Brooches

 Brooches. I absolutely covet brooches! I rarely wear them but I love them!

The first brooch I made for my degree show (all those years ago!) was this acrylic, silver and cold enamel brooch.

I just about cried when I sold it! This and the other three original brooches in this range were nearly the end of me at University. Those of you that were there will remember the blood, sweat and lots of tears! I still have the 20 or so pieces of acrylic that I lovingly shaped by heating in my oven then bending over a jam jar only to then drill them slightly wrong!

I now do a slightly simpler version of these brooches without the silver corrugation element. I am planning to make smaller versions of these brooches, probably about half the size. I always receive positive feedback about these brooches but I feel that mini versions would appeal to a wider audience.

Also for my degree show and over the past few years I have made corrugated silver brooches with cold enamel elements. These are fun and playful and have become one of my signature ranges.

I vividly remember doing the sketches for these brooches, it was in an Art History lecture on a Thursday morning! I came up with some of my best designs on scraps of lined paper during those lectures.

I am going to continue to make these brooches but, again, on a smaller scale. I feel fashions and my market has changed and I will change with it.

My range of nylon brooches is very varied! 

I have had a great response to my nylon brooches as a whole but as the May master plan states, I must streamline. The framed and enamel with loops pieces probably win in the popularity stakes for my customers and for myself.

I made a small range of 'Sampler' brooches a few years back. The idea behind them was that I made several brooches of the same dimensions using different techniques. It was interesting to do. These are more one off pieces than work that sit in a range so maybe more will be made in the coming months and years as a wee artistic release!

And so to enamel. Vitreous enamel. It's been a love hate relationship between myself and my kiln. I realised not so long ago that it probably was because of my lack of knowledge so I am looking into some courses. I wont be making any more enamelled brooches until I get my skill level up but I enjoyed looking through images of pieces I have made in this medium.

I have found over the years that less is more when it comes to designing and making brooches and I am going to follow that philosophy to the letter from now on.

I am finding it very useful to think through all my designs and write down my thoughts. Still to come - necklaces, wrist wear and rings.

Also don't forget to check my Folksy page for jewellery starting at just £10.

I also have a Facebook page that I update regularly with news.

You can follow me on Twitter.

And you can find more information about me and my jewellery on my website.

If you are out and about you can find my work at the Wistow Gallery in Leicestershire, Hung Gallery in Inverness, Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts in Norwich and Rosie McKenzie Art in Edinburgh.

Thanks for reading!