Dreaming in gold

Alice Le Beau-Morley is a dreamy jewellery maker from London. I discovered Alice’s beautifully pastel Instagram feed sparkling with unique gold pieces one evening when I was scouring the social media platform for handmade earrings to upgrade my current piercings with. I was immediately drawn to Alice’s delicate, handmade earrings, rings and septum rings, that all looked so lovingly crafted and designed. 

Words: Rosalie Hurr

Alice in her home studio
Alice in her home studio

How did you start hand making jewellery? I trained as a piercer when I was 22, as I love piercings (I have around 30!) I hadn’t really considered piercing as a career as its notoriously hard to get into so I just didn’t think it would be possible for me. But luckily I was offered an apprenticeship by an old friend and I jumped at the chance. I’ve always loved piercings, jewellery and styling peoples ears so it was ideal, plus working in a laid-back environment like that really suited me.

I ended up working in studios around London for four years, before I enrolled onto an evening class at the Working Men’s College in Camden to learn the basics of jewellery making, this was back in 2014. I took the classes purely for fun, and there was a lot of trial and error, but it was always something I’d wanted to try. From the first class, it all just clicked, and I knew that it was what I wanted to do.

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The classes really inspired me, and I built a small jewellery bench from an old kitchen cupboard door and some mismatched legs from Ikea. It was very wobbly and I only had a few jewellery making tools. I taught myself a lot too, with YouTube videos and books. Alongside the classes I was posting some of the bits and bobs I was making on my piercing Instagram and people would comment asking where they could buy one of the things I had made. That’s when I decided to set up an Etsy shop, although I had no idea if it would work out! I was very lucky to have my boyfriend (now husband) who supported me for six months to see if I could get my shop off the ground.

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What inspires the pieces you create? I love going to folk museums and looking at handmade crafts. Although to me, crafts are something much more tangible and made for wearing or being used, not for hanging in a gallery where you’re not allowed to touch them! I have such a strong connection to crafts that have been made by hand, as the makers tend to use skills that have been passed down from generation to generation. I just love the idea and sentiment behind this. I also love traditional jewellery that is made using rudimentary techniques, something that you can really tell is handmade, is so beautiful to me.

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I’m heavily inspired by folk art, weaving and particularly Polish and Hungarian embroidery. I enjoy knitting and embroidery, and I think piercing and jewellery making are similar, I love anything small and fiddly. I can happily make tiny  studs for ears and lips for a solid nine hours and then knit for the rest of the evening. Originally I didn’t consider making piercing jewellery at all as I just didn’t think I would be able to do it by hand, but I spent a long time working on the idea and coming up with the labrets you see in my shop today – and I am really proud of them. People would enquire all the time and ask if I could make them studs for their tragus or helix piercings and I would always say no. I couldn’t figure out a way to make them secure enough that I would be confident in putting them in my shop. I tried so many different ways of making them and eventually I got there. They are so comfortable, super secure and have become one of my bestsellers. That’s why I love them, because I spent so much time working on making them perfect for my customers and it feels really good to have achieved that.

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With my own pieces, I feel so happy that somebody wants something that I have made with my hands, it means so much. I also try to support other makers too, that person imagined this thing and put care into creating it, it’s special to them so it’s special to me too. I also adore the wabi sabi quality to handmade objects, you can really see the touch of the person who created it. I feel like I value my handmade things more, like they have a little touch of magic to them. I hope people feel the same about my work.

How would you describe your style, do the pieces you create reflect a part of you? I tend to make things that I would want to wear, I love cute motifs like stars, moons, seashells and flowers. About five years ago I made the decision to only wear colours I really adore. Now I wear a very limited colour palette and everything I own is a cute colour, mainly pink and lilac. My branding and packaging is cute and colourful too, and really it’s an extension of me.

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What advice would you give to other young women who want to start their own business or follow a creative pathway? I didn’t go to university and I think there are so many more options out there today. If there is something you are already interested in fashion, jewellery or drawing, just immerse yourself in it and do it every day. Don’t underestimate the power of the internet, get yourself out there on Instagram, show people the passion you have for what you do. Be prepared to work harder for yourself than you ever have in any other job. Nothing compares to being my own boss and making jewellery. I have absolute satisfaction from mastering a skill and constantly building on it all while supporting my family at the same time.

