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California Freemason Spring 2005

IN CALIFORNIA - The Jewel of His Office

Spreading the light of Masonry one pendant at a time
By Alison Steiner Miller

It all started innocently enough: Bro. Drew Horn just wanted a pendant. A Master Mason in Santa Monica-Palisades Lodge No. 307, he was searching for a masculine silver medallion to represent the tenets of the fraternity. But after four years, he was not having much luck. Horn, who has a degree in three-dimensional design, was designing furniture at the time and decided to make his own. The pendant that he designed back in 2001, now called the “Original Mason’s Jewel,” generated interest among his brothers in Santa Monica, and he created several for members of his lodge. Then Masonic suppliers became interested, and Los Angeles Fraternal Supply began selling copies of the piece. Soon Horn had created two additional works—“The Man Who Would Be King” pendant and “The Brotherhood Ring”—and his new company, The Master’s Jewel, was born. Less than a year later, Horn had put his furniture-design business on hold and was focusing on Masonic jewelry full time. “Sharing Masonry through my jewelry meant so much more to me,” he remembers. Now, four years and many new designs later, he is proud of his work—not for what he has accomplished, but for what it allows him to share with other Masons around the world.

“Man who Would be King” “Green Man” “Quadrant Past Master’s Jewel”

The Masonic path

In 1997 Bro. Horn was on a self-described personal spiritual quest, seeking a Western metaphysical tradition, when he came upon the ancient teachings of Masonry. “I went to the lodge and knocked on the door,” he says. “It’s amazing what you can find if you ask.” Horn immediately became very active in his lodge, and developed a particular interest in Masonic education and ritual. It was the teachings of Masonry that inspired Horn’s first jewelry creation, and the symbols and concepts of the fraternity continue to shine through his work. Each piece is carefully designed with Masonic spirit and thought. The description of Horn’s first design exemplifies this spirit:

“The ‘Original Mason’s Jewel’ is consciously designed to be minimalist yet bold, something you might have seen on a Freemason traveling from cathedral to cathedral in the 1700s. Primitive yet effective composition shows the All-Seeing Eye set in the center of the square and compass. The compass teaches us to act within our bounds and limits, upon our own inner circle, and represents the spiritual world. The square teaches us to deal uprightly with others and represents the physical world of being, the reality we see every day. The blending of the two in perfect balance and harmony results in the blazing glory of God, and is a continued quest of the contemplative Mason.”

Horn sees his jewelry as a physical representation of the complex ideas of Masonry. “Freemasonry for me is about balance between the spiritual world and the physical world, the task of creating a bridge between wisdom and strength. I like to consider it the bridge of beauty and humanity. When I find that beauty, inspired equally by both these realms, I am at peace with myself and my Deity,” he explains. “This jewelry work is a quest for me to manifest concepts from the spiritual world in a physical form—so each piece may become a concrete representation of that ideal.” Horn stresses that his work is not as much about his artistry or the jewelry itself, but about giving the teachings of Masonry a permanent, physical presence in this world that can be handed down from generation to generation. “We’re all on a quest,” he says. “For the people who buy my jewelry, the piece becomes the reference line to Masonry that they may carry with them on their quest.”

In addition to the symbolic connection to Masonry, Horn strives for a physical connection as well. He employs ancient metalworking techniques to combine characteristics of medieval masonwork and Renaissance jewelry with his own ideas. He is constantly creating new patterns and designs, drawing inspiration from attending lodge and the continued thought and dialogue about the fraternity that he experiences there.

Drew Horn founded the Master’s Jewel,
creating unique Masonic jewelry that even
his dog, Samba, enjoys.

The Rosslyn connection

Horn’s jewelry is the only Masonic jewelry sold in the gift shop of the Rosslyn Chapel in Scotland, which is a significant honor for him both as a Mason. Horn feels a deep personal connection with the chapel because of its historic significance to the fraternity and because he spent part of his childhood in Scotland. “The Rosslyn connection is super important to me, it’s a huge stamp of approval for my work,” he says. In addition to his Masonic pieces, Horn has also created a line of esoteric, philosophical jewelry called Alythea Arts. This line represents ideas that are not strictly Masonic but still reflect a spiritual path. One of the pieces in this line is the Rosslyn Chapel’s “Green Man” pendant, modeled after one of the famous Green Man carvings on the interior roof of the chapel. “The Rosslyn ‘Green Man’ is a distinct example of the many Green Man carvings in cathedrals and statuary throughout Western Europe.”

Bro. Drew Horn is deeply committed to the Masonic way of life, and is honored to be able to share Freemasonry with others through his art. “I can think and speak about these concepts, but at some point I have to stop talking and do something,” he says. “To be an artist is to be out there and stand firm. This work represents the pure, inspiring ideals of Freemasonry.”

To see Drew Horn’s Masonic jewelry
designs or to purchase a piece, visit
www.mastersjewel.com.