The British Jewellery Show

18th November – 9th January

 

The very best of British jewellery is showcased here for a truly stunning selection of classic, contemporary and innovative jewellery.  Featuring work by Karen Elizabeth Donovan, Catherine Thomas, Katherine Campbell-Legg, Nick Hubbard, Anna Wales, Anne Massey, Gerlinde Huth, Becky Crow, Shimara Carlow and Joanne Thompson culminating in 10 fabulous displays.

 

Anna Wales

From her studio in Cockpit Arts, London, Anna creates sensual handmade jewellery that comes to life when worn.  Full of spark and sophistication, her delicately crafted pieces flow through repetitive pattern, shape and movement, articulating pieces that sit harmoniously on the body.  Combining precious metals, gemstones and the ancient technique of ‘Keum-Boo’, Anna’s designs radiate contemporary elegance and create compositions of colour and texture with light and movement always at heart.  Stark yet subtle transformations reveal themselves with the body’s turns whilst gold gleams out from sparkling stones and soft metal greys.

 

Karen Elizabeth Donovan

Inspired by natural Scotland and exhibitions she visits; Karen mainly works in titanium and takes inspiration from her immediate environment.  “Scotland has an incredible history, a written history which goes back hundreds of years.  There are so many stories here, so many lives lived here.  There is a tangible history of jewellery, folklore and plants.”  To Karen, Titanium is familiar and the impact that influences her when she touches, smells and manipulates its surface presents challenges to overcome and work around.  The material can be coloured using electricity – all these elements being a comfortable placement of life to Karen, home. The close study of Scotland’s rich plant history is reflected through her use of colour and pattern which is then transformed onto her humble material, Titanium.

 

Catherine Thomas

Dorset-based jeweller Catherine Thomas works mainly in sterling silver, with the golden addition of highlights, trademark beads and natural semi-precious stones.  Each item is entirely handmade and designed with a contemporary twist so that they are easy to wear and highly individual with a functional purpose.  “My inspiration comes from our environment (both natural and urban), and silver is a marvellous material which can be transformed through techniques such as etching and pressing.  It is therefore rare for my pieces not to be textured to reflect my love of both the metal and my surroundings.” 

 

Katherine Campbell-Legg

Using the striking technique ‘Keum-Boo’, Katherine applies 24ct gold to her textured surfaced silver, fusing the metals together rather than soldering.  This has opened up more possibilities, allowing larger areas of gold to be used, and with the added benefit of a more dramatic colour contrast.  Her ability to illustrate on a metal surface represents her talent in delicate patterning, fine texture and the challenging technique of surface quality.  Each layer of her jewellery is built up with stripes, spots and flowers creating a rich and exceptional finish.  The rolled textures and combination of gold and silver are carefully considered, making each piece unique and beautiful.  Katherine is particularly inspired by the balance and detail of natural form;a theme that surrounds her. “I aim to achieve a visual harmony and energy through the juxtaposition of simple shapes and forms.”

 

Nick Hubbard

Nick’s work is a figurative collection of oxidised silver and whimsical charms bearing original words and messages.  The collection has been inspired by the “unfolding of stories of words, by songs that could be held and by films that move us from here to eternity.”  The collection varies from figurative lockets, brooches and other keepsakes which have moving parts and opening doors revealing intricate gold detail beneath.

 

Below are 5 makers who were part of a show we named Simply Silver which ended on the 17th November.  We decided to keep these fab five for The British Jewellery Show to continue to showcase their outstanding collections.  The remaining Simply Silver jewellers have been redisplayed in the gallery too so look out for Charlotte Brown, Fiona DeMarco, Cath Hill, Kate Holdsworth and Teresa Samson the next time you visit us.  Their work will be here until mid January 2016.

 

Anne Massey

Anne is inspired by natural forms and the rhythms of the natural world, abstracted into simple, timeless forms.  Anne’s jewellery employs the technique of anticlastic raising, performed with hammers and mallets over plastic, wood or metal formers.  It gives light, strong, sinuous forms which are deceptively easy to wear, and perfectly complements her formal concerns.  Many individual pieces are hammer-forged before forming to introduce texture and to vary thickness.

 

Gerlinde Huth

Gerlinde is fascinated by the structures, shapes and patterns of nature and architecture.  A particular inspiration to her is the chambered nautilus shell.  The gently spiralling exterior gives only a subtle hint of its intricate interior design.   In her bead range she has tried to articulate that internal structure by drawing it out and making it the fabric of the piece itself.  Using repetitive units she has created a visually complex shape that is structurally simple.

 

Becky Crow

All of Becky’s jewellery pieces start life as drawings.  Narratives are captured in silver and are inspired by the great outdoors; a great source of wonder.  The pieces are individually made by hand from sheet silver and copper with 9ct gold and 22ct gold leaf for detailing. The metal is pierced out, then textures or patterns are applied to the surface using a rolling mill. These components are then layered together, soldered, and finished with matt, oxidised and polished surfaces to add depth and tone.

 

Shimara Carlow

Born in a remote coastal area in West Cork, Southern Ireland in 1979, a childhood fascination for collecting shells, stones, mermaid's purses, feathers and seed pods found along the sea shore has been the inspiration for Shimara’s work.  Shimara’s jewellery has been inspired by natural forms (primarily seedpods) and she has created a body of work based on pod like structures.  She uses silver, 18ct gold, silk paper and gum nuts to create her jewellery.

 

Joanne Thompson

The circle is forever the starting point for each of Joanne’s jewellery designs.  Ancient chain maille patterns are her constant inspiration where she experiments  with the scale, weight, form and texture of the chains, making necklaces, bracelets and earrings which are voluminous yet light, tactile and extremely durable.  All of the jewellery is completely handmade in Joanne’s studio where every circle is formed, soldered and finished by Joanne.