In the Studio: Rhona McCallum

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.

Inspired by geology, ancient history and our changing landscapes, Rhona McCallum creates statement collections of jewellery in recycled silver and gold that combine rugged, natural textures with bold, sculptural forms.

Forged and carved lines run through the pieces, accentuated by flashes of gold, referencing geological fractures and lines and layers in stone. 

Rhona’s award winning jewellery is made by hand in her studio in Glasgow, Scotland, and has been exhibited around the world, including the prestigious Goldsmiths’ Fair and Collect in London, and New York’s Museum of Arts and Design. She graduated from Edinburgh College of Art with an MA in Jewellery Design in 2013.

Developed from her signature style, Rhona also creates unique, textured wedding rings in recycled precious metals. 

To discover more about Rhona’s work, click the button below:

‘Keumboo is a traditional Korean gilding technique where a fine layer of 24ct gold is fused to the surface of silver. It’s around 25 times thicker than gold leaf and so it is a more robust and hard wearing method of adding gold detail. I use it to highlight and enhance the hammered lines and textures in my pieces.

In 2010, while studying at Edinburgh College of Art, I was very lucky to spend a semester as an exchange student at Kookmin University in Seoul, South Korea. It was a life changing experience and still influences my work to this day.’