Meet the Maker - Corrinne Eira Evans

This week we are launching our 'Meet the Maker' series of blog posts. Here we get to learn a little bit more about each of the designers featuring in our latest RING exhibition; where they find inspiration, their design process as well as handcrafting elements of their jewellery. 

What was the inspiration for the rings in the exhibition?

"My main inspiration is Dartmoor, the ever changing mystical landscape that surrounds me, connecting the inspiration of Dartmoor and its assimilation to the contours of the body. Echoing the atmosphere of the land using raw colours of precious metals; matt grey of titanium, recycled silver, oxidised (blackened) silver and recycled yellow gold. Combining these in bold and subtle shapes is influenced by shadows, dappled light, tor’s, wild grasses and shifting skies.

The rings created for the exhibition capture the varying colours and moods of the moorland. The pink sapphire & rich yellow of 18ct gold for ‘Sunset Over Dartmoor’ Ring, harnessing the vivid sunsets that make the skies so pink and golden, long loops depicting the shafts of light .

‘Storm on The Moors’ ring highlights the contrasting moody dramatic atmosphere of the landscape on a gloomy day, the matt harsh grey’s, with bright slithers of silver edging the landscape where sky meets land and dusting the wild grasses with bright white light, all against a changing blue background."

Please Tell Us  A Bit  About Your Creative Process?

The style of jewellery I create combines bold patterns within an elegant form, utilising soft palette tones for everyday wear and timeless appeal.

The technique I’m fascinated with is the heritage process of flat chainmail, making individual links in the various raw metal colours of silver, golds and titanium, mainly, and connecting them link by link in a formation structure that results in a metal fabric.

Each piece starts as sketches formed from inspiration from the landscape surrounding me. I then turn these sketches into designs, mapping them out on squared paper. Links are then made and I sit at my bench and methodically ‘knit’ the links together following the design. Sometimes however, the pattern won’t sit right and I’ll tweak the final edit.

On occasions I’ll see something else and add or take away as I’m going. I feel it’s important to let the piece grow naturally and speak to me as I go along.

The rings created in the exhibition also house responsibly sourced sapphires from MisFit Diamonds, a company in Vancouver priding themselves on their ethical approach, creating transparency and providing high quality gemstone in unique cuts & colours. They are one of a kind jewels and felt they were the perfect fit for these creations and my work ethos in general.

Whats your favourite piece you’ve ever made?

Oooo that is such a tricky one! I think right now it might actually be the ‘Sunset Over Dartmoor’ Ring. It pushed my creative practice aligning my industry background in repairs and commissioning with the claw & mirror setting of the sapphire, coupling with my passion for creating chainmail. It was a challenging process with lots of elements and I just love the outcome! The combination of static and fluid working so well together adding a different dimension. I also absolutely love sunsets!

"I’m super lucky to have this amazing scenery around me and to be able to immerse myself in nature as much as possible."

 

What would be your dream piece to make or person to make it for?

Something really big! Still the chainmail fineness I do now, just on a really big ostentatious item, like a necklace or head piece. It would be entirely made using 18ct yellow & platinum metal combinations for the inter-woven patterns and laced with some juicy gemstones; diamonds, emeralds and maybe rubies, maybe in the rough? One day I’ll hopefully get the opportunity to create something as luxury and lavish as this.

The RING Exhibition runs until 30th April and  features the talented works of; Sarah Brown, Corrinne Eira Evans, Isla Gilham, Tamara Gomez, Faye Hall, Jessica Jue, Josef Koppmann, Lynna Maclachlan, Francesca Marcenaro, and Mark Newman. 

Click to view Corrinnes collection of rings.