This past December, I had the opportunity to showcase my latest jewellery collection, ‘Shifting Light’, in an exhibition. Alongside this new collection, I also displayed pieces from my previous degree show collection, ‘Generations in Focus’, as well as a range of silver designs. In this post, I’ll be sharing a closer look at the exhibition, the inspiration behind my work, and the experience of bringing this exhibition to life.
Collections I displayed
‘Shifting Light’
‘Generations in Focus’
Silver Jewellery
The 'Fraser Bell' Piece
The Inspiration behind each Collection
'Shifting Light'
My collection ‘Shifting Light’ explores the interplay of light, movement, and perception. Using gemstones, silver-leaf, and layered acrylic (a range of mirror, plain, and iridescent), each piece changes colour and reflection in different lighting.
The iridescent acrylic creates a large spectrum of colours, while the gemstones (secured between sheets of acrylic, riveted together) enhance depth and the reflected aspects of the pieces. Trapping silver-leaf between the layers, bridges both metalwork and acrylic, while mimicking fragmented pieces of a mirror.
Inspired by camera lenses and kaleidoscopes, the designs capture patterns and light shifting. Pink hues seen in the iridescent acrylic are echoed through gemstones and cord, adding vibrancy. ‘Shifting light’ aims to respond to its surroundings, celebrating light in constant motion.
Generations in Focus
Coming from a family of architects, my collection ‘Generations in Focus’ explores personal photographs and family history. Inspired by my ancestor’s design of a cinema in Crosby, Liverpool, I connected this with my interest for the shadows and illusions film projectors create. This led to me creating illusions of photographs through layers of laser-cut acrylic, adding depth and abstraction to the viewer. Lighting is key part of this collection, enhancing certain details with mirror and iridescent acrylic, to shift the look of the colours and images. The circular forms mimic the shapes of camera lenses found in the cinema. Red and blue are prominent colours throughout the cinema in Crosby, I used this colour scheme throughout this collection. ‘Generations in Focus’ aims to capture family connections through film, memory and personal imagery.
Silver Jewellery
As part of the exhibition, I showcased a selection of silver pieces, primarily earrings. These designs continued with the circular motif seen throughout my other collections. These pieces were made in silver and tended to be smaller in size.
The Fraser Bell Piece
I also had the opportunity to display a pendant I made during my time doing work experience at Fraser Bell. This piece features a combination of 9ct white and yellow gold, with an amethyst and a diamond.
Locating the exhibition
My exhibition was hosted at The Art and Design Hub, an art gallery on the Wirral, England, that showcases a diverse selection of original artwork by both local and national artists. The gallery regularly rotates its exhibitions, offering a dynamic display of creativity. I had the opportunity to exhibit my jewellery there for six weeks, spanning over the festive season; from the lead-up to Christmas through to January.
Others I displayed Alongside
I displayed alongside two of my old classmates from The Glasgow School of Art: Natasha Biesek and Archie Wain.
Natasha’s jewellery is inspired by the mushrooms and fungi she encounters on forest walks in the British countryside. Fascinated by their growth, she uses crochet to mimic their layered development. Texture and colour play a key role in her work, creating a tactile connection to nature and highlighting the unexpected hues of fungi. Incorporating natural wood in her work enhances the organic feel, making each piece a miniature reflection of the forest’s beauty.
Archie’s work is called ‘Rural Reflections’ and is inspired by summers spent on his family’s farm in North England. His pieces incorporate kinetic movement, echoing the mechanisms of farm equipment. Using bronze, brass, silver, and sheep’s wool from the farm, he creates a rustic, organic aesthetic. This collection is a tribute to the beauty of rural life and the sentimental value found in cherished memories.
I also exhibited alongside local jeweller Taylor Bloom, who creates clay jewellery, known for its bold and vibrant colours. To complement the jewellery, I also shared the space with two local artists, Kathy Francis and Ken Watson. Kathy’s work captures landscapes in bright, expressive tones using gouache, while Ken’s abstract pieces are crafted with resin-on-canvas. Their artwork complemented the jewellery well, with a cohesive colour palette that tied the exhibition together.
The Exhibition
This exhibition explored the use of colour and materiality in jewellery, showcasing a range of creative approaches. While many of the jewellery pieces incorporated elements of metalwork, the focus was on broader artistic expression rather than traditional techniques. The vibrant artwork of Ken and Kathy complemented this theme beautifully. Kathy displayed a selection of original art and prints featuring her signature bright landscapes, while Ken’s resin-on-canvas creations added a bold, abstract dimension to the exhibition.
The Curating of the Exhibition
When curating this exhibition, I experimented with different ways to display my jewellery, aiming to find creative and unique methods that would showcase each piece in the best possible way. I found that Ken’s artwork complemented my jewellery beautifully (his use of resin, mirrored the acrylic elements in my designs) creating a strong visual connection that enhanced both of our work.
Lighting played a large role in the exhibition, as it does in my jewellery. I incorporated various lighting elements to highlight my pieces, but in the future, I would love to include even more lighting to further enhance the reflective qualities of my jewellery.
Movement is also a key aspect of my designs and being able to showcase how the pieces move, added another layer to the exhibition. For one of my pieces, I laid it down in a way to emphasise its fluidity and adaptability.
If I were to curate this exhibition again, I would love to create a booklet featuring the jewellery being worn or displayed in different lighting conditions. This would help tell a more complete story of each piece, capturing its full essence and versatility.
Overall
Overall, I really enjoyed having the opportunity to showcase my work and share it with a wider audience. I’m very grateful to The Art and Design Hub for hosting the exhibition and providing a space to display. Thank you to everyone who visited—the opening night was a lovely evening, and I very much enjoyed the period throughout the exhibition!
It was a lovely experience exhibiting alongside other recent graduates and small business owners, and I feel the artwork played a significant role in elevating the exhibition. I’d like to thank Kathy and Ken for displaying their work alongside the jewellery.
I thoroughly enjoyed the process of building on what I learned during my degree show collection ‘Generations in Focus’ and pushing my designs further. I’m excited to see what I create next.
Thank you, Emilia. Xx
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