A British glassmaker has launched a new collection of jewellery.
‘Colourscape Pebble’ designed and made by Kim Bramley is a combination of her new flat glass pebble beads threaded onto waxed linen thread to make colourful and natural-looking necklaces.
“I make the beads by cutting, drilling and grinding small pieces of sheet glass and then firing these in the kiln to soften and smooth the edges,” explains Kim, who lives in Staffordshire. “The shapes are irregular and organic. They remind me of flat pebbles and the feeling of finding treasure when you find a pebble on the beach that has a pleasing shape and a hole through it. The one you put in your pocket to take home.”
Colour has always been an important part of Kim’s work, so it is no surprise that she has ended up working with glass, as this is a medium that intensifies colour combinations. The first pieces in this ‘Pebble' collection are 'Colourscape Pebble’ necklaces. These are made by threading together around 24 kiln-formed beads that create a colourscape in the round.
“I wore one last weekend to try it out and realised that because the colours change from one side of the round to the other quite dramatically, I can choose which colours to wear at the front of the necklace, making it a really versatile piece of jewellery, something that can be combined with different outfits simply by turning it around the neck.
“I always love designing pieces for a new collection, whether jewellery, bowls, plates or panels. I particularly like producing the latest items I have designed, as in the process of making I often find new ways to refine the design or new products that stem from the one original idea. Saying that, some days I am actually very happy not to have to decide anything in the making process other than that I will make the production pieces as consistently well-crafted as I can.
Before now the pieces Kim has made have been multi-fused and carefully cold-worked pendants, brooches and cufflinks. These have been made by fusing thin sheets of coloured glass into layers that have then been sawn through and drilled and re-layered and fired again in the kiln, sometimes twice or three times. Then sawn, ground and polished on a diamond flat bed grinder before going into the kiln again for a fire polish. They have silver fixings to complete them. These are intricate in pattern design. “No doubt my printed textile training has influenced the creation of this collection. They remind me a little of bright, vibrant sweets - like liquorice Allsorts - hence the name ‘Intricate Allsorts’. The glass cufflinks have proved to be very popular.”
www.kimbramley.co.uk.
