Corrinne Eira Evans

Known for her intricate fine flat chainmail method, Corrinne uses this historic process of forming individual links, in raw coloured precious metals & titanium, linking them in a regular structure to create an elegant metal textile, fluid and tactile to touch.

Taking influences from her travels to Vancouver Island, Canada, B.C, engaging with the tribes of the Pacific Northwest Coastal peoples, Corrinne uses a wealth of studies to inform her designs.

In this particular collection her focus is on the supernatural creature the Thunder Bird. 

‘It is said that the ‘ThunderBird’ is an enormous supernatural creature, a dominating force of all natural activity, a creator of the universe.

Seen often as the most powerful of all the spirits, he can transform from mythical creature to human.

ThunderBolts of lightning shoot from his eyes, Booms of thunder fly from his great wings. Giver of rain and protector from the sea reptiles of the underworld. 

A Native symbol of power, protection and strength to the peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coastal and lives in the clouds above the highest of mountains.’

Her latest ‘ThunderBolt’ Jewellery Collection is comprised of easy to wear long chains, hook earrings and chainmail bangle bracelets. Corrinne’s work depicts a unique style of bold symbols and patterns, derived from her research, created in mixed coloured precious metals. The glint of silver and gold amidst the matt grey of the titanium and oxidised silver, gives a sophisticated timeless look.

Here, Corrinne shows us the construction process to the ‘ThunderBolt’ earrings, one of the items in this collection.  These earrings are available to purchase during the ‘Elements Festival of Jewellery, Silver & Gold’.

Using her sketches, an Ovoid shape familiar in Northwest coastal art is drawn onto the recycled silver sheet.

Selecting the piercing saw, she will then cut the shape out at her bench peg.

Setting these ovoid’s aside, a spool of recycled silver wire in the required gauge is cut into manageable lengths.

Forming the wire around a rod within a vice is the next step, making sure the tension is even and regular, creating a ‘spring’.

Using the piercing saw, the ‘spring’ is cut down the centre creating multiple individual links. Corrinne will repeat the process until the required amount of links are produced.

Choosing a few of these small links, these are snipped in half to create the connecting structure on the back of the earring.

Corrinne carefully marks the central position to place the half links on the back of the Ovoid shape which will sit at the lobe. These half links are then soldered into place.

Once cool, the shape is put in the ‘pickle’ pot for a clean.

A section of 1mm wire is drawn down to 0.8mm using a draw plate, for the earring hook.

This length of wire is then centrally soldered onto the back of the earring and once cool put back in the pickle to clean.

With care, the earring tops are then filed and buffed. Varying shaped pliers are then used to form the earring hook.

18ct yellow gold wire at the desired same gauge is then cut to manageable lengths from a spool. This is again wound around the same gauge rod in a vice to create a ‘spring’ length. These are cut down the centre of the spring to make little gold links.

Corrinne then sits at the bench peg with her two piles of silver & 18ct gold links and, with flat nose pliers, starts ‘knitting’ the individual links together. Following her design mapped out on square paper, Corrinne integrates the 18ct yellow gold to produce the ‘lightning’ shape within the chainmail.

Once the chainmail sections are built, they are then carefully attached to the soldered structure at the back of the earring tops. A final polish in the barrel polisher removes any burrs on the links making them smooth and tactile.

The last transformation is dipping them in a solution, oxidising them, darkening the silver to black to make the gold really pop.

Handcrafting fine chainmail is a lengthy process, taking great patience and dexterity. Designing the patterns within the chainmail can be complex and challenging, sometimes having to unpick and re-do designs to fall correctly, before the finalisation of a collection.

Passionate about the environment, Corrinne only uses recycled precious metals within her handmade jewellery and all packaging used is recycled and is recyclable.

Corrinne is also a Fair Trade Registered Jeweller. Looking at all aspects of her business Corrinne hopes to implement more solutions within her practice along her making career. Corrinne prides herself on finish and detail and is part of each items journey, for care and alterations.

You can shop a selection of Corrinne’s work online on the Elements Online Shop until 30 November.

Video by Beth Cath Kay Photography.

Images courtesy of Corrinne Eira Evans.