Studio Notes #1
From my first weeks back in Europe, with my thoughts turning to colour and enamel.
In a world that often feels unsteady, I turn to my work with jewellery as a way of finding hope. Creativity anchors me in the present moment, reminding me that even in times of grief and uncertainty, there is still beauty to be made. To create is to lay my hands and my heart on the generative possibilities of life, to trust in transformation. This act of making increases my capacity to love the world as it is, while also calling forth the ingenuity to sustain that love across a lifetime.
Below, in photos, some ideas I’ve been working on, and some of my recent inspiration.
My mum asked me to make her an enamel pendant with some of her inherited stones from her own mum. It got me thinking about how playful we can be with colour, and how fine jewellery doesn’t need to be taken so seriously.
Some details in Istanbul that got me thinking about patterns for enameling.
Some painting on a wall in Jaipur I saw in 2019 that I think would make a lovely pattern on a ring.
Alba’s first trip to Istanbul
My love for Istanbul never diminishes.
Opening this new chapter of creation from Madrid, I feel myself returning to the mindset that first sparked Cleopatra’s Bling. There is a freedom in being playful again, letting curiosity lead, experimenting with colour, and allowing enamel to bring lightness and joy into the work. It feels like circling back to the beginning, but with the experience and perspective of all the years in between.