Didi Cor

Florence, the designer behind Didi Cor, is a Sheffield based jeweller and silversmith whose practice explores texture, touch and our connection to the natural world. She is inspired by landscapes that surround her, particularly the Peak District and its rocky formations.

Florence's Cor collection specialises in sandcasting. Done entirely by hand, she enjoys the drama of this ancient technique: hammering and carving the sand, heating the silver, watching it melt, before the rush of the pour and the speed at which it solidifies.

The line formed where the two halves of the mould meet would usually be removed, but this line captured Florence's attention. No two are ever the same, and they often feel nostalgic. "I carve and mark the sand with intent - my tools, my palette; the sand, my canvas - the cooling metal forming the final picture."

As a more modern addition, Florence plays with casting stones in place. The stones must withstand the heat of molten metal, making the process a risk. When successful, the result looks as though the stone has been unearthed or revealed by time.