a piece you love shouldn’t be reserved only for rare moments.

The Healing Power of Joy

There’s a deeper layer to the joy I aim to create through my designs. During challenging times, creating the Constellation Collection became my own emotional sanctuary. I really needed the color. Thus, the Constellation Collection was exactly what my soul needed to find joy and I believe it can do the same for you.

My commitment to creating pieces that bring positive energy, and happiness is reinforced with this collection. By wearing jewelry that makes you feel good, you carry this positive energy with you throughout your day. It’s a small but meaningful way to nurture your emotional wellbeing and express your authentic self.

Your Unique Expression

Each Martha Seely Design piece is created with the intention of becoming part of your personal expression. Whether you’re drawn to the dynamic energy of Starburst, the transitional beauty of Blue Hour, or the wishing potential of Comets, I hope you find pieces that resonate with your unique identity and bring joy to your everyday life.

I believe everyone deserves to feel special, to experience beauty, and to express their individuality. In the words that guide my work: Every person should feel like a star.