about the jewellery
The Philosophy
As in the other forms of my art, my hope is that everyone will find a piece that either reflects their emotions or evokes an emotional response personal to them.
My gallery in St Clair offers a relaxed and friendly environment where visitors can view an ever changing selection of pieces and if desired talk with the artist.
Through commission work I aim to offer original pieces that will reflect the personality of the client or represent something or someone important in their lives.
The Materials
Patinated copper - I find colour and texture evocative and therefore key to my work. Patinated copper is used extensively as it offers virtually unlimited potential for amazing colour combinations.
Sterling silver - in many pieces sterling silver is used to frame and highlight, while in others it is the main component with copper providing a splash of colour.
Some ranges use stg silver on it’s own with the shape providing the interest or the clean lines and finish providing the simplicity evident in my industrial range.
Blackened and hammered silver provides yet a different look and feel
18ct gold - is often used to provide a richness and finish to the works through features like rivets, strips and findings.
Some pieces are made totally in 18ct gold which comes in a range of colours. When used together the result can be interesting and subtle.
18ct gold is also used with stg silver to provide a range of different looks.
Stainless steel cable - is used to make the wires for the pendants. It is non intrusive and allows the works to stand out. The findings are handmade in stg silver or in some cases 18ct gold.
Stainless steel wire is also used in some pieces to provide some fun. this can be seen in the gold and silver range of jewellery.
The Process
I seldom work from drawings preferring instead to work freely from my heart.
Colour and texture - a variety of techniques are used to produce both the strong reds on many of my simple forms, and the extensive colour range and textures found in the abstracts and more detailed landscapes.
These techniques have been developed over the past 7 years and involve the use of heat and chemicals on the copper.
Different temperatures and types of heat result in different colours. Chemicals are often used to help define the designs so the various colours appear where they are required.
The more detailed designs are developed by adding different colours in layers.
In some pieces, other metals are combined with the copper to get further colours and textures.
Protection - once the desired effects are achieved on the copper, 3 coats of a high tech product are applied for protection.
Finish - some pieces are left to stand on their own with stg. silver or 18ct gold used only for the findings.
With others, the clean finish of sterling silver is used to frame and highlight the piece with the lustrous effects of 18ct gold often added to provide a richness and finish.
Every component of the pieces are hand made including the rivets, and findings.
Design Features
Original - the majority of my pieces are one off’s, and so you won’t find someone else wearing an identical piece.
Even in the ranges where I do make pieces that are similar, because they are handmade and not created to predefined measurements each one is individual.
Something for everyone - the wide range of styles provides for the conservative through to the very bold.
Multifunctional - in line with my appreciation of good design I like to give the wearer options such as combined brooch/pendants, reversible pendants and stud earrings with detachable drops.
Surprises - I love surprises and often include one in my pieces, sometimes incorporating a picture on the back of a brooch - one that only the wearer knows is there.
Truth in design - I like to be able to see the way a piece is assembled and so rivets are highlighted rather than hidden. Where screws and included, they work and in ranges like orbs on red, the feature pieces move to deliver the interest promised by the design.
Evocative - my pieces are never meant to be mathematically exact or ‘unmarked’ but instead perfect in the feelings they convey.
Improve with wear - I believe jewellery should become an intimate friend that wears with age as we do. It should become more treasured because of its scars and wrinkles (which can remind us of events and times in the past) rather than being discarded as flawed.
Many of my pieces are designed to improve with age, either through the continuing evolving of a pattern within the metal or the revealing of natural copper edges on some bangles.
