1. Tell us about your practice and what led you down your chosen path as a maker.

My path would have been very different without the late Dorothy Hogg, who drew me into the jewellery department at Edinburgh College of Art in 1996. Everything was new - I had no experience in jewellery nor metalwork, yet I felt instantly at home.

I currently balance my time between my jewellery practice and lecturing in the Silversmithing and Jewellery department at The Glasgow School of Art. I work alongside amazing students and staff. It is an inspiring and stimulating environment, which furthers my enthusiasm for research and innovation.

2. Tell us about your materials.

I have been referred to as a 'wireaholic,' and that's probably fairly accurate. For over 20 years, I have been focused on the creative use of precious wire in jewellery. It is incredibly satisfying to transform a solid ingot of metal by hand into very fine, flexible threads of wire and to be able to turn these into wearable pieces of jewellery. Wire has become the natural medium through which I can translate my ideas into objects, I am able to create volume, texture and pattern and its infinite potential keeps driving my practice. I am fortunate many years on to still love what I do and be able to allow my creative work to evolve in new ways.

3. Can you share more about the process behind your Collect 2024 collection?

I've always enjoyed working with mixtures of precious materials, incorporating multiple alloys with contrasting or subtle colour variations. I am fascinated by the distinct properties of metals, such as the qualities of platinum and gold—their preciousness, weight, and intrinsic value—contrasting with the high tensile strength-to-density ratio of titanium. I can achieve beautiful contrasts and shifts in colour through heat anodising. These pieces represent an original use of 'old' and 'new' metals, both highly ductile and corrosion-resistant. Materiality influences the jewellery, as do the technical challenges, which, in turn, have inspired new ways of working informed by the ancient art of filigree.

4. What inspired your collection for Collect 2024?

An article by Clare Henry has always resonated with me. She described Bridget Riley, who I have long admired, as an artist who “…could always get her lines to billow and weave, spin and rotate, pull and tug, concertina and squeeze…” (The Scotsman, 2000). She was very successful at creating the illusion of three dimensions in 2D. As a jewellery designer and maker, it also reflects my hands-on approach to working with physical materials, applying ancient skills to pull, squeeze, weave, and spin wire in three-dimensional forms. My pieces incorporate wire as a line to create interlaced, textile-like patterns featuring mesmerising surfaces that come alive with reflected light and movement.

5. What do you hope the viewer will take away from this work?

I hope to create pieces that have an instant visual appeal and have the power to connect with the viewer and wearer quickly, yet continually puzzle and engage in minute detail. Ultimately, I want people to enjoy the work, whether through a visual connection or an appreciation of the engineering, and of course, I hope someone will fall in love with a piece, and that it will go on to become a cherished possession.