Two bags, birch plywood & felted wool
Pink bag, birch plywood & felted wool
Pink bag detail, plywood & felted wool
Jane Cummins
Elaine Cox studied at St. Martins School of Art (1981-85); she is a painter and jeweller whose work is inspired by landscape. Elaine has been awarded two Grants for the Arts Awards by the Arts Council England (2010 & 2007) and the Travel Grant Award by the Association for Contemporary Jewellery (2007)
Elaine has outlets in the UK and internationally, notably in the Lesley Craze Gallery in London and Alternatives Gallery in Rome, whilst having exhibited at the V&A Museum (1999), through Dazzle in Manchester, Glasgow & London (2006-08), and at Goldsmiths’’ Fair in Goldsmiths’ Hall in London (2007-09).
Elaine is a Crafts Council ‘Selected Maker’ and is included in the Goldsmiths’ Company’s directory of makers. Her work been featured in publications such as ‘Jewellery Making’ by Jinks McGrath (2007) and ‘Adorn: New Jewellery’ by Amanda Mansell (2008).
Each hand-crafted piece of jewellery is the result of an experimental and intuitive use of textures, colours and materials within a carefully considered form. Elaine’s work has a sculptural quality and resonates with her feelings about the land.
The principal materials are silver and 18ct gold, used on their own and with precious and semi-precious stones and minerals. Rough stones encrusted with dirt or salt or 'poor', humble materials are often used. When precious stones are included they are usually unpolished and uncut, challenging the traditional 'preciousness' of jewellery whilst celebrating the natural surfaces of the land. Diamonds, rubies, sapphires, calcite, galena and haematite are all used in a raw, crushed or un-polished state, evoking industry, farming and geology.
I have always had an interest in textiles, starting with patchwork and quilting, and moving on to machine embroidery. I found that I liked mixed media and began looking at ways to combine materials; this coincided with my decision to do a degree course. During that time I developed a passion for feltmaking and working with wood; having tried other materials combined together, this pairing gave me the result I wanted.
My fascination with felt is in the making process – in how the fibres mat together and how the process can be used not only to produce a fabric but can also be manipulated into shape. This manipulation allows me to make seamless bags. I am also able to manipulate birch plywood to form a shape, by laminating it around a mould. By combining the two materials, I create a tactile, sensual experience contrasting the smoothness of the wood with the softness of the felt.
Jane Cummins, 2008