The surprisingly large number is mostly Eric’s fault. At the age of fifteen he attended a post-WWII trade art school that gave him the opportunity to discover his life-long passion for working with precious metals. “When I was sixteen I won a competition with a ring I made for my mother, and I never looked back”, he tells me.

His upcoming photography exhibitions in Almonte reveal that he does look back when he’s on his BMW motorcycle. His unusual shot of the landscape as seen from his rear-view mirror sheds an interesting perspective on one of the reasons he enjoys his trips so much. Photography is an essential component of running a jewellery business, and new digital technology enables Eric to take his equipment with him on his motorcycle. He has just returned from a 10,667 km motorbike trip to Moab, Utah, so he doesn’t lack for photographic opportunity.

Nor does he suffer from a lack of imagination or daring. He approaches his numerous hobbies with the same successful combination of risk-taking and painstaking preparation that is the hallmark of his innovative and superbly crafted jewellery. He chooses antidotes to boredom that are challenging. On the cover of the July/August issue of Fifty-Five Plus Magazine, Eric’s profile is titled “Soaring through Life”, and he does. At the age of 21 he owned eight motorcycles. An avid kiter for the last twenty years, the contents of his garage are more diverse these days. When the wind is up, he can be found tethered to a kite atop skis, a snowboard, a surfboard, a kite buggy, or even a kite catamaran.

For Eric, the key is living life to the fullest, seeking the balance between risk and responsibility, fear and logic, preparation and spontaneity. His blog is aptly titled at www.therecycledteenager.blogspot.com, where his motto is “Trying to survive to a ripe old age without losing my marbles, or any other part of me”.

By now you must be curious about the other half of this equation. In his blog Eric consistently refers to Christine as his “angel”. After 30 years of living and working together, she has only good things to say about him. If they could sell the formula for that… Wait a minute — maybe that is the formula!

Christine studied sculpture and art education and was a teacher in England before she met Eric. Shortly after the couple moved to Carp in 1977 she began her four-year apprenticeship as a goldsmith, expanding on her love of art and sculpture. She credits her difficult experience of being deaf for a period when she was eight years old with fostering her ability to read people’s body language. It also gave her a life-long appreciation for the importance of art as a powerful mode of communication. Both of these lessons have been invaluable to her as a teacher, wife, mother, artist and business person.

While Christine’s hobbies (books and art lessons) are less thrilling than her husband’s, many of her striking jewellery creations make strong statements. One look at her bold bee brooch tells you that this is the work of an exciting, confident and hugely creative artist. Her muse is nature, and she continues to be inspired by a university course she attended taught by Michael Runtz, an acclaimed local naturalist, academic, writer and photographer (Runtz was profiled in the December 2002 issue of theHumm). A few years ago Christine began painting in acrylics as another means of communicating her love of life, community, and the glorious beauty of nature. The Carp Farmers’ Market is featured in many of her paintings, and she has had several local shows and exhibits.

The Brackenburys have accrued a long list of prestigious jewellery accomplishments and commissions, including restorations of antique jewellery. Eric restored the candelabra and “Freedom Caskets” given to Sir Wilfred Laurier by the cities of London and Bristol, England, which are on view at historic Laurier House in Ottawa. He has done repair work for Rideau Hall and 24 Sussex Drive.

Their forte is designing commissioned pieces that celebrate and commemorate clients’ special occasions and emotional highlights. As Eric inelegantly puts it, “We can take all your bits of junk and make you a new family heirloom.” They have done it many times. They have created a bee for Beatrice, a mobius ring for a mathematician, a dulcimer decorated with daisies for Daisy, a ring with a family crest for a Bishop, high-tech jewellery for high-tech executives, and garlic-shaped earrings for garlic growers. Their hard-won technical expertise enables them to execute virtuoso compositions that simply are not available at current retail levels. As Christine puts it, “It’s like comparing a cake baked from scratch to one out of a box.”

At this point in their careers, with many repeat and referred customers, they limit the display and sale of their jewellery to Saturday appearances at the Carp Farmers’ Market, from May thru October, 8AM to 1PM at the Carp Fairgrounds. 2008 marks their 17th season as members. At other times you can contact them by phone at 839-5350 or by email. Their website provides more information and photos of their jewellery and Christine’s paintings. For more insight into what makes Eric soar through life, a full online version of his recent cover article is available at www.fifty-five-plus.com, and his blogspot provides a more personal and informal view.

Eric’s photographs will make their first public appearances in two venues in Almonte. Some are printed on canvas and enhanced with acrylic overpainting. During the month of September they will be exhibited and available for purchase in the Chambers Gallery of the Mississippi Mills Administration Building at 3131 Old Perth Rd. (at 8th Line) from 9-5, Monday through Friday. In October they will be at the Almonte Public Library’s Corridor Gallery at 155 High Street. See www.mississippimills.ca/library for details. If you’ve been hankering for a motorcycle, they may be the straw that propels you to your nearest BMW dealer. Think I’d opt for a new family heirloom.