Task 1: Know your contemporaries
Stefania Luchetta
Banafsheh Hemmati
Banafsheh is a Iranian designer/artist who focuses on traditional Iranian and Islamic geometry in a contemporary way. She adapts her form throughout her designs to express a more contemporary language rather than traditional. Throughout her 20 years of experience, she has worked in Sculpting, Interior design and Jewellery design. She has her own studio in Tehran as well as teaches at the cities university. She takes inspiration from geometric patterns within Islamic architecture. She mainly works with Silver and Gold with various types of stone and gems.
Ive taken inspiration for my own work from this work because Islamic/Persian geometry is something I am passionate about and want to learn further and use in my own pieces. I am interested in the forms and patterns used, the intricate details and luxury feel to it.
Misun Won
Misun Won is a South Korean born jewellery designer who studied an MA at Edinburgh College of Art. She has exhibited her work in many galleries in the UK and internationally. Her jewellery is inspired by a Korean traditional wrapping cloth named Jogakbo, including the fractal geometry interpretation it shows. Misun uses a piercing saw and hand cuts the pattern out on a single sheet and folds and bends each part to create unique forms which represent the patchwork making process. Other techniques used is a ancient Korean gilding technique called Keumboo which uses 24ct gold. She uses this technique on the edges of her work to emphasis the structure.
The key parts from Misun's work that I am interested in are the process of the paper structure/map she designs first but also the folding method she uses.
Task 2: Idea Development
Ideas
Some initial ideas and sketches based off the geometric pattern I created. Exploring shapes and forms both 2D and 3D. Followed by different connections.
Material Samples
Photos of some material samples I created. Unfortunately I forgot to take photos of some of the samples I handed in the physical submission so I am unable to upload them onto my portfolio.
Paper cut out done by hand on left. Right side, pattern cut out in sheet copper with piercing saw.
Paper cut out of pattern done via laser machine
Pattern cut out in acrylic using laser machine.
Sample of piercing saw another pattern
I decided to take a single shape from the pattern, as shown on my sketches, where I have repeated the shape. Then I tried to turn this into a 3D form in different sizes and also with different quantity of sides.
3 sided form
4 sided form
I find paper modelling useful for me as I struggle to draw ideas just from my mind. Having the paper and shapes and playing around with them physically helps me be able to think of ideas easier.
I then created a 3D form using the paper cut outs to create this cage/box ornament below. This is cello-taped closed on the sample, however I would like to be able to open and close it at the top. I need to explore connections further. I also like the concept of when this opens whilst being made out of paper it has a spring like movement to it, which I want to try replicate in metal.
I then sampled a couple types of connections to open and close the top part of the form. I created a connection using a brass hollow rod and a solid one, making a pin type connection. I didn't get many photos of this unfortunately but it is in the physical submission. I then tried a hook method as seen on the photos below. However I wasn't happy with either of these and need to explore other options.
Connection with pin and rod
Connection with hooks
Connection with hooks
Connection with hooks
Going back to paper samples, I experiment creating the 2D individual shape into a multiple 3D form. I created the same shapes in a smaller scale and attached all of these together to create a new form suitable for a ring.
Task 3: Market research analysis
My practice
Whats my practice?
My practice I want to moved forward with at this point in the course is in Contemporary jewellery. Some contemporary jewellery is not as practical and cant be worn on a every day basis. I want to create work like this, however I also want to create pieces that are more practical and can be worn whilst still keeping a wow factor to them. Currently I have been working with Brass and Copper because Gold isn't accessible, but in the future I want to use precious metals such as Gold and different gems and stones. My practice focuses on Persian influences, expressing my personal story through my work.
How do I practice?
I want my practice to be hi-end and to create pieces using precious materials which add higher value and give a luxury and expensive feel to them. I want to use recycled Gold and gems/stone, or use ethically sourced materials. I want my practice to be apart of residences and galleries as well as using social media and a website to sell my work and for it to be in stores.
Who's my market?
I believe my market would be mainly collectors and high end jewellery lovers. I want some of my pieces to be available to people who aren't as well off financially, however I am not sure how I could do this with these materials currently whilst making profit but this is something I want to consider in the future as a part of my career. This is because I come from a family with not much financial success, however myself and my mum love Gold jewellery but this wasn't very accessible to us but I would like to create a collection which could be worn by people from similar backgrounds.
I would reach these different market types by getting my work into competitions and getting my name and work known in the Craft sector. Following onto gaining residences and displaying my work at fairs and galleries. As well as this by using social media to target both market types, as I believe social media is a massive tool to create a business and get your work out there.
Collect
Collect is a international contemporary craft and design fair held in London at Somerset House each year. It is organised by the Crafts Council, which is a charity for craft recognised internationally. At the fair there is a range of galleries which represent different makers, showcasing their work. Collect is a high end fair, including a opening night for private viewers/collectors. These viewers are able to buy work from the 40 galleries at the fair, ranging from £500 to £50,000. With a variety of work curated by each gallery, the range of materials used throughout the fair are glass, ceramics, art jewellery, textiles, precious metals, fibre, wood, paper as well as other unique materials including lacquer, bone and resin. As well as being represented by a gallery at Collect, you can also apply as a independent artist for Collect Open.
Due to the above, Collect is the brief I have selected for my practice ambition. I believe it is a fair suited to what I would like to achieve in my career, due to me wanting to work with precious metals such as Gold, and create pieces with a high value.
