Table of Contents 2020

Introduction

Research Methodology

My Theme:

• Metcalf
• VGCJ -Organic
• - Mixed Materials
• Liz Olver
• Topic Development

References:

• Nora Kovats
• Naomi James
• Nic Bladen
• Nervous System
• Siobhan Doughty

Explorations:

• Casting 
• Plant Casting
• Butterfly wings

• Enamelling 
• Siobhan Doughty
• Punches
• Roll mill

• Platinum 
• Test Piece 1
• Test Piece 2
• Test Piece 3
• Finished Piece Reflection

• Ceramics
• Textured discs
• Stylised wax impressions
• Leaf wax impressions

• Mould making
• 3D Prints 
• Fly pressing

• Miscellaneous 
• Embroidered venation
• Face masks

Conclusion

References list

Organic overview - Liz Oliver

The Art of Jewellery Design by Liz Oliver has an interesting overview of the organic concept (2002:98-103). Olver explains that ‘organic’ refers to work that is derived from nature that influences the jeweller's inspiration, materials, process and design.

Inspiration for almost everything has an element that can be found in nature including shapes, textures, materials, colours and forms. Nature can stimulate all our senses which fuel the design process by sparking inspiration. For example, the taste is stimulated by flavours and food, smell by floral scents, hearing by animal calls, touch by textures and sight by patterns. I would say sight is the sense that influences my inspiration.

The design process can be described as organic even if the final design does not resemble anything organic. Letting the design evolve during the creative process and making it more random adds to the natural feel of organic jewellery. "Organic forms can be immortalized through processes such as casting and electroforming,"(2002:100) I have done this by casting plants and it can be seen in figure 1 where sycamore seed pods were cast and used in a brooch.

Curvaceous lines and abstract forms are seen as natural. Figure 2 is an example of leaves that were used to design abstract natural forms to create jewellery pieces. Even though there is a lot of examples of symmetry in nature there is probably an equal amount of asymmetry which is why I chose organic jewellery. I do not like making symmetrical jewellery because I find it is almost impossible to create symmetrical or identical jewellery pieces as no two pieces are ever the same.

Figure 1- Olver, L.,(2002).
Cast silver seed pods brooch with stones 

Figure 2 - Olver, L., (2002). abstract jewellery forms 

Reading- Mixed materials

Reading through a paragraph in paper on Mixed Materials from the Virtual Gallery of Contemporary Jewellery there were a few points that stood out to me but one phrase that was interesting was where it said, "others have aimed to raise the status of the non-precious." This was interesting to me because many jewellers work with non-precious materials (fig 1 below) or a combination of precious and non-precious metals (fig 2 below). Most people would rather purchase something that is made with precious materials over something made from non-precious materials, as precious materials can be seen as redeemable wealth. Pieces that are made from non-precious materials may take more time and skills to produce but it would still have a lower status due to the materials not being precious.
Basically what it got me thinking was what should influence the status of a piece of jewellery more; time, skills or materials.

Figure 1- ceramic rings by Gabriela Wysocka
https://amidolling.wordpress.com/2015/02/23/ceramic-jewellery-by-gabriela-wysocka/

Figure 2- resin and silver ring
https://slypony.com/products/silver-resin-ring-size-7