Honeysuckle Pendant



Honeysuckle pendant in decorated box

 

My Honeysuckle pendant had a great debut this summer at Celebration of Craftsmanship and Design in Cheltenham. The stunning pendant is created from a drop shaped Amethyst some of you may have seen on my Instagram earlier in the year. The Amethyst is accompanied by flourishes of silver and 9 carat gold set with round diamonds.

The Honeysuckle pendant is currently on display at my gallery in Wedmore, along with its hand painted presentation box, waiting to be purchased as the perfect Christmas present.

To find more information about my gallery and my other stock pieces in time for Christmas visit my website ericasharpe.co.uk 
 

 

 

"Honeysuckle blossoms unfurl

beneath a passion pink

wild rosy hued daybreak sky"

 

 - Harlon Rivers 

 

 

 

 

 

Visit Erica's Website: www.ericasharpe.co.uk

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Engagment Rings

2015 is fast approaching, January is only two months away and as the New Year is such a popular time to 'pop the question', now is the time to start the process to create the perfect engagement ring.

 

My website ericasharpe.co.uk has a number of unique engagement rings include the Wedmore ring which was featured in my blogpost, 'She said 'Yes' - Making a Surprise Engagement Ring' which you can read here.


The Wedmore Ring

Along with creating rings for my gallery I also specialise in creating bespoke rings so that you can have your ideal engagement ring. You can find an example of this in my blog post 'Making a Bespoke Engagement Ring' which you can read here.

Bespoke engagement ring design

For more picture of bespoke engagement rings you can read my first 'Engagement Rings' blog post here.

Because hand crafting one-off pieces takes time, it is worth making enquiries sooner rather than later. For further information on lead-time please contact us at the gallery.
 





Visit Erica's Website: www.ericasharpe.co.uk

Follow Erica on Twitter: twitter.com/ericasharpe

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'Desire' at Winchester

My blue Stella ring front and centre of the Desire leaflet

This year I am excited to be exhibiting my jewellery at Desire, Winchester. For anyone who doesn't know what Desire is, it is a jewellery and silversmith exhibition that showcases some of the countries finest designers and jewellers, all the information about the event is at the bottom of this post and you want any further details you can find them at desirefair.com .



I am hoping to have a few pieces from my Hare collection ready for the exhibition

 

Here is what Craft in Focus say you can expect from the show: 

 

"Desire has become firmly established as the “must visit” event for its stunning collection and unrivalled choice of contemporary jewellery and stylish silverware. 

The fairs present highly talented exhibitors who have been selected for their superb and innovative craftsmanship and have a genuine passion for the work they create. 
See and purchase from an exciting range from both emerging British talent as well as more established designer makers. 

Visitors to Desire have often commented on how they welcome the opportunity of discussing a purchase direct with the maker, and listening to what inspires them in their work, rather than simply purchasing mass produced work from an in store display.  Discussion with the makers will reveal that each piece is the result of an exciting mix of inspiration, discovery and creative talent, which will give an understanding that every piece has its own unique story.
Commissioning special items is also welcomed from many of the exhibitors, allowing you to purchase something that is truly unique and special to you, and sometimes offers an opportunity to be involved in the creative process. 

Desire offers a huge variety of stylish, unusual and original designs to suit all tastes and across a wide price range, from just a few pounds, to many thousands! Items are available in many different media; not just gold, silver or platinum, but acrylic, paper, glass, aluminium, copper and more…  Visit to see the latest trends, what’s hot, fresh ideas, inspiration and quirky statement pieces from a range of designers who are not afraid to push the boundaries of what is expected, as well as more classic and conservative styles that will not date." - Desirefair.com




My blue Stella ring will be displayed along with my Stella collection




Address:
Winchester
Guildhall
SO23 9GH

Date:
7 - 9 November 2014

Time:
12.30pm - 7.30pm Friday
10.00am - 5.00pm Saturday & Sunday

Price:
Admission £4


I look forward to seeing everyone there!




Visit Erica's Website: www.ericasharpe.co.uk

Follow Erica on Twitter: twitter.com/ericasharpe

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Jewel Street Fine Designer Award

I am delighted to be presented with the much coveted Fine Designer Award 2014 from Jewel Street, the online marketplace where I display my jewellery.

 

This award is 1 of 6 awards selected not by the site themselves, but by the customers who visit it. With 250 jewellery ‘boutiques’ to choose from, showcasing over 12,000 items(!), My designs from my Swan, Kerensa and Stella collections must have stood out for the 90,000 monthly visitors.

 

 

 

For more information about my Jewel Street 'boutique' please visit: http://www.jewelstreet.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=Erica+Sharpe

 

 

 

Visit Erica's Website: www.ericasharpe.co.uk

Follow Erica on Twitter: twitter.com/ericasharpe

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Midnight Pendant

Midnight pendant - platinum, diamond and tanzanite

 
The beautiful tanzanite is at the base of the ‘midnight’ pendant. I have set it in platinum with two round diamonds and wanted to keep a simplicity to the design to show of the stones. I gave a soft satin finish to the platinum which reminds me of a still warm evening and the feathers of a barn owl!

