Christmas Exhibition 2012

Balbina Ramsay

Balbina was born and raised in Mexico City, where she previously trained as a biologist. But the beginning of her journey through precious metals started here in England and Plymouth. Balbina is interested in craftsmanship from past cultures with the human necessities of ornamentation and transcendence through objects.
Geometry, repetition and pattern are important elements that help Balbina to create pieces that have a distinctive style which is clean, sculptural and unconventional.

Bryony Stanford

An intuitive designer, Bryony employs unusual processes to create her unique pieces, focusing on the relationship between construction and deconstruction. She takes three-dimensional forms and alters them by applying pressure; the shapes become transformed into intriguing, intricate and elegant wearable objects. She applies different textures and finishes, working with both silver and gold elements combined with unusual stones.

Jenny Llewellyn

Based in East London, Jenny Graduated from Middlesex University in 2007, since then she has continued to research and develop her practice into the use of translucent silicone in her pieces. Combing silicone with precious metals such as gold and silver Jenny creates pieces inspired by the luminous colours, shapes and movements of creatures from the deep sea. Silicone offers Jenny limitless possibilities and this is what drives her experimentation. She combines subtle colour fades with sensual shapes to create vibrant and playful jewellery, with the added hidden element that all pieces glow in the dark!

Judith Brown

Judith’s love of stitching started in childhood, her mother was always making and Judith felt a natural progression towards it, this eventually led her to study a degree in embroidery at Manchester Metropolitan University. In 2004 Judith moved in to the realms of making jewellery, and has since developed her own unique way of hand stitching with wire, making the intricacy of the stitch her main focus, with elements of vintage haberdashery such as Mother of Pearl buttons incorporated into her pieces. Using fine silver or coloured wires Judith has created a range of jewellery with an intricacy and delicacy reminiscent of lace.

Michael Carberry

Michael Carberry graduated from the Royal College of Art in 1996.He recently finished a two month prestigious residency at Cover Park, Scotland. His distinctive style of jewellery owes a great deal to sculpture. Using precious metal they are hammered and forged into strong bold forms that capture the force and energy involved in the process.

Petra Bishai

An intriguing contemporary jewellery Artist working at Cockpit Arts in London, Petra employs many different techniques and materials in the making of her pieces, drawing her inspiration from urban life reflecting her fascination with living in a large city. Petra established ‘Entrapment’ collection explores the paradox of belonging and alienation, and how we adapt and interact with our environment. The collection features handpicked jasmine flowers, which are then entrapped in silver through the process of electro forming; as a result each piece is one of a kind.

Rie Tanabe

A London based Japanese jewellery designer/maker Rie studied clothes making, textiles, leather works, jewellery and silversmithing, these skills enable her to work in three dimensions to create her unique and unusual collections which are well harmonized in colour and material. The collection Flowerie88 combines silver and gold plated elements with beautiful stones to create pieces which are subtle and wearable, Rie’s attention to detail is evident with tiny cared for elements and little twists. Her unique techniques and solutions blend different materials and colours together which result in beautiful pieces.

Stephanie Johnson

Stephanie carefully sources high grade precious metals, which she uses to create pieces which drift, curl and wrap around freely to create a unique range of sculptural handmade jewellery that will draw the eye to it’s wearer and the inherent beauty of the materials Stephanie’s work is informed by countless experimentation, pulling inspiration from exquisite patterns and texture to the work of contemporary Japanese fashion and textile artists, using finely textured finishes to emphasise the light reflective qualities of silver and gold and the play of light across the gently curved surfaces, creased and flexed forms.

Stephanie Ray

An experienced maker, Steph has been creating jewellery since she graduated from Loughborough College of Art and Design in 1996. She now works from her studio at Cockpit Arts, which houses many designers of various disciplines. Steph’s love of clean lines and simple forms is apparent in her pieces and as well as using precious metals in her work she frequently focuses on the inclusion of contrasting wooden elements, the delicate patterns of Bamboo, warmth of walnut and the understated glamour on ebony, these additions open up Steph’s work to many opportunities. Steph pulls inspiration from the patterns of Indian textiles, henna paintings and art, and also Oriental inspirations such as Cherry blossoms, Japanese fir and bamboo.