The beginning!

Well i must admit it.. leaving uni and fending for myself has been stressful, but i wouldn't have it any other way! Just lately I've been trying to carry on making my contemporary work but I've found it quite difficult, i don't no wether it has been the change in surrounds of my making place or my mental state of mind.... or possibly the lack of space in my work shop!

Soon my space problems will be no more! In the next few weeks i shall me moving into the Rosyln works behind gladstone pottery. All thanks to the wonderful people of stoke-on-trent council who have managed to get us three months free rent then 50% rent after that, which is amazing! 

Ok so what have i been making? well, my thoughts have turned to smaller pieces of jewellery that still link to my contemporary practice. 

Above are a few brooches from the redox collection, these brooches derive from my experimentation of patination which i looked at in the yersin collection. They make the viewer think about how they define preciousness of materials. 

Further work was lead by my interest in textured surfaces, i have always loved the results of electroforming and in my final year of uni i researched this topic a lot, so now that i had the time and a bit of spare cash, i brought one. I'm still in the experimentation stage but i have managed to produce a great body of rings already.

My fascination in patination still thrives and i intent to carry on exploring this until the day i die! I have also developed a surprise range of necklaces for the great northern contemporary craft fair 2014.

I have also developed a range of midi rings which explore witchcraft symbols and general pretty shapes, I'm hoping these going to be a hit for christmas. These rings will be available to buy from my esty page in the next few days... don't worry ill add the link!

New Designers 2014

So this was it, this was the event that ended my 3 years at Staffs university... but as they say, time flies when your having fun! 

I turned up on the 23rd of june at the business design centre, islington to set up my final body of work "The Yersin collection"

At my degree show i was lucky enough to have my work on a light box, which work beautifully with my brooches, but at new designers we decided to have my work pinned up on the wall. Which i was so pleased with as i thought it really made my pieces

This was a wonderful experience for me, it gave me the opportunity to see what the public thought about my work, which was all positive thankfully! but it also gave me the chance to speak to other makers who were in the same position as me. 

My work got all different types of attention from collaborative groups to placement opportunities, one of which was from Staffordshire's own Jennifer Collier, who spoke to me about her 'cultivated' program for new makers. 

But i think my highlight of New Designers was that i got to speak the to Norman Cherry! former Head of the Birmingham university.

The Scarr-Hall Memorial Trust Award

Staffordshire university show and tell degree show.

So i officially opened my work up for public viewing on the 13th of june at staffordshire university show and tell degree show.

But before the show was to be opened by Emma Bridgewater, a few awards were given out, luckily enough i was one of the students to win an award. 

The scarr-hall memorial trust supports students that have not only had the stress of university but who have also had pressures and distractions of illness.

 When i was 17 i was diagnosed with multiple scleroses, for the first few years i really struggled to come to terms with my illness and couldn't really except the fact that i now had an illness that would effect my day to day life. 

When i turned 20 i applied for the 3D Desgin: Crafts course at staffordshire university, we were not sure how i would cope on the course as it was long hours and a lot of work, but in away this help my progression as i didn't have time to think about my illness. 

There were only 13 of us on the course so we all got on like a little family and it was that relationship between us all that made me get myself out of bed in the morning and try my best to get on with my work. 

I also had the support of my mum and boyfriend, to who i owe everything to.

They were the ones who were with me through the dark and rough times, which i didn't like people seeing. 

The Scarr-Hall Memorial trust presented me with a cheque for £1000, 

which will help me get equipment and materials to get started.

My Work on Benchpeg

http://benchpeg.com/news/events/degree-show-staffordshire-university-stoke-on-trent/

The Yersin Collection

The Yersin Collecion 

3 pieces of advice that have changed my path of thinking!

Number 1. 

I think the first piece of advise thats comes to mind, would have to be about the practical aspects, which is: If you just spend that extra 5 minutes cleaning or filling a piece of work at the beginning, it will save you a lot of time and effort at the end when you finally come to cleaning, file and polish a piece of work...basically saving you time in the long run.

Number 2.

Another great piece of advise that some makers lose sight of is: You should always make for yourself, even if the piece is for a specific brief, make sure that you are happy to put your name to it and make it so its still in your style. 

Number 3.

Well for number 3, i think it has to be one from the mother. My mum always told me that when you do something, do it to your best ability! Even if its never going to be as good as someone else, at least you knew that you did everything you could, to do your best. 

First version of my artist statement

I work with precious metals and different types of liquid rubbers and resin

Although all these materials are rather industrial, they can be easily manipulated into looking organic and natural. 

The processes I use on metal like patination and etching give a completely different outcome each time, as the technique is unrestrained and out of hand.

My other favoured material of rubbers and resins, feed my need to explore and incorporate other existing materials.  

As a designer/maker I am lead by experimentation, I create hundreds of small sample pieces that all equate to collections of specimens, almost like a collection of historic artefacts you would find at museums. 

Often the concept behind most of my work, looks a natural spreading and disease. 

A need to make natural forms desirable instead of precision cut designs. 

As a designer/maker I see beauty and potential in the visual form of disease and illness. This is where my urge to display these pieces as wearable objects unfolds, I see them as medals of honour but also to raise awareness of unseen disease.