Tanzanite was discovered in 1967 near Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, and is a form of blue / purple zoisite. It was named Tanzanite by Tiffany & Co after its country of origin. It is a fascinating gemstone as it is trichroic (displays three different colours depending on which angle the crystal is viewed in) and its colour often varies depending on the lighting it is viewed in. The most valuable tanzanite is a deep velvety purple colour, and It can be prone to being fragile, so a pendant is an ideal way of wearing it: rings can be more vulnerable and have to be worn with care.

 

Midnight pendant in its hand painted display box

The night was clear and frosty, all ebony of shadow and silver of snowy slope; big stars were shining over the silent fields; here and there the dark pointed firs stood up with snow powdering their branches and the wind whistling through them.

~L.M. Montgomery, Anne of the Green Gables.

Visit Erica's Website: www.ericasharpe.co.uk

Follow Erica on Twitter: twitter.com/ericasharpe

Find Erica on Facebook: facebook.com/erica.sharpe.96

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Engagment Rings

With Christmas and the new year being a popular time to 'pop the question', now is the time to start the process to create the perfect engagement ring.

 

I have a selection of unique engagement rings that can be viewed on my website ericasharpe.co.uk and in my gallery in Wedmore, some examples of which are...

 

The Sakura ring with Aquamarine 

18 carat yellow gold 4mm band ring set with a central 5mm round aquamarine.

 

 

The Swan Ring

 

18 carat white gold or platinum ring set with a central stone of your own choosing, this one is a marquise diamond.

 

 

The Wedmore Ring



9 or 18 carat gold ring that can be made in yellow, white and rose gold or a combination of two colours, this ring is 18 carat rose gold.

 



A popular choice for an engagement ring, I made a blog post about a surprise proposal featuring the Wedmore Ring: 'She Said Yes!'.

 

Along with creating rings for the gallery, I also specialise in a bespoke service to create the perfect individual engagement rings. The pictures below are some of the bespoke rings that I have created in previous commissions.

 

 

 

If you want to know more about the process of making the rings, visit my blog post: Making a Bespoke Engagement Ring.

Because hand crafting one-off pieces takes time, it is worth making enquiries sooner rather than later. For further information on lead-time please contact us at the gallery.

Visit Erica's Website: www.ericasharpe.co.uk

Follow Erica on Twitter: twitter.com/ericasharpe

Find Erica on Facebook: facebook.com/erica.sharpe.96

Follow Erica on Instagram: instagram.com/ericasharpefinejewellery

 

Hare Bangle



On the first day of its first exhibition, my Searching for You hare bangle proudly wore its red 'sold' dot. It was my first piece to be sold at Celebration of Craftsmanship and Design 2014 and as it was unveiled only minutes before its sale, I would count that a successful first showing for the collection.
 

After its success at C.C.D., the Hare bangle has attracted a lot of interest. The 

bangle itself is created from reclaimed silver with 18ct yellow gold hares' heads at either end of the piece.

 

At Art in Action this year I was lucky enough to meet fellow artist Jackie Morris, whose beautiful words and illustrations in her book 'The Song of the Golden Hare' resonated hugely with my new collection. After meeting her and explaining about the collection, Jackie has very kindly agreed to let me accompany the display of my hare bangle with some words from her book.

“Now the children, brave and still,
began to sing. At first only his sister,
a high wild note, free as a lark. Then the boy,
joining his voice for the first time with hers,
weaving and winding the hares’ speed
and the twilight dancing with the threaded
memory of the hare’s music, and fear and love and beauty.
They sang until their song brought the hounds
to a halt and the huntsman to his knees.”

“As the hare’s song ended
there was a texture to
the silence held in every leaf
of every tree
in the wild wood."

Excerpts from 'The Song of the Hare' by Jackie Morris

To find out about the inspiration behind the bangle visit my previous blog post about the research behind my newest collection, Searching for You.

Hare Bangle in decorated box - pencil drawings

Along with the bangles, I am currently creating the Hare necklace. The necklaces will show the whole animal in a classic running pose, racing around a cable necklet. Starting life as a wax carving, the basic hare shape is formed...

The original wax carving for the Hare pendant

Then it is cast in silver and I do further work to ensure it is as I want it to be...

Rough silver version - lots more work to do!

Finally it is ready!

 

The finished silver hare on a cable necklet

On a leather cord







Visit Erica's Website: www.ericasharpe.co.uk

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A Look Back to the Summer

The Edge of the World

This summer has marked the completion of my collaboration with British composer Richard Nye. We have worked together to create a multimedia work based on the mining area of Levant, Cornwall. Our aims were to capture something of the unique atmosphere, history, landscape and heritage of the site that we are drawn to. The event 'Mineral to Metal' was held by the National Trust at the mine in August, to show the complete process of taking tin ore, smelting the metal and creating jewellery from it. Richards's new musical composition was showcased for the first time with visuals created by me, illustrating the score in paintings sculpture and jewellery.

