Findings
Spring 13
Vicky Forrester has succeeded in producing a book that is both technically rich and wamly accessible. It is written for developing jewellers who, familiar with the basics, are ready to go deeper into the relationship between idea, material and technique. The 'Elemental' of the title refers to the themes underlying Forrester's own creative process, which she deconstructs and shares so that we can use it to inform our own journey.
Her enthusiasm for all aspects of jewellery making, from the conceptual to the practical, oozes from the page. Referencing myth and legend at the start, in the 'Design Process' section, she reminds us of the timelessness of jewellery making, of how connected we are to global culture and in so doing emphasizes the quality that a conscious consideration of this can bring to our work. Throughout the book this sense of the universal is anchored in a wealth of workshop information.
The central section, 'Exploring Materials', neatly ties in with the book's title by including a look at the working practice of four diverse and well-known jewellers, one for each of the elements. Each contributes an intermediate level project. The final section, which comprises roughly half the book gives detailed instructions for completing specific projects and outlines low tech techniques, which may be new to you and which can all be explored in a fairly basic workshop. It covers etching, forging, married metals, fold forming, sand casting, fusion, and batch forming from dies with homemade tools, amongst others.
The author's tone is relaxed and informal and it would be hard to resist feeling invigorated and inspired by the suggestions for enriching one's own creative practice. These are offered with no condescension or attempts to look clever. Forrester shares with us an openness and clarity about the evolution of her own jewellery journey and I felt as though I were being guided by a patient teacher she does have 23 years jewellery experience and gently reminded of the relevance and indispensability of play rather than becoming stuck in ideas of outcome. "This kind of exploration leads to originality and personal authenticity in one's creative expression", she says.
This book is beautifully laid out. Written sections, easy-to-digest points and information in shaded boxes are brought to life with vivid colour photos on every page of finished pieces as well as useful close ups illustrating the how-to sequences.
Vicky Forrester has packed a great deal into a book which combines the best aspects of a jewellery magazine (lively layout and page-turning readability), recipe book (projects complete with materials and tools lists) and reference manual (technical instruction, tips and tricks of the trade). If your introduction to jewellery has been of a mostly prac tical nature then Elemental Jewellery wilol be an invaluable companion in supporting the development of your own unique creative voice.
