2019

In 2019 I decided to set myself one of my biggest challenges to date, and one I never managed to finish. 

The 2019 Brooch Project was an ambitious idea to create one brooch a month. A brooch that pushed my abilities, forced me to explore new skills and take a deep dive into a project for the first time since University. The project was inspired by my 2018 solo trip to Amsterdam, referencing drawings, experiences and feelings I had noted down during the trip. 

I produced the Brooch Project alongside my work at The Craft Centre, beginning to develop my jewellery classes, working Sundays at the Brunswick and producing jewellery for shows. The most important goal was to have January-October brooches ready to take back to Amsterdam and present at my second SIERAAD in the November. 

The brooches explore a diverse range of skills, some I learnt for the project and some I revisited from Uni. My friend and mentor Andrew, one of the founders of Fabrication, played a huge part in this project - helping me to rediscover many technical skills. 

I couldn’t even tell you now what really drove me to this, amongst everything else I took on in 2019, but in the summer I decided that now was the time to start a Master Degree. I went back to my roots and enrolled on the Creative Practise Masters at Leeds Arts University (previously Leeds College of Art, where I took the Extended Diploma 2012-14 instead of traditional A Levels).

This leap strengthened my artistic practice, and began my research into ceramics.