My practice draws inspiration from historical architecture and traditional costume, exploring their significance as expressions of the human experience. I create contemporary jewellery in silver and gold, as well as installations that integrate traditional craft processes, such as natural dyeing, weaving, and tile-making. My jewellery is informed by the textures and forms of old buildings - flaking paint, weathered masonry, and evolving structures - drawing inspiration from the whole spectrum of our built environment, from a towering Gothic cathedral to a humble shed.
Traditional craft skills are at the core of my practice. I believe that working with our hands connects us to the earth we inhabit and what it means to be human. My technical approach varies from hand building unique pieces, to casting multiples from handmade masters. Recently, I underwent CAD training, and am exploring how this technology can complement rather than replace traditional techniques.
My collections include the Model Village Collection, a representative series of collectable jewellery designs that capture the essence of the quintessential buildings you find scattered across the English countryside and coastline. These wearable silver and gold miniatures are designed to be carried as a reminder of the significant places we have lived and visited on our travels. I am currently developing a new collection, Fragments, exploring the idea of “architecture as artefact”: how design and ornament is transmitted across cultures as symbols, while materiality anchors us to place.
Artist bio:
Susan Dunford is a Jewellery Designer and Artist inspired by historical architecture and traditional crafts. She specialises in creating handmade jewellery and objects crafted from silver and gold. In addition to precious metals her work also incorporates stones, ceramics, and natural fibres, often extending beyond the boundaries of a traditional notion of what jewellery is and into the realms of costume and installation.
Born in Portsmouth, UK, Susan has lived and worked in London and across the southern region of the UK. She earned her undergraduate degree in Three-Dimensional Design: Metalwork and Jewellery from the University for the Creative Arts in Farnham, Surrey, in 2009. In 2017, she was awarded the Postgraduate Professional Enhancement Scholarship, which allowed her to pursue an MA in Jewellery Futures at Middlesex University in London, graduating with distinction in 2019.
Her work has been showcased throughout the British Isles, at contemporary craft galleries, art galleries, exhibitions, and fairs. Notable examples include Goldsmiths’ Fair, International Jewellery London, and Yorkshire Sculpture Park. Alongside her practice, she has also undertaken work as a design consultant and freelance artist’s fabricator.
She currently lives and works in Wiltshire in the UK.
