Inspirations for Collect 2011

At the moment I am busy in the studio finishing off a new collection of rings for this year’s Collect exhibition.  For inspiration for this collection I have been exploring images of traditional jewellery from Africa, Asia and Indonesia. 

I have been particularly interested in the intricate textures and details used.  The mix of the rich coloured stones and decorative patterns in gold, give a really indulgent feel. Yet the traditional hand working techniques and strong shapes give these pieces a certain sturdiness and surprisingly contemporary feel. 

I’ve been having a lot of fun in the studio experimenting with new wire-working techniques and filigree to create interesting patterns and structures. 

I’ve also been playing around with the introduction of lots of new vibrant colours as you can see from this little preview of my work in progress. 

This collection will be shown with Electrum Gallery from 6th -9th of May during Collect, at the Saatchi Gallery.