bangles

I was having a sort through some photographs of jewellery I have made over the years and thought I would share some images of bangles. All are irregular shaped and hammered with a slightly beaten texture.

The shapes are inspired by the repeated forms seen in moss, lichen and bubbles. I love using simple forms and adding complexity using repeats. The elements are all moveable, I enjoy the way they jingle a little and rotate around the bangle.

I like the contrast between copper and silver, especially the way the colour of the copper changes over time. It varies from soft peach to deep rusty red, and sometimes goes speckled which is my favourite.

This 'Blip Bangle' was one of only a few that I made, with irregular arches on both the inside and outside edges. Wearing a few at a time worked really well, I'm thinking I may make more. 
At the moment I am working on some new pieces for the British Craft Trade Fair, I try and launch a new range there every year. Perhaps I'll release a sneak preview on here when the pieces are all finished!

Moss pods

I have been thinking about making these for such a long time, I love the idea of creating hollow forms, with spaces inside to contain things. Hidden things, secret things, precious things. I love lockets, but find traditional designs really limited and predictable, so I decided to make my own variation.

 

These pod forms contain very small crochet and felt elements, which are based on moss, funghi and lichen growth. I like the way lichen grows in cracks and crevices, it asserts itself and thrives in the smallest spaces. It has resilience and vigour whilst being delicate and beautiful. Rich in colour, pattern and texture, I am always drawn to it. 

I have been exploring ways to recreate it with knit, crochet, felt and hand stitch for a long time, gradually reducing the thickness of the threads and the scale of my work, until I have arrived at these very teeny pieces. 

The contrast in texture between the metal and threads appeals to me, and the making techniques make me happy. The process of quietly constructing crochet forms is gentle, calming, soft and intuitive. It is in stark contrast to working in metal. Sitting at my workbench sawing, filing, hammering and soldering is labour intensive and methodical; planning the step by step stages of construction to factor in melting temperatures, and the need to constantly clean, sand and refine. There is a discipline to it, and working on such a small scale means every detail counts. As whole pieces, making and combining the very different elements satisfies my love of these different ways of working. I make because I enjoy making. 

This new work will be launched at The British Craft Trade Fair in Harrogate this weekend. I am curious to see what people think of it.

Yorkshire Sculpture Park

Being invited to exhibit my jewellery at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park was quite surreal. It is one of my favourite places to visit- contemplative and inspiring, as well as the place I studied to be a teacher. Happy associations with previous visits there with friends, as well as trips with my students, to stand in awe of work by sculptors and makers who have helped to shape my creativity and passions. The physicality of sculpture has always moved me to make things, I love the solidity and tangibility of structure and form, the way it inhabits space beyond the maker and takes on a presence of its own.

All of the pieces are made individually, by hand; cutting, filing, hammering, refining, finishing every edge, join, and surface, taking care to pay attention to every detail. It is a slow, time consuming process, and by it's very nature, the small scale demands engagement and focus. 


I enjoy the feel of working with metal, the way it softens with heat, becomes more malleable and holds it's shape beautifully, exactly as I wish, but demanding such care and control- the slightest neglect and it melts and is ruined. The relationship I have with my work is therefore quite intense. I love the transition from a transient thought, an idea in my mind, to something I can touch. It fascinates me to think that something I have made with my hands, can be passed on and held, owned, appreciated by someone else. I am captivated by this abstract connection, and it drives my own passion for all things hand-made.


So my visit to the Yorkshire Sculpture Park, to see my own work alongside makers whose work I love, was really quite emotional. Driving into the grounds, past incredible, monumental pieces, made me feel very small and humble. My heart racing, so nervous and excited, bizarre to think that a little box of jewellery that I painstakingly packed and posted, from the comfort and familiarity of my own work bench, had found it's way here and was laid out for all to see. 

knit pieces

I love to make things, motivated by a constant curiosity which I find hard to satisfy, always wanting to learn new techniques and pick up ones I haven't used for a while. It's cyclical; flurries of creativity in one material or technique, until something else catches my eye.

These are some of my knitted neckpieces, inspired by things that always move me- faded seashore colours, textures of eroded finds washed up on the beach, smooth pebbles, lumpy seaweed, driftwood, old rope.

They are made from treasured old fabrics which remind me of precious things, times, people. The buttons I inherited from my great grandma's button box, the shredded silks were leftovers from countless wedding and bridesmaid dresses painstakingly made by my mum.

I love the idea of having these materials re-purposed, giving them new life and the chance to be enjoyed. Recycled materials, reinterpreted memories.

Making these feeds my love of texture, creating contrasting surfaces using different thicknesses of threads and fibres and different sized knitting needles to vary the stitch size. 

photoshoot

I recently had the opportunity to have some professional photographs taken of my work being worn by models. It was an amazing experience, a different way of seeing my jewellery, I am usually only really involved in making it and as I usually mainly sell through galleries I can be quite detached from seeing it worn. It was a treat to see it on people, and I loved the context of the shoot location, my work is inspired by natural forms, so the lush greens and dense trees were a perfect backdrop.

I loved the lighting the photographer used, it gave a strength to the images and a very fashion-lead styling.

Thank you so much to everyone who helped... especially to Matt Bates, my good friend, who organised everything for me.