Edinburgh jeweller

I will be speaking at two free career development open days at the Mary Ward Centre, London next month. They are on Wednesday 16th September and Saturday 26th September. The visual arts day has been designed for artists and would-be artists to consider their next steps. Wednesday 16th September & Saturday 26th September WRITING AN ARTISTS STATEMENT  10am-1pm, Room 14 Award winning script writer and poet Colin Pink will lead a workshop to help develop effective and exciting statements which sum up an individual artistic vision. LUNCH 1–1:30pm, Room 11  VISIT TO COCKPIT ARTS 2–3:30pm A short walk from the Mary Ward Centre, Cockpit Arts provides support and studio/workshop spaces for a wide range of creative artists, designers and craft makers. After a short talk, we shall visit several makers in their studio spaces, including jewellery, textile and glass designers and their businesses. PUBLICITY ON A SHOESTRING 4–5:00pm, Room 14 Re...

Ring design has come a long way from the traditional stone set piece. There are a few interesting trends that are here to stay Illusion rings I love the illusion ring, a clever design that leaves you wondering how it’s done This gold chevron ring by Katia V on Etsy is one ring rather than two. The way it is made ensures the two chevrons maintain their distance apart on the finger This X ring by Happy Way Jewelry has a similar look WD Unique Designs has a lovely range of these types of illusion rings including this one This ring by Raphael Steinbach features another trend in illusion rings, showing a lot of skin through the front of the ring Unusual shapes There is also a trend for more unusual shapes in rings, playing on the traditional and turning it on it’s head This gorgeous resin and metal ring by Vania Ruiz plays on the depth of the finger This Pear point ring by Paul Bierker features an unusual stone setti...

This week I have enjoyed marking the work of my diploma students on the Diploma in Creative Jewellery at the London Jewellery School . The diploma is normally a year long course, one day a week, where students learn a variety of jewellery making techniques including silversmithing, silver clay, perspex, polymer clay, fused glass, enamelling, wax carving, wire wrapping - all kinds of techniques. Every summer the jewellery school runs a seven week intensive diploma course where the students attend five days a week for six weeks and then complete a workbench week to finish off work and to complete pieces for a final exhibition. The intensive course covers all the same topics as the year long course, just a bit quicker! Students attend the intensive course for a number of reasons for example, o ne of the students is from Germany and has been staying in London for the duration of the course. I am the mentor and tutor for the intensive diploma group this year (as I was last year) and ...

Photo by Gary Ullah

I live east of London so don't often venture over far to the west where the main museum quarter is. However, yesterday I was meeting a friend for lunch in Kensington and decided to go to the jewellery gallery in the Victoria and Albert museum . Kensington has some of London's best museums including the Natural History Museum and the Science Museum - all of which are free to visit for all. It's definitely a great place to go for a day out, with Hyde Park just up the road - lots of free attractions in one spot! I love the V&A and first had a wander around on the ground floor to look at the sculptures. I was particularly looking for the copy of Michaelangelo's David as we have a holiday booked in Florence soon and are going to be seeing the real thing! It really is amazing to see. To think it was carved from one single piece of marble. I then made my way up to the jewellery gallery , my main reason for being there. I had hoped to take some photos there to sh...