Visit aliceruby.com (warning: you will want everything.)

Bold, feminine and romantic: tattoo-inspired jewellery

Inspired by classic tattoo art, Maggie handmakes all her jewellery in silver and sets it with Sapphires – dreamy. Maggie’s small collection, titled Norma Kerr is bold, feminine and romantic. We caught up with her in her studio in Hay on Wye to find out more…

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Tell us a little about yourself and what you do? I have worked as a jewellery designer and maker for many years in London and in Italy. Designing for costume and fashion jewellery at one end to fine jewellers at the other. I started my career working at Garrard & Co (the Crown jewellers) so I have seen all sides of the industry. I especially love the tiny Dickensian workshops in London’s Hatton Garden and the Jewellery Quarter in Birmingham –  I don’t think they’ve changed in 100 years. In some ways, there are many similarities between the skills of jewellers and those of tattoo artists – working in small studios down a side street off the main drag. Somewhere you wouldn’t go unless you knew what you’re looking for, or are part of that tribe.

Where are you based and what is your workspace like? I live and work in Hay on Wye, one of the best places you can possibly imagine – it’s full of bookshops and surrounded by stunning countryside. The town is very small and all of the shops, restaurants, pubs and cafes are independent so the place is full of personality. Hay is a thriving town – which is pretty hard to find in such a remote part of Britain (25 miles from a train station and an hour from a motorway). There is a great quality of life here. When I am not at my work bench, I’m the Director of Development for the Hay Festival – but that’s another story…

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My workbench is on the ground floor of my house next to the kitchen – a jeweller’s bench doesn’t take up much room. Over the years I seem to have acquired lots of skills, so I can also turn my hand to making my own jewellery display pads – covered in beautiful dusky pink silk, lining the lids of my leather boxes so that my jewellery is really beautifully presented – like old fashioned jewellers’ boxes that are beautiful in their own right. I love that I have the skills to make everything look exactly how I want it to, bespoke and special. Having craft skills is such a source of pleasure, I can’t recommend it enough.

Tell us about your working day… My daughter Grace is 12 years old, so getting her up and ready for school is how my days start. I like to leave a little early to drive her to the bus stop, so we can sit in the car and chat or listen to music. Billie Eilish is our latest discovery. Grace is quite chatty in the car, I love that.

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When I get home, I prepare everything for the day: tidy up my bench, heat up the pickle (an acid solution used to clean something after soldering), make a coffee, then get on with making. The process starts with filing and cleaning up the cast components – components that are unique to me from models I made in wax. Once each piece is ready to be soldered together, I start with attaching the wings to the heart. This takes a big flame on my torch – these are big pieces that take time to get up to temperature to be hot enough for the solder to flow. Once that’s done – it goes into the pickle bath for 10 mins or so – I repeat the process with the ribbon, then one of the three motifs: sword, flame or flower. Next is the chain and clasp, once they are soldered on, the piece is ready to be polished. Polishing is my least favourite part of the process and it’s a real skill. I often send pieces up to workshops in Birmingham to be polished for a really stunning finish.

Setting the stone (Sapphire) comes next – it’s a delicate job and I love choosing a beautiful stone to set. When everything is looking fabulous, the next job is to send it off to the Assay Office – to be hallmarked with my makers mark and assayed sterling silver. Last is engraving, this is a specialist skill I don’t have so I work with another great craftsman in Birmingham who engraves the name or word across the ribbon. It’s a long process from start to finish.

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What do you love about the process of making? Is each of the pieces you create unique? I set up my workbench a couple of years ago after a long break from jewellery (when I turned my hand to become the Producer of Hay Festival in Wales and in Kenya). I did it as a way to help myself relax. I had forgotten what it felt like to make something by hand. How you can lose yourself in the process, the concentration it takes to really focus on the craft. The skills I had learnt, I had not forgotten. Buying new tools and equipment, sourcing precious stones, researching the best engravers and polishers, being a part of the trade – it does feel quite special. I imagine being a tattoo artist has a similar mystique.

The work I produce is quite unusual in how it’s made, I combine the techniques of costume and fine jewellery production. Each piece is unique and depends on the client’s choice of Sapphire stone colour and engraving – it is totally bespoke, in the same way you would choose a name or word to have as a tattoo. It is something that will last forever, something that is important and meaningful. There is a lot of romance too.

