Raised on the Canadian island of Newfoundland and now based in New York, Mark Peddigrew is known for collecting antique charms—and stories—from around the world. This time, he is bravely sharing his own, reliving memories that are both painful and uplifting. His newest collection for his label Cartography40n74w, titled “In All The Wrong Places,” features jewelry shaped like grenades and anatomical hearts; manifesting his past relationships into small, tangible objects that hang from the neck.
“The collection was inspired by men in my life—those unfortunate few who, for better and worse, snuck their ways into my heart and, apparently, haven’t left it,” Peddigrew reveals. “It actually wasn’t heartache that led to the first design, the lapel pin of the heart in the heart (and to be worn over the heart). Chad still plays a huge part in guiding me, hence the E. E. Cummings quote: ‘I carry your heart (I carry it in my heart).’ So this was a tribute to him and all of his awesomeness, as opposed to some of the others, like the gun, named after my first love…We all know that the end of love, particularly the first time out, is devastating.”
Some of the other charms are just as provocative as the revolver, and aren’t for the faint-hearted. “Life moves on and we have highs and lows—highs like the Eduardo (the ecstasy charm), who made me feel like I was high every time we were together, or lows like the Jack (the middle finger charm), who pissed me off in a big way. And then there is the one named after me—the heart grenade—which matches the tattoo on my forearm. My heart’s been beaten and bruised but, like any muscle, it gets stronger the more it gets torn up and hurt. And like a grenade, the heart is explosive. If you don’t let it explode on occasion, it implodes.”
Aside from quoting poets, each necklace has a different song lyric written in the item description. Peddigrew explains, “I’m a huge music whore and everything I do is set to a soundtrack—from when I wake, to when I go to bed. So, there are songs that can vividly recreate exact moments with these men—whether it was dancing all night or making coffee for him in the morning. I’m drawn to the storytellers—Leonard Cohen, Joni Mitchell, Neil Young, Rufus and Martha Wainwright, their mother Kate McGarrigle—and I hope my pieces tell a story too.”
Available in brass or sterling silver, Peddigrew’s necklaces range from $99 to $249 and are available on the Cartography40n74w website.
Images courtesy of Cartography40n74w