- Words by Angela Cowan Photography by Don Denton
Stop by on Oak Bay Avenue, and you害羞草研究所檒l find a collection of jewellery that you won害羞草研究所檛 see anywhere else. There害羞草研究所檚 finely crocheted or knitted gold and silver wire, woven with iridescent pearls, Swarovski crystals and semi-precious stones that make up necklaces, cuffs and collars. And the collection of drop earrings invokes a sculptural and abstract sense of the natural world.
Veronica Stewart has been a mainstay at the gallery for a decade, and her pieces are unquestionably beautiful, but they also have a striking uniqueness to them that leave no doubt her jewellery belongs within gallery walls.
So often while browsing traditional jewellery stores, trends emerge from season to season害羞草研究所攙ery like the fashion world害羞草研究所攁nd it can be difficult to find something out of the box. But Veronica害羞草研究所檚 jewellery is in a category all its own, in large part because she approaches her designs with an artist害羞草研究所檚 eye for form, texture and colour.
Born and raised in Scotland, Veronica graduated from the Edinburgh College of Art in 1979, and quickly emigrated to Canada, settling in Victoria in 1981.
害羞草研究所淚 grew up in Scotland in a pretty hard time. It was really tough to make a living,害羞草研究所� she says. 害羞草研究所淚n those days, Canada was the place to be. [It] was the great free country where there was lots of support for the arts.害羞草研究所�
Opportunity did indeed knock, and by 1989 she was working as a full-time artist while raising her two sons. It was another decade or so before she started seriously exploring jewellery, and then she made a discovery that would shift her career path dramatically.
害羞草研究所淚 was a potter for the first 20 years,害羞草研究所� she says. 害羞草研究所淎nd then I discovered this amazing product, which was precious metal clay.害羞草研究所�
Also known as PMC and something that is growing in popularity in the art world, precious metal clay is essentially gold or fine silver that害羞草研究所檚 been ground into a powder and then mixed with a binding agent.
害羞草研究所淵ou work with it just like a clay,害羞草研究所� explains Veronica. 害羞草研究所淥nce it害羞草研究所檚 fired, everything is burned out except for the silver or gold.害羞草研究所�
The malleability of the product meant she could approach jewellery making with a similar process as she害羞草研究所檇 used in her ceramics, but on a smaller, much finer scale.
害羞草研究所淎 lot of it is trial and error, and I do get a lot of inspiration from nature,害羞草研究所� she says. 害羞草研究所淎 lot of my designs are abstracted, or line drawings of flowers.害羞草研究所�
Veronica makes her own stamps to press into the clay, often creating designs that highlight a microscopic point of focus from something in nature: the innermost workings of a flower, for example. Using PMC, she can even take a piece of the silver or gold clay and press it directly onto a leaf or other object.
害羞草研究所淥nce you害羞草研究所檝e fired it, you害羞草研究所檝e captured that impression,害羞草研究所� she says.
Some of her most impacting pieces are made using another technique she害羞草研究所檚 honed over the years: crocheting and knitting fine gold and silver wire.
害羞草研究所淚 love doing the really extravagant bigger pieces害羞草研究所攖he collars and the cuffs害羞草研究所攂ecause it becomes so much more creative,害羞草研究所� she says. 害羞草研究所淚 don害羞草研究所檛 like wearing heavy jewellery, so I try to make things that are delicate but still a statement. That害羞草研究所檚 one of the advantages of using the crocheted wire.害羞草研究所�
The intricate loops and twists are often woven with Swarovski crystals or freshwater pearls, creating a complex yet delicate piece, particularly since Veronica uses 22-karat gold or fine silver for her creations.
As the process is as labour-intensive as it is intricate, Veronica tends to work on a few pieces at a time, with rest periods between to recharge her creativity and get new ideas, often from her garden.
害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 a manic gardener,害羞草研究所� she says with a laugh. 害羞草研究所淚t kept me sane through lockdown! I can always find things to do in the garden, and it makes me happy, looking at the flowers and trees and trying to figure out how to use them in whatever it is I害羞草研究所檓 working on.害羞草研究所�
From her early career in ceramics to her current work creating elegant jewellery collections, Veronica has been an artist for over 40 years, adapting and improving both her process and the business of her craft.
害羞草研究所淚 think of the whole journey that I害羞草研究所檝e been on since I first started making jewellery害羞草研究所 was doing markets and craft fairs,害羞草研究所� she says, remembering the early days. It wasn害羞草研究所檛 long before her work found its way into art galleries害羞草研究所攂oth in BC and further afield害羞草研究所攂ut it was a chance meeting with Heather Wheeler at an exhibition at Langham Court Theatre that introduced her work to the Oak Bay community. Heather, the founder and owner of The Avenue Gallery, invited Veronica to put her jewellery in the gallery.
害羞草研究所淚 love how The Avenue Gallery really does focus on local artists. It害羞草研究所檚 so important,害羞草研究所� says Veronica.
害羞草研究所淚 have huge respect for gallery owners. Once I became a gallery artist, it definitely increased the visibility of my pieces. And it害羞草研究所檚 really nice for me, especially at this stage, to just do the making. I get to do the fun part.害羞草研究所�
You can find more of Veronica Stewart at the or at her .
