Great Northern Craft Fair 2012

Last weekend I visited the Great Northern Craft Fair 2012 in Manchester.

If you havent been, it'd be worth a visit when it's on again next year, as it is a selling show and it's a rare opportunity to buy craft/design objects straight from the maker. The work on show varies from ceramics, metal-work/silversmithing, furniture, textiles and jewellery. The standard of work is very good.

Being biased towards jewellery, I thought I 'd share the work of a few of the jewellery designers I met there.  

I was immediately drawn to these sculptural neck pieces by Eleanor Bolton. It's great to be able to get up close and try things on. They are light and comfortable, easy to wear. 

She developed her own craft technique, coiling and stitching cotton rope to get the desired forms.

(read more about that here.)

Here she is wearing a piece from her own collection.

Next something very different. A collection by Jenny Laidlaw. 

I'm afraid my photos dont do justice to this beautifully made work.  Jenny works with precious metals, iron wire, sometimes gemstones; each piece of jewellery is a perfect miniature composition. 

These earring include a metal braiding technique Jenny often uses.

We discussed asymmetrical earrings, and I shall be getting back to her with a commission request when  I've decided what I want.

The collection by Emily Knight is inspired by her time spent in India. You can see this in the "Temple bangles" below,

and also, in the lush "Foliage earrings". She works by hand piercing copper and makes use of shading her enamel finish to get colours that look weathered and sun-worn.

Finally, in complete contrast the work by jeweller Ruth Laird. These pieces in precious silver are hard to show in images. They really came alive when picked up and worn, as her technique it to make the work jointed, moveable. Ruth is inspired by mathematics as a starting point for her creative process. She  also highlights 2D surfaces with paint to bring colour into the equation.

she told me she was hoping to collaborate with someone she had met at the Great northern to create some short films of the work to be able to the kinetic aspect of her jewellery.