Handicraft Magazine Spring 2014 | Page 7

Crafts in your area 07 ‘I look at jewellery from a fine art perspective’. Making metal-based jewellery in silver or bronze, Nadine started handcrafting in 2007. Nadine makes a wide range of jewellery from earrings to brooches, but commented that she sells more pendants than anything else. “Most women love wearing them, that’s why it is a safer bet. Rings need fitting, earrings need pierced ears – so pendants are a much more convenient choice.” Nadine defines her experience in making jewellery on her website as coming “from a fine art perspective”. In making her jewellery, Nadine employs traditional techniques on occasion but claims she is “more interested in the emotional and spiritual impact of each piece”. Her designs include a mix of flora, fauna and heart patterns. Her style reflects her interest in and the inspiration, which develops from the nature. Nadine comments on her website: “My work is mainly inspired from A bird pendant designed and made by Nadine encounters with the natural world. My holiday in Devon inspired the sea pieces, while the little birds and bees came from observing the vibrant wildlife in my little terraced garden.” Strangely though, Nadine uses untraditional methods of creating her jewellery and getting the design onto the metal. “Sometimes I use a rubber stamp but the most common way for me to get the design onto metal is to carve into a woodblock and create the image that way. “I can also chemical etch onto gilding metal and sheet silver. Or even use a stylus to draw directly into the metal clay. “However, on big bangles I hamm