The Gift Of Life
Britannia silver, 22ct gold
L 240mm x W 80mm x D 70mm
2013

The commission of “The Gift of Life” piece has a very special story behind it.

The commissioner first came across my work at the summer exhibition at the Goldsmith’s Hall in 2011 and subsequently contacted me with a view to my developing a silver piece for her. She is a lady who loves silver and appreciates great craftsmanship, qualities she inherited from her late mother, and decided to use some of her legacy in purchasing a piece of art.

The commissioner had also been left her mother’s gold wedding ring, which could not be shared with her sister, so it was her idea to use the gold from the ring as part of the design – a wonderful idea that would preserve the ring for ever and serve as a constant reminder of her mother, who died at the age of 94.

I worked with the commissioner in exploring how we could incorporate her mother’s ring in a meaningful way. My aim was to produce a piece that was both beautiful and would honour the memory of her mother.

As you can see, the gold from the ring has been melted into a small seed-like form at the base of the two leaves, which represent the commissioner and her twin sister growing out of the source seed, which represents their mother.

Finally, the title of the piece was named by the commissioner herself, in honour of her mother who gave her ‘The gift of life’.