I specialise in narrative jewellery, with an emphasis on collaging materials, patterns, textures and found items; evocative objects that capture moments of delight. We moved around a lot when I was a child, changing country every two or three years, and absorbing many different cultures and languages. I first started working with copper in my teens when I lived in Chile, the world’s largest producer of this beautiful and versatile metal. Over the years, I spent many hours creating jewellery with my father, whose workshop was a hive of jewellery-making activity right into his old age. I inherited this treasure trove, and many of my jewellery pieces re-use off-cuts and scraps from copper and silver jewellery made decades ago.
This collection draws on the people and places that form my family narrative. Motifs from Chile and Ghana appear in textured metals and enamel imagery, while weaving, linked to the folklore of Ghana, is also reminiscent of my mother’s love of textiles. Whenever we moved to a new home, her sewing room was always the first to be unpacked.
Enamel is central to my work, allowing me to transfer images and colours to the surface, bringing to life people and places from the past, whether through their handwriting, drawings or simply the vibrant colours reminiscent of West Africa or South America.
Jewellery should have a life outside the jewellery box, so, inspired by Alexander Calder, my designs can be hung on the wall, or displayed as sculptures, working together as a collage of memories.
Having originally studied Spanish at Bristol University, I came to jewellery initially through evening classes and more recently completing an MA in Jewellery at the University for the Creative Arts (Farnham).
