2008 Exhibition

This is going to be a flurry of activity, so no-one should expect this all the time!!!

I guess a good place to start is a little history. I have been making silver jewellery since I did a weekend course in May 2006. The course covered the basics of working with silver - starting with making a ring then setting a cabochon stone - this lead me to making 2 rings, two brooches with stones set in them, two bangles and some loops for a set of great earrings I already had.

I don't have all my photos on the computer with me at the moment so this will be completely out of chronological order, but that's not entirely important - and as some friends would say, at least I have made a start on getting myself out there!

I was recently part of a group exhibition at Inverlochy House with several other jewellers and a couple of sculptors. The images on this page show about 2/3rds of a bracelet that was 2 years in the making. Inspired by a trip to Melbourne in 2006 and all the you are here markings on maps and tourist signs, I was determined to use this in some jewellery. I started by cutting out the letters, but quickly decided they were too small and relegated them to the too-hard basket. About a year ago, I resurrected this project adn completed cutting out the letters, filing and sanding them.

Next up was an attempt to make them in to a bracelet, originally I had envisioned them incorporated as links in the chain, but this didn't work visually or technically, so back in the basket. Finally 6 months ago, the inspiration came to make it more like a charm bracelet and yay, it worked. The bracelet is adjustable by hooking the bail in the appropriate link and sits really nicely on your wrist - and is kind of funny to wear as the letters tickle slightly as they move (maybe this happens with regular charm bracelets, but I have never worn one so can't report on that.

My lovely colleague Rogan will be unwrapping this from her parcel beneath the tree tomorrow morning as a well deserved present to herself.