In the Studio: Monica Findlay

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

Monica Findlay is a Glasgow-based maker creating tactile objects and jewellery inspired by a curiosity for the material past. Designing based on a nostalgic response to archived artefacts, Monica uses a variety of techniques to emphasise the interrelation between memory and object. Etched textures and delicate wirework replicate and emulate inscribed memories while embossed traces convey the absence of passing objects that once were in contact with the surface. Bringing together storytelling and archaeology, her body of work explores tangible remains and their surface qualities as important signifiers or touchstones of memories both ancient and modern.

Taking part in Elements feels like a very special moment in my career. I have always admired the wide range of contemporary work showcased by the Scottish Goldsmiths Trust and it feels like a huge achievement to now be exhibiting my collection amongst such a talented lineup of makers. My work is also closely linked to Edinburgh, drawing much of my inspiration from The National Museum Scotland, just a stone’s throw from the site. It feels wonderful to be showcasing my responses to Scottish artefacts in a location so significant.

I am also delighted to be selected as a 2023 Elements Bursary Stand Recipient. This award will allow me to focus funds on expanding my collection ahead of the fair - an invaluable opportunity to further my practice at this time. I look forward to showcasing new, larger pieces alongside my current collection.

Throughout my collections, I use hand-forming and forging techniques to create intricate coils that encourage a closer look and surface textures that carry a narrative quality. I’m particularly interested in the shadows cast by my wirework and use a series of cyanotype prints to aid my design process. I discovered this technique while researching early methods of documenting artefacts. This form of analogue document aligns with my interest in materiality due to its tactile nature. Each print requires the physical object to be placed on top of light-sensitive ink and exposed to sunlight (UV). Over time traces of the object are etched onto the surface. A negative or ‘memory’ of where it once lay is left behind. Unlike a photograph, these shapes are not exact; abstracted shadows inspire new forms, and inform new ideas. Throughout my collection, a conversation takes place between piece and print. A back-and-forth inspires new samples. 

I gather inspiration from a multitude of sources, often blending historic references with personal narratives, connecting the two through the material presence of the past. I am drawn in by objects that tell stories beyond our living memory. 

The Galloway Hoard has been a key piece of research for me this year. With rich textures and intricate craftsmanship, Viking-age artefacts offer so many visuals to explore. The incredible preservation of this hoard under the earth offers a glimpse into our ancient history, a 1000-year-old moment feels frozen in time. 

I also document nostalgic characteristics within my domestic. Negative space where belongings once filled the walls, inflicted marks on surfaces, habitual scuffs of projects gone by. Traces that insight a well-used space; full of memories.

I enjoy pondering the blanks in these stories while making, and reimagining these traces into artefacts that feel closely linked to the past with a contemporary twist.

Images by Eda Obermanns, Digital & Comms Officer