Wednesday 23 May 2012

Gift Wrapped & Gorgeous

It's been a busy few weeks for Ruth Gordon Jewellery with lots of hours in the studio, new ventures, a weekend away to Lords and even some home baking!

Gift Wrapped & Gorgeous is a wonderful collection of online boutiques showcasing the very best of British handmade products from handmade jewellery and unique artwork to personalised wedding gifts and gardening accessories. I was first introduced to Gift Wrapped and Gorgeous at the Creative Leicestershire event 'Selling Art and Craftwork Online' and I am now part of this wonderful collection of artisans.

Ruth Gordon Jewellery has several exclusive pieces of jewellery on Gift Wrapped and Gorgeous.

Silver Charm Bracelet
Silver and Cold Enamel Earrings

Silver and Nylon Bangle

Silver, Amazonite and Pearl Earrings

Silver, Amazonite and Pearl Necklace


Silver, Fluorite and Rose Quartz Earrings


Silver, Fluorite and Rose Quartz Necklace

I am really pleased with the way my boutique looks and more pieces will be added very soon including cluster rings and bangles and nylon necklaces so keep an eye out for updates on Facebook, Twitter and on the Gift Wrapped and Gorgeous website itself.


In other news I was featured in the latest issue of Craft Business Magazine in the 'Take Stock' section discussing my last months trade. Hopefully a link and or image for this will follow.

I will shortly have a new outlet where I will be Maker of the Month which I will hopefully reveal in my next blog post!

However for now you can see my work at the wonderful Wistow Gallery in Leicestershire and Hung Gallery in Inverness.

More news soon and look out for blog posts analysing my necklaces, wrist wear and rings!

Friday 4 May 2012

Brooches




 Brooches. I absolutely covet brooches! I rarely wear them but I love them!

The first brooch I made for my degree show (all those years ago!) was this acrylic, silver and cold enamel brooch.



I just about cried when I sold it! This and the other three original brooches in this range were nearly the end of me at University. Those of you that were there will remember the blood, sweat and lots of tears! I still have the 20 or so pieces of acrylic that I lovingly shaped by heating in my oven then bending over a jam jar only to then drill them slightly wrong!





I now do a slightly simpler version of these brooches without the silver corrugation element. I am planning to make smaller versions of these brooches, probably about half the size. I always receive positive feedback about these brooches but I feel that mini versions would appeal to a wider audience.


Also for my degree show and over the past few years I have made corrugated silver brooches with cold enamel elements. These are fun and playful and have become one of my signature ranges.







I vividly remember doing the sketches for these brooches, it was in an Art History lecture on a Thursday morning! I came up with some of my best designs on scraps of lined paper during those lectures.

I am going to continue to make these brooches but, again, on a smaller scale. I feel fashions and my market has changed and I will change with it.

My range of nylon brooches is very varied! 






I have had a great response to my nylon brooches as a whole but as the May master plan states, I must streamline. The framed and enamel with loops pieces probably win in the popularity stakes for my customers and for myself.


I made a small range of 'Sampler' brooches a few years back. The idea behind them was that I made several brooches of the same dimensions using different techniques. It was interesting to do. These are more one off pieces than work that sit in a range so maybe more will be made in the coming months and years as a wee artistic release!




And so to enamel. Vitreous enamel. It's been a love hate relationship between myself and my kiln. I realised not so long ago that it probably was because of my lack of knowledge so I am looking into some courses. I wont be making any more enamelled brooches until I get my skill level up but I enjoyed looking through images of pieces I have made in this medium.





I have found over the years that less is more when it comes to designing and making brooches and I am going to follow that philosophy to the letter from now on.

I am finding it very useful to think through all my designs and write down my thoughts. Still to come - necklaces, wrist wear and rings.

Also don't forget to check my Folksy page for jewellery starting at just £10.

I also have a Facebook page that I update regularly with news.

You can follow me on Twitter.

And you can find more information about me and my jewellery on my website.

If you are out and about you can find my work at the Wistow Gallery in Leicestershire, Hung Gallery in Inverness, Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts in Norwich and Rosie McKenzie Art in Edinburgh.

Thanks for reading!



Tuesday 1 May 2012

Hung

Ruth Gordon Jewellery has another new outlet this spring!

Let me introduce Hung contemporary art and craft gallery in Inverness.



 You can follow the gallery on Twitter at @HungInverness and they have a Facebook page.

 Here are some of the pieces that I have on display in the gallery.


Hung Gallery is on Lombard Street and is open Tuesday to Saturday 10am - 5.30pm.

Fans