Colourful Recovery

I’m currently working on a new collection of jewellery inspired by coral reefs and marine life. The collection will feature embossed enamel cabochons, flameworked enamel beads and coldworked cane mosaics, as well as hand forged silver settings.

Last week I was focused on designing and soldering together a new silver setting for a coldworked cane mosaic - a piece that is allowing me to solve a few technical questions and play with form and ideas about setting/support. This is the first time I’ve worked on a piece without a step-by-step plan, and instead, allowing it to change and develop as the work progresses. Here are a few progress shots…..

Soldered together the coral polyps (they look a little like flowers) and the textured bezel for the glass cabochon. Lots of tiny parts to this piece but I want the setting to be tactile and full of texture to contrast with the smooth, shiny finish of the glass….

Tried to figure how to support the coral polyps - basically how to build a little reef setting around the bezel.

Hand forged an oval ring and drilled holes for the polyp stems.

Made a hundred polyps, soldered the oval ring to the bezel and popped the polyps in the ring.

Started work on the cane mosaic by pulling lots of striped cane.

Assembled the mosaic in the flame by stacking cane segments and adding some encasing to hold them all together.

After annealing, coldworking and polishing, set the cane mosaic in the bezel. Now the question is whether this is a pendant or a brooch?

I’m thinking of calling this piece “No reef, no ocean, no air” - borrowed from the Coral Gardeners who are restoring damaged coral reefs by growing super corals and replanting them to create more resilient reefs. For more information visit their website at: https://coralgardeners.org/pages/coral-reefs