Paua Shell Necklace

Here is the finished chain and pendant...
The most beautiful thing about the ocean, to me, is that everything is hidden. The detail, the beautiful corals and creatures are all hidden beneath a somewhat boring surface.



For my next pieces i want to focus on how the surface can be plain and the underneath detailed and more interesting. I think this piece managed to express that thought a little... I find the back of the setting more beautiful than the front of the shell... I'm hoping to further this idea with my future pieces.

Paua Shell setting

With this project I wanted to play with different materials. in a previous meeting with my lecturer we discussed possibly using actual artifacts from the sea (shells, glass, coral) instead of just using them as reference material. I was given this stunning piece of paua shell by a friend, and thought it would be perfect to use while experimenting with different materials.


For this piece i kept the setting very simple so that it didnt take any focus away from the shell itself. I originally wanted to frame set the back of the shell and set a piece of enamel to make it more interesting, but after playing with forged elements i decided a simple setting could be just as interesting as an elaborate one. This was the back of the shell can also be seen.

Paua shell pendant

With this project I wanted to play with different materials. in a previous meeting with my lecturer we discussed possibly using actual artifacts from the sea (shells, glass, coral) instead of just using them as reference material. For this piece i kept the setting very simple so that it didnt take any focus away from the shell itself. The most beautiful thing about the ocean, to me, is that everything is hidden. The detail, the beautiful corals and creatures are all hidden beneath a somewhat boring surface. For my next pieces i want to focus on how the surface can be plain and the underneath detailed and more interesting. I think this piece managed to express that thought a little... I find the back of the setting more beautiful than the front of the shell... I'm hoping to further this idea with my future pieces.

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.