"It’s taken me my entire life to reach this moment in time of creating my rock offerings.
I believe the earth chooses to release her secrets and each person receives
the rock that reflects their individual spirit.” – Betsy Bauer
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Betsy Bauer's Wrappedrockz...
Inspired by the drama of the primal rock landscape of the Southwest and her Zen Buddhist practice, artist Betsy Bauer carefully crafts her wrapped rock sculptures and jewelry pendants in her Santa Fe studio, using stones she collects from ancient dry riverbeds in New Mexico and from far flung places she visits on her travels.
Not all rocks are created equal. Betsy hand picks rocks with unique shapes and variations in color and texture, and transports them back to her studio in Santa Fe, New Mexico. There, she wraps each specimen in natural cane, fusing ancient Japanese basketry techniques with contemporary design elements from the Southwest, including turquoise beads and semi-precious stones.
Simple and symbolic, Wrappedrockz are designed to be used many ways. Gift them to friends or family to commemorate a special occasion or to remember loved ones. Place them on an altar during prayer and meditation. Or simply display them in a vignette or tablescape to enhance your connection to the natural world. Wrappedrockz Pendants are one-of-a-kind necklaces that replicate the rock designs in miniature. The pendants keep Wrappedrockz around your neck and close to your heart.
“The ancient stones I collect and wrap have their own energies and stories which bring an organic, life force to the pieces. The cane I use to wrap the rocks has to be soaked, and has unique qualities which cause it to shrink and hug the rocks after the cane is dry.
"During the process of wrapping the rocks, I must be very centered, and in an almost meditative state. Many collectors comment that Wrappedrockz bring them a sense of calm and inner peace. They have been gifted to people for meditation or altars, in healing crises or moments of grief, and I have collected stories of their comforting qualities. It brings me great joy to be between the giver and the gifted as the creator of the gift.”
“The fact that rocks are infinitely older than we are is humbling and opens up soulful creative energy for me to work with from the start. Some nights I go to sleep just seeing different rock shapes and forms and wake up excited to begin a day in the studio with the rocks.”
Shop Betsy’s unique collection of Wrappedrockz here. See Betsy's BIO here.
Read more about Betsy and Wrappedrockz in American Craft Council Magazine.
(Betsy's first rock when she was teaching
herself to wrap rocks).
Before Wrappedrockz…
When Betsy graduated from art school in New York City, she moved to nearby Hoboken, NJ. Two experiences from this time period influenced her art: living one block away from a huge bamboo factory, and working at New York Central Art Supply, a shop famous for the amazing collection of papers from Japan. On her rooftop, Betsy began making large bamboo structures using Japanese paper. Soon, she would travel to Japan to explore small villages known for their paper making and indigo dyeing.
Betsy frequently visited Central Park to connect with nature. Her favorite large rock there inspired an exhibit of carved rocks in a Soho gallery, which included a rock found in her NY garden with her handprints carved into the stone and gold-leafed.
For decades, Betsy has been mainly painting, drawing and printmaking. Her paintings and prints are held in museum, corporate and private collections around the world. She also has worked as an interior designer for over 15 years in Santa Fe.
Now three decades later, she has begun to explore bamboo, rocks and paper with a new enthusiasm. Early in 2019, she began working on a series of Shibori projects, folding and dyeing paper. She also started collecting bamboo and rattan and experimenting with structures of bamboo and paper along with her Wrappedrockz.