Emily is a contemporary jeweller exploring shape and form through precious materials. Sensitive use of colour is central to her work and is the backdrop to a minimal, modern aesthetic with areas of intricate detail. Old industrial buildings are particular influences, from tapered chimneys to water towers. Emily has come back to making after a career as an art librarian. Her use of laminate started when she discovered it as samples in the Materials Collection at Central Saint Martins library in 2013.
Working with 100% recycled silver and gold, Emily is known for combining these with colourful laminate. At times she also uses wood, paint, precious stones and Keum Boo to add extra details. Laminate is paper and resin formed under extremely high pressure. Emily uses the brand Formica which you may be used to seeing on table tops and kitchens. It can have quite a mid-century modern feel, has a wonderful matt finish and the colour doesn’t fade.
Emily cuts the wood and laminate to manageable sizes, glues them together with an epoxy glue, leaves them to dry overnight and then hand cuts it into her signature shapes with a jewellers piercing saw. Each piece is then finished by hand. Emily uses traditional jewellery and silversmithing techniques when working with precious metals. It starts as sheet or wire and is rolled, pierced, textured and polished. The findings (ear wires/hooks etc.) are all handmade. Some pieces include inlaid silver or gold into the wood and laminate.