I found the bits next to the tissue box in the bathroom.

When I looked up, I realized one of my pieces was damaged.

This was the piece. It is part of my Cleanse Your Palate Series, No Guilt.

The piece has pit-fired components. The bird head is hanging from a strand of pit-fired beads. Of course there is code in how the beads were strung. The beaded piece references chaplets. The idea was to remove the chaplet, hold it, and repeat, “forgive yourself” for whatever perceived wrong.

The piece is hung in the guest bathroom. It actually has been in the same location for several years.

There are a few of the same pit-fired beads in my stash of beads for comparison. Maybe tests.

The pit-fired beads and bird head have all fallen apart.

I removed the chaplet, but haven’t yet warmed to how the piece looks without it.

Why did the beads fall apart? My initial thought…the flaking off of the surface is the result of humidity. Why now? Most likely it was a gradual process until the point that flaking occurred.

Am I upset? No, more curious about how the damage occurred, how to prevent it in the future, and how to make it occur if I want to age a piece.