Other work
Chain reaction
During my studies at the Surrey Institute of Art and Design, I was given a piece of glass which had been slumped in the kiln. It was a beautiful piece which begged to be made into 'Wearable Art'.
I'm a problem solver by nature and also one that always tries to use the skills and tools I already possess. My problem was how to turn this nugget of magic into something I could wear. Knitting and sewing with wire presented itself as a solution I could manage. I had used knitted wire in a recent project and liked both the effect it produced and the fact that the skills used were those of my mother and all my maternal ancestors. This is how this strand of my work started. My other strand continues to be handbuilt stoneware ceramics.
As I wore this pendant, many friends commented on it and I made a few as presents.This entailed reclaiming pieces of glass from the hot shop in the glass blowing studio, and slumping them in my kiln. I knit 'jackets' for any pieces that are suitable and then sew them in place. I use thin enamelled copper wire, which does not tarnish.
The cost of the materials is minimal therefore these pieces are very affordable. I could use silver wire to knit with, but up to the present time have kept to base metal to make these pieces, which many people can afford without thinking twice. They have been very popular.Materials
Recycled glass, enamelled copper wire, silver plated spacer and nylon coated steel wire with screw clasp fastening. Because of the nature of the recycled glass and the process, all pieces are individual although I can sometimes make earrings and bracelets to match, if the fragments come out the right shape from the hammer blow I subject larger pieces of glass to.The pendants measure between 3cm and 5cm approx.