BIO

​

Originally from Kent, UK, I have a back ground in Jewellery Design, and Glass (BA Hons Glass, Architectural Glass & Ceramics - University of Sunderland), and gained valuable experience assisting various established glass artists and designers in London, before managing Glass and Metalwork at Contemporary Applied Arts Gallery London. 

 

I returned to the NE in 2003 to complete a Master Degree in Glass at the University of Sunderland before producing my own sculptural garden pieces and jewellery to commission for exhibition/galleries.

 

After time away to raise my two children, I am now returning to a continued connection with natural found materials - using rural Northumberland as my home and muse!

​

ABOUT

​

Nature/emotional responses to the latter are clearly an inspiration for my work but my interest to combine materials has led me to a deeper concept - and the question of what we find precious.

 

Focusing on a new direction of work, I am drawing from previously acquired techniques and skills in jewellery and glass making to develop conceptual wall-mounted pieces combining natural found objects with precious metals.

 

Using predominantly 24ct gold leaf and sterling silver these pieces are ultimately visual research studies for the art jewellery collection that explore my personal response to the adjective precious and how it connects with material value in an artistic context.  

 

The natural materials used are foraged from the Northumberland landscape during wanderings and explorations; lichen on branches, moss from stones, bone from sheep left life-less and decomposed in the fields. These materials and where they are sought bring a defined richness to the conceptual work and whether it is wall mounted or wearable, my intention is to leave a message of respect of our natural environment. 

 

My mixed media garden sculptures combine the strong, protective elements of cast cement with smooth, fragile cast glass…the concept behind this body of work visually encapsulates and protects an inner love or energy. This prerequisite has evolved over time but continues to weave a thread through my inspirations and ideas. 

​​

Although glass remains at the core of my sculptural designs, the challenge of working on opposing scales with different materials is exciting ad never dull; small scale, wearable art jewellery made from bone and silver to large scale site specific kiln formed glass/steel sculpture. 

 

​I also regularly run regular arts sessions for children within the school environment as enrichment workshops, building on resilience and encouraging creativity amongst KS1 and KS2.