Cytula, Morula and Blastula,  2009

These brooches contain hollow forms, representing embryonic stem cells, dividing over magnified and growing floral patterns. The patterns suggest growth in their repetition and flowers, often used symbolically to represent mortality, suggest the beauty, fragility, and impermanence of life. Slices are cut away from the hollow forms to further reveal interior patterns. The use of decorative patterns in conjunction with the hollow cell forms references ideas of replication, magnification, and visualization. Cutting or slicing embodies the transition from living to dead, organism to object, and makes reference to controversial issues surrounding stem cell research and use.

2012-2015

The human body is the context and content of my jewellery. The anatomical and microscopic worlds are where I find a beauty and complexity I want to materialize through adornment. I am intrigued by how we represent what we can not see within ourselves through new scientific imagery and visual data. These representations of the invisible body reflect our humanity in an era of remarkable medical and biological advancement. From the fields of biology, pathology and genomics, these hybrid forms are manipulated to create a contemporary language of ornament. In wearing my jewellery, the invisible body becomes visible adornment.

1999-2002

Cells is a series of brooches inspired by microscopic imagery of the human body.  Magnetic brooches fabricated from silver, copper, gold, coloured resin and gemstones represent various cells, cellular structures and pathogens.  Created to adorn the body, this work aims to promote a more profound regard for a world we cannot see.  In an age of pandemic disease and biotechnological advancement, ‘Cells’ explores the nexus between science and art.

1994

Memento Mori (L. remember death; remember that you must die): Anything serving as a reminder, warning or souvenir of death.

Expressions of death are often found throughout history in the form of body adornment; from eary cultures’ use of amulets and charms to the development of mourning jewellery from the Middle Ages through to its widesprerad popularity in the 19th century. Some of this jewellery, often inscribed with latin legends, was not ony worn during mourning but also as an everyday reminder of one’s inevitable death.

The works in this series relate to these traditional themes of death in jewellery and stem from a personal need to provide a ritual for mourning the deaths that surround my life. The materials, blackened silver and pearls, have been used as an historical reference to the traditional materials found in mourning jewellery. The aesthetic reference to anatomical imagery is a continuing theme from my previous work, establishing a direct visual relationship between jewellery and the human form. In a world of pandemic disease, these contemporary jewelsrepresent the process of death through illness. Memento Mori attempts to satisfy the primal human need for understanding death as part of life itself.

2007

Historically the decorative arts have often drawn upon the natural world for inspiration. The quest for knowledge from the natural sciences has discovered and revealed forms that are now known to be part of the natural world (biomolecules, cellular structures, and atomic orbits to name a few). Through the formal language of biology and chemistry I create a microcosm of the human body in my work. Although the resulting jewels are not scientific models that illustrate specific principles, they adopt forms derived from observation at the microscopic scale. The manipulation of these forms creates a language of ornament appropriate to our era of scientific knowledge and faith.

1991

CORPUS: (I) a human or animal body

(II) a complete or comprehensive collection

(III) the main body or substance of anything

Corpus is a collection of formal experiments. They were initiated by a concern and intrigue for the body and the intrinsic relationship jewellery has to it. Born from a specific feeling, a process of externalizing inner emotion, they are translated into body-referential, abstract forms. In limiting myself to one material, ready-made circular silver tubing, and disregarding the traditional expectation of craftsmanship inherent to this medium, I have concentrated on using a three-dimensional line to create form. Although metal is not a particularly spontaneous material, with the tubing I could easily play with cut-up fragments; balancing intuitive, spontaneous conception with a slower, more rational process of construction. The anthropomorphic quality of the pieces and their intimate scale emphasize their relationship to the body, while experimentation with proportion and form maintain a playful aesthetic quality.  This playfulness serves to further encourage admirer and wearer interaction. I want people to collaborate with this jewellery- to touch, turn, study and play. They are intimate objects that are adorned by the body while simultaneously adorning it themselves. 

2014-Present

These works are the fruits of recent explorations into computer modelling and the additive manufacturing process of 3D printing. The forms were initially conceived and hand fabricated as gem-set fine jewellery in silver and gold. I subsequently redesigned them through computer modelling and used 3D printing to recreate the forms. This process of reverse engineering and printing in new materials has allowed me to explore variation in form, colour, flexibility and finish. The sterling silver connector elements for rings, chains and earrings remain hand fabricated and provide contrast with the colourful laser sintered nylon. The economy, speed and variation in materials made possible by additive manufacturing at this small-scale result in more affordable, contemporary and fun fashion jewellery items.