Elaine Tipper OCG – portfolio

Contact the artist

https://www.sonasmorjewellery.co.uk
07737 799064
Sonasmorjewellery@gmail.com

Exhibition information

Sonas Mòr means “great happiness in Gaelic. 

Through language and folklore my jewellery tells stories of connection to our roots 

and each other as well as celebrating women’s resilience, strength, and love.

Bold yet feminine, each piece inspires belonging, love and shared joy.

By creating my jewellery by sandcasting, no two pieces are the same.

What sandcasting does create are beautifully textured jewellery. Not highly polished & perfect but imperfect, a bit worn looking, loved – just like us. There is a feeling they could be ancient treasure which adds even more to their story telling purpose.

Sand casting is an ancient process which I absolutely love. There’s something magical about being able to change the physical properties of something. It produces pieces that are everything I like – tactile, unusual, organic –  not perfect yet beautiful. I enjoy the unpredictability and hence uniqueness of the process. Colour is important to me. I especially like the subdued colours of the Scottish countryside. I use lab grown gemstones as they can withstand extremely high temperatures.

My aim is to make jewellery that encourages connection and love towards one another and in so doing makes a tiny shift towards a happier world.

 

Artist information

Originally from Glasgow – you will find more than just a hint of “Scottishness” in my work. Scotland is rich in folklore and tradition with a strong sense of heritage, story telling and connection to our roots. This, along with my own observations of life, people and stories provides the roots of inspiration for my work. 

 

Having worked in the NHS for almost 30 years, I finally had a chance to live the creative life I had always dreamed of. I am grateful for that opportunity every day. Making jewellery has helped me back along the road from burnout. It has offered me joy and peace when I needed it most.

 

Although largely self taught, I attended a Silver Smithing course at the City of Oxford College and am an active member of JASSO. I launched a website in 2024 and was delighted to become a member of the Oxfordshire Craft Guild towards the end of 2025.

I have a small collection of work on sale in the Gallery at Waterperry Gardens.