The Blank Canvas
It’s all about colour and the freedom to create pattern and use my own colour palette. For me Anodised Aluminium is a blank canvas.
- Ready to absorb decoration, colour and texture, whatever I have in mind.
- Ready to form into highly dimensional shapes.
- Ready for a contemporary approach to design
A Contrary metal
Working in Anodised Aluminium is incredibly challenging. It's properties are very different to precious metals, over the years I have adapted my Silversmithing skills and developed a particular style of working in order to use it successfully.
Creating the colours
I hand paint a small smaple of pre-anodised aluminium sheet, fix the colour permanently then consider if texture will enhance the original slightly polished surface or not.
The Colour Selection process
Choosing the right pattern/colour to use for a design is time consuming and it can be a more challenging part of the making process, than the fabrication. This is because I have to consider;
- Will a colour combination or pattern may be distraction or be complimentary in the three dimension.
- How will light or movement affect the colours
When I have an idea for a jewellery design I'll loosely form the dimension and style in my mind then look through all the painted samples of Aluminium sheet I have created. Over many years I have accumulated many one-off jand painted samples of metals waiting to be selected for just the right project, and I also hand paint alumnium specifically for individual projects too. No finished painted piece is too small to keep just in case it has a special place on the next project
Contemporary touches
I like to add a precious and contemporary metal components to my jewellery too, if appropriate to the design.
The 'Autumn" long necklace shown above has been made of a combintion of Anodised Aluminium and Sterling Silver snake chain.
Autumn Necklace is available by comission - you choose the colour pallette.
Price £125.00 / Free postage UK only (Paypal)
Delivery time 10 days.
Email me to order: dawnstorm@blueyonder.co.uk
Author: Dawn Meaden-Johnson