One of the most exciting aspects of Elements each year is supporting a new group of emerging designer-makers. These designer-makers come from a range of backgrounds and specialities, but are all in their first five years of business. We are thrilled to share with you some of the inspiration behind their work and insight into their techniques and practice.

Artist Jeweller Ella Fearon-Low plunders the visual larder of the past to create delicious contemporary treasures. Influenced by decorative objects and natural forms, her original shapes are layered from influences as varied as 17th century glassware, postmodern architecture, Mediterranean plants and Roman jewellery. Described by Rachel Garrahan of British Vogue as ‘antique-inspired yet wholly contemporary,’ Ella’s brooches have won her two prestigious Goldsmiths Awards and have been shown at Collect Art Fair and Goldsmiths Fair amongst others.

Describe your journey to becoming a maker.

My journey to become a maker started when I re-evaluated my options after becoming a mum for the second time. I had been travelling internationally for work and that was no longer feasible. I decided to retrain in something creative. I missed that side of myself which was very important when I was growing up. Jewellery seemed like a good choice because I have always liked working in 3D and I love using a range of materials. It also gave me the freedom to explore my creativity at a manageable scale and meant I could potentially work from home. I retrained over four years at Morley College in London which has a fantastic department for jewellery. I was given an award judged by V&A curators for one of my designs after just eighteen months of making which gave me a huge buzz and spurred me on.

How does your process of creating a new piece begin?

It begins with my magpie like collecting tendencies – I collect objects, take photos and make sketches of things that catch my eye. Together these form a visual library in my mind and in my studio that I draw on for inspiration when designing. At the start of making something new I create pages and pages of little sketches for ideas which evolve from each other and seem to flow from my subconscious. I think it is why I often make things in pairs or small groups because I like to tap into more than one version at a time. Once I decide which designs to develop I always start with the central component – carving the Lucite or wood and finding the right paint/ pearls to achieve the affect I want. Only after I am happy with this do I create the surround which is often silver to start with – later being oxidised or gold plated to create a strong contrast.

What has the past year been like for you? How have you developed your skills and continued to make?

It’s been a strange year – still, transient, frustrating, creative and exciting at different times. The hardest thing has been not having a permanent creative base until a couple of weeks ago when I moved into my newly built garden studio – it’s beautiful and I am excited to get back into a proper making rhythm. Despite all the challenges of the last year it has opened up some wonderful opportunities for me. For example, I showed at Munich Jewellery Week with a fantastic group of makers and we have now formed a collective ‘Amaranto Collectif’. I also got to show at the Craft Council’s Collect with Design Nation which was another much anticipated first for me. I feel I have matured over the last 12 months as a maker and I have a stronger sense of where my practice is taking me.

*Where do you draw your inspiration from?*

From the decorative motifs and repeating forms in historical and natural objects. From lead flashing on a 1930’s windowsill, or the decoration on a Roman pot, an Edwardian decanter, or a beautiful piece of bark or a shell or seaweed. I enjoy the rhythm of pattern. I am a lover of the overlooked decorative details in the world around us. I tend to deconstruct and layer my inspirations – abstracting them, and then bringing my own visual vocabulary to them.

What technique do you use most often while making? What interests you about this technique?

I spend a lot of time piercing and shaping my materials by hand – carving Lucite and wood, softening the edges of my silver. This shaping process is important to me and happens as much in my hands as on paper.

I would also say that riveting is integral to my practice. Because I nearly always combine materials, I can’t use fire to make all my joins. The process of creating tiny pins of gold or silver and hammering them through different components to join and complete my work seems normal now. It never stops being nerve wracking as it is always the final piece of the making puzzle after everything else is finished and it can wreck a piece with one wrong blow of the hammer.

How does material choice influence your work and the pieces you create?

I love working in mixed precious and non-precious materials. The non-precious materials I use such as wood and plastics are less expensive and lighter than silver and gold and allow me to work at a slightly larger scale than would normally be possible. I use the different materials to elevate each other. People don’t expect to see plastic and 18ct gold side by side, but I enjoy the interplay between them and exploit that in my designs. My choice of materials has also informed my designs through the need for rivets to join pieces together. Over time the rivets themselves have become more and more visually important to my finished pieces where they are used. Other times I sink pins in from the back that are invisible from the front because I want the appearance of the component seamlessly floating.

*What is next for you this year?*

In the autumn I am really excited to be showing at Goldsmiths’ Fair for the first time in person, as last year was online. I am also beginning to push the boundaries of my work out a bit more and am exploring projects that would allow me to make installation pieces or work on a larger scale in the next year or two.

What are your career highlights so far?

I have been very lucky to have had lots of highlights so far in my short career but I think having my work selected by Rachel Garrahan, (Jewellery and Watch Director for British Vogue) as one her top picks of the Goldsmiths’ Fair last autumn was a highlight for sure. Other highlights include showing work at the Scottish Gallery and Collect Art Fair and winning two Goldsmiths’ Craft and Design Council Awards.

A different kind of highlight is receiving feedback from my customers or seeing my pieces on people and witnessing the energy that is imparted to both the owner and the jewellery when the right match is made. The personal relationships I have made with other makers and customers are important to me and make the late nights and split fingernails worthwhile.

What does taking part in Elements mean to you?

It’s really special to be part of Elements because I have been watching from the side-lines for a while now. The Elements Team curate such a beautiful event each year and bring together lots of my favourite makers so it is a real privilege to be part of it.