Jewellery Inspired by Irish Bog Landscapes

Lough Tae (aka 'The Guinness Lake') Wicklow Own photo

Much of my jewellery is inspired by Irish landscapes.  Though we are famed for the lush green of our countryside, for such a small country, we do have a wide range of scenery to lift the soul. Much of the midlands and East of the island are covered in bog made of peaty soil. Peat is mostly rain water mixed with solid material: ancient bark and plants that decomposed over thousands of years. The result is a reddish, cocoa brown earth, often dotted with colourful plants including white bog cotton, purple ling heather and moor grass, green and brown mosses and a variety of hardy yellow flowers.

Here are a few typical examples of my jewellery together with the places that fueled the passion to make them.

Ticknock, Dublin. Own photo

Ticknock on the outskirts of Dublin was the inspiration for this scenic jasper and copper necklace:

'Dublin Hills' scenic jasper and copper necklace

The smooth jasper evokes the rich hues of the countryside. The stones display a stunning array of shades in cocoa bean, russet, coppery reds and chocolate. There is even a touch of sand and grass in the mix. 

bog water river, Bohernabreena, Dublin, own photo

'Nature' jasper gemstone necklace

'Nature' necklace was also inspired by the peaty soil of the Dublin and Wicklow hills where I go hiking, and especially by the chestnut brown water of the bog streams and lakes.

The sterling silver wire work represents the flow of a river. This was done freehand with a simple round-nosed pliers, not with a jig. Then I hammered the silver to make it rigid.

Lough Dan in Co Wicklow, own photo

peat-stained water of Lough Dan

The water in many of our lakes is as brown as a pint of good ale, or even as dark as a Guinness. The water is clean, just stained by the peat in the soil.

'Chocolate drop' earrings were also made with the bog in mind. The rich cocoa of the mahogany obsidian stone is very peaty. When I was making them I remembered the big bags of peat moss my dad used to buy as a soil conditioner for his vegetable patch. 

Let's not forget though, that Ireland is the Emerald Isle and you will usually find a lot of green, Connemara marble in my collection too.

Powercourt waterfall

'Landscape' Connemara marble and silver pendant

The green wilderness co Wicklow, just south of Dublin, inspired 'Landscape' pendant in a soft sage specimen of Connemara marble. The wire work emulates the flow of  the waterfalls found in this 'Garden of Ireland' county.

Read more about nature-inspired pieces by clicking HERE

Caught my Eye in Dublinia

Caught My Eye  is a series of blog posts showing scenes I found interesting, odd, curious or beautiful. I am artistic and therefore an observer but I am not a photographer by any description. So if you expect top quality photography I'm afraid you will be disappointed.  But please do enjoy a snap shot glimpse of the world through my creative eyes. 

It's been a while since I posted anything in the 'Caught my Eye' slot. Between the busy-ness of Christmas, the cold weather and twisting my ankle a few weeks ago, I haven't taken my camera out on any walks at all lately. However, this weekend I revisited Dublinia a Viking and Medieval visitor experience that I haven't been to since 1996 or thereabouts.  Naturally, it was the medieval crafts and the market stalls that mostly caught my eye!

 

Weaving                                                            Leather work

 

       Pottery                                              gem trading

Had I lived 1000 years ago I'm sure I'd have been a silver smith or perhaps I'd have traded in exotic gemstones and trinkets. How about you? A barber-surgeon, slave trader or perhaps a warrior?

Greystones to Bray Cliff Path

 On Friday last I walked the Greystones to Bray cliff path for the first time in a year. This is a highly accessible route by public transport and only requires a reasonable level of fitness - ie you need to be ok to walk for about 90 minutes to 2 hours and there are a couple of sets of steps in the middle which are quite deep and not kind to dodgy knees. It is mostly flat, with a low gradient slope at each end. The walk is approximately 7k but if you are travelling by DART there is a little extra walking at each end. The train takes under an hour from Dublin city centre and 40 mins back from Bray.

 

Many consider it the Bray to Greystones path, but I prefer to start in Greystones, further South, for a number of reasons.  Walking northwards means the sun isn't in your face. More importantly, the DART (Dublin coastal & city centre train) back to the city is more frequent from Bray so I don't even bother checking train times home in the early evening, whereas from Greystones you are better off knowing when to turn up at the station. The path is closer to the coast at Bray so the view as you finish is much more breathtaking. Lastly, you have a greater choice of watering holes and eateries close together on the bustling seafront at Bray. (One of these days I will do Bray to Greystones and back again!!)

part of the new harbour at Greystones, June 2013 (own photo)

My friends and I like to take a little detour at the start of this walk, turning left (South) outside the dart station in Greystones instead of right, grabbing a coffee to go and walking a few yards to the beach for a quick picnic. Then we walk back along the beach and ascend some steps at the North end of the strand onto a paved coastal walk that takes you to the new harbour and marina, which seems to be almost finished now.

