Frances Wadsworth-Jones

At first glance Frances Wadsworth-Jones’ jewellery appears conservative and conventional. It is only when you look again that you see the tiny ants that are mischievously running away with the jewels. These visual contradictions test the rules of fine jewellery and explore the tension and delight that are found when the familiar becomes deliciously strange.

David Roux Fouillet

We are very excited to have this piece in the gallery! David Roux Fouillet's diamond-shaped steel necklace rests on a rotating device and is plunged into soapy water. As each of the diamond shapes emerge from the liquid, a bubble forms over its structure: creating a gently shimmering ephemeral surface, which imitates a real diamond. Fouillet creates a clever and thought provoking way of questioning the value of beauty and preciousness. 

“More than its economic value, it is the diamond’s emotional value that fascinates me. By transforming fragile soap bubbles into the king of gems I hope to trigger the imagination of the viewer and question notions of eternity, beauty and material value.” - David Roux Fouillet.

Maria Militsi

Maria Militsi employs the potential of objects as echoes of experience; fragments of memory and markers of loss. She is interested in things that are ordinary and familiar, yet strange, and seeks to bring different objects and ideas into close relationship to form new meanings. This feature of her work has been described by Caroline Broadhead as “a collision of opposites: complete and incomplete, faithful and mutinous, melancholic and humorous. These rings are made from sterling silver, used plastic dolls shoes and diamonds. 

Daphne Krinos

Over the next few weeks we'll be posting about the work of all the makers in our Take a Fresh Look at Diamonds exhibition. First up - Daphne Krinos. The work of Greek born Krinos has been exhibited in the UK,  Europe, the USA and Japan and her jewellery can be found in collections of the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Goldsmiths’ Company and the Crafts Council. This grouping uses heavily oxidised silver and translucent precious gemstones which allow the sparkle of the diamonds to truly stand out.

Take a Fresh Look at Diamonds

David Roux Fouillet with his diamond necklace installation

Frances Wadsworth-Jones and Maria Militsi

David Roux Fouillet and Jacqueline Cullen

Myia Bonner

Gallery Manager Georgina Black with Maud Traon and Joel Degen

On Thursday night we had the private view of our exhibition 'Take a Fresh Look at Diamonds' which runs until the 3rd of November. Thanks so much to all who came. If was a great night! Here's the low down about the exhibition:

For centuries, the purity and magnificence of diamonds has captured the worlds imagination – revered by royalty, celebrated by Hollywood and treasured all over the world - this exhibition asks us to consider the alluring hold diamonds have over us. Many of the pieces will provoke surprise and discussion about the role of one of the worlds most coveted gems: Diamonds

Makers:

Catherine Mannheim

Daphne Krinos

David Roux Fouillet

Elaine Cox

Emmeline Hastings

Frances Wadsworth-Jones

Jacqueline Cullen

Jane Adam

Jane Macintosh

Jo Hayes-Ward

Joel Degen

Josef Koppmann

Karen-Ann Dicken

Maria Militsi

Märta Mattsson

Maud Traon

Michael Berger

Myia Bonner

Niklas Evje

Nina Bukvic

Ruth Tomlinson

Wendy Ramshaw CBE RDI

Elinor Voytal

We have some great new work in the gallery by Elinor Voytal. Elinor graduated from Bucks University with a first class degree in knitted textiles. Her designs are inspired by the fusion of hard metal into the soft, delicate and luxurious structures of machine knitted silk and viscose.

She is interested in the way the embedding of metal findings changes the feel and weight of the fabric. The colourway for her graduate collection was taken from pixelised manipulations of her own photographs and she continues to use photography as inspiration.

Added Value?

Did you go to the Craft Councils new touring exhibition Added Value?? It launched at Design Junction which ran from 20 - 23 September as part of this years London Design Festival. We went along to the opening night and it was fantastic!

Responding to current economic trends, Added Value? questions the value of contemporary craft within the realms of branding and luxury. Reasons why we buy contemporary craft today and how our desire for authenticity, quality and craftsmanship are redefining notions of luxury on a wider scale. It investigates peoples different perceptions of value through six key themes: bespoke, skill, experience, materials, brands and the everyday.

It all very relevant stuff and things that we have been thinking about here in the gallery too. Images:
Simon Hasan, Mannequin's for Fendi, Boiled leather, gold and palladium gilding, PU resin, hot-rolled steel
Bompas and Par, St Pauls Catherdral Jelly
Zoe Arnold, Set of 3 Thinking Earrings