From the chunky bangle I last posted, I decided to cut it up and turned it into 2 separate bracelets. Each one with one central focal point (the leaf), simpler and far more comfortable.  As the bangle there was too much going on, and eye wasn’t drawn to any specific area; it was too heavy, both literally and visually.  Now as a movable bracelet, the weight of the leaf is juxtaposed by the flow of its shape. And then again by the delicateness of the chain which completes it. I have used belcher chain, but now that the piece is finished I think I would like to make a more decorative chain. Possibly something that matches the curly curves of the leafs edges’.  I’ll post the pic of the other bracelet as soon as it’s finished.

I used no acids for the cleaning of this piece.Only scrubbed it with a glass brush. And did the repousse using an old piece of pine rather than the pitch.

Manufacturing without a design

I wanted to make a bangle. I had different thicknesses of wire and fine plate, so thats what i used. I didn't feel like drawing so i just started manufacturing - with no plan and not much of a vision. I'm not sure what to do with it from here. Its uncomfortable and appears to clash with itself. Its really hard to just make something without any designing. I'm going to sketch out some ideas from here and see if i can maybe save some elements of this piece to make into something new and different.

Its good to be reminded how important the drawing and designing process really is.

Chapter 4 - Found Objects

Found Objects: Odds and Ends -Speaks for itself really. Manheim talks about 'magpie syndrome' this process comes about by collecting random everyday objects (eg stamps, ornaments,nuts and bolts, buttons etc) possibly with strong visual appeal, and then transforming them into wearable jewellery.

Gold Necklace, Emma Palmer, 2008. Antique buttons, crochet thread.

If i were to incorporate found objects into a piece of jewellery i would use seed pods or seeds i think.

Gardening Tools

Then there's growing a few of your own organic veggies. The fun part. Eating less meat is also a small positive that can help (livestock farming is one of the greatest contributing factors to deforestation). Meat-Free Mondays is a campaign to create awareness.... easy start, dedicate at least one day a week to no meat (i intend on making a Meat-Free Monday piece of jewellery).  I have made a few 'Garden Tool' pieces which represent "green" to me. I would like to make more, and to have a recycling range as well as an animal awareness range. I would also like to start working with other imagery that is associated with being 'green' maybe also positive and negative indicators of 'sustainability'. 

My Happy Gardening range. Dig It. Earrings. 925

Happy Gardening range. Shower with love. pendant. 925

Choices

 Over and above the fact that i aim to manufacture my jewellery in a sustainable way, i also want to portray and promote environmental sustainability, and simple ways in which it can be achieved. Sometimes i cant help but feel my efforts (in my jewellery practice) are so insignificant and that the negative effects of the jewellery industry are minuscule compared to some of the massive industries that are really destroying (e.g. deforestation due to animal farming and paper manufacture and the plastic manufacturing corporations). By chatting to people i am reminded that every small step counts(as cliche as that may sound), its how anything starts.

What if these guys where separating their rubbish for recycling? 

How angry does this make you? Frightening! 

With the huge hype around recycling, everyone knows we should all be doing it but how many people really are? In our home we make some simple conscious choices that help. Separating rubbish is the perfect start, a little more effort in the beginning until it becomes second nature. Glass, paper and plastics, tin, then organic waste to the worm farm - the rubbish we put out on the street to be collected by the municipality and transported to landfill sites is a very minimal, if everyone was doing this simple task? How can i make narrative jewellery to depict this. Pieces that the wearer or viewer can engage with in a mindful manner.

Why?

 I had a convo with someone the other day about my jewellery, he asked me why I'm interested on focusing on sustainability, with every answer I gave him, he came back with the rather irritating repeated question but why? From this i realized that i need to state (the obvious to me) the reason that this is important to me is simple, i really love animals and nature and feel strongly that it is our duty as fellow earth dwellers to respect them and our environment.

Morning cuddles with my 5 babies :)

Chapter3 - Ephemeral Jewellery

'Ephemeral Jewellery- Something and nothing - This requires little or no physical materials, by using marks on the skin, light,dust or images projected onto the body'.

Lace Collar,Millie Cullivan,2004.Talc

This chapter boils down to Manheim and other artists pushing boundaries on what defines jewellery as jewellery and peoples perceptions of it. Although clever, not really suited to my personal definition of sustainable jewellery.

Find from an Urban Jewellery Expedition,Claire Jeffs,2007. Gold spiral-twist earring.

i hEaRt MaRKet 3.03.12

March...hmmm our 10th stand at the market. Although this month was quite a quiet one, it was still a fruitful one. A photographer was there and seemed to think our jewellery would be suited to a bikini photo shoot they're doing on a beautiful exotic beach up in Mozambique. We were sent a mail with all details and portfolio links, they're some really talented and creative people and the models are hot hot hot. Each shoot is going to have its own theme, it sounds fantastic, and i am sooo thrilled by the offer. They want mainly bracelets and neckpieces,the bolder and chunkier the better...i may try whip out a new piece or 2 to send extra. They leave next week, for a week.When they're done we'll have access to the photos.win win all round! Ill then publish the links. So as soon as they come in will post them up :)

My earring display at the market

Chapter 2 - Waste Not, Want Not.

Sprungli Collar, Verena Sieber-fuchs, 2000. Sprungli chocolate wrappers, Inox crocheted.

1. 2. *Waste Not, Want Not - looks into how jewellery can be made from materials that would usually be thrown away. Generally re- shaping or re-inventing things from materials that would usually be discarded without second thought.  The concept stems from a time during The Second World War when times were tough and innovative ways to re-use old materials became essential.eg. coats made from old blankets. The generation to follow grew up understanding 'waste not, want not'. Then came a time of affluence, and this concept was thrown out the window. Manufactured goods were favored over home-made /hand-made as they were seen as part of a more impoverished lifestyle. This has contributed  to where we currently find ourselves, the supermarket and fast-food culture, the age of plastic.Mountains of rubbish. 

1. People are becoming increasingly aware of the 'unsustainability' of this. Although sustainable  jewellery is in no going to save the world, it can only help by spreading awareness. 

1. I find, most jewellery made with this concept in mind, to be either generally quiet ugly or impractical/unwearable. This crocheted chocolate wrapper neck piece is a great example as it is both beautiful and wearable, which is an important requirement for me to fulfill through my jewellery if i am to work with this concept. I have some ideas and would like to make 1 or 2 pieces.

Order done :)

So i made this simple(quiet minimal) pendant towards the end of last yr to add to my I Heart Market stock, because i was short of necklaces. Around the same time i was contacted by a women who buys and sells a variety of jewellery. A week before the market she took most of my stock to display at an open day, the necklace amongst other pieces sold. I quickly made another to fill my once again empty gap. Last week she contacted me for more stock at another open day, the necklace sold again, and 4 more were ordered :) .

For me the interesting thing is that our customers are completely different, although my market at I Heart is quiet a broad range of people all ages. Her market is more upmarket. And i suppose people generally don't go to a flea market with too much cash on them, although i am sometimes surprised.

Generally when I remake a piece I alter it in some slight way to make it better, this one has stayed mostly the same because that's what people want i guess. I'm not a huge fan of these,  but apparently some people are, so great!