Keep following the natural line of the pavement (sidewalk) as it curves to the left until you are directly across the road from a pub and to your right you will catch the new access to the cliff path, running alongside a fish n chip cafe.  This is a new start since last year and very even underfoot. The beginning of the route has a fence on one side and doesn't yet afford a clear view of the sea for several minutes. However at this time of year at least, the pathway is a riot of colour, lined with pink, red and yellow wildflowers. I made a mental note to check if I have beads or buttons to match these hues so I can use them as inspiration for some summer jewellery.

path to the cliffs at Greytones (own photo)

looking back at Greystones, a short way into the hike

Shortly, the path opens out into lush green land with a view of the low hill, Bray Head, straight ahead of you. Look behind you and you can catch a glimpse of Greystones strand. The way gets gradually steeper as it winds higher towards the side of the cliff. At some points the path narrows and is lined with nettles and brambles, so shorts are not a great idea!

this photo was taken in early 2012,the first time I did this walk

July 2013

Eventually you reach the cliff side with refreshing views of the open sea and the winding rail track below. This older section of path is still fairly even, though some parts are narrower and rockier.  At no point are you teetering at the cliff edge as you are at points in Howth, at the other end of the same DART line. (Future post yet to come.)

(own photo)

View looking backwards or what you see from the Bray side

 (own photo)

tunnel eyes (0wn photo)

My favourite section is when the path turns a corner and you see the tunnel 'eyes' watching you. The outer train tunnel is the original one but the track was moved a little more inland following an accident in 1869. Read  more about these tunnels in my previous post HERE.

Closer to Bray there are a couple of exits off and upwards where you can gain access to Bray Head if you want  a steeper challenge and a longer walk. This hill is not very high, but many find it very steep, especially on the way down. (I bent back and broke a toenail rather painfully on the way down last year and chickened out of climbing it again.) The cliff path ends up next to the Bray access and car park for the the hill walk and the road winds down to the seafront where you can find refreshments.

View of Bray from the top of Bray Head (own photo) 2012

It took us a little over 2 hours from when we landed on the beach with a couple of pit stops for a quick bite to eat and several photo stops. Walking at an easy pace without lunch stops should take perhaps 90 minutes. If you are driving, you can park at Greystones Harbour or Bray seafront and take the Dart back to your starting point.

Now I'm off to find some beads to match those flowers......

Inspirations from the Sea

Though I started out making gemstone jewellery, including pieces in rare, Irish marble, over the last couple of years, I've become a little obsessed with the amazing treasures you can find on the shore. Finding good quality, usable seaglass or sea pottery can be back -breaking work, but all the more rewarding for it. 

However, no matter what materials I am using, I find the ocean itself to be truly inspiring. I often draw on the motion of the waves when designing a piece.

 

'Waves' chrysocolla jasper pendant depicts rolling 'white horses' just before the break on the shore.

 

I wire wrapped 'Still waters' seaglass pendant to reflect the gentle sway of the water on a calmer day. The soft seafoam shade of this piece is not a colour you might often associate with the cold and dark Irish Sea or the wild Atlantic Ocean. However, our shores do see still moments and blue skies, especially in the East and South East.

 

 The photos above were taken in Killiney and in Skerries, on the East coast, towards the end of last summer. The beauty of the sea is in its ever-changing nature. It has infinite power to generate creativity. No wonder that artists and poets have always found it inspiring.

Click here to learn how to clean seaglass

Click here to learn how to care for seaglass jewellery

Geometric Musings Part 1. Celtic Influences

geometric Connemara marble, onyx and Sterling silver ornament

 Geometry was about the only aspect of mathematics I enjoyed as a teenager and I suspect that had more to do with aesthetics than actual maths. My father is a retired accountant and avid mathematician. My mother, however, is very much an artist, who has mastered multiple crafts and now in her autumnal years, has finally turned to painting.  I take after both of them in many ways, but guess I know who influenced me most.

Though I tend to doodle flowers and swirly shapes, as a teen I whiled away much time practicing Celtic knots, spirals and 'plaits' and other intricate, Celtic borders.

Cork red marble earrings with Celtic knot bead

Hardly surprising that these elements crop up in so many of my designs today. I didn't start out using Irish references in my work. It was a natural evolution once I started discovering beautiful Irish materials.

                                 

   spiral charm on Connemara Pendant                                                    tightly wound spiral on tree ornament

The spiral is one of the most recognisable Celtic shapes, though it is not exclusive to this ancient culture. It shows up in various parts of the globe including Africa and South America. It is believed that for the Celts, the spiral may have represented infinity, the circle of life or even afterlife.

loose spiral

Spiral & squiggle wire work

                               

I find it most relaxing to form a spiral out of wire. If I've hit one of those creative blocks, where nothing inspires me, I wind and hammer spiral charms and swirly hooks to use later. I guess it's akin to taking a few stretches or taking a short walk when you can't motivate yourself to launch into strenuous exercises.

wire wrapped pendant with triple spiral

Spirals are found frequently in modern, wire-wrapped jewellery all over the globe. They are aesthetically pleasing and an alternative way to 'finish off' the wire ends neatly rather than flattening them around the base of the bail.  The triple spiral in this wire-wrapped pendant was a slightly more complicated spin on that concept.

