The creation of things that have a purpose has long been a point of focus for my artistic endeavours. It may be turning a selection of ingredients into something attractive and delicious to eat. Or turning a random assortment of textiles into a handbag. Maybe even transforming old magazine pages into a unique assortment of paper beads which evolve into a fashion accessory. I find the creative process equally rewarding.
I often begin by considering the materials or components I have available. Then I decide what I feel like ’playing with’ and see what I can conjure from the chosen assemblage. Combining unusual materials & mixing techniques or components from varying art forms also appeals to me.
Having ’fiddled’ with jewellery making for many years, a whole new world unfolded for me when I enrolled in a silver-smiths class several years ago. Consequently, my jewellery creations are now predominantly made from precious and base metals including sterling silver, copper, brass and bronze.
Some designs are carefully planned and develop via a progression of sketches until they are ‘just right’ on paper, before any tools are picked up. Many other pieces, however, develop via a more rustic, organic process direct from the ‘minds’ eye’ to a piece of metal sheet or wire. Each hand-crafted piece will undergo a number of processes, regardless of origins. These processes include hand-cut or saw-pierced, filed, heated, textured, fused, shaped, soldered & polished. Ultimately, it evolves into a unique piece of jewellery.
There are always new techniques to be discovered, perfected and modified with a guarantee that no two pieces are ever the same.