FOR the lovers of jewellery, head to Artisan Gallery on Florida Road as a signature range of jewellery has been exclusively designed and styled for this exhibition. Featuring some of KwaZulu-Natal and South Africa’s top silversmiths and jewellers, each piece conveys the individual style and flair of its creator.
And the great thing about the exhibition is that it caters to women and men, whether it’s a feminine piece in silver, something for the guys, or unisex.
The participating artists include Christy-Anne Bestwick, Michelle Stewart, Bianca Ladds, Roisin Mazoue, Yolande Louw, Barbra Rishworth and Leigh Clark.
According to the owner of the gallery, Ingrid Lotter Smith, each of jewellers who already supply Artisan has a distinctive style which makes their work unique.
“Artisan has long been the gallery to go to if you are wanting to buy beautifully designed, handcrafted silver jewellery at reasonable prices. Times change and in order to survive one must change with it. Over the past few years, markets have proliferated and the whole shopping experience with it. We are pleased that many of the jewellers are doing well at these markets; after all, it is creating an awareness and increased market for beautifully handcrafted jewellery. We are hoping to develop this trend further. The gap between jewellery designed and made for markets and designer jewellery has steadily widened, both in price and availability. With this in mind, Artisan Gallery introduces the Artisan Collection,” she adds.
On her designs for the collection, Bestwick shares: “I have always had an eye for pattern and texture and my range at Artisan explores textures and pattern visually and in a tactile sense. I think the Artisan Collection has a lovely variety that shows a great selection of styles within jewellery. Each artist has shown their personal character within their art-work and all have made wonderful collections that are interesting to look at.”
In terms of her creative process, she says her life inspires her: “And also engaging with my environments and what I see and experience around me. But I think creativity has always been a part of me and the way I see/ do things. From loving colouring and painting when I was a child to really enjoying art as a subject at school, it has always been a part of my life. After school, I studied at the DUT in jewellery design and manufacture where I found a new direction for my creativity.”
Bestwick says it all comes down to earning a living from what she makes. “Finding the line between making things that people want and what is selling and still allowing yourself to be creative and represent your own style within your designs is a challenge,” she says.
So what can viewers expect from this showcase? Bestwick says: “When viewing/wearing my jewellery I hope people will have a sense of appreciation for the time and thought that goes into a handmade piece of jewellery and to connect with it in a way that it becomes something special they enjoy interacting with.”
l The exhibition runs at the Artisan Gallery, 344 Florida Rd. For info, call 031 312 4364.