Houston-based De Petra Art in Jewelry is redefining jewelry. Sisters Cynthia Sheridan and Lorena Rodriguez turn hand hammered brass and leather pieces into colorful, feminine art you can wear—the perfect antidote to mass-produced accessories. The global-bohemian-tribal pieces are all one-of-a-kind, and steeped in spirituality.

“We love doing amulets and spiritual pieces,” says Sheridan. “It becomes a talisman.” 

The first time I came across DePetra’s magical creations was a few years back, when a friend of mine informed me that the fabulous long white earrings she was wearing were in fact made with coyote penises.  I laughed, but the truth is, THAT is unforgettable.

Stuffed with everything from jellybeans to human hair, DePetra’s leather pouches are a favorite. Found on leather cuffs and beaded on earrings, the Cosmic Eye is another staple of the brand, said to bring awareness and a sense of connection to the wearer.

The pieces are created in DePetra’s charming Montrose bungalow-cum-studio using everything from feathers and antlers to Tibetan beads and vintage Swarovski crystal rope found in Europe. 

“I especially love finding blue jay feathers,” Rodriguez says of their treasure hunts. 

The duo's unique offerings can be found at Kuhl-Linscomb, High Gloss and Leap, and have attracted notice well beyond Houston, too. DePetra has an ongoing collaboration with Anthropologie, and a snow sled made for that line was recently hand-selected by Anna Wintour as one of Vogue’s best holiday gifts. Their timelessly chic work has also been featured in Free People catalogues and multiple fashion mag editorials.

“Our clients are well-travelled, and maybe they already have diamonds, so they want pieces that are unique and artful,” said Sheridan.