The next time you’re driving down Falls Rd. headed north, pay attention after you pass The Avenue. About a half a mile down the road, you’ll notice a building with the downstairs painted purple. That is the home of Black Mess Records, a heavy metal record store and home to Acid Queen Jewelry.
When I walked into Black Mess Records to meet Alex, she was busy piecing together earrings, building an inventory. After selling more than 300 pieces at Maryland DeathFest last year, she’s knows she’ll need to have even more for the 2014 festival. All the rows of carefully crafted earrings hanging behind the register aren’t even close to what will be available for sale come festival weekend. And while the pieces she’s making now feature iconographies that will no doubt sell, the popular metal festival is by no means the only place her jewelry flies off displays. The current problem? The pictures she’s posting on Facebook hoping to get customers excited about what will be available at DeathFest are generating orders. It’s a good problem to have, but means there’s certainly more work to be done.
Having a background in marketing with an emphasis on fashion has been a huge help to Alex as she builds her Acid Queen brand, as well as in co-owning Black Mess with her boyfriend Jo. Through a combination of self-teaching, classes taken at the MICA Jewelry Center and now the Baltimore Jewelry Center, she developed the signature Acid Queen style. The collection includes rings with crystals, as well as cuffs and pendants that are etched metal. But the true centerpieces of her line are pieces featuring found objects.
No amount of education can teach you the passion Alex has for what she’s creating. When I asked her what her favorite part of the process was, the sourcing and creating or the selling to satisfied customers; it was without a doubt the sometimes frustrating creative process that she enjoys the most. Deciding how to use an antique arrowhead or the best way to use a large bone while making it all beautiful, is what keeps her creating.
With a clear nod to the occult, there is a natural harmony to each Acid Queen piece. Designed by using materials from a multitude of sources means most pieces are one of a kind. A particular chain may come in limited supply or the focal point of a necklace could be something she picked up while traveling. It’s the uniqueness that makes the Acid Queen line special. No two pieces are exactly alike, even when she’s tried upon request.
While pieces are designed with those who understand the symbols, crystals, and patterns based on the sacred geometry, they are by no means exclusive. Her crystal point rings (currently available on her Etsy store or at Black Mess) are slightly larger than your traditional stackable ring, and would be a fun way to mix them up. The cuff bracelets and pendants, with the etchings designed by Tom Denney, are unique, with an almost antiqued appeal. But if you have something special in mind, Alex can do that too, as she recently did for a client who wanted a pendent featuring a piece of mantle from one of the Manson murder houses.
So if you’re looking to add something truly unique to your jewelry collection (or to your collection of metal records) check out Acid Queen Jewelry at Black Mess Records (3853 Falls Rd. Baltimore, MD). And if you’re headed to Maryland DeathFest this year (May 22-25, 2014) stop by their booth.