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Logo transparent backgroundWhy Norma Kerr? I am one of four sisters and we all share the same middle names Norma (from my Dad’s side of the family) and Kerr (from my Mum’s side). It was always a great source of embarrassment to me growing up – especially Norma, as it sounded so old fashioned. I hated anyone asking “what’s your middle name?” As I got older I started to like the names more (especially when I discovered Marilyn Monroe’s real name was Norma) and that we all four sisters had the same name felt quite unique and special. So, when I started the business, I knew I wanted the logo to be based on classic 1940s-50s style female tattoo design – I had seen in a tattoo reference book years ago. So, once I drawn my own version I called her Norma Kerr. Norma Kerr is a sort of alter ego, a kick-ass girl who sits on top of the world – a strong woman.

Are all your pieces inspired by tattoos? Yes, my collection is entirely inspired by what I think of as classic tattoo motifs; hearts, wings, flowers, ribbons and so on. I think there is a real affinity between engraving and tattooing. I like the idea of engraving one of my necklaces with a name or something meaningful that you can wear and then pass on as an heirloom to future generations. Where there is the story behind the engraving, a story of love, something or someone being commemorated perhaps – just as you would with a tattoo.

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What is your favourite piece you have created? Is there a meaning to the stones you use? Originally, I came up with three necklace designs; Love, Hope and Grace. The piece called Love has a sword through the heart – let’s face it, there is nothing more painful than love. Hope is a flame, a flame of hope is something about nurturing a spark, hope for the future. Grace is a state of mind, to be graceful is about beauty and serenity. The rest of my collection complements these three pieces – with matching earrings and bracelets. I use blue, pink or yellow sapphires in my work – I chose precious stones over semi-precious, there is nothing semi about my work, only the best will do! Precious stones are cut so beautifully the colours are intense. Jewellery set with yellow or pink sapphires is quite unusual too. I like that.

If you could be a piece of jewellery, what would it be and why? I would be a diamond – bright and full of sparkle!

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IMG-20190704-WA0010Please tell me about the significance of the Grace necklace. The Grace necklace is the heart, wings and flower design. All things of beauty, a heart is something we want to give or receive from our loved ones, wings – wings of desire, wings to fly free, to be a free spirit. And flowers – there is little more beautiful in nature than flowers. I love to grow them, have them in my house always they give me so much pleasure. And did I mention – Grace is the name I gave my daughter?

Visit normakerr.bigcartel.com or follow on Insta @normakerrsapphire for sparkly inspiration 

Halina Mutinta Jewellery

26-year-old Halina Mutinta Hamalambo is a silversmith and a part time photo re-toucher at a photography studio based in Brighton. We caught up with Halina to find out more about the jewellery she creates, what inspires her and of course her growing collection of tattoos…

How long have you been making jewellery? I’ve been making jewellery for around two years now, and I started my first jewellery class in early 2016.

How did you get into making jewellery? I was actually doing a photography degree at the time I got into making jewellery. I was interested in finding a creative hobby alongside my photography degree (said no student, ever) and jewellery making/silversmithing seemed to appeal. So I enrolled on an evening jewellery making class in Brighton. Armed with my new skills and knowledge I’d picked up at my classes, I started looking for work in silversmithing, that’s when I began working once a week for Freddie Grove in London.

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What did you do before? I dropped out of college and became a dental nurse at 16 – I did this for around six years. Dental nursing was a huge part of my life at the time and I genuinely thought that was it; that was what I’d be doing forever! After years of working in a medical profession I figured that a dental nursing career wasn’t my calling, I felt there was something more creative within me and I wanted to explore this in my day-to-day work. That’s when I started studying photography at Brighton University. I never studied jewellery at university, only photography – they both amalgamate pretty well though, which is a bonus!

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What inspires your designs? A lot of things inspire me to create my designs, my background is pretty diverse – I’m half Polish, half Zambian and I was born in Sweden; so I’m fortunate enough to visit some amazing places. Nature, animals, insects, books, art, anatomy, tattoos, textures and patterns are just a few things that inspire me. Oh and my mum! She always wore heavy, chunky silver and large stones around her neck and hanging from her ears. Since I was a kid my mum has always passed her jewellery she’d outgrown down to me, which I’ve been collecting for years.

