Snowfall

Snow petal & diamond loop earrings
silver with labradorite clusters
£200

Blossom Bud Cluster Neckpiece
Oxidisedsilver & 18ct gold
£3600

It sounds like the snow is falling everywhere but here!! I'm sure it is on it's way though! My toes are like icicles sitting here in the studio!
So, since it's all about the snow and the Open Studios drawing near (one week in fact!), I thought I'd refresh the old blog with some snow petal and bud type jewels. Take a look down the right hand side. Maybe you'll find some christmas present ideas! If so, then do get in touch or visit me next weekend here at the studio to see the treasures in their true beauty! The other advantage is, you can try them on! That's if the christmas shopping you're doing is really for you! :)

I've been working on restocking the galleries recently. One in particular is Mobilia Gallery. Based in Boston, the lovely gallery owners, Libby & JoAnne Cooper have promoted my work ever since I left college in 2002. Above are just two of the ten pieces I have just sent them.

With the Coburg Christmas Open Studio Event just one week away, I better get back to making! I'm hoping to post up a few preview images of some of the jewellery that will be on show. So keep your eyes on this space!

Hope you have a great weekend!
D x

"Ready Steady Jewel" The Auction

So, I have I know been a little lame lately. The last few months have been a bit of a whirlwind! Just as the dust is settling after Origin, it's Christmas stocking time! You can see where I'll be exhibiting and supplying just down on the right hand side there.

Now that the "Ready Steady Jewellers" (as mentioned in an earlier post 'Ready Steady Jewel') have designed and made their pieces, the work is now on show in the window of Hamilton & Inches, George St, Edinburgh. Go and take a peak at the gorgeous jewels that will go on auction this Saturday evening at the 'Out of the Blue Studios' Drill Hall.
For more info on the auction, check out

www.hamiltonandinches.comwww.preciousmetalsworkshop.com

You can see my earrings up for auction here

Hope to see you there!
D x

Origin

Oval leaf cluster earrings
silver & garnet clusters
£410

Double floral wing earrings
silver
£95

Double floral wing necklace
silver & rhodochrosites
£180

With Origin not far away (just a week and a half in fact!) I have the fear! So much to do in a week!
I am making two large neckpieces just now. I am only half way through both and feel I may have forced too much pressure upon myself!! I feel some very late nights ahead this week!
One of the necklaces will be similar to that of the 'Blooming Summer Flower' Neckpiece which was sold at Dazzle and is shown in a previous post 'Summer Flowers'. The other will be a 'Snowbud cluster' type including icy white moonstones and blue iolites, again with a hand made, off square/diamond shape chain. I guess it is a kind of winter version of 'Blooming Summer Flower' Necklace!

If you're around and about the trendy area of Spitalfields Market, London from 23rd - 29th September, come and take a gander. I have a feeling there is going to be a lot of talent there!

http://www.originuk.org/

If you would like to come and visit me I will be on stand L11 with Miss Hannah Louise Lamb!

Looking forward to seeing you there!
In the meantime, here are a few pieces I've been working on. There will be much more to see, but whether or not I will have time to upload more before Origin, we'll have to see. You might just have to come and see it in the flesh :)

D x

Close ups

Here are some close ups of the large fusion experiments! You can see the patterns and textures that the technique creates.
It seems blogger is having a few problems loading images just now so I will have to leave the rest until another time.

Have a good weekend! x

"Ready Steady Jewel"

Such a busy busy month August has been! I have been meaning to post everyday for the last month without success! And so here I am finally with some news on what's been happening this month! Where do I begin?!..................