The Mine Beneath the Sea

Art in Action

 

This summer I was helping run the 'Nature of Seeing' art workshops by artist and good friend Cliff Wright. Over the last six years, Cliff's approach to drawing has helped form and develop my work. It was a wonderful event, with inspiration all around, including talks by Andrew Marr and performances by Emma Kirkby. 

Nature of Seeing Courses by Artist Cliff Wright http://cliffwright.co.uk
 

Art in Action, Art in Nature, the work of Neil Mason http://www.neilrmason.com

Art in Action War Artist Douglas Farthing demonstrates his atmospheric painting  http://www.douglasfarthingart.co.uk

 

Art in Action also provided the opportunity for me to meet the well known artist Jackie Morris, who very kindly signed a copy of her book - 'The Song of the Golden Hare' - for me. Her beautiful illustrations, in this book in particular, have resonances with my latest collection 'Searching for You', and I have been very fortunate in getting permission from Jackie to use some of the words from the book, along with the Hare jewellery, in my hand painted presentation boxes.

 

Artist and Author Jackie Morris, at Art in Action  http://www.jackiemorris.co.uk/blog/
 

Celebration of Craftsmanship and Design

This years Celebration of Craftsmanship and Design in Cheltenham was the debut of my new 'Searching for You' hare bangle. The bangle did very well and I managed to sell one of them at the private view on the first day of the exhibition! The rest of the exhibition was a great success with good sales and subsequent commissions.



Searching for You - Hare bangle

 


Midnight - Pendant

 


Peacock Spirit - Ring

 



Atlantic Sunset - Beaded necklace



 



Honeysuckle - Pendant

 

 

 

 

 

 

Visit Erica's Website: www.ericasharpe.co.uk

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Somerset Open Studios

Somerset Art Weeks Open Studios 2014

20th September - 4th October
Venue 203, 8 Borough Mall, Wedmore, Somerset, BS28 4EB

As we near the end of September, this years Somerset Art Weeks Open Studios is fast approaching. 

You will by now have already seen my previous blog posts about the new pieces of jewellery I have been busy creating leading up to the event, the Beaded Swan necklaces and the 'Searching for You' hare collection. 

The first piece of my hare collection was unveiled at Celebration of Craftsmanship and Design in Cheltenham earlier this summer but for the Beaded Swan necklaces, Somerset Open Studios is the very first time you will be able to view, and also buy, them.

Swan necklace with tapered cultured freshwater pearls

Throughout the two week event I will be opening my workshop to the public to show visitors how I design, create and restore fine jewellery. 

Also, I am running an offer in my gallery for the whole of Somerset Art Weeks Open Studios:

10% OFF ALL STOCK ITEMS DURING THE EVENT!

This means that the price of all stock items in my gallery, even brand new pieces such as the beaded necklace below, will be reduced by 10% for two whole weeks!

Beaded necklace with cultured freshwater pearls and handmade silver beads

To find out more about Open Studios please visit: http://www.somersetartworks.org.uk

To find out more about my involvement in Open Studios and gallery information please visit: http://www.somersetartworks.org.uk/node/4722

Visit Erica's Website: www.ericasharpe.co.uk

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Beaded Swan Necklaces

New for Somerset Art Weeks Open Studios!

An exciting addition to the Swan Collection, Beaded Swan Necklaces.

Beaded Swan Necklaces are a petite version of my silver Swan necklace that has been in my collection since the 'Swans of Wells' event in 2012. The necklaces have become so popular that I am still selling them, despite the event ending 2 years ago!

Each necklace is crafted in recycled silver with precious gemstones. The necklace pictured below has been created with a silver Swan and cultured fresh water pearls dyed pink and bronze, it is hanging on a 28 inch chain.

The retail price of each necklace is £78 including the chain, but they are also being sold as plain silver Swans and can be bought for £68! 

The necklaces come in a variety of colours and lengths so you can wear them on a long chain for a subtle hint of glamour or on a short chain as a statement piece. 

Silver Swan with turquoise and amazonite

Silver Swan with cultured fresh water pearls dyed pink and bronze

Silver Swan with cultured fresh water pearls dyed pink and grey

Somerset Art Weeks Open Studios begins on 20th of September and runs until the 4th of October 2014. I will be demonstrating my work at my gallery in Wedmore for the whole of these two weeks!

I hope to see you there!

To find out more about Somerset Art Weeks visit: www.somersetartworks.org.uk

Visit Erica's Website: www.ericasharpe.co.uk

Follow Erica on Twitter: twitter.com/ericasharpe

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