While researching for my current project ‘The Catwalk Project’ I started looking at the use of paper in fashion. I love paper, love that it comes on all different shapes and sizes, different textures and colours, different patterns and different types from parchment to tissue, handmade to cartridge, just a whole world of possibilities with it. I love making handmade paper, you can use so many different materials with the pulp to create something different every time. Also love the different things you can make with paper especially origami, iris folding, tea bag folding and quilling.

Naturally with my chosen discipline being Jewellery I started to look at Jeweller’s who use this medium to make precious works of art. Jewellery does not have to be made from a precious material to be precious. This project has really encouraged us to look beyond metal and look at other materials to be used and what better environmentally friendly medium than paper. And it can constantly be recycled to be made in to another sheet of interesting paper. 

When conducting my research I came across a few jewellery designers who use paper in their work which I really liked.

The first person that sprung to mind was Ulrike Hamm. I first came across her work in Inhorgenta, Jewellery Trade Fair in Munich last year. I loved it immediately. Here is some of her work:

She develops three-dimensional forms from the flat surface of Parchment. She explores and experiments how the material responds to heat, cold, moisture and acidity and tests different dyeing and printing on it. She starts by dyeing pre cut shapes in a colour bath, and whilst the parchment is still elastic she shapes the piece into an item of jewellery.

The parchment shrinks whilst drying and this allows the piece to shape itself. She plays with this process by partly allowing it to take its shape and interfering by creating her own shapes and this allows for many different possibilities. I love her work and even got to try some pieces on whilst at Inhorgenta.

I also came across Francesca Vitali:

Her artist statement:

” I began my journey in the jewellery design industry after having already started a career as a chemist. In my vision, art and chemistry have found an intersection point in the alchemy of paper jewellery. In ancient times, alchemists have been ambitiously trying to convert common matter into gold. Sharing this grand inspiration, I strive to transform paper, a humble and ordinary material, into precious objects of original and modern design.”

I love her work and is a very exciting use of origami in jewellery. Will keep looking around and if I see any other interesting Paper Jewellers will be sure to include them in a little blog post.