We are so lucky to work with Cara on our team at Collective, and also to stock her jewellery in our shop.
Cara studied Silversmithing and Jewellery at The Glasgow School of Art and then completed an Artist-in-Residence post there. Her jewellery exhibits her love for colour and play, as well as her interest in the digital world, fusing the techniques of 3D printing with traditional metalsmithing.
At Collective's shop, we stock her Kirakira and star collections. Read on to hear about her creative practice!
How did you arrive at the idea of mixing 3D printing with traditional metalsmithing techniques?
During my degree at Glasgow School of Art, we were introduced to traditional techniques like hand-drawing metal, as well as 3D printing. 3D printing specifically captured my attention as it doesn’t require the same physical stamina or accessibility challenges as something like hand-forging a bowl does. I’ve always loved the concept of fusing new techniques with old to create something otherworldly. All my designs go on a journey across the digital/physical realm, from scribbles in a sketchbook, transferred into the digital world, and then 3D printed as a physical object. There’s something about that shift between realms, transforming pixels on a screen into something tangible and wearable that I’ve always had a fascination for, even now. We were taught that hand-finishing an object is important to its identity, and I always maintain this in my own pieces. I think finding a combination of techniques that you can never get bored of is the key to your practice.
How did your degree and residency at GSA influence your practice?
Graduating during the pandemic in 2021, my practice was inevitably influenced by the idea of online connection during this time, and how we rely on technology to build and maintain relationships. This led me to investigate what a physical manifestation of these precious connections could look like. My degree and residency gave me the opportunity to explore the importance of ‘play’ as a tool to establish connections during childhood development, and how we continue this ritual as adults. This culminated in my degree show collection, an interactive experience where the individual could combine and construct pieces to wear, keeping the activity of ‘play’ a key part of the collection. This theme of creating playful jewellery that invite viewers to interact with it is still ongoing in my current work.
Can you talk about how digital culture has inspired your work?
Growing up in the Digital Age, my early memories of play and nostalgia were associated with videogames and colourful childhood toys. As a child, I loved the fact that you could choose from a variety of low-poly onscreen worlds to explore and get lost in. As an adult, I later revisited this inner child nostalgia during 2020 as a form of escapism from the pandemic, during my undergraduate studies. This interactive element to videogames and toys has continued to influence my current work. When I'm designing my pieces, I always like to imagine them coming out of a virtual dreamworld, so to speak. I wish for my customers to interact with them, and share my sense of childhood wonder and curiosity when they're wearing them. I like to use bright colours to engage the wearer, and kinetic or customisable charm elements that you can swap in and out.
What’s your favourite piece that you’ve made and why?
My favourite piece I’ve made so far is probably the Connection Pendant Necklace. It features two pieces set with square-cut gemstones to represent pixels that make up the precious online/offline connection between two individuals. These pieces have a slotting mechanism that allows you to choose between wearing one standalone piece, or combine both halves together to show this connection. Apart from being easily wearable, it also has this fun hidden mechanic to it that you might not realise at a first glance. I love modular, interactive jewellery that can be altered or shifted by the wearer depending on their own decision.
How did you develop the Kirakira and Star earrings?
When designing the Star Earrings, I was inspired by nostalgic miniature toys and collectibles you would receive as a gift in kid’s magazines in the early 2000s. I loved the scale of these tiny pieces and how coveted they were from a child’s perspective as precious objects. I wanted to channel this pop of joy into an everyday form that you could carry with you.
The Kirakira earrings were named after the Japanese word “Kirakira”, きらきら, meaning: to glitter; sparkle; glisten; twinkle, or shine. I wanted to have multiple options of this design for different individuals – some who may prefer a subtle sparkle like the Silver Kirakiras, or those who like to make a bolder statement with the colourful variations. For both pieces, I hand-sketched them to get a rough idea of scale, and then built them using digital 3D modelling software. Once I’m happy with the prototype, I 3D print it, then finalise the scale and hand-finish it.
Thanks Cara for giving us such an insight into your considered and beautiful work. Shop her selection here, or come up to Collective to see them in person!