tell us about your background
I am a retired accountant who took up making jewellery as a hobby during my transition from working as a full time professional to full retirement.
I started with wirework, moved to chainmaille, and finally discovered metalwork and was immediately addicted.
tell us about what you create
I make mostly brooches and necklaces featuring quirkly and whimsical birds and animals.
I also do a little Steampunk and Mixed Media pieces.
what made you start making your pieces?
My mother had always collected owls, so that seemed a natural starting point, they are so lovable and not too difficult to translate into metal.
What is your inspiration/influences?
I often get asked by visitors to my market stalls if I make such and such in a brooch. I always say of course, then go home and work it out.
When I am playing with the metal and mixed media re-purposed and found items, these bits usually speak loudest about how they want to be worked.
What materials do you use?
Mostly I use sheet copper and wire sourced locally. Mixed media bits and pieces come from all sorts of places. Second hand shops, Opp Shops, garage sales…just about anywhere.
Because I don’t use solder or glue, everything I make is “cold connected”, that is, lots of rivets, micro nuts, bolts and screws, wire, staples, tabs etc.
tell us about your creative process?
Mostly, I just sit at my workbench and play with things until an piece takes shape. If it’s a new animal or bird, I’ll look at lots of pictures of real life animals. then I try to decide what is the most recognisable feature, e.g. an Owl’s eye’s or a cat’s tail, or an outline, then try to translate this into a two dimensional shape.
why did you choose in.cube8r?
I had heard about in.cube8r from a few other jewellery makers and decided that I liked the concept, and that it suited my work.
I love the format and really enjoy my visits to re-stock and i’ve been here for almost 3 years!
where else can we find you?
I can be found on FaceBook, under Deegan Designs.
I also have a stall at The Substation Artists’ Market, Newport, on the 1st Sunday of each month, and at The Rose Street Artists’ Market on the 3rd Saturday of each month.