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How would you describe your process? My process usually starts from sketches, I’ll then figure out the materials I would like to work with (mainly silver) and then I begin making. Some of my designs are created in wax and then cast in to silver or gold; this is so I can reuse particular designs. Initial ideas don’t always work out so it can be challenging, yet it’s fun and rewarding. Silver can easily be recycled too; I can melt it down and forge it, which is great – no waste.

What is your work station/room like? I love my little workstation, it’s usually pretty tidy with MOST things in order – it’s quite literally the opposite at home though! I’ve gained so many great tools too, my boyfriend’s mum used to make jewellery so she’s handed down loads of her cool tools and stones from around 30 years ago. I never thought I would I enjoy tool collecting so much!

Can you tell us about your tattoos? I’ve been collecting tattoos for a while now, I have some that are pretty shitty but they mean a lot and a load that are personally meaningless yet the coolest designs. My most recent tattoo was an anvil made by Adam Sage.

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Do your tattoos influence your designs? In some ways yes, they definitely do. A lot of my friends are also tattooed and my boyfriend, Jack Thomas Newton is a tattooist so there’s always a load of inspiration around me – especially in our home. Jack influences me a lot creatively. My next tattoo will be a Rangoli, so I reckon some of my next designs may be inspired by Asian art and culture.

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How do tattoos make you feel? Tattoos make me feel good and I’m sure this goes for most people that have some! I think it’s amazing that we can wear a piece of art – even if that is something meaningful, decorative or even just silly.

Sugar & Vice: All Things Nice

Things&Ink met up with Sarah, owner of jewellery brand Sugar & Vice to talk tattoos, inspiration and pizza…

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How did you get into jewellery making? Making jewellery was actually something I fell into completely by accident. I was working in an office and was terribly unhappy, so I started making jewellery as a hobby and a means of getting some extra income. Before long it become a bit all-consuming. So as soon as I was earning enough, I left my job to concentrate on it full time and it’s gone from strength to strength since then.

What inspires you? There’s no short answer to that, really. Everything inspires me. Animals, fashion, food, patterns, nature, weather, places, people, art, tattoos, the list goes on. I love nothing more than taking inspiration from something pretty mundane and turning it into something fun and colourful.

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What draws you to jewellery? Jewellery can come in so many different forms and I think the sheer variety of what’s available is a large part of why I love it. Not only can you make jewellery from just about anything, it can come in so many forms that it’s just endlessly fascinating to me. Ironically, I wear very little jewellery on a day-to-day basis, but I’ve accrued some amazing pieces for special occasions, some that I’ve made myself and some that I’ve acquired from friends and industry peers. I just don’t think an outfit is complete without jewellery, be it subtle or statement!

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Is your work inspired by tattoos? Some of it is, definitely. I’ve been collecting tattoos for more than a decade, as have most of my friends, so it’s difficult not to let that filter into other aspects of my life, including my working life. With tattoos, as with jewellery, the possibilities are endless. It’s a pretty odd parallel when you really think about it, but jewellery and tattoos have a lot in common. Both are a form of decoration and they can both be for show, in memorium, for religious purposes, a reminder of something – or just fun, colourful and frivolous.

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What is your favourite piece you have created? That’s a tough question to answer as it changes so frequently. I like to think that with experience, the pieces have got better, so my favourite is almost always the most recent. I think a constant favourite will be always be the Gemstone Necklace, though. It’s what I consider to be a signature Sugar & Vice piece and in an industry where it’s so difficult to stay original, it’s the one I’m most proud of in terms of uniqueness.

Can you tell me a bit about your tattoos? My tattoos are a bit all over the place, literally and figuratively! Most are pretty meaningful, some are just silly things, but they all make me smile. I have three Sugar & Vice tattoos, and counting, so I like to think that shows just how closely linked my ink and my work are.

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Who are your favourite tattoo artists? There are so many! Leah Moule’s style just blows my mind, I’d love to get tattooed by her someday. Suzi Q as well, I love her stuff, and one of my earlier pieces actually came about after seeing a nautical pinup girl tattoo of hers and getting inspired around seven years ago. I think Dan Henk is pretty special too, his horror tattoos are like nothing else I’ve seen.

