Design Process

My research question refers to developing designs but for me to design I had to go through a design process. So instead of developing my designs, I utilized my time to make sense of my design process using Koberg and Bagnall's design process (1981:17). The phases of the design process are acceptance, analyse, define, ideate, implementation and evaluation.

Acceptance, my process was influenced by, "What [comes] next? [which] pertains to looking backwards and looking ahead [...] this is the stage where the process both ends and begins"(Koberg and Bagnall, 1981:35). This is portrayed in my manufacturing where I looked back by using castings, photos, ideas and writing from last year and adapted them to my current body of work. In terms of looking ahead, I designed a website that combines various aspects of my work. Therefore becoming the final display of my body or work and the start of an operational business.

Analysis "pertains to finding facts and relationships," (Koberg and Bagnall, 1981:34) which I explored by examining how other jewellers produce and market their work. I also analysed how their work influences my own body of work.

To define the outcome of my body of work I generated a research question and subquestion. I then "extract[ed] the key words,"(Koberg and Bagnall, 1981:64) to help me narrow down the vast theme that is contemporary organic jeweller.

Ideate and select, I used brainstorming to determine the first/focal design for each of my collections. I then played with the elements I already had to generate variations that I selected from to produce my spin-offs to populate my website.

Implementation, I used " trial and error"(Koberg and Bagnall, 1981:92) by creating prototypes to help develop my body of work. I grouped the pieces that make up my body of work creating three collections. The pieces in each collection were grouped according to their, "common denominator"(Koberg and Bagnall, 1981:88) which became the title for each collection.

Evaluation, for each piece I recoded both my observations and reflections on my blog whilst the manufacturing process took place.

Chapter 1 Conclusion

 Throughout this chapter, I have attempted to define the significant words that make up my title,' Producing Contemporary Organic Jewellery,' in relation to my body of work. I learnt that mass-production is not limited to producing finished pieces and my body of work is a mixture of contemporary trends with the most important being to market the pieces using an online platform. I also learnt that organic jewellery can be spiritual without being religious and that organic does not simply speak to materials but can refer to the evolution during production.

Chapter 1 Introduction

 The aim of this chapter is to define and explain the words in the title, 'Producing Contemporary Organic Jewellery.' I will explore the definition of 'producing', 'contemporary' and 'organic' jewellery in terms of my research question and sub-questions. To support my definitions, I will also use the writings of various academics in the jewellery field such as Bruce Metcalf, Liz Olver, Liesbeth den Besten and Kenneth Quickenden.

Marketing

 According to Metcalf (1994) jewellery has the ability as an artform to "communicate to a large audience," because "virtually everyone [...] utilizes some kind of adornment." I used the DUT (Durban University of Technology) table at the local craft market, the I Heart Market, to reach my audience. There are two issues with relying on the I Heart Market though, the first being that I would want to be represented as my own brand at the market instead of being under DUT but the market is saturated with jewellers that they are no longer allowing new jewellers to join. The second is that the market has been suspended for most of the year due to the COVID-19 lockdown. 

Therefore, I started setting up a website and intend on using social media for advertising. Social media has become an influential virtual platform used for, "social networking but is also a great way of digital[ly] advertising,"(Henderson. 2020). I intend on using Wix to set up my website and Instagram as my chosen social media as they are resources that are easily available. McNiff (2002) says, "by showing other people what you are doing, you can establish [...] clear evidence [that] show[s] progress." Progress in making and selling my work serves to convince me that my concept is worth continuing as my goal is to sell my work.

Contemporary

Contemporary jewellery indicates jewellery, "made in the now," (den Besten. 2011:9) that is "relevant, [...] perhaps referring to precedents but moving forward,"(Joyce, 2017). "Jewellery [...] can be described as contemporary not merely because of its recent date, but because of its engagement with a diverse range of contemporary social, environmental, technical or artistic trends." (Quickened. 2000)

According to Quickened's trends, my jewellery doesn't exactly follow one trend but it is more of a mixture of trends. My jewellery started off as environmental because by me not using organic material my jewellery carries the underlying message of conservation. Thus my jewellery can be seen as social commentary as, " a vehicle for the delivery of content [relating to...] major world events [ like global warming],"(Bernabei, 2011).

