Jewellery Showcase
The Craft Centre & Design Gallery holds four jewellery showcases per year featuring two jewellers over a two month period. The jewellery is chosen to represent current examples of the best technical expertise and material exploration in contemporary jewellery making, displaying unusual and dynamic items. The showcases are both promotional and educational as most of the work is for sale and individual work is accompanied by technical details and a short statement.
 

Katie Heath & Diana King

2nd May - 30th June
Katie Heath graduated from the UCE School of Jewellery in Birmingham and then secured a place on the Design Enterprise Fellowship Scheme based in the Jewellery Quarter in Birmingham. She produces innovative, forward thinking jewellery under the name of KT Design, which comprises of cufflinks, earrings, brooches, rings and chains crafted in silver with flashes of brightly coloured elastic. Colour influences being derived from confectionary and fun fairs.

"The innate notion of movement interests me, this is considered in the design resulting in jangling wires and springy elastic. Ultimately creating an unusually witty piece of contemporary jewellery."
 
Diana King tries to capture a sense of humour in her jewellery collections by introducing the element of colour, keeping the designs fresh, funky, striking and wearable. The influences for her work originally derived from a fascination with giraffes. The giraffe is a very tall, elegant and clumsy looking creature. They lend themselves to all kinds of design possibilities, which she combines with simplicity, abstract forms and elegance of line.
To achieve the contemporary contrast in her work she uses coloured cast polyester resin. " I chose to start with Tangerine and Bright Blue. I have expanded my colour range to include seven other colours, combined with precious metals. The colours are evolving all the time and I plan to introduce at least two new colours every six months. As an added element of surprise I use clear / frosted resin with mixed materials encased for eternity."
© The Craft Centre & Design Gallery, City Art Gallery, The Headrow, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS1 3AB, England. Tel: (0113)2478241
Open Tuesday - Friday 10.00 - 17.00 and Saturday 10.00 - 16.00. Please call the gallery to check opening times over Bank Holidays.