For nearly 14 years, jeweller Romilly Saumarez Smith has worked, at different times, with fellow jewellers Lucie Gledhill, Anna Wales, Rachel Jones, Carola Solcia and Laura Ngyou to make or “translate” her work - referring to the practice as ‘Us at Work’. This significant showcase at Flow will present Romilly’s work, alongside the independent practices of her translators, and will show the different approaches to their own work.
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Romilly began working in this way in 2010, after she could no longer create with her own hands due to a rare form of MS. Beginning tentatively and gradually expanding their team, they found a way of working that enabled the other jewellers to become Romilly’s hands and create the designs that she was still inspired to make. They continue to work in Romilly’s studio at home, which is important to her as her house ‘holds a strong presence of my self.’ Romilly speaks of the jewellers she collaborates with:
Each one is amazing – they have become my hands and I don’t doubt that the work is mine, made by me.
In the mornings, I download ideas from my head and we discuss how they might be made. They draw in a sketchbook so that we know we are talking about the same thing. I think, through my original training, I know the steps that need to be taken when making something but they have enabled me to go far beyond my meagre techniques.
Each of them has a strong individual voice, totally different to mine but at the same time we have all worked together, at different times and perhaps it has allowed us all to grow in our practice.
Romilly is deeply inspired by organic forms and wild nature. Her jewellery can be understood as ‘landscapes’ of earth and ocean. She explains how ‘Much of my deep imagination lies under the sea. I like the way that barnacles encrust the surface of things. It's a long process of buildup, a random design that looks completely meant.’
This showcase brings together Romilly’s work with independently-made jewellery by Lucie, Anna, Rachel, Carola and Laura. Each brings their own distinct style and inspirations.
Like Romilly, some take the natural world as a starting point. Laura's jewellery reflects a fascination for miniature worlds found within landscapes, from exotic jungle flora to the humble rock pool, as well as geology. She composes unique settings sympathetic to a gemstone’s individual character re-imagining the natural landscape and dynamic crystalline structures from which it was discovered. Anna’s pieces subtly abstract nature, as smooth sheet metal is transformed into textured organic shapes. These are articulated and layered together to form flowing pieces that sit sensually against the skin and celebrate the movement of the body. Through this, Anna explores the meaningful connection jewellery has with people: not only in its immediate physical relationship with the wearer, but also in its long history of association with relationships between people.
Others also take the concept of jewellery – its relationship to the body, its materiality, and traditional jewellery forms – as the subject for their work. Lucie considers herself a ‘a chain maker and whilst chain is what I make it is also the subject of my work. I use chain as a way to explore materiality and material relationships.’ Favouring techniques such as weaving wire and making chains, Lucie uses repetitive processes that require a sedentary stance similar to working with textiles. Meanwhile, Carola’s practice explores the relationship between jewellery, the body and our perception of life. By re-examining classical jewellery forms – such as a faceted stone, a chain, a pearl – she playfully challenges our perception and creates evocative jewellery that feels like an impression of a classic or once treasured jewel. Rachel is also focused on creating timeless pieces, to showcase the symbiotic relationship of coloured gold and gemstones. She creates highly crafted jewellery using both traditional goldsmithing skills, of alloying her own golds in-house, and new technologies. Taken together, their work is a dazzling representation of jewellery’s timeless allure and symbolic resonance.
Romilly Saumarez Smith
Romilly Saumarez Smith
Laura Ngyou