Do you think there is a relationship between tattoos and fashion? Absolutely. I think tattoos can influence fashion and vice versa. I’ve been, infrequently, reading tattoo magazines for around 12 years now and you can definitely see changing trends – although there will always be certain styles that remain popular. The troubling thing is when fashion influences tattoos and people start getting them for the wrong reasons, it’s the quickest road to regret in my experience.

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What’s next for Sugar & ViceGlobal domination with any luck! In reality though, I’m just so grateful that I get to make a living doing something I love so much, and if things continue along the same path, then hopefully there’ll be bigger things in store. For now, I’ll just keep making jewellery that brings a smile to peoples faces.

First published in Issue 4 The Art Issue of Things&Ink magazine

Welcome to The Wildness – Incandescent Artistry

Interview with Stefania Crasta, owner of The Wildness Jewellery.

StefaniaHow did you get into jewellery making?
I have been into jewellery all my life, when I was a child I loved to adorn myself and make jewellery out of leaves and flowers. From childhood to teen and adult age, I believe that jewellery has always been present in different forms and shapes – decorating myself and my feelings. Like all the early passions in life, it developed into a way of being, into a research of the different techniques in the making and design process.

What inspires you?
The main inspiration for my designs is nature in its wildest principle.
Only nature contains perfect shapes, shades, scents and colours, emotions and sensations. It’s life and death, it’s unchangeable, but in some ways changing, it’s stable but alterable – an eternal contradiction. My love for poetry, philosophy and art transcends into each pattern of design and it reflects the sinister rebelliousness of my emotions.

Part of The Wildness Collection
Part of The Wildness Collection

 

What draws you to jewellery?
Jewellery has marked a fundamental part in the history of designing in different eras and cultures. I believe that jewellery is an extension of beauty and the expression of its power.

Part of The Wildness Collection
Part of The Wildness Collection

 

What is your favourite piece that you have created?
My favourite piece that I have created is the skull and butterfly ring part of ‘Les Fleurs du Mal’ jewellery collection inspired by Baudelaire’s poetry. It’s a skull ring blinded by a butterfly, it’s love and death… Another of my favourite pieces is also the Dante Alighieri ring – the author/genius behind the journey to hell (Divine Comedy).

Skull and butterfly ring
Skull and butterfly ring

 

Dante Alighieri ring
Dante Alighieri ring

 

Is your work inspired by tattoos?
My work is definitely inspired by art, and different combinations of art such as tattoos. I think that jewellery and tattoos follow a parallel meaning of expression in body adornment. It’s a very similar statement in my opinion. I love ornamental patterns, that are also used on tattoos and sometimes I incorporate them into my designs.

Stefania’s tattoos

 

Can you tell me about the tattoos on your body?
My back is fully tattooed with paisley, flowers and geometric ornaments. This back piece was done by Matt Black at Divine Canvas. My sides are a work in progress by Silvia Zed from Shall Adore, it’s a beautiful Victorian filigree pattern. I also have two symmetric tribal tattoos done a long time ago by Silvia Zed on my upper arm, old Love and Freedom scripts on my wrists and lines/rings around my ring fingers. My aim is to have most of the back of my body tattooed…

Stefania's back by Matt Black
Stefania’s back by Matt Black

 

Who are your favourite tattoo artists?
I’m totally in love with Victorian filigree, (designs and shades) of ornaments done by Silvia Zed and also her black and grey roses designs, she is definitely one of my favourite tattooists and also a dear friend of mine. I also love the geometric work of Xed LeHead and the amazing fine work of Philip Milic.

By Silvia Zed
By Silvia Zed

 

Part of Stefania's collection
Part of Stefania’s collection

 

Do you think there is a relationship between tattoos and fashion?
Tattoos have became more and more common. I believe that, in our days, tattoos are one of the most popular forms of self expression and definitely related to the fashion world. The aim of fashion, in my opinion, has always been to create a form of statement and that’s exactly what tattoos are about. I think there has always been a strong link between art and fashion that in the modern society has finally extended into the world of tattoos and body modification.

What’s next for The Wildness?
I believe that the steady path between imagination and creation of The Wildness will evolve into many more creations. I’m also working on different collaborations with fashion designers. The ‘Next’ for the Wildness is to keep and progress with the wild pattern of designing and to adorn the best corners of the world with handmade creations…

Check Stefania’s full collection on The Wildness website, www.thewildnessjewellery.com