Next month I will be running some jewellery making workshops in Neath, Port Talbot. The first is this Paper and Silver Jewellery Workshop. Below are some examples of what you can make.
Tag Archives: earrings
New Collection – Coastal Rocks
I made this pendant (below during the final year of my degree. It was a quick experiment I did using a left over piece of copper from something else I was working on. It turned out to be very successful and lead towards the designs of some of my final collection. However, the simplicity of this piece will always be one of the things about it that make it so successful.
I’ve kept this necklace for myself (sometimes you just can’t let something go) but I’ve had many compliments on it and decided to use this design as the basis for a new collection.
The shape is based on rocky coastlines. I have been using this idea to create necklace and earring sets; finding a way to efficiently cut the copper so there is no waste.
Each piece of copper is then coated with 2 layers of enamel. Many of these are different transparent colours on top of an opaque base. These pieces also have sand fired onto them making them tactile and evocative of the beach. On others I have used firescale or sprinkles of another colour to imitate the rock surfaces and the lichen growing on them.
One thing I love about enamelling (although it can also be the worst thing) is that each piece can be a surprise – sometimes the same technique can turn out different each time and the finest change in firing time etc can alter the colour. It makes each piece unique – like these three necklaces.
Another feature of these necklaces is that they can be worn at two different lengths. I have developed a fastening for my necklaces that is both attractive and versatile. I like my jewellery to work with various outfits with different necklines.
I’m really pleased with this collection – I wear a couple of these quite often myself as they work just as well with a t-shirt as a dress. These two colours have to be my personal favourites.
First Workshop
On Saturday I ran my first Enamelling Workshop at the Firegems studio. There, I taught four lovely ladies how to enamel.
Here’s what we got up to together:
Choosing their copper blanks; everyone sat to draw out their ideas.
I then demonstrated how to sift and torch fire the enamel onto the copper blanks.
Everyone then took their turns firing their base layers.
In the afternoon, after a delicious lunch provided by Dawn Phillips (Thank you Dawn!), using the kiln we began building up the layers and patterns with different colours and decoration.
It was exciting to see what had happened to each piece once they were taken out of the kiln.
In the end everyone left with something they had made themselves – a pendant, pair of earrings or charms for a bracelet. I hope they were all pleased with their jewellery and enjoyed their day. I was certainly impressed with what they made.
Mission Gallery Showcase
Hannah Duncan Contemporary Jewellery can now be seen at Mission Gallery, Swansea.
The showcase is made up of most of my degree work plus a few new smaller necklaces and earrings. It is going to be on display for the duration of the current exhibition being held there – Situation/Material/Ocean. My work sits well next to this exhibition as it is based on coastal landscapes.
Having grown up in Swansea, as well as regularly visiting the south-west coast of Scotland, I have developed a love for the coast. This work combines enamelled silver and copper with fold-forming techniques and tangles of threads. The contrasting shapes and tactile surfaces are also used to embody the coastal landscape. My jewellery is an attempt to capture the beauty of this landscape and also immerse the wearer in the atmosphere of the shoreline.
So, if you’re in Swansea why not drop into Mission Gallery and check out the current exhibition and my work in the craft area. And while you’re at it why not treat yourself to a necklace or pair of earrings.
Snowdrops – Now is the Time!
Now is the time to buy my Snowdrop jewellery from Henryka with 30% off all orders over £30 and free delivery! Use code 3030.
Ends tomorrow so get buying!
See all Snowdrop items here:
http://www.henryka.co.uk/catalogsearch/result/?q=snowdrops
Snowdrops
Do you like snowdrops?
Before Christmas my class took part in a competition to design a range of jewellery for Henryka, a silver and amber jewellery shop based in Hereford.
I was one of the chosen winners! And now my Snowdrop designs are for sale in the Henryka shop.
Of the snowdrop jewellery designed by me and made by Henryka, there are brooches, pendants and earrings. The pendants come in three sizes and the brooches in two.
All of these pieces can be bought on the Henryka website: http://www.henryka.co.uk/catalogsearch/result/?q=snowdrops
Exhibition
Last night, the private view of the exhibition, went great! The turn out was really good and everyone’s work looked fantastic!
I’m so pleased with mine, this is my display:
And here are some of the photos of my final jewellery pieces:
I even went to the exhibition wearing this piece!
(Model: Sarah Jenkins and Studio Assistant and Supporting Photographer: Andrew James Rees)
Sculptural Developments
My lecturer was very kind to give me a sheet of pewter to play with. It was very flexible so I was easily able to recreate my paper sculptures out of it.
I’m really pleased with how I’ve developed my work but the problem with these sculptures is that they don’t always want to stand the right way up by themselves!
I’ve also been playing with copper tape recently (yes, the kind you use to keep slugs away from your plants) and I had this idea of sticking it in strips onto cartridge paper and then making more paper sculptures out of it. I actually love the lines this created on the sculpture.
Copper tape is actually really fun to make things with. Check out these sweet crumpled copper earrings I made a little while ago.
They are so shiny!
Finally taken photos of my jewellery. These are the first pieces of silver jewellery I have made in my Silversmithing class. I’m really pleased with them! They are so shiny!
If you follow my photography blog you will already know I am starting a new project in college.
The theme of my new project is Space. But what is Space? It is not empty. The space around us is filled with air; gases which are invisible to us. I am looking at things which contain air and also how I can visually demonstrate this and solidify this invisible substance – creating, in a way, negative space.
As space/air is invisible to our eyes it is a difficult subject to collect visual research on. So far I am researching the artist Rachel Whiteread who casts the interior, or negative space, of buildings, bookshelves and other spaces.
How else can I show this invisible space? Any ideas for me or artists I should look at?