Picturesque paper

Well, after a long break in my blogging I thought it was about time to start again, and with a little inspiration… Here is beautifully textured work by Noriko Ambe that excites the senses of sight and touch quite effectively. The use of layering to  create depth is explored dramatically with stacks of white paper [...]

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Red Eye

Well, what an enjoyable evening! The Red Eye event in Durban was a great night of art, dance, music, fashion and performance. Congratulations to everyone involved, and to the models who did such a great job displaying our jewellery. Im looking forward to the next one!

Here are some shots of my piece on the night…

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Red Eye Ruffles

I’ve finished my RedEye piece and have to say that I’m quite excited to see how it’s going to look on the night. I think the layers of material, lace and metal are rather effective.

I used the wire pattern I experimented with for my platenum piece earlier as a trimming at the top. This was made by bending the wire around nails that I had hammered into a wooden block.

I decided to make an earring to be worn on the opposite side, this I made with enamelled silver…

Watch this space for photos of the piece at the event…see you there!

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Lace Ruffles

I am hoping to take part in the next Red Eye event happening in Durban in September. I will be making a bold ramp piece of jewellery which I am intending to make with layers of metal, lace and paper.

The ideas I have come up with take reference from the flamboyant lace ruffs, collars and cuffs that were part of the court costumes in the 17th Century. Needlepoint lace was worn as a display of luxury and elegance by both men and women to demonstrate their high class and wealth.

References:

http://www.marlamallett.com/l-needle.htm

The Greenwood Encyclopedia of clothing through world history, Volume 2, by Jill Condra

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Reflections

I am currently exploring jewellery as an expression of identity, and making jewellery as an expression of myself as the maker.

In reflecting on the bangle that I have just made, I picked up on two aspects of myself that are being expressed.

Childhood Memories: I grew up in Zimbabwe in an old Rhodesian house with decorative iron burglar bars. I would lie in bed and stare at the patterns trying to see if I could make other patterns within them. I have seen some reminiscence of the elements from those burglar bars in my work (this bangle included). The use of these elements in my work is a connection to my childhood and upbringing.

My Femininity: I like to embrace and celebrate my femininity. I think that the qualities of a woman, both inside and out are a beautiful combination of strength and meekness. I think it is important to note that the lace-look I have chosen for this piece is a rugged lace, not refined and perfect. This is a representation of how I feel that although the nature of a woman is delicate and refined, each of use holds a unique strength and character. We may have flaws and faults but it’s the little knots and tassels that when woven together create a beautiful lacework.

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Roughlace Cuff

I have been working on a bangle that sprouted from a wax impression casting I did not so long ago. It came out with a very lacey affect which set in my mind a clear concept for this bangle.

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Fun with Titanium!

I have to admit that I really enjoyed experimenting with and learning how to anodise titanium! Bellow is a photo of stage 2 of the layered picture I was working on before… I’m not quite sure what to do with it now, but I’m happy to keep it to look at every now and then as a reminder of what can be done, and I have no doubt that something beautiful will be born from my hands one day as a result of this.

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Reflections…You Made an Impression on Me

One Face has many Profiles

How true is it that one thing can be seen in so many different ways, similarly- one person or object may only reflect a certain characteristic or side to them depending on their environment or influence. So is it possible for one to be a true reflection of themself at one particular moment in time? Yes, maybe an aspect may shine through from their true character, but how many layers and depth of character does one person have…so then, do we choose our environments according to which of our own characteristics we want to shine through?

The more we look at something, the more we find because we look from different perspectives. The longer we know someone the more profiles we see to their faces. The more characteristics that shine through, the greater the impression.

I have applied this concept to the next two pieces. They are a reflection of different characteristics in different ways, and I used one method of creating the pattern to make an impression of the other…. I feel a good title to these pieces are:

Reflections…You made an impression on me.

BANGLE

EARRINGS

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Brooch time!

After making the layered cuff that I experimented with, I was fueled with ideas using my textured pieces I had cast! The first result was this brooch….

It was irritating me a bit that my work always ends up rather large and irregular, don’t get me wrong, it’s how I am, but I wanted to challenge myself and give myself a boundary to work within instead of relying on what the pattern or the metal felt like it should do. So the outcome of this process was this little square shaped brooch which I was very pleased with )

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Not just a cup of tea! ……

Sitting in my kitchen this morning I was in a daze of thought as my eyes brushed over my tea cup that was on the table. Almost subconsciously they focused on a reflection in the tea of the lacey curtain that shades the window above, and then the different reflections of light bouncing off the [...]

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Layers

Layers…. could they be described as many different elements combined to make one entity? The dictionary describes a layer as a depth or level, I like that! Layers create depth…or I’m not so sure if they ‘create’ it as such, but rather assure that there is depth, that there is something beneath. I like to [...]

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I‘ve come to a little bit of a realization… I’ve always had an intrigue with layers, in all forms; be it physical layers in art, architecture, nature and all the everyday things we come into contact with, or symbolic layers, layers to personalities and stories etc After much thinking and discussion, it dawned on me [...]

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