The new studio in 'The Coburg Loft'

 
After a busy week of moving studio and then another busy week of relaxing in the Spanish sun, today I spent my first full day working in my new studio. I have actually started making some jewellery for what's coming up next. I can't quite believe I have time to make! Of course myself and Kaz are still sharing a studio and we are still at Coburg House Studios. You will just have to climb an extra few steps to find us in the 'Coburg Loft', the new top floor. We are situated right at the top of the stairs, so you just can't miss us! I will be reminding you all just before the Open Studios.

These photos were taken without any lights on. As it is quite bright, I forgot to switch them on!

Info on our 10 Year exhibition will be up next. Save the date, 6th July for one night only, Kaz and I will be showing old and new work.

I shall go now and work away in the studio and let my freckles fade away again. No, I don't have the holiday blues at all!

It's time to make jewellery!

donnabarry.com

At long last, the new website has been launched! Check it out!
http://www.donnabarry.com

I'll still be keeping you up to date with what I've been up to here, so keep following!

Donna x

A valuable visit to Hatton Garden

Well it's about time I blogged again and after ten years in the jewellery business it's about time I learnt about stone setting. With vague memories at college of how some basic stone settings are done, I thought it was time I got myself some tuition. With funding from the Edinburgh Craft Makers Awards it became possible and there are no excuses now!
Last week I headed on down to the big smoke and spent two full days at The London Jewellery School based in the jewellery quarter, Hatton Garden. It was an experience being back in a class where I was being taught at the bench. It made a nice change! Our tutor was the lovely Zoe Harding who brought the eight of us through each step of three different stone settings, cabachon/rubover, tube and gypsy. See some images above of the cabachon and tube settings. Please ignore the designs themselves. This course was, for me, purely to learn how to set and not to waste valuable time at the school trying to make it fit with my own work. That is the plan now of course and once my new website has been launched (very soon), I will be playing at the bench with my new skills. Lots of practice maybe involved though! Looking forward to showing you some new pieces in the near future.

Summer Flowers

 'Summer Flower' Necklace

Silver, 18ct gold & labradorites

Slowly saying goodbye to the lovely daffodils and saying hello to the beginning of Summer! This 'Summer Flower' Necklace is making it's way to Equinox in Hampshire as we speak! 'The Best of British Contemporary Jewellery' Exhibition opens on the 17th April. If you're in and around Fleet, then do visit!

Goldmiths' Fair 30th Anniversary Exhibition

'Oval Petal' Dish

Silver

2002

I can't believe that amongst all my talk of anniversaries, I forgot to tell you about the Goldsmiths' Fair 30 Years Anniversary Exhibition!
Around 100 jewellers and silversmiths including myself have been asked to participate in this which will be held at the Goldsmiths' Hall sometime next year. These makers have all received a bursary over the years from the Goldsmiths' Company to have a free stand at Goldsmiths' Fair and funding towards materials. We have each been asked to exhibit two pieces of work. One from our very first show and one brand new piece.
My first time showing at Goldsmiths was just a few months after I completed my Postgraduate Diploma back in 2002 (oh how that sounds so long ago!), a time when I was developing my fusing technique on a larger scale. I designed and made a range of silverware including, shallow dishes, a table centrepiece and some napkin rings. Each piece was created from hundreds of oval shapes fused together into patterns and then formed. The piece above is one of my favourite and will be my "First Exhibition" piece. This dish was also commended by the Goldsmiths Craft & Design Council at the Craftsmanship & Design Awards in 2003.
My "New piece" will hopefully be the beginning of a new development within my work. This month, I am pleased to say that I have received some funding from the Craft Maker Awards: Edinburgh, to undertake a course in stone setting to help towards developing and pushing my work in a new direction. The money will also go towards materials to make this special new piece.
I hope to make a piece of jewellery, that shows off a large surface area of fused sheet similar to that of the dish, and incorporate some stone setting, some how, some way!
These ideas may change through the development process, but I will leave it there for now. I will of course keep you up to date with how it's all going and how I get on at the course next month, which I am very excited about!
The "new piece" has to be finshed by the Autumn, so you won't have to wait too long to see the end product.

Ah, sorry that was a bit lengthy!

I'm off now to enjoy a pint in the sun! :-)

Anniversaries

This year seems to be a year of anniversary celebrations! It being my own 10th year in business, I thought going to the Goldsmiths' Fair 30th Anniversary party last Thursday evening could be an excuse for a little personal celebration of my own. The champagne was flowing and our wee clan from up here in the North took full advantage :-) The Hall was filled with beautiful scented flowers and of course all the Jewellers and Silversmiths! It was a treat bumping into makers I have met at the Fair in the past.
A trip was made to Hatton Garden the next day for some stone shopping. It really did take our minds of our slight hangovers :-) Shopping for hammers and mandrels too is what we decided was our "Sad fun"!

So, as it is both myself and Kaz Robertson's 10th year in business and sharing a studio at Coburg House Studios, we thought we would mark the occasion with a little gathering here in the Coburg Gallery. There will be some work on display and some vino of course to celebrate! We have booked the evening of the 6th July, so save the date! More details will be revealed nearer the time. Hope you will be able to make it!

It is also my Mum and Michael's 1st Wedding Anniversary in June. I didn't realise we would be gate crashing it when we booked our holiday to join them in Spain! Ooops!

I'm liking all these anniversaries, any excuse for a knees up :-)

Fuzzy February

'Snow bud Cluster' pin

Silver & labradorites

It has been a hectic month both in work and play. We have had enquiries after enquiries about our 'Make Your Own Wedding Ring' service. Something we think may have to do with a 'Don't Tell The Bride' episode last week where the Groom was making wedding rings for himself and his Wife-to-be. It has been a bit crazy to say the least! Keep them bookings coming in though! :)

I haven't been working much at the bench since Christmas, but I have yesterday, just sent off a new group of work to Byard Art Gallery in Cambridge and have also returned to an old stockist of mine, Ferrers Gallery in Leicester. If you're in those areas, go and take a look :)

Applications for this, that and the other has taken up most of my time. More on these later if any of them are successful, but for now I'll zip my lips:)

Oh and just to quickly remind you that there is only one more day to visit the Visual Arts Scotland Annual Exhibition at the RSA Upper Galleries on The Mound. The pin above is currently on show as part of my 'Snow Bud & Floral' collection.

Apart from all this work business, it has been party month to say the least! Birthday parties (including mine) engagements, and general booziness! It's time for a detox!

xx