Glasgow School of Design Silversmithing & Jewellery

Niamh Tiera Ireland (She/Her)

I am a jewellery wearer, designer, maker, and all-around enthusiast. Working with both semi-precious and precious materials, my work is inspired by history and nature. I enjoy working in both a small and large scale, to create decorative and functional pieces of Jewellery.

Contact
nimandco@gmail.com
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Collections
Colour In Nature
‘Claw Set’ Necklace
Domed
‘Textured’ Series
‘Stone Set’ Ring
‘Torn’ Brooch
‘Torn Fragments’
‘Mother of Pearl’ Ring
Back to Nature
Portfolio

Colour In Nature

Exploring relationships between nature, art and society, this series of objects presents an almost unique diversity of colour, pattern, materials, and forms. Capturing such ‘endless forms’ (Darwin, 1859), these jewellery designs reflect an interest in decorative styles that are often associated with nineteenth-century interiors, panoramic botanical wallpapers and prints, and heavily bejewelled clothing and jewellery, characteristic of historical revivals. The practice presented here pushes these materials to their limits, encouraging shapes that are organic and chaotic in quality, echoing the dissidence of nature.

In the process, the maker steps away, almost acting as a spectator, intervening only when necessary. Techniques that are applied are non-traditional, and the pieces play with precious and non-precious materials, sometimes, subtly suggesting weight, while at other times, highlighting the preciousness of the organic. The objects are intended to question the notion of value in jewellery, pairing silver alongside aluminium; the introduction of this unexpected material is to attract, and make accessible, a range of contemporary pieces to viewers and clients. The objective is to encourage those who are familiar with fine jewellery to experience unusual and less precious creations, just as Arts and Crafts predecessors proposed, as a form of sustainable practice, over a century ago.

 

‘Claw Set’ Necklace

Brass, Aluminium, Length 520mm. Printed images by Bernardo Cesare Photography, Dr. Robert Berdan and Rob Kesseler.

Domed

'Tassel' Necklace

Brass, Aluminium

Domed Sample Close-up

Aluminum, Brass, Silver

Reversed Dome Sample

Aluminium, Oxidised Copper, Silver

Domed Sample Brooch Proposal

Domed Sample

Aluminium, Brass, Silver

Domed Necklace Design

Aluminium, Gold

Domed Necklace Design Close-Up

Gold, Aluminium

‘Textured’ Series

Textured Samples

Aluminium

Design on Model

Model photo taken by Daria Shevtsova, https://www.pexels.com/@daria

'Draping' Cross Body Décolletage Brooch Design

Gold, Aluminium

'Draping' Brooch Design

Gold, Aluminium

'Draping' Full-Body Necklace Design

‘Stone Set’ Ring

This piece is a contemporary interpretation of a traditional statement, stone set ring. Here, the traditional ‘stone’ has been removed from the setting and replaced with a piece of anodised aluminium that has been coloured and textured to give it a paper-like quality, and slightly offset back onto the ring.

Anodised Aluminium, Sterling Silver

Surface Texture Close-up

'Stone Set' Ring from the back

On the Body

'Stone Set' Ring from back

‘Torn’ Brooch

Echoing the qualities of old, torn wallpaper.

Anodised Aluminium, Sterling Silver, Steel

Brooch surface in the sunlight

Brooch from the back

Brooch Pin Close-up

Coloured Aluminium Close-up

Brooch Pin Close-up

Coloured Aluminium Close-up

‘Torn Fragments’

Coloured Aluminium Samples

Cluster Brooch Sample

‘Mother of Pearl’ Ring

A fragment of textured aluminium has been intentionally manipulated until the surface has split, allowing glimmers of the metallic silver to shine through between the colours, echoing the shiny iridescence of mother of pearl. The addition of a simple, clean ring shank gives the piece a contemporary feel.

Anodised Aluminium, Sterling Silver

'Mother of Pearl' Ring from the front

For Sale: On Request

'Mother of Pearl' Ring from the back

Two rings together

Close-up of colour and texture

Back to Nature

'Torn' Brooch

For Sale: On Request

Fragments Brooch

'Stone Set' Ring

For Sale: On Request

'Mother of Pearl' Ring

For Sale: On Request

Portfolio