In the 1980’s I produced pieces which used symbols to communicate ideas. I was fascinated with how jewellery functions between the body, sole, universe and the metaphysical. The earliest evidence of adornment demonstrates this innate need to solidify intangible concepts by placing objects on one’s body. In a group exhibition entitled Homonyms, I created Shields (brooches) and Gorgets (neckpieces) which are intended to act as amour to safeguard the wearer from various fears of religion, feminism and procreation. In Amulet, my first solo exhibition, I made a series of brooches and neckpieces that were to protect the wearer from trouble in the case of life, love, hope, and growth. The Black series were my next pieces where I became more interested in the exterior world around me. I was fascinated with the production of the microchip and the possibility of containing vast amounts of information in such a tiny vehicle that I could not understand. They reminded me of hieroglyphs so I made the series of decoders which act like keys to unlock the mysteries of the world. Shortly after this there was the discovery of the first hole on the ozone. Black Sun is created as a marker that the sun, the symbol of life, may be our demise. I continued my interest in the sun with the Eclipse bracelet, an interest that I brought into the 1990’s. 

1980’s