Linda Connelly Enamels

Category: Lets Talk Jewellery

  • Coral Reef Brooch/Pendant

    Coral Reef Brooch/Pendant

    Coral Reef brooch/pendant

    I have recently finished another brooch/pendant in my new series of pieces designed to raise awareness of environmental issues. This depicts a coral reef in cloisonné enamel on basse-taille silver. The edges are grey and dark symbolising the damage they are suffering due to climate change and pollution. The centre is vibrant as a sign of hope and the whole piece is designed to raise awareness of the issue. The world needs to act now and I want this brooch to help spark conversations on the issue between the wearer and people around them.

    The reverse of the brooch has been engraved and it has a double pin and a loop for a chain so it can be worn as a pendant. The brooch stands up so it can be displayed when it isn’t being worn.

    I was inspired to make this as a follow up to the Seahorse in Kelp Forest pendant and brooch that featured in a previous post. I plan to make more in this series. The idea came to me following a trip to London Zoo with my son for our joint birthday. They have a super aquarium display that really captured my imagination. Later I visited the Seaworld centre in London to draw the coral in their display there. Maybe I will need to learn to dive one day so I can see habitats like this in the sea but in the meantime being able to see them in aquariums helps me to gain an understanding of how to depict them.

    Here are a few images of the piece being made. The colours were developed over many firings before finally the piece was ground and polished to finish the enamel ready for me to construct the setting.

  • Seahorse in Kelp Forest Pendant and Brooch

    Seahorse in Kelp Forest Pendant and Brooch

    Seahorse in Kelp Forest Pendant and Brooch

    I have long been interested in environmental issues and when I was tasked with making a piece for an exhibition entitled “Underwater Flora and Fauna”, I remembered hearing about Kelp Forests and I decided to investigate further.

    I learned that these are found all over the world but I was particularly interested to discover that they exist off the Sussex coast which is near to where I live. Kelp forests provide a vital habitat for a host of sealife, from tiny worms to young fish and help protect coastal areas from storm surges. Threats to them include climate change, pollution and over fishing. David Attenborough made a film for BBC South called “Save Magical Kelp Forests”. There is a campaign by Sussex Wildlife Trust highlighting this issue and I wanted to help by raising awareness. Jewellery has been used throughout history to convey messages and this piece follows  this tradition to help initiate conversations about the cause.

    Sketch book designs for Kelp Forest jewellery

    I began by making lots of drawings to decide the shape and the design. The first piece I made was a smaller pendant measuring 40mm x 26mm. This enabled me to try out the colours and the design before I committed to a larger piece of silver.

    Small Seahorse in Kelp Forest pendant

    I wanted to make the next piece able to be worn both as a brooch and a pendant. This makes it more versatile and adaptable, plus brooches/badges are particularly associated with messages and protest. It took a lot of planning to ensure the shape worked for both, as well as working to help create the illusion of depth to the sea. Here is the design I chose to make.



    Seahorse in Kelp Forest Pendant/brooch

    The enamel comprises fine gold and fine silver cloisonné on basse taille fine silver, set in a bezel with jelly fish on the back. There is a loop for a chain and a double pin brooch fastening. The pin fastening can be used as a stand to display the piece when it is not being worn. It measures 56mm x 28mm.

    Seahorse in Kelp Forest Pendant
    Reverse of Seahorse in Kelp ForestBrooch/pendant
    Seahorse in Kelp Forest Pendant/brooch on display

    I am planning for this to be part of a new series of pieces entitled “Let’s Talk”. There are too many instances of individuals, businesses and governments quietly getting on with polluting our planet in pursuit of profit, without a care for the consequences. “Let’s Talk” will be a range of pieces designed to promote conversation about environmental issues and to raise awareness. With knowledge and coming together there is a real hope that we can work together for the good of nature and to promote a better, healthier future for us, our children and for generations yet to come. Knowledge is power and we can use it to work together for a better future.