In the Studio: Kelda Young

We visited some of this year’s Elements makers in the studio, going behind the scenes as they prepare for Elements Festival in the autumn.

Kelda Young is a designer and maker from the Scottish Highlands and is currently based in WASPS Studios, Glasgow. She creates sustainably conscious contemporary jewellery using recycled precious metals, each piece unique due to the nature of the handcrafted process. Kelda graduated from Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design in 2020 and then completed a residency at Bishopsland Educational Trust in 2021 before setting up her studio in Glasgow.

Kelda’s work is centred around material connection, and the physical act of making. Using hollow forming techniques in conjunction with high pressure embossing to create tactile, enticing pieces - highlighting textures and details that might often go unnoticed. The softness of the pushed metal and the misleading perception of weight heightens curiosity and longs to be picked up. By incorporating traditional hand skills such as engraving which is often hidden creates another layer of intrigue.

Kelda strives to make timeless pieces that will be cherished forever, creating in small batches and making to order to reduce waste.

Kelda’s workshop is based in WASPS The Briggait, where she shares a studio with fellow jewellers and Elements exhibitors, Rhona McCallum and Stefanie Cheong.

Kelda Young

@keldayoungjewellery

Delicate placement of copper shapes on recycled sterling silver to create Kelda’s Crinkle Hoops. The forms are embossed with the help of a high-pressure fly press.