Volunteering at cOLLECT
During my first year at uni, in 2023, I volunteered at Collect. Throughout this volunteering position I spoke to many different types of people attending the fair. This included the organisers and fellow co workers, artists, gallery representatives, and all kinds of members of the public/potential customers such as private buyers and collectors, who have great knowledge on crafts with vast collections, as well as people who had stumbled across the fair, other art students, and people with a interest in craft. Speaking with these types of people was a great insight into many different points of view and opened my eyes to the reality of higher end craft fairs as I had only been to The Great Northern Contemporary Craft Fair previously to this.
As well as speaking to these people I got the opportunity to see all the incredible work at the fair as well attended talks by the artists. This was really inspiring and mind blowing to see the work in person an the impact it has rather than seeing it through photos.
Dahye Jeong - Loewe Craft Prize
Dahye Jeong - close up to detail
KIM Dae-hoon, £9,750
LEE Chang-su
LEE Chang-su £1,500
LEE Chang-su
YANG Jeom-mo, £10,000
Amy Hughes £4,000
Amy Hughes £4,000
Emilie Taylor £4,500
Joanna Bird
Joanna Bird £4,100
Joanna Bird £4,100
Joanna Bird £4,100
Joanna Bird £12,800
Joanna Bird £12,800
John Kiley
John Kiley
John Kiley
Tim Copsey
Lucia Zamberletti
Collette Bishop
Joy Bonfield-Colombara
Joy Bonfield-Colombara £12,800
Chris Carpenter
£2,400
Yeena Yoon
Yeena Yoon
Yeena Yoon
Yeena Yoon
Eleanor Whitworth
Darren Appiagyei
Binghui Song £3,900
Binghui Song - Close up
Peter Layton, £11,500
The gallery which stood out most to me was the Goldsmith's Fair. The work represented here I was naturally drawn to. I believe this was because of the materials used, scale and details. I realised at this point that jewellery is something I wanted to explore further as I had only done little metal work previous to this, and was focusing on glass work at the time of volunteering at Collect. Although I enjoyed glass, when seeing the work at the Goldsmith's Fair gallery I knew I would love for my work to be represented here one day. Because of this, Collect is a suitable fair that I would like to set as a goal for my career.
Pricing
Misun Won
Flower Gold Ring - £3800
Material - 18ct yellow gold
One of a kind
The top of the ring, the flower is made from a single sheet of gold, which is cut by hand using a piercing saw and the bent to create the form it is.
Yeena Yoon
Solar : Escape to Stillness - £8300
Material - 18ct gold, Black jade
One of a kind
The gold 'lashes' are made from very fine gold wire which is specially alloyed. Each single wire is soldered very precisely, followed by adding a black jade stone which was hand carved from a rough stone shape.
Sarah Stafford
Spiro Brooch 8 - £2400
Material - Oxidised silver, 18ct yellow gold & stainless steel
One of a kind
This brooch is hand constructed one singular circle/piece at a time using a soldering method. Gold details are added later. followed by a stainless steel brooch.
Task 4: Know your context - finding opportunities
Exhibitions
An exhibition I would like to visit is the Goldsmith's Fair in London. I seen there exhibition at Collect however I haven't visited the independent fair. I believe this is a exhibition that relates to my practice as this is somewhere I aspire to have my work in the future.
https://www.goldsmithsfair.co.uk/
Another exhibition I would have liked to visit is one at Posk Gallery in London. This was based on Iranian art and culture. In previous research I have gained influences on Islamic and Persian architecture, which this exhibition had a strong focus on.
Residency
I found this residency based in Antwerp at DIVA. I believe this would be suitable for me because it is a opportunity to help grow as a maker, which would be useful after university. Throughout the residency you get support from people in my field, jewellery, as well as having the chance to meet many other people. Some of these include professionals and experts from the sector as well as members of the public. In addition to all of this you get to view the museums collections, an opportunity for inspiration.
Residency at DIVA in Antwerp
Link to application form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1V6AGBzjggeOCTru9QnF6RzCMHF6dmnnbznloRWZ2BFw/edit
Competitions/Awards
Below are competitions and awards which I believe I could apply for in the future that reflect my practice. Some I could apply for at the end of my degree such as the Bright New Gems Award and VAA Artist of the Year Award. Others I could apply for after I have graduated and established myself as an artist including the Goldsmith's Craft & Design Council Award and the WordSkills Fine Jewellery Making Competition. A goal for the far future would be to enter the The Loewe Foundation Craft Prize and become a winner of that.
Goldsmith's Craft & Design Council Award
WordSkills Fine Jewellery Making Competition
The Bright New Gems Award
The LOEWE FOUNDATION Craft Prize
VAA Artist of the Year Award
UK Jewellery Awards
Creative Jewellery Designer of the Year & Emerging Jewellery Designer of the Year
Funding
Throughout my research for funding, I found there are many opportunities in which I could apply for based on different factors such as, experience, materials, qualifications and eduction or personal situations. Some of these I could apply for in the near future and some a little further into my career when I am more established.
Cockpit Awards and Bursaries
Develop your Creative Practice Find by the Arts Council
Heritage Crafts
Precious Metal Bursary- https://heritagecrafts.org.uk/precious-metals-bursaries/
Financial Hardship Bursary- https://heritagecrafts.org.uk/financial-hardship-bursary/
Working Class Creatives Grant
Moving forward
Going forward into the second semester and into Understanding Context 2, I want to explore further into my samples and how I would create the pieces. Thinking about the practical and functioning side to the pieces as well as the appearance and attention to detail. I need to think about any decorative techniques also. When designing and making my pieces I need to factor in time, cost and value of the piece, as well as considering how what I am learning and making now is going to benefit me in my career after university to get me where I want to be. I am going to apply for some funding I have come across throughout this unit to help me with my making and materials.