BEHIND
THE ARCHIVE

I needed a way to organise ideas and keep track of the symbols and themes that kept appearing throughout my work.

My trade work already spans patterns, monograms, crests, lettering and pictorial engraving.

As I began developing my own pieces alongside it, I needed a way to document them and give them a place within an already growing body of work.

The solution came from an unexpected place. Among the books I’d collected on symbols, I noticed how one had organised its chapters. I saw how using a similar method could help me organise my work.

It shaped my way of thinking, which eventually became the foundation of The Archive.

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Today, The Archive is an ongoing body of work. It brings together symbols, historical lettering, illuminated ornament and other collections that continue to grow through research and experimentation.

Some find form as a finished piece. Others remain unfinished for months or years while I continue to learn, refine techniques, or wait for the right solution to appear.

One of the things The Archive has given me is permission to begin before everything is finished. I love, too, that it has become a platform for me to share my thoughts, process and journey.

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Many of the pieces in The Archive begin life in silver. There are practical reasons for this.

Working in silver allows me to explore ideas more freely, refine techniques, test proportions, and understand a piece properly before deciding where it may lead next.

While many studies remain in silver, others later find expression in yellow or rose gold, whether as completed pieces or through individual details.

That does not make these pieces unfinished. Every piece is made to stand on its own and be worthy of wearing in its own right.

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I am still learning. There are skills I hope to incorporate into future work that I have yet to master. New ideas often lead me towards new skills, and new skills often lead me towards new ideas.

The Archive records not only what I make, but how I arrive there.