Nicola Louise Reed, University of Dundee
Jewellery is always a strong element of Week 1 of New Designers and this year’s work proved to be of an extremely high standard, with imaginative use of materials, fine craftsmanship and a practical approach to the future.
Nicola Louise Reed from the University of Dundee has explored the theme of vanity to create a collection that fuses the 50s boudoir element of the subject with a more clinical approach. Compact foundation powder and its applicator sponges are laser-cut with sayings on the theme of vanity. Adding vintage finds, such as corsetry-pink suspender-belt elastic and ribbons, sit alongside rows of pearls.
Alice O'Neil, Bucks New University
Keeping with a rather lingerie theme, Alice O’Neill from Bucks New University has created a range based on the 50s sewing box and the hidden elements of dressmaking. Gold-plated silver brooches appear as washing instruction symbols, while the same metal is used for a necklace based on a darning card frame; here wound around with fine flesh pink cotton thread. A tiny embroidery hoop inset with old lace becomes a chatelaine pendant.
Ai Yano, Edinburgh College of Art
The collection of Ai Yano from Edinburgh College of Art is based around her own life, using the ant as a metaphor for her studies and time in Edinburgh – collecting and storing information. Tiny ants become earrings that double as clocks of a dandelion flower, or join together to form long strands of a necklace. Sugar cubes form a tower or are placed around a bracelet.
Allyson Gee, Glasgow School of Art
Butterflies form the inspiration for the work of Glasgow School of Art graduate Allyson Gee. Real farmed butterflies, who die a natural death, are shown off to their full beauty by the use of fine 18ct gold frames that allow the wings’ patterning to be seen in all its glory. Allyson says that some of the pieces are more decorative than practical, but she is working on new ways to take this project forward.
Fan Zhang, Central Saint Martins College of Art & Design
Fan Zhang from Central Saint Martins creates dramatic pieces from corrugated paper, enjoying its strength, structure, colour and textures. Huge natural-toned necklaces and giant ruffs and headpieces look as if created as hives by dedicated team of exotic bees.
Dane Smith, Truro College
Silversmith Dane Smith from Truro College has created a range of pieces based around the minaret. Long tapered shapes have a textured and wrinkled ceramic base and wiggly winding long patinated silver or copper tips.
Shenjia Xu, Birmingham City University
Shenjia Xu of Birmingham City University is influenced by old buildings and houses and the creation of ‘deep depth jewellery’ using optical illusions. Ancient Oriental gates form the inspiration for brooches made of paper and stiffened with resin, while a series of London scenes made from paper have enamelled brooches hidden within their dense patterning.
Sadie Chesterman-Bailey from UCA Farnham exhibited her Edwardian upper-class society collection working with and adapting vintage finds to create whimsical jewellery pieces, such as the Double Albert Waistcoat Chain incorporating old sugar tongs that Sadie has shortened and aged and the My Dear Family Brooch featuring found old family photographs.
Mlle Sevadjian, London Metropolitan University
Mlle Sevadjian of London Metropolitan University creates amazing theatrical stories around the theme of Mission Impossible spies, but set in Victorian England. Inventive spy gadgets, such as the telescopic moustache and the secret hand-painted scrolls hidden inside a silver case.
Leah K Page series of work entitled Protection explores the fragility of the human body through a collection of sculptural pieces derived from the influences of armour and bones. Fluid forms in white acrylic and silver are intricately connected and shaped to embrace and adorn various parts of the body, providing an outer skeleton to protect the wearer from harm.
Items have been designed and created using a combination of modern technologies and traditional techniques. The white bone effect is achieved by laser-cutting designs in Perspex, which are then heated and fashioned to the desired shape and finished by hand. Sheet silver is then carefully hand pierced and hammered to fit milled recesses in the acrylic and riveted in place on the inside to create a smooth, seamless finish.
Kevin Brook from UCA Rochester is interested in designs that incorporate kinetic movement. His Cog series of bracelets and necklaces are fully flexible and come in colour anodised titanium with polished silver. An earlier series in perspex and hand pierced pewter have the same articulated movement.
Pierce Healy creates hand-engraved picture diaries and memory map brooches in which a whole host of elements are jumbled and juxtaposed into a irregular-shaped piece.
Nicola Louise Reed
Alice O’Neill
Ai Yano
Allyson Gee
www.elkerton-smith.com
mlle.sevadjian@live.fr
www.sadiechestermanbailey.com
leahkpage@hotmail.com
http://www.kevin-brook.co.uk/
www.piercehealy.blogspot.com
