Cold Cilicone moulds

we've been playing with cold moulds at tech while the workshop is being finished. And its made me think about using it in future jewellery pieces. for the moment we've just been making test moulds and tomorrow we will see how they work with polyurethane plastic...

Design book Scribbles...

Discussion with Brenda Ridgewell

During my discussion with Brenda i explained how i enjoy using enamelling (colour) and forging in my work. i told her how i use the sea as a reference point with my work. Basically the feedback was that i should take my own underwater photos next time I dive and use them as my reference material instead of relying on images in books. This way the pieces can be more personal?
I also need to experiment and 'play' with my existing elements, and possibly create a piece of jewellery that has limited movement. While playing with these pieces i need to document ideas by photographing them.Brenda suggested i look at an australian jewellery called Michelle Kelly, who makes organic jewellery. She focuses on mycology (the study of fungi) as her inspiration for her pieces.

Brenda Ridgewell is a jewellery lecturer at Curtin University in Perth. She creates jewellery that explores ones personal or intimate space. These are some of her pieces...

Motivation for manufacturing

Recently I have been growing more and more concerned with what's going to happen when I leave tech and have to support myself (the future...). The concern lies in being able to do what I love, while managing to generate an income that I will be able to live off of. Because of this I feel motivated to manufacture more pieces of jewellery so that I can supply galleries and shops, and in doing so, hopefully get my name/brand out there before it comes time to leave tech. If I manage to supply shops with my jewellery I will also be able to see how it sells, and depending on the outcome of this, whether there is a market for my jewellery.

Cape Glass Studio

This last week that i have been in Cape Town was amazing, and i was lucky enough to come across this beautiful glass gallery off Long Street. Such beautiful colourful sculptures (at ridiculously high prices).

necklace is finished!

Yay, a necklace... not another ring!

I'm so pleased to be making this necklace. It's about time. As much as i love making rings I am very glad to be making a bigger piece of jewellery. The idea for this necklace came from playing around with my round forged elements... when i hammered them flat, then reopened them (as seen in previous rings) they resembled the lovely wavy edge of a sea clam. As soon as I've figured out how to use my scanner, I will upload a photo of these clams that i found in my deep sea photography book. I still need to complete this necklace, but these pictures show some of the metal prep and elements that i will put together to make this piece...