NEWBERRY — With the eclipse quickly approaching, many people are finding ways to remember this once in a lifetime experience. One way that people can capture this memory is through a hand-crafted total eclipse ornament.

Melody Iacangeoo, the artist behind the total eclipse ornaments, came up with the idea to create the ornaments around three or months ago.

“I thought about it but I didn’t do anything with it, because I like to do my own art. Then I was talking to Mary MacDonald, owner of As Time Goes By, and she talked me into it,” said Iacangeoo.

Iacangeoo said she has made around 90 ornaments, which are all individually hand-sculpted out of clay.

“I don’t use any molds or forms or anything like that. They are the sun with the moon over the sun, which represents the total eclipse,” said Iacangeoo. “I like to look for something that is different, so I thought Newberry needs something different. We live in an extremely artistic community and I wondered what I could do to help the Newberry Arts Center.”

The NAC will be displaying the ornaments, along with displaying ornaments at the Literacy Council where people can buy them. Orders will also be taken at the Newberry County Chamber of Commerce. Each total eclipse ornament is $10 with 100 percent of the proceeds going to the Newberry Arts Center.

“Hopefully I can make quite a few more, but it entails a lot,” said Iacangeoo. “If more people want them by the time the eclipse comes I don’t mind making more afterwards, because they’re really Christmas ornaments, so I’ll have them to a certain point. But I would certainly make more.”

All hand-made and sculpted, each piece has its own unique look, which Iacangeoo said was a goal to make each piece look unique as far as glazing and expressions on the ornament.

“At this point in my life, I feel like the thing to do is to give back to the community. My grandfather said that at some point in your life everyone should do community service. He stressed that to all of his grandchildren and so I took the idea and ran with it,” said Iacangeoo.

Melody Iacangeoo with a total eclipse ornament.
https://www.newberryobserver.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/web1_IMG_9012.jpgMelody Iacangeoo with a total eclipse ornament. Kelly Duncan | The Newberry Observer

By Kelly Duncan

kduncan@s24514.p831.sites.pressdns.com

Reach Kelly Duncan at 803-768-3123 ext. 1868 or on Twitter @TheNBOnews.