Our In the Window spotlight exhibition for February features the jewellery of Helen Shere alongside printed scarves by RubyKite.
Working in their different mediums, these makers take inspiration from their environment and surrounding nature – Helen’s designs often feature delicate silver birds and leaves picked out in accents of copper and gold. Meanwhile, RubyKite’s collection of printed scarves include moorlands, wildscapes and meadows.
A selection of pieces will be available to purchase from our online shop.
Helen Shere designs and makes silver jewellery inspired by her surroundings, finding delicate beauty, detail and charm in an urban environment.
The collections are mainly in silver with accents of copper or gold leaf for colour and depth and include delicate silver birds and leaves, intricate layered pendants along with detailed and illustrative stamped decoration. Techniques include fabrication, keum boo, using cast elements, stamping and oxidising.
“My jewellery draws on the themes of pattern and illustration and focuses mainly on the natural details found in my surroundings. I delight in noticing the tiny goings-on, the garden birds, the little leaves in the cracks, the beauty of the old brick walls and the effects of the changing seasons. I strive to capture these little moments of discovery and beauty as pieces of jewellery using simple but effective techniques.”
RubyKite’s designer printmaker, Tamara Williams, creates contemporary mixed media paintings, intaglio and relief prints on plaster; exploring unique textures that translate beautifully on to silk and cashmere scarves and accessories. Each colour story is printed in more sustainable small batches on natural fabrics, curated by partner Joy Leese, to create wearable art that enhances the original artwork by creating a distinctive 3-d effect with a signature chalky palette.
Each piece has a strong emphasis on texture. Both designers love exploring the tactile qualities that the plaster creates with intricate textures that become hugely abstracted when scaled large over their scarves.