Whale looking at you.

925, 999, black diamonds, apatite beads.

Hummingbird Chronology

2012

925,18ct yg, pink sapphires, tsavorite garnet.

2010

925, 999, pink sapphires, rose quartz, black onyx.

2008

925, 999, 18ct yg, rubies, carnelian, black onyx.

2006

925, 999, emeralds, sapphires.

Spring and a giant bee.

Magnificent blossoming plum tree.

When you stand under this tree you can here the buzzing of hundreds, maybe even thousands,of bees going about their pollen collecting business.

925, 999, gold dust, stocking, stainless steel pin.

I was moving things around the studio (otherwise known as tidying up) when I came across this all wrapped up and tucked away in a drawer. It's a giant bee brooch. I think I made it about 8 or so years ago. I can't remember why I put it away. I must have felt a bit unsure about it. Hmmm, still not sure. 

Lion's wing bangle.

If a lion had a wing...
925, 999. (modeled and photographed by me, at the same time)

Room with a view

This has been a most delightful winter view as the wattlebirds visit  the camellias outside my window. I'm not feeling so enamoured with them now as they start their warbling at daybreak and it really is not the most pleasant of birdsongs.    

Retrospective 2- ...she really couldn't sleep a wink (with acknowledgement to Mr. Anderson).

This is an exhibition I had at egetal in 2006. It was based on this text (which is based on the Hans Christian Anderson tale The Princess and the Pea) and it is the pre- history of the 2005 exhibition.
...so far they had all been phoneys, fakes, counterfeit princess's. All glitz, all bling & sham (not to mention their ridiculous wigs) Where was the real & true princess. The old Queen ranted & raved throughout the palace, cursing & cussing as only true royalty can."What will become of my only son? He cannot sit alone on the throne" (actually she was really over this whole being Queen thing & just wanted to retire & go on a round the world cruise)
Little did they know that galloping through the deep, dark forest was the Princess Mirabelle (affectionately known to family & friends as small yellow plum). She had become hopelessly lost. Luckily though a nightingale took pity on her & she followed its song out of the forest all the way to the palace gates. The bedraggled Princess was given a bed for the night but not before the old Queen thought "We'll find out quickly enough if she's a true princess" (how?) Well she placed a pea on the bedstead then stacked twenty mattresses & on top of the mattresses twenty eiderdown quilts. Princess Mirabelle had to climb a ladder to get to the top of the bed. Having always been taught to be gracious & polite she didn't mention her aversion to heights. Not only did she suffer from vertigo the Princess also had terrible insomnia (why else would she be galloping around the forest in the middle of the night). So poor Princess Mirabelle spent the night tossing & turning & clinging on to the bed for dear life. The next morning when the Queen asked her how she had slept she replied rather haughtily "well actually I couldn't sleep a wink". Before she could go on to give a detailed account of her insomnia & vertigo the trumpeters started trumpeting & the Queen started bellowing to the cooks in the kitchen to begin sifting the flour & cracking the eggs for the tallest, royalist wedding cake ever.
...And so the pea became world famous
   The Prince & Princess DID fall in love
   And the old Queen got to kick up her heels
   on a round the world cruise for over 35s. 
(I must have thought 35 was old  in 2006)
 Katherine Bowman helped me install this exhibition and the previous one. She is soon to have a solo show at egetal and it looks like it is going to be absolutely stunning. Definitely something to look forward to on the jewellery calendar.


                 

I typed this text on a very old type-writer & it took a long time.

Phoney Princess's pendants. 925, 999,18ct gold, felt, pearl, diamond.

Nightingale pendant. 925,999, 18ct gold, cognac diamonds.

View of the castle as the Princess leaves the forest.

World famous pea (set into a ring) 925, 18ct gold, emerald, diamond.

Bird brooches 925, 999, 18ct gold, ruby, sapphire.

View of castle and room the Princess stayed in.

Pile of feathers.

   

I really am some kind of bird nerd.

 I've been keeping an eye on this nest. It seemed to be enormous. I really wanted to know what was in it.

 I had a plan to climb up a ladder and then climb the tree so I could have a look in the nest. I was telling a friend about my scheme and he said he didn't think it was a good idea as the tree looked as though it was unstable. I gave it some more thought and decided it was totally unnecessary for me to look into that nest, actually none of my business.

 I did keep watching it and I am sure I saw this baby magpie fly out of the nest. He/she is still very clumsy and has been hopping around the garden. My new neighbour! I probably won't be so thrilled with him/her if  he or she starts swooping.

                          Neckpiece. 925, 18ct gold, Chinese turquoise.

                         Earrings. 925, pearl.

                               Necklace. 925, 18ct gold, pearl.