Exhibition: The Sliver LIning - an exhibition of contemporary jewellery
The Silver Lining – Contemporary Jewellery Exhibition
10 – 18 December 2011
Preview: 09 December | 18:00 – 22:00
This exceptional exhibition,showcasing jewellery by four outstanding designers – Fiona Hermes, Jaimie McDonald, Nicola Turnbull & Christopher Borkowski - will be showing at art’s complex during 10 – 18 December. After the great success of last year’s show, they will be presenting their newest, cutting-edge, jewellery works that are contemporary, hand-made and show an original approach to jewellery making.
The event will be a great opportunity to see these extraordinary works arranged together in the one gallery space. Visitors will also have a chance to meet and speak with the designers and to visit their workshops based in the same building.
5% from the exhibition’s sale will go towards The Esther Benjamin’s Trust - a charity helping trafficking-survivors and deaf young women in Nepal to earn a sustainable living through jewellery and craft production (www.ebtrust.org.uk).
Artists’ bios & current work
Fiona Hermse specialised in jewellery design at Gray's School of Art where she received first class honours before completing a Masters Degree at the renowned Birmingham School of Jewellery. Constantly inspired by our interaction with the natural world she is particularly fascinated by superstition and myth in nature. Recent pieces focus on ancient beliefs that the moth and butterfly embody the human soul, a concept she finds particularly poignant and beautiful. She focuses on the wing shapes of individual species of moths, butterflies and other insects to create the pieces. Having received several awards in recognition of her work; most recently a Creative Development Award from The Scottish Arts Council, Fiona exhibits and sells her work across the UK and Europe. Fiona is passionate about promoting contemporary craft as a more ethical alternative to the mass-produced. (www.fionahermse.co.uk)
Jaimie Macdonald focuses on the reuse of materials, with an emphasis on plastics. She put her focus into allowing the possibilities of these materials to shine through in her designs. Using a variety of techniques and tools she is able to create tactile and delicate pieces from these objects. She tries to keep new materials to a minimum so that the reused materials can take centre stage. She takes the time to explore the material until it reveals it’s precious and subtle nature. Jaimie enjoys the sense of peace and unclutteredness that using a limited colour palate brings into her work. She also loves the tactile quality that her work brings, as well as sounds produced by elements clustered together. (www.jaimgem.com)
Christopher Borkowski is an experienced artist-silversmith and jewellery designer. He has shown in solo and group shows internationally. Christopher executes his simple, yet elegant forms in variety of metals, combines it with precious stones and other materials. He is working mainly in silver and combining it with various precious and semi precious materials to create contemporary and unique designs. Christopher explains the idea behind his work: “As I grew up in Konstancin – in the suburbs of Poland’s capital city that flourished in 1920’s and where architecture and industrial design is still very visible, from my early days I was surrounded by art deco and examples of 20’s fine art. I was always fascinated with 20’s architecture, it’s industrial design and graphic arts. Because of that my work draws inspiration from these years – streamlined, geometric surfaces and machine age with it’s streamline technologies”. (www.borkowskijewellery.com)
Nicola Turnbull creates delicate articulating jewellery from sterling silver. Her intricate designs consist of concentric shapes which pivot and move. Newer works incorporate small elements of vibrant colour. Nicola’s pieces are informed by geometric diagrams found in organic sciences, some of which are based on linear drawings made by a pendulum. Nicola's previous exhibits include the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery and The Dovecot Studios in Edinburgh. She attended Gray’s School of Art in Aberdeen, achieving a BA Honours in Three Dimensional Design in 2007. Nicola also completed a year’s residency at Bishopsland Postgraduate Training course for Silversmiths and Jewellers in 2009. (www.nicolaturnbull.co.uk)
