Scratched portraits

silver, glass seed beads, vintage glass trade beads, silk thread, enamel paint

4.5 x 3 x 2 cm

My work is almost always figurative, and contains bits and pieces that I've collected from various places over many years. I have a background in Archaeology and Classical History, and that has an enduring influence on my jewellery - you will often see characters in my work that reference ancient stories of gods and monsters, or fragments of things that allude to a forgotten past. Historical forms and motifs are an ongoing source of inspiration for me, and I like my pieces to have some narrative content, which is why they often contain portraits of one kind or another.

Artist Bio:
I am a contemporary jeweller based in Johannesburg, South Africa, where I share a studio and exhibition space called Tinsel Gallery with (my husband and fellow art jeweller) Eric Loubser. I did a BA in Archaeology and Classical Civilization at Wits University in Johannesburg before going to Durban to study Jewellery Design, and then returning to Wits to do a Masters in Fine Arts in 2005. This background has a big influence on my work – I am continually inspired by ancient and historic jewellery forms and motifs. My work is almost always figurative and narrative in nature, and I have recently been exploring colonial encounters in Africa as a theme. I like to work with vintage painted miniature portraits and add layers of meaning to them by creating new jewellery environments for them to exist in.