Julie Mellor - "Come wander with me" Makers Showcase


Cheshire jeweller Julie Mellor’s latest collection invites us to slow down and join an imaginary autumnal walk in our favourite parts of the countryside; from coast to woodland. The small objects found and pocketed along the way provide an intimacy, as a tangible piece of a larger landscape. These could be fragments of shells picked up on the beach, the perfect twig from trees like oak and birch, or seeds from a pinecone or stolen cherry.

 

These gathered objects are then transformed into metal; often as a direct cast from nature, which burns away the original organic material so that each piece created is completely unique. With a sensitivity to the nature of her materials, Julie combines metal finishes and patination to draw attention to the variety of textures, highlighting their natural forms. 

 

Julie is a hands-on designer/maker, completing all stages of the process herself; from foraging the objects to carefully attaching the delicate wax sprues in order to create each one-off casting mould in a kiln overnight, ready to eventually pour in the molten metal in this ancient, elemental process. She then uses her jeweller’s skills to transform the metal objects into wearable pieces, choosing analogue tools where possible to allow for meditative and responsive making of these precious objects, giving their natural, living origin the respect they deserve.

“The pace of walking matches your thinking, let your eyes adjust, from the sky
and horizon down towards your feet.” - Julie Mellor

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