 

I formed the wire hook on this Christmas star out of silver wire, vaguely referencing another typical, Celtic shape, the figure 8.

In part 2 I will be comparing the 6 pointed hexagram (above) versus a five point star  for Christmas ornaments. Which is the 'correct' shape? Do please pop back on Tuesday to read more.

*****

Click here to read about Connemara marble

Click here for more items featuring spirals

Killiney Caught My Eye 9

Caught My Eye is the section of my blog that I reserve for scenes that struck me as curious, comical, weird, or aesthetically appealing when out and about on one of my rambles. Please forgive my amateur photography and enjoy the photos for what they are - a glimpse at the world that I find so inspiring.

The sea close to Killiney, Dublin this summer. As for many an artist, writer or poet, the ocean always inspires me to get creative.

 The colour of the water was particularly gorgeous that day in August. It was a stunning shade of bluey-green I wouldn't normally associate with the formidable, dark Irish sea.

Aqua blue sea glass pendant from Ireland

We didn't spend long on the stony beach as the heavens were about to open. I found only one solitary piece of usable sea glass on the strand in the twenty minutes or so we were there. But it was of the rare, aqua blue variety, so worth it. Above is the pendant I made from it: aptly named 'Cool Water.'

Upturned Roots. Caught My Eye 7

Caught My Eye is the section of my blog that I reserve for scenes that struck me as curious, comical, weird, or aesthetically appealing when out and about on one of my rambles.

Up-turned tree near Powerscourt Waterfall

 This up-turned tree displayed its roots from an unusual angle. I'm not sure I will be using it as inspiration for any of my jewellery, as my wire work tends to be a bit lighter and airier than this, but it just caught my eye as a natural object of beauty and curiosity.

Perhaps the most remarkable thing about this photo is that is wasn't raining! In fact it didn't rain at all that day ( Sunday 22 July); a truly rare occurrence this summer. My photos of nearby Powerscourt Waterfall didn't turn out brilliantly, but I will none-the-less, share them in a future post for my blog section, 'Inspiring Hill Walks and Rambles'

Inspirations. Bohernabreena Reservoir

Hiking, trail walking, rambling, hill. walking...whatever you prefer to call it, it's something I've been doing a lot of this past year. I'm very lucky to live in Dublin, which has many great walks within easy reach of the city providing a wide variety of scenery. I've trundled up hills, across cliffs and around lakes in the past few months, getting creative inspiration from nature as I try to get fit.

The smaller reservoir at Bohernabreena

 I find the fresh air, exercise and closeness to nature very refreshing. The beautiful Irish landscapes fire my creativity. Water, whether it be from sea, lake, river or canal, particularly inspires many of my designs.

 A couple of weeks ago I explored the Bohernabreena Reservoirs with a friend. I haven't been there since I was about twelve. I hadn't realised just how close the lakes are to the city so will go back again and again.

 To get there from the city centre, I took the 49 bus to the Old Mill Pub, Tallaght.  There I met up with a friend who led me on a 10 minute walk up the Kiltipper Road to, most unexpectedly, the Kiltipper Woods Care Centre (nursing home)! It turns out though, the centre's coffee shop, Cafe Woods, is open to walkers and passers-by so it's a handy little pitt stop.

The trail starts from here with a path that takes you straight through Kiltipper Park and out on to the Bohernabreena Road, almost opposite the car park for the Bohernabreena Waterworks at Glenasmole Valley. Turn right when you come out of the park and walk just a hundred yards or so and you will see the entrance. (If you're not used to country roads, take care to walk against the traffic as far in off the road as you can as there is no path. The road is not as quiet as it seems.)

The path takes you up to a smaller reservoir first and then on to the larger reservoir. The brown tinge of the water is caused by peaty soil. This is commonly found in rivers and lakes where there is bogland.

We took the tree-lined path to the left of the larger reservoir to follow the loop all the way around. Once you get to the upper end of the lake, you pass through a gate, turn right and walk a few yards to another gate. Here, you pick up the return path leading past both reservoirs and all the way back to the car park.

The river Dodder runs alongside this path. The peaty water is a striking chestnut brown colour and looks like a river of Guinness! It also reminds me of the colour of bronzite, an artificially weathered stone that looks like metal.

Bronzite pendant from my Fondelifair shop inspired by similar peaty waters of Lough Dan. 

Some jaspers can also be a rich, chestnut brown, like the stone in this brown jasper necklace found in my Etsy shop. After this walk, I made a friend a pair of earrings using similar stones. I have a small disc of bronzite that I want to fashion into a pendant, or perhaps a keyring, next.