Category: Interviews

1. An interview with Frank Luckham - Finalist - Graduates in the Spotlight

   Posted on 11:00am Sunday 6th Apr 2014

   What inspired you to become a jewellery designer?   I started studying Psychology at college and one day as I passed through the foyer; cabinets had been placed there displaying some of the student’s silversmithing and a few pieces of jewellery. What really caught my eye was the form and balance of the bowls and thought it would be great to create something like that. I then decided to enroll in Silversmithing classes run at the college. I enjoyed the whole process of being creative and forming the metal that after a few months of thought, I decided to change from studying Psychology to studying Fda in Silversmithing and Jewellery. My first project was to design a Modernist ring and having little interest in jewellery, was really unsure as to what to do. I researched Modernism and found that the artist Barbara Hepworth’s’ museum was not too far from where I lived and visited for inspiration. Her sculpture entitled The Walkthrough inspired me so much that I decided to focus on geometric sculptural forms, hoping to instill this aspect into a ring, which I did and got a distinction for my final piece. This set me on the path of designing rings exploring form over function.   What is your favourite piece of jewellery? (either made or purchased)   I enjoy all the forms I have created but my favourite piece of jewellery, actually a three-piece set, was inspired by Donald Judd a Minimalist sculptor. The rings were made in my final degree year at college. The reason for liking them so much is that they were the most simplistic and reductive yet visually pleasing rings yet.   Which celebrity would you love to wear your jewellery and why? Since my ring designs are focused towards form rather than functionality, any celebrity who appreciates this aspect and wants to wear something alternative and unconventional would be welcomed. I’ve noticed Deborah Meaden from Dragons Den wearing some interesting pieces of jewellery. She might be suitable.   Out-with jewellery is there any other career that you would love to try?   I have often thought of dry stone walling as another interest or career. The idea of working outside and being creative with natural stone would be very pleasing and I admire anyone who can do it.   What can we expect to see from you in the future?   I will still explore the geometric form but more recently I have made a move to producing some tradition shank rings focusing on combinations of textures off-set with just one simple diamond, which also offers a good juxtaposition between form and texture. The over all idea is to keep my designs simple and minimal, emphasizing the form.

2. An interview with Agnieszka Maksymiuk - Finalist - Graduates in the Spotlight

   Posted on 11:00am Sunday 6th Apr 2014

   What inspired you to become a jewellery designer? Art has always been a big part of my life. For as long as I can remember I have enjoyed drawing and painting, even as a child, I was aware that I would become an artist in the future. My aspirations came true at the Academy of Fine Arts in Gdansk 2010, when I graduated in an MA Industrial Design course with the master thesis in jewellery. I’ve chosen jewellery as my main interest, because for me it is the combination of all the art disciplines (i.e. painting, sculpture, photography, graphic design), but in a small scale. In 2011 I left my native country Poland and moved to Birmingham in the UK to improve my skills in crafting jewellery. I did a HND Jewellery & Silversmithing course at The School of Jewellery in Birmingham to learn more traditional jewellery making techniques, where I am now an Artist in Residence and visiting lecturer. What is your favourite piece of jewellery? (either made or purchased) I’ve found that customers really like my “Looking into London” Ring, which has been featured in a Jewelspan Wow-Factor Competition as a first prize winner. This piece is one of my favourites as well and it’s not only because I love London. A ring tells the viewer a story about the incredible city, where all the hand carved details are inspired by London’s architecture. The reflections of the landmarks appear on the silver disc in the middle, like in the River Thames which flows through the centre of London. I enjoy the moment of surprise and admiration when a customer looks inside a piece and can see his reflection. This represents being inside a city surrounded by all the greatest monuments. Which celebrity would you love to wear your jewellery and why? I feel that designing and making jewellery is an act of creation. My works aims to exist as a small sculpture and becomes a piece of art. That’s why I’ve found that people with creative minds like my jewellery more. It would be a real honour to see architects such as Zaha Hadid and Kazuyo Sejima or an artist like Ester Roi wearing my jewellery. I fully admire their taste, talent and creativity. Out-with jewellery is there any other career that you would love to try? I worked as a make-up artist for a couple of years. It gave me a lot of satisfaction and I hope to get back to this profession in future. It’s a very creative and aesthetic craft, where attention to detail and understanding of colour are essential. I would love to do more fashion make-up, so I have more freedom as a creator.   What can we expect to see from you in the future? Carving + enamelling = sculpture + painting = jewellery These are my plans for the nearest future. I would like to draw more and explore enamelling techniques to find new outcomes.

    

    

3. Our new 'Graduate in the Spotlight'

   Posted on 5:13pm Friday 17th May 2013

   We have a winner! 

   Thank you to all those who took part in our Graduates in the Spotlight competition, from those who entered submissions, everyone who took the time to vote and our finalists, Sally-Anne Fenton and Jessica Nam.  Here's the interview that we carried out with Elise Goldin earlier this week.
   

   Designer Interview  - Elise Goldin

   What inspired you to become a jewellery designer?

   From a young age I enjoyed doing anything creative. I grew up watching Art Attack, Smart Art and Blue Peter, always trying to recreate what they made on the shows!

   Although I studied Art & Design at university, I wasn’t sure which speciality I was going to choose upon graduation.

   I was encouraged to show a concept jewellery collection at New Designers 2012, which gained a fair amount of attention. I realised that I had side-lined what came naturally to me, and what I got pure enjoyment out of, which was designing and making jewellery.

   What is your favourite piece of jewellery? (Either made or purchased)

   Whenever I make a new piece for the Facet collection, I always say, “Ooh, this is my favourite”! But overall, I would have to say it would be a pair of engraved feather earrings I made for my mum’s birthday. They were the first things I made when I moved into Flux studios, so they have sentimental value. I get real enjoyment out of seeing my friends and family wearing my jewellery. 

   Which celebrity would you love to wear your jewellery and why?

   Currently it’s Solange Knowles. She’s got a very unique and brave sense of style, that is cutting-edge and she never shies away from colour! 

   I can envisage my ‘Facet’ collection enhancing almost any of her outfit choices.

   Out-with jewellery is there any other career that you would love to try?

   If I hadn’t chosen jewellery as a path, I would have probably have gone down the route of Set-Design. I love the idea of creating a world from your imagination and turning it into a reality.

   What can we expect to see from you in the future?

   I will be releasing some Facet sub-collections; limited edition, couture, and adding new earthy colours for an autumn/winter collection.