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Design gem has been created from my long love of beads, gems and jewellery... My passion for beads is translated into the jewellery I handcraft. I work with gemstone beads, pearls, shells, swarovski crystal, handmade glass and recycle vintage beads to create beautiful jewellery.
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backpacking 2008 in China exploring caves and stone carvings at the Buddhist temple near Hangzhou |
Making jewellery
I've always had a love of handcrafted jewellery and began making my own jewellery as a hobby around 20 years ago, making cardboard and fimo earrings, using hand painted ceramic beads bought on my travels with silver plated components. As my skills developed I moved into using sterling silver wire, components and gemstones. Since 2002, I have been developing my jewellery making skills further, mainly through experimentation, and am currently working on creating contemporary designs using copper and sterling silver wire and beads, that incorporate scrolls, wire shapes or freeform wire designs.
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inspirations
from spirals
in nature; |
My inspiration mainly comes from the beads themselves. I try to show them off to their best advantage, creating wearable contemporary jewellery. I principally design with myself in mind and create jewellery pieces that I would wear, as I love dangly earrings these are my main speciality.
Interest in beads and gemstones
Like a magpie, I have always been drawn to beautiful and unusual beads and began collecting them in a small way whilst travelling in my early twenties, this has intensified over the last few years, especially antique murano glass and crystal beads. I try to give some of my vintage beads a new lease of life and a contemporary twist in my jewellery designs.
I find beads fascinating and am interested in the healing qualities of the gemstone beads that I work with. With each piece of sterling silver jewellery that I make, I provide a few details of background information about the gemstone and other types of beads on an accompanying card.
jewellery profile
My jewellery making skills are constantly developing and my own style is evolving. I mainly like making jewellery with beads and wire, but sometimes I incorporate some of the silversmithing skills that I have learnt, ie. soldering. I have also tried out a few other types of jewellery making; I have attended a class in beadweaving, jade carving and also spent 5 years part-time at college learning silversmithing and completing jewellery making and silversmith qualifications at beginner, intermediate and advanced levels.
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backpacking 2008 in New Zealand making
a jade and paua shell pendant on a jade carving course in Hokitiki |
I have been a member of the Arts and Crafts Guild of Lancashire since 2006 and have exhibited some of my jewellery in their exhibitions and contribute some of my time helping to update their website. I was also a member of Made in Lancashire, Arts and Crafts in 2007.
My background
After college I spent some years working abroad and backpacking around the world, before returning to England and studying design and photoshop. In 2003, after working in this field for a number of years, I moved into teaching design, then jewellery making at college.
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backpacking and hiking late 80's in Grand Canyon during
my travelling years |
Apart from jewellery making... I'm also interested in other types of arts and crafts, design, photography, ancient civilizations, hiking, alternative therapies, yoga and meditation.
