Gin & Tonic with ice and a slice...

3 Hatpins for the Queen. An Association of Contemporary Jewellers, Diamond Jubilee Exhibition work by me.

Seeing the Royal Charter on a famous and long established brand of Gin & Tonic and knowing the Queen’s preference for wearing hats at formal occasions, I imagined she might partake of the festivities arranged in her honour, with a celebratory tipple which includes the traditional “ice and a slice”.

2012 TOUR DETAILS:

The Association for Contemporary Jewellery is proud to be presenting a touring exhibition of jewellery specially designed and made on the theme of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.

Thirty two makers have created pieces especially for the event, resulting in a wide variety of individual interpretations in precious and non-precious materials.  All the participating designers have embraced the theme of Jubilee celebration with style, irreverence, humour and panache. Crushed gemstones, sweets and jellies, ribbon, graphite powder, flocked and sublimated materials, rub shoulders with diamonds, silver and 18ct gold, in a glorious celebration of Queen Elizabeth II’s sixty years reign. All the pieces were selected by a distinguished judging panel chaired by Professor Jack Cunningham, which included Corinne Julius, Jacqueline Gestetner, Joanna Hardy, Kath Libbert and Karen Dell’Armi, with leading Jewelers taking part.

The exhibition opens at the School of Jewellery, Birmingham City University, and then starts its tri-nation tour to Llantrisant, South Wales before showing at the newly opened Goldsmiths’ Centre, London – the first exhibition to be held there after its’ own opening Royal exhibition. This is a testament to the Association’s high profile, and to the Centre’s commitment to showing work in non-traditional as well as traditional materials, and used in non-traditional ways.

ACJ Diamond Jubilee Exhibition at-

Birmingham School of Jewellery, March 12th to 30th;

Llantrisant Gallery, May 1st to 31st;

Goldsmiths’ Centre, Clerkenwell, London, June 11th to 16th;

SH Gallery, Edinburgh, July 2nd to 28th;

North Glasgow College, August 27th to 31st.

For further information see www.acj.org.uk  

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Figuring out how to make the net for the 'Diamond' and the mount.

 

Marking the slots for the three claws to solder into.

  

Testing the resin, trying to 'float' the diamonds midway. The wax model and silicone mould.

 

Lemons sketched out in the brass, ready for repousse. 2 of the 3 components, part done.

 

From pitch and punches to finished object with fake diamond 'pip'.

To read about the pieces, visit my Flickr photo-stream here.

Thanks for looking!