2020 & 2021

A huge highlight from these difficult years is the publication of ‘New Bracelets’ , a book by Nicolas Estrada highlighting contemporary bracelets from artists all over the world. My cement bangle created back in 2015 was selected and it takes place as a real career highlight.

Myself and the team continued to pull the gallery through the multiple public closures, and I continued to work on my Masters from home. The studio received a Covid relief fund from the Arts Council, and we continued to build Fab into the incredible creative hub we have today.

As part of my Masters, I began to explore shadow. Sketching shapes of my jewellery designs to discover new forms, to translate into further works of art. I originally intended for my masters to focus on installation, and pushing my work from small to large scale. I had really begun to be a professional jeweller, passing on my skills through regular classes, creating bespoke silver collections, wedding rings, and having little time to creatively explore. I wanted the Masters to push me again, and give me the chance to explore new mediums, like clay.

I developed a collection called ‘What is Precious?’ a big theme through my MA - casting cement in gem like forms and challenging our perceptions of a precious material. One of the highlights of this collection, the Twin Gem ring here, went off to Seattle to be part of the ‘Battle of the Rings’ at Danaca Design Studio and sat on display in America for a month.

Behind the scenes, I was using the very small amount of time I had left of the MA to rinse the use of the ceramic studios. The Masters was self directed, so with only a small amount of guidance from the technicians I taught myself to handbuild, began to understand glazing, clay bodies, slip casting and firing. 

I completed my MA in summer 2021, due to Covid Leeds Arts University deciding to not host any graduate exhibitions. I organised and curated the Creative Practice graduate show, Mitigating Circumstances, at Assembly House with a weekend full of performances and opportunities to view our progress. For my display, I showcased a range of ceramics and two large steel art works. This exhibition saw the very first of my multidisciplinary, multifunctional objects which can be seen here. 

The year continued with showcasing my first mixed collection at Great Northern, exhibiting with Manchester Art Gallery, and continuing to pass on my skills through jewellery classes.