Wearable Wonders and Delightful Displays in Summer

Artist list

Evgeniia Balashova, Denise Barr, Susanna Bauer, Stephanie Holt, Jee Hye Kwon, Karola Torkos

Susanna Bauer
I work with found natural objects. Leaves, stones, pieces of wood…ephemeral things, easily overlooked. And I use crochet; sometimes as embellishment, but mostly in a more unconventional way as a means of sculpture and construction.
There is a fine balance in my work between fragility and strength; literally, when it comes to pulling a fine thread through a brittle leaf or thin dry piece of wood, but also in a wider context – the tenderness and tension in human connections, the transient yet enduring beauty of nature that can be found in the smallest detail, vulnerability and resilience that could be transferred to nature as a whole or the stories of individual beings.

Karola Torkos
As a jewellery designer, I am interested to discover the different and sometimes contrasting aspects of a concept, idea or collection. Therefore, I avoid seeing myself as just a commercial or just an artistic designer working in only one formal language. My current and ongoing project of changeable/variable jewellery offer a huge playground. Giving the wearer the possibility to change the look of a jewellery piece is in some way handing over the last step in the design process. This is a challenge for both the designer and the wearer and it leads to a very personal relationship to design or art.

Jee Hye Kwon: Reclamation
Reclamation consists of work that is further developed from the previous digilog series and highlights the reflection and interpretation of the effects from human caused global warming. I remember a scientist once responding to a question on how he feels about humans causing the end of the world. His response was that humans are not causing the end of the world; mother earth will continue long after we are gone. Sure, we are the catalyst for the extinction of countless species, including ourselves, but new life will develop and flourish, and the world will go on, just without us.  Through an introspective lens, this series highlights the egocentrism of human nature; through a practical approach, this series highlights mother nature’s reclamation of her world if we fail to find a way to balance our existence within it.

Evgeniia Balashova
Evgeniia Balashova is a Russian born jewelry designer and maker. Eve received traditional training in painting and drawing in Russia and continued her studies in metalwork at The Glasgow School of Art graduating in 2016. She started experimenting with 3d printing in her final year at GSA, concentrating on a contrast between smooth flowing curves and strict geometry. She has been exploring the possibilities of 3D printed nylon ever since, playing with scale, textures, tactile and kinetic qualities of the material. Eve’s metalworking skills allow her to merge 3d printed nylon with Sterling silver and gold, creating unique visually captivating compositions and colour combinations.
The inspiration of Evgeniia’s work originates from office environments and items that inhabit them. The monotonous nature of these spaces inspires repetition found in the 3d printed elements of Evgeniia’s designs. She uses basic geometric shapes and creates grid-like structures in 3d modelling software, breathing in vibrance and volume into simple forms. Every piece is carefully hand painted using a curated selection of colours.

Denise Barr Jewellery with Dick Marquis Murrine
Denise Barr has been fabricating jewelry for over thirty years, sharing her obsession with collecting Americana and found objects with the renowned glass artist, Dick Marquis.
Our collections overlap, we trade bottle caps, small Japanese screen-printed tin cars, old dice, vintage pins, etc. I have always used found objects in my jewelry. I believe they help tell a story, of memories and shared experiences. When I bezel a found treasure, it becomes more precious and can hold it’s own next to any gemstone.
After viewing my jewelry, Dick suggested including some of his murine into the mix. The intricate work that goes into one of his murina is astounding to me, they are truly special handmade little jewels. I am honored to be given the opportunity to include Dick’s murine in my jewelry.

Stephanie Holt
London artist, Stephanie Holt’s minimal and geometric jewelry forms are inspired by the structural formations and colorful hues of natural minerals and crystals. Each sculptural piece combines traditional technical metalsmithing skills with hand hammered sheets of metal, fabricated with 18k gold and silver along with innovative techniques and materials including vibrantly colored resin.
The spare sculpted designs and unique collection of boldly colorful rings, cuffs and earrings are the epitome of sculptural, wearable art.