Quietly unconventional contemporary and fine jewellery

Quietly unconventional contemporary and fine jewellery

STORY

Emily is a contemporary jeweller exploring shape and structure through precious materials. Sensitive use of colour is central to her work and is the backdrop to a minimal, modern aesthetic with areas of intricate detail. Old industrial buildings and canal sides are particular influences, from tapered chimneys and pottery kilns to barges and water towers. Emily has come back to making after a career as an art librarian. Her use of laminate started when she discovered it as samples in the Materials Collection at Central Saint Martins library in 2013.

MATERIALS

Working with 100% recycled silver and gold, Emily is known for combining these with colourful laminate. At times she also uses wood, paint, precious stones and Keum Boo to add extra details. Laminate is paper and resin formed under extremely high pressure. Emily uses the brand Formica which you may be used to seeing on table tops and kitchens. It can have quite a mid-century modern feel, has a wonderful matt finish and the colour doesn’t fade. 

PROCESS

Emily cuts the wood and laminate to manageable sizes, glues them together with an epoxy glue, leaves them to dry overnight and then hand cuts it into her signature shapes with a jewellers piercing saw. Each piece is then finished by hand. Emily uses traditional jewellery and silversmithing techniques when working with precious metals. It starts as sheet or wire and is rolled, pierced, textured and polished. The findings (ear wires/hooks etc.) are all handmade. Some pieces include inlaid silver or gold into the wood and laminate.

Exhibitions and Stockists

STORY

Emily is a contemporary jeweller exploring shape and structure through precious materials. Sensitive use of colour is central to her work and is the backdrop to a minimal, modern aesthetic with areas of intricate detail. Old industrial buildings and canal sides are particular influences, from tapered chimneys and pottery kilns to barges and water towers. Emily has come back to making after a career as an art librarian. Her use of laminate started when she discovered it as samples in the Materials Collection at Central Saint Martins library in 2013.

MATERIALS

Working with 100% recycled silver and gold, Emily is known for combining these with colourful laminate. At times she also uses wood, paint, precious stones and Keum Boo to add extra details. Laminate is paper and resin formed under extremely high pressure. Emily uses the brand Formica which you may be used to seeing on table tops and kitchens. It can have quite a mid-century modern feel, has a wonderful matt finish and the colour doesn’t fade. 

PROCESS

Emily cuts the wood and laminate to manageable sizes, glues them together with an epoxy glue, leaves them to dry overnight and then hand cuts it into her signature shapes with a jewellers piercing saw. Each piece is then finished by hand. Emily uses traditional jewellery and silversmithing techniques when working with precious metals. It starts as sheet or wire and is rolled, pierced, textured and polished. The findings (ear wires/hooks etc.) are all handmade. Some pieces include inlaid silver or gold into the wood and laminate.

Exhibitions and Stockists

AWARDS, GRANTS & ACHIEVEMENTS

Maker's Mark Award, Craft Festival, 2022

Arts Council England Emergency Response Fund Grant 2020

Selected for IJL KickStart 2017

Selected for London Creative Network 2017 at Cockpit Arts

The Design Trust Award, MADE LONDON 2015

Crafts Council’s Hothouse programme 2015

Best in Show, MADE BRIGHTON 2014

TRAINING

2016 Mount Making and Settings for Gemstones, Morley College

2014 Experimental Enamelling, Morley College

2013 Contemporary Jewellery, Morley College

2013 MA Information Studies (Distinction), University of Brighton

2005 Getting Started, Goldsmiths’ Hall, London

2005 Bishopsland Workshop, Reading

2004 BA (Hons) Three Dimensional Crafts, University of Brighton

MEMBERSHIPS

Arts Thread | Association for Contemporary Jewellery | Cockpit Arts | Contemporary Applied Arts | Crafts Council Directory


AWARDS, GRANTS & ACHIEVEMENTS

Maker's Mark Award, Craft Festival, 2022

Arts Council England Emergency Response Fund Grant 2020

Selected for IJL KickStart 2017

Selected for London Creative Network 2017 at Cockpit Arts

The Design Trust Award, MADE LONDON 2015

Crafts Council’s Hothouse programme 2015

Best in Show, MADE BRIGHTON 2014

TRAINING

2016 Mount Making and Settings for Gemstones, Morley College

2014 Experimental Enamelling, Morley College

2013 Contemporary Jewellery, Morley College

2013 MA Information Studies (Distinction), University of Brighton

2005 Getting Started, Goldsmiths’ Hall, London

2005 Bishopsland Workshop, Reading

2004 BA (Hons) Three Dimensional Crafts, University of Brighton

MEMBERSHIPS

Arts Thread | Association for Contemporary Jewellery | Cockpit Arts | Contemporary Applied Arts | Crafts Council Directory


Search