 However," with the covid pandemic scaring many shoppers away from public spaces, businesses are struggling to get feet through the door, and increasingly shifting their entire operations online, (Makomba, 2021)." With the local markets closed so due to the pandemic, I have been working towards a website. Due to this, my jewellery started off as one-off pieces and changed to simpler market pieces inspired by the one-off pieces.

Mass Production

Mass production is the process whereby jewellery pieces or elements are, "produced in large volumes [...]  creat[ing] identical pieces,"(Anon. 2020). Mass production can be useful because, "in the making of one piece, a number of ideas may be generated that progress and lead to another piece being conceived,"(Olver. 2002:144). Having many identical copies of a piece/element means I can manipulate them and use them in multiple different designs. 

The methods of mass production I have explored for manufacturing are lost wax casting and the use of jigs. In my design work, I use a digital program called Art Flow on my tablet to mass-produce drawings. One of the reasons I have focused mostly on lost wax casting is because I work part-time at Phil Bear Jewellers where I cast at least once a week so it is a technique I am very familiar with. 

Produce

The Merriam Webster Dictionary's (n.d.) definition of produce is "to make (something) especially by using machines." Thus the term 'produce' in my title is taken to include all the steps of my design process, the mass production methods I employ and how I engage with the market. I use machines to manufacture and for mass production but in order for manufacturing to take place, an idea or design needs to be formulated first. Once the pieces are made I use social media to display my finished pieces and engage with the market.

Spiritual mediation

 According to Bruce Metcalf's (1998), there are three traditional functions of jewellery: spiritual mediation, redeemable wealth, and social status. I feel my organic jewellery fits into the spiritual mediation category. Like Metcalf states(1998), "For as long as we know, jewellery has been associated with the spiritual," because sacred symbols are made portable.

But sacred symbols do not always have to be religious, according to Merriam Webster Dictionary (Anon n.d.), the word sacred can mean "deserving respect”. There are many things that deserve respect that could be considered sacred, such as nature. 

Kay Milton (1999) explains how nature that is untouched by humans is sacred and worth conserving, probably because it is increasingly difficult to find nature that is untouched by humans. Therefore, our personal experiences in nature that is or may seem untouched are what makes it sacred to us. The beauty of nature is that the process of growth does not rely on human interactions and continues regardless. I agree with Milton’s view that if we are to conserve the sanctity of the natural world, we need to protect nature outside of humans from human influence. 

Bowe, K., (2020). Untouched. naturally planted garden tomatoes.

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 

Organic

According to Kenneth Quickend (2000), organic design debates modern design and echoes nature even if it is not made from organic materials. Organic jewellery is often defined as being derived from animal or vegetable matter but organic materials are not as widely available as they once were because nature is currently under threat by global warming. 

Jewellers can help slow these negative impacts by refusing to use materials from endangered species such as ivory. I choose to be one of those jewellers and preserve nature by not using organic materials that will affect the environment. The majority of jewellers dealing with environmental issues are women, which is significant as women are traditionally associated with nature. 

Interest in organic themes express cycles of growth, decay, death and renewal through forms, structures, and colour. Organic imagery can be seen everywhere with a return to softer designs using asymmetry and softer flowing lines.  

Gilles Jonemann loves modern society and explores the possibilities of combining organic and other materials in a complex way that express different values. The natural fragile urchin is combined with the durable strength of a modern material like resin which can be seen in the image below, thus conserving nature. Similarly way, I preserve my leaf skeletons in epoxy and my succulents by casting them.

Jonemann, G., (n.d). Urchin ring. Silver, sea urchin and resin.