Edinburgh College of Arts. BA Degree Show 2023

Artist list

Koziolek Aleksandra, Erica Earle Robertson, Anna Sikorska, Louisa Katherine Thomson, Lynn Zhang

Our programme aims to produce designers who create fresh, exuberant work demonstrating originality and innovation. We encourage students to combine new technologies with traditional techniques in materials including precious or semi-precious metal and gemstones, plastics, wood, paper, stone and textiles.

Artists statements

Louisa Thomson
I am a metalsmith who is inspired and driven by narrative and storytelling. I have always had an undefinable gravitation to the Scottish coast and the knowledge of my country’s, and my own history, is of the utmost importance to me and instils a sense of understanding and belonging. The powerful imagery and enchanting stories of the Scottish landscape have always captivated me and been a great source of inspiration for my work.
 
I love making, be it working with three dimensional models or channelling my ideas through a pencil. Pattern and texture is abundant in my work as it allows me to bring forms to life and illustrate the inspirations behind a piece. The use of traditional silversmithing and jewellery techniques is important to me; I feel a connection to metal and am in love with its ability to take any form.

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Aleksandra Koziolek
I focus on making jewellery and wearable pieces related to human body. I am interested in every aspect of human condition – mental and physical.
 
The "at One with Nature" collection is inspired by nature with a focus on relation between human body and botany. It tells a story of how human body and nature physically and metaphorically reunite after the human dies and decomposes, being reabsorbed by nature.
Admiring various plants and their anatomy I paid most of my attention to trees and their visual allusion to the human nervous system. Inspired by thar connection I continued my research by visiting botanic gardens and the Surgeons' Hall Museum to look for more themes and connections. My research and findings resolved in this jewellery collection.
The collection consists of three mini collections: five rings, three brooch pins, two brooches and a neckpiece.
 
As the theme of my work is growth, the rings and brooches are presented from the smallest to the largest piece. To get the full idea of what the work is about, the pieces must be presented on or with relation to the human body, giving the idea of them being inseparable, created to be worn and become part of the wearer.

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Lynn Zhang
Lynn was born and raised in China. She studied fine art in high school which supported her with a very clear direction in jewellery and silversmithing. She enjoys studying different techniques and working with a variety of materials. Drawing has brought her the ability of visualization which is beneficial for developing her skills of using jewellery to express the design ideas. She has a natural affinity for jewellery design and is avidly interested in all aspects of jewellery field, be it the various techniques and material applications learned during her undergraduate education or the stories behind the works.
 
Her attention to detail and dedication to symmetry creates a sense of balance and harmony in her work, while the bold and vivid colours add an element of energy and vibrancy. Through her design, she aims to apply variety of materials and explore the interplay between light, colour, and structure, inviting the viewer to contemplate the beauty of both the natural and man-made world.

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Anna Sikorska
My artistic approach
Creating jewellery is an art form for me. I think of jewellery as applied art closely related to the human body. Jewellery can arouse emotions and provoke, and I like to think that the jewellery I create is just like that; that it inspires discussions, encourages reflection, attracts attention and promotes values close to me.
 
My graduate collection
From the beginning of working on this new project, I knew that I would be observing nature from a given scientific perspective. Mathematicians agree that nature is a very organised mathematical mechanism, which here and there shows through its randomness and organicity. I find this 'rule' incredibly inspiring and fascinating, and that is why I decided that the shapes and patterns creating this hidden skeleton and associated with the process of growth and movement: lamellas, spirals and waves would become the axis of my graduate collection called Archē.
 
My process
When it comes to the methods I use within my practice, I like to combine different techniques. I am fascinated by new technologies and the perspectives they open up, but I also like sitting at my bench and working with my hands.
Regarding the materials I use to produce my works, I like to ensure they are safe for me, my Clients and the environment (*I work with plant-based resin, recycled silver, found objects etc.) What is unique about my recent collection of earrings is that I used 3D-printed nylon to produce them. SLS nylon is still rarely used in the process of jewellery-making, so I am extremely happy to share the results of my work with this new material, which I hand-dyed using my proprietary methods.

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Erica Earle Robertson
Growing up in Zimbabwe, I was immersed in a vibrant, artistic environment from a young age. My practice draws inspiration from the individuality of local Zimbabwean artisans, many of whom rely on weaving as a source of income: a traditional practice passed down from generation to generation. This surrounding environment is integral to my own work; combining consciously foraged, organic materials with the art and craft of weaving as an explorative narrative.
 
I view the concept of landscape as a critical site, one which occupies the realm between thought and process. Not solely concerned with landscape itself, my practice centres on the experience of being immersed in it, of being part of it. The walking, the collecting – the feeling of fully connecting with the wider ecosystem. Integrating the use of natural and found material is therefore central to my work; through the richness of this materiality, I endeavour to explore the daily experience of being human, translated through the form and function of woven art objects.
 
With a background in both Fine Art and Jewellery and Silversmithing, the relationship between different materials has always fascinated me; pushing the boundaries of what has been done and creating new approaches that look to the future. My practice is a place where cultural narratives and identities are foregrounded in the physical act of making and the exploration of the changing natural world.

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Exhibition opening: Friday, June 2

Timetable: Open during June 02-11 2023, from 10 AM to 16 PM