Inspiration

In my jewellery I try to re-create some part of the beauty we can all see in the natural world. My fascination is with the smaller parts that make up this world. The pods and leaves you see in my work are the visible tip of a deep interest in nature. It's this inspiration that directs the over-all feel of my work, but a greater influence is that which stems from directly experimenting with the metal. This is what excites me.

There are many ways to affect precious metal to change its shape and texture. Each technique you learn increases your vocabulary of form and surface pattern. Where it gets inspirational is when techniques are applied one after the other. Layered, each affects the results of the others, sometimes in completely unexpected ways. When you have been concentrating on creating one distinct form this serendipity can open whole new paths of exploration, and free your creativity. This is the true joy and heartache of the craft. Lost in a sense of wonder and excitement, it is hard to be pragmatic and record the making processes. I have sometimes spent many hours searching before recreating those chance encounters.

These hidden forms are special; it feels like they've been discovered rather than created, as if they were always there, waiting to be revealed.