My ‘Green to Gold’ piece has been selected by an independent jury to go on tour in the prestigious Silver Triennial International. Silver Triennial International showcases the best silversmithing from all over the world. Some of the categories of work that feature in the Silver Triennial International include water jugs, beakers, bowls, candle-stands, salt and pepper sets, vases, cutlery and free objects.
The ‘Green to Gold’ piece can be described as a free object in silver. The aesthetic detail I aimed to convey in this piece was the idea of a living organism clinging on by the roots whilst the branches and leaves gently tumble and fall in the wind.
The form, proportions and scale of this design initially evolved three dimensionally through model making in paper and wire.
My initial response to making this design idea into a piece of silver wasn’t without slight apprehension. The method of construction was very challenging and it required a lot of thoughtful planning and generous amounts of iron binding wire to hold the form together during the soldering process.
I chose to solder 5 wires at a time and then join this on to another five soldered wires. This allowed me to break down the mammoth operation of soldering into manageable bite sizes. Having made this piece I feel my skills of forging, shaping and soldering silver wires have been stretched and it has taught me that silver is so versatile in being fashioned into many different forms. Silver can capture many different emotions, always challenging and extending the boundaries of my creativity.
My aim for the creation of this free and purposeful piece is that it will offer the viewer a chance to reflect and be still. I hope the viewer will be encouraged to make their own connection with the piece and for the piece to open up a dialogue with the viewer on what it may conjure up in the viewers mind.
The Silver Triennial International travelling exhibition opens at the German Goldsmith’ House, Hanau in November 2010 and will also be shown at
