Material in mind
Through my work I have explored the relationship between valuable and worthless. My process has involved more than a hundred different materials that have inspired or become a physical part of my jewellery pieces. The purpose has been to better understand how a material’s assigned value can affect its lifecycle. Throughout the project, I have focused on the relationship between cost and how a material is consumed or preserved. Value and status have always influenced how I treat and interact with materials, so I wanted to move away from my own preconceived notions of them in my process. Combining high and low has been my way of creating balance and highlighting material properties, such as the malleability of plastic or the advantageous surface of aluminum. By experimenting with forms, techniques and materials, I have achieved both visually subtle and distinct shifts in value. In one of the necklaces, I have combined similar looking beads made of rubber and matte onyx, making it difficult to distinguish the materials from one and other. Another of my pieces consists of a gold ring embedded in epoxy. It may be perceived as humorous or provocative, but my intention has only been to treat the materials equally. Together, they enhance each other and blur lines of what is precious or not.
