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A year of recycled glass jewellery

recycled glass bracelet

So, I’ve been asked a few questions about this year of recycled glass jewellery, and I thought I would answer the questions below.  I’m now 10% of the way through the project, and I have to say – so far so good!

Q. What is the year of recycled glass jewellery?

A. The year of recycled glass jewellery is really about giving me a focus for the year. I love making recycled glass jewellery, but I find that I only work in two extreme kinds of ways – either full on production or full on exhibitions. This year I wanted to MAKE time to explore the recycled glass idea further. Take production and exhibitions out of the mix, and just be creative every day with recycled glass!

Q. So, you are making something every day?

A. The creative process for making beads and jewellery is a bit longer than that. The process for making beads is a day, so I can’t actually make the jewellery until the following day. So there might be days when I make the beads for a couple of pieces, and the next day I’ll make two pieces of jewellery. And in between all of that I am planning, drawing, thinking, contemplating and experimenting!

Q. What are you hoping to achieve by doing this?

A. I am hoping to commit to making new work, to trying new ideas for beads, trying new types of glass, trying new types of jewellery. I get fairly creative when it comes to exhibitions, but sometimes I leave new ideas to the last minute and never really try them because I’ve run out of time! I wanted to take the stress of preparing for exhibitions away, and just be more creative this year.

Q. Is it working?

A. Well, I’m over 10% of the way through, and I have to say I am having lots of ideas about new work, and also making lots of new work! I’m really enjoying it all: the making, the photographing and the sharing of the work on social media.

Q. Do you think you’ll last the whole year?

A. Last year I drew a picture of a pair of earrings every day for an entire year, and that was so difficult. I feel like this year’s challenge is a bit easier than that to be honest, so fingers crossed, I am going to last the whole year.

Anyway, that’s just a bit about the project that I am working on. If you have any questions, please let me know!

Here is today’s photograph of a bracelet that I made from a Stone’s Green Ginger Wine bottle. I love the shape of these beads, and the colour rates very highly for me too! Simply elegant.

recycled glass bracelet