Cheeky preview...

[The Justified Sinner]

The students on my new BA (Hons) Jewellery Design and Technology all set up their shows yesterday and it was being assessed today by the external examiner. This is the first year we've offered the BA programme and I was very nervous about it; it was also very, very tiring.

Overall, the show looks great. I'm very pleased with what the students have done, and I am absolutely delighted with the way that a couple of them have pleasantly surprised us with their work. Because the students don't yet have their results - and won't have until after tomorrow's marathon exam-board meeting - I can't show you any photographs of their shows, but I can show you these pictures of some of my favourite pieces which they have produced over the year!

The degree is quite unique in that we are offering a programme which specialises in the production of "fine" jewellery using new technologies...

 

We can start off with my favourite piece by any of the students in the whole year:

 

 

 

This ring was made by fellow Crafthaus member, Iain Baird and is not wholly typical of his usual work. It was made using and SLA system to create a model which was then cast by direct burnout. 

 

Louise McNeely created this fantastic ring by milling out wax models directly from a block of wax, casting it in gold and then setting it with black diamonds:

 

 

Ishbel Watson used the same techniques to make a whole series of pieces based on optical illusions, highly successfully, I think:

 

 

 

And Nadia Baptie produced this ring using the SLA/direct burnout process:

 

The central stone has come out very dark in this photograph, but is actually a very strong blue tanzanite.

 

I'll post more photographs on Friday when the show opens to the public.