Capturing A Gem
Gemstones, crystals, precious stones, whatever you call them, to me they are little gifts from the Earth’s core, conjured up by mother nature’s fair hands. In case you didn’t realise, I love them! Each and every one has something special about it and I treasure going to gem fairs where I can, and do, spend hours with them, deciding which to buy and generally wandering around in awe at their beauty.
They form the basis of my jewellery inspiration, especially my wire wrapping work, which weaves its way round a stone until it is held in its delicate grip. Sometimes a stone is not ready to be wrapped and I am left to admit defeat, leave it be, and then return to it later when it is ready. It seems a purely magical process. I can rarely draw a design because it develops on its own. I just have to go with it and let it evolve.
“Keep going, don’t force it and above all be real!”
In other areas of my jewellery making an idea will spring to mind, maybe prompted by a pattern in a dress, a shadow on the ground or a shape of a leaf as it twists in the breeze. These ideas I can then draw but usually there is no time to spend with ‘paperwork’, I need to start playing with the chains, wires, beads and sussing out how I can bring my ideas into fruition. I find this inspiration can hit at any time, but usually it’s when I am relaxed and can allow my mind to wander into the creative realm and pluck out some juicy nuggets.
For anyone wanting to release creatively my advice would be to follow your own path, stay true to it, don’t be influenced by friends, fashions or other’s expectations. Be unique in your thinking and your work will talk for you. I often make mistakes only to find they are not mistakes at all, just part of the process to get where you need to be, something that has to happen. Keep going, don’t force it and above all be real!
