I work with silver, semi-precious stones, copper, bronze, brass, and occasionally textiles, to create sculptural jewellery pieces. Silhouetted images of natural objects suggest to me shadows and moments frozen in time. My inspiration comes from the idea of transition and change, no matter how minute. The outline of a tree in silver, with a stone to represent the sun or moon, is a scene we may view in the natural world as unchanging, but nothing is static; the tree is always growing, the sun and moon always in motion. Silhouetted animal imagery highlights how the existence of the living things we may take for granted can also be fleeting. I like to incorporate unexpected elements in my designs: a bird hidden in the trees, a nest behind bulrushes. The idea of jewellery as sculpture and the use of simpler organic forms inspire my designs. Kinetic components add an element of play to some of my jewellery. I incorporate semi-precious stones to take advantage of the changeable quality of light, as it can so easily alter and shift our perception of colour. I want my jewellery pieces to invite conversation and reflection on our place in the world. Making pieces that are one of a kind, as well as developing a line of jewellery suitable for production work are my present creative focuses.
Susan Lee Stephen
www.SusanLeeStudios.comSusan Lee Stephen
