Texture, Shape, Colour – these remain central to all my work one way or another and I love to explore both blending and contrasting them. My recent work has focused on developing my Antiquities range, which is inspired by ancient jewellery finds, combining shape and texture in miniature in the form of stud earrings, and blending tiny silver and gemstone beads to create a range of necklaces for layering with other silver jewellery.
This year, my Artweek’s exhibition is a virtual one, so please do check out my website and social media links to see more of my work.
Working primarily with sterling silver, I use traditional silversmithing tools and techniques to create individually handmade and, therefore, unique pieces. Exploring different forming and texturing techniques is a main driver of my creativity, but semi-precious gemstones and quality beads also find their way into my work, sometimes complementing a design and sometimes as its focus.
For texturing, I employ hammering, etching, polishing and embossing techniques, but exploring the variety of finishes and effects that can be achieved with different hammers remains my favourite. I am inspired by the natural world, particularly water, floral forms and animal patterns. I also love many of the qualities of ancient jewellery – in various metals – and like to create pieces that give an impression of antiquity without copying or falling into any particular style or period.
Creating classics with a twist or a personal touch has great appeal for me and provides a playground for designing with beads and gemstones, with the superabundance of colours, textures, shapes and light reflectivity they offer.