New special bespoke jewellery launch for The Weekender at Old Granada Studios

I am really excited about bringing this new special project  to Manchester this Saturday and Sunday for The Weekender at Old Granada Studios 20th 21st June.

The concept of this ring is to involve you to make your own contribution to create a unique piece  just for you.

Inspired by the wonderful world of nature, it is the Caddisfly's clever larvae which helped to create the concept of this new piece. 

To give themselves protection when they are in their young state they create their own tailor made casing.

They build their homes from the natural materials around them, each marvellous creature crafting their own perfect fit using their own choice of organic objects they find.

The artist Hubert Duprat even created an environment of minute gems and  golden nuggets so that the larvae that lodged within could en-robe themselves in the glittering treasures. I was blown away by this when I saw them in Paris at the Dries Van Noten exhibition at Les Arts Décoratifs.

For this new collection of rings I want to allow each individual to be the crafty caddisfly collecting for their own ring.

Bejewelled cases left behind by the craftings of a clever Caddisfly larvae thanks to the artist Hubert Duprat.

I made the very first of these rings for myself to signify a big change in my environment and keep a piece of it with me and I am really looking forward to allowing others to wear a part of the places that mean something to them too.

 

For each bespoke commission you can find your own materials which I can use to create your own beautifully encrusted ring. 

This could be a little sand from your favourite beach, or some gravelly debris from your very own doorstep.

I will be at The Weekender, the free designer festival at Old Granada Studios this weekend to meet you and chat about this special project, but please also feel free to email me at info@jademellor.com with any questions ideas or just to say hello!

"What Is Jewellery?" Exhibition Piece No.2 Sweet Ruin Ring

Jewellery Is...JOY

The exhibition this ring is in is about answering the question "What Is Jewellery" by using unorthodox materials. With this piece I have included a marble, a lovely object to enjoy but not considered precious, or a usual material for jewellery as it is, although it is delicate and made of glass. By working in resin I also get to explore colour in my work. This sweet pink shade brings many comments on how tasty it looks, "nougat" being a word often heard from people seeing some of these pieces for the first time. 

Sweet Ruin Ring, 2014 silver, resin, glass marble, granite, Jade Mellor. Read about this ring and the Modern Ruin series in the shop HERE

Chanel Jelly Shoes! 

Playing marbles. The milky white one above was used in the Sweet Ruin Ring!

One of my studio snacks, sweet dried papaya! I love the bizarre chewy, squidgy crystalline texture and it gives me a sugar buzz!

Here's a wonderful comment from a visitor to our annual open studios last month on seeing my work for the first time:

“They’re playful, not stuffy. They cheer me up.”

— Michael Flood 2014

This ring is about enjoying life and celebrating and sharing the things you love! By wearing jewellery you are offering it to the world. You are communicating, you nearly always HAVE to touch it, it invites you to interact, it is playful. It is sharing a bag of sweets. It is saying to the lady on the bus, "I like your hat..." it is smiling at a funny looking sausage dog on the street. That extra effort of dressing up, to take pleasure in life and decorating the world around you, taking the time to finish off an outfit, making a statement of who you are or what you like. 

“My mother was very chic and she used to say you could have a single dress but with different accessories you could have 27 different outfits. ”

— "Rare Bird of Fashion" The Irreverent Iris Apfel.

Even the plainest outfit is transformed with an interesting piece of jewellery, or that exquisite piece could also be the cherry on a delicious, fruity, multicoloured, hot fudge, nutty ice cream sundae of an ensemble.

Iris Apfel The "Rare Bird of Fashion".

So now let's spread the jewellery rainbow! If you don't do it already, or if you have gotten out of the habit (I know my studio scruffs don't always lend themselves to "accessorising" beyond safety glasses) then let's take that extra two minutes to put on something extra, not for habit or practical reasons, but just for the sheer pleasure of choosing something you like. And if you are already a strong card carrying member of the accessories club, how about acknowledging someone else you see who has worn something just for the joy of it. 

The "Sweet Ruin Ring" is currently in the exhibition "What Is Jewellery?" at Manchester Craft and Design Centre, curated by Eve Redmond. Details HERE.

Magnetic Attraction

I have created a new Ferromagnetic ring for the supremely creative fashion designer Charlotte Booty.

                                                                                  Macramé work from Charlotte Booty

 I wanted to make her a piece that would have unique properties, as her textile work pushes the boundaries to create three dimensional "fabrics". See more of her work here.

The beautiful patterns she creates in her macramé are by utilising materials in repetition such as cable ties, leather and chain. They seem to me to form naturally like iron filings in a magnetic field. The new Ferromagnetic ring is set with magnetic Haematite, I hope she enjoys using it to explore her surroundings, testing and picking up more found objects for her inspiration.

If you are interested in learning more about commissioning a unique piece, get in touch! Email me at info@jademellor.com and I'll be happy to answer your questions :)

A Twist on Tradition

"Something old,
Something new,
Something borrowed,
Something blue,
& a silver sixpence in her shoe"

A mixture of vintage beads and sterling silver chain with a hand engraved detail on the safety clasp to match the bridesmaid necklaces with the brides new initials as a secret personal touch to mark the occasion.

Interior designer, artist, model and all round babe, Laura letting me borrow her body when I was testing out the design.

I enjoyed working closely with the bride to be to create something unique and special for her big day, that could also be adapted for future wear so that it could join her treasure trove of jewellery. Worn shorter for the wedding to show off the delicate décolletage of a strapless, sumptuous wedding gown I also designed it so that a long line of vintage rhinestones could drape dramatically down work as a statement with a chic sixties cocktail dress or sparkling on a long-line bold coloured dress. I researched antique jewellery sets when coming up with this piece as I love the versatility of historic fine jewellery where secrets between the master jeweller and the highborn wearer would mean pieces could be broken up or joined together to create different styles, making the most of their wondrous precious rocks and stones.

if you have some ideas you would like to chat about or know more about having your own bespoke pieces get in touch! info@jademellor.com