"Ready Steady Jewel"I have been invited to take part in this very exciting charity event! 12 jewellers will be taking part in a kind of "Ready Steady Cook" event only it involves making a piece of jewellery! Ian Nicholson, jeweller/silversmith and ex coburger is the man behind it so to speak! He will be gathering the jewellers together at his studio where we will be given 8 hours to make a piece of jewellery from a design brief. All twelve pieces will be exhibited in Hamilton & Inches (George St, Edinburgh) for 10 days following an auction at Out of the Blue Studios with the proceeds going to charity.
I will of course keep you posted with dates etc. There is some talk of it maybe being televised! Will let you know if this is going to happen. Very exciting, although a little scary! It is probably time for a wee challenge! :)

"DAZZLE"
Once again DAZZLE is on at The Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh. Unfortunately there are only a few days left, so best get on down there to make some last minute purchases! Don't worry, not all the best things have gone! The makers are constantly sending in new stock as they sell, and exciting one off pieces. I will be there tonight and Sunday night and will be happy to help you :)
My jeweller friend and coburger Miss Karen McMillan sold my big 'Blooming Summer Flower' Neckpiece (image in last post below) there last week which I was very excited about! Thanks Kazza! I was determined to have a few celebration drinks after my shift at Dazzle and suffered the next day for it!! It was worth it though :)

Rio Magazine
This was e mailed to me a couple of weeks ago. It's the August edition of the New Rio Magazine with one of my rings in the 'Ring Power' article. But most importantly, in a different article there is a wee picture of the original Coburg Studio pooch, Daisy Soo modeling one of my most expensive neckpieces!! I took this picture quite a few years ago one day in the studio, when our friend and ex Coburgie, Rebecca Faulding-Middleton left myself and Kaz to look after Daisy! :)
It does say that I am the owner, wish she was, but unfortunately she is not.

And Finally.....The Coburg Open studio weekend went well a couple of weeks ago! Myself and Kaz weren't able to be there for the Friday or Saturday as we headed off down to North Wales (my home land) for a friend's wedding. My lovely friends Jackie and Hannah were at the studio though and managed to land me some sales. Thanks girls! x x

Above is an image of my experimental silverware from my post graduate course seven years ago. These are the two biggest and most challenging pieces I made amongst other small dishes, napkin rings etc. I wanted to bring my personalized technique of fusion onto a larger scale. I thought it would be nice to dig them out, spruce them up and display them in this beautiful frame that I bought from the Scottish gallery sale. Standing out on the wall they seemed to attract a lot of attention at the open weekend!

And so August turns into September and there is no sign of slowing the pace down! Origin is just three and a half weeks away with many late nights ahead! Hopefully it will all be worth it! :)

I will be posting some new works for Origin as I go, so keep your eye on this blog!

D x

Summer Flowers

Donna Barry 'Craft at Coburg' Exhibition
Coburg House Gallery

'Vintage Mirror' Cluster drop earrings
Silver, Smokey Quartz & Labradorites
£195
SOLD

'Blooming Summer Flower' Neckpiece
Silver, Labradorites & Citrines
SOLD

'Summer Flower' Necklace
Silver, 18ct gold & Golden Obsidians
£345
SOLD

What a great summer we've had so far! Since the Craft at Coburg exhibiton last month, things have been pretty hectic between working on upcoming exhibitions and sipping the odd pear cider or fruit beer in the sun!

The 'Craft at Coburg' Exhibition went very well indeed with the opening night bringing in crowds of people. The hustle and bustle may have prevented many from seeing everything, however sales throughout the exhibition proved that people returned to have another look with a view to buying.
Above are a few images of the jewellery I made especially for this exhibiton and my display as a whole in the gallery itself. I wanted each piece to look special and to sit together as a group like a work of art. Displaying them in frames this way, I think I achieved just that.
Hopefully this will be the first of many Craft at Coburgs!

Just now I 'm working on a number of exhibitons including our summer Open Studio weekend (see Forthcoming exhibitions on right hand side) and trying to restock some of my outlets.
All is going to plan.....so far!
Dx

p.s
I don't think I have mentioned that Coburg House Studios has a new website! Click here to view it! Information on the Open Studios is there!

Some restocking

Snowbud cluster pin, silver & labradorites £110

A-symmetric Snow bud Necklace, silver & labradorites £240
SOLD

I sent off some new work to one of my stockists today. The lovely Saltbox gallery in Helmsley have been selling and promoting my work for the past 4 or 5 years. Here's a taste of what will be on sale there as from this weekend!

Remember if you like any pieces on here, I can take commissions and make to order!

Donna x