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.
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
Domed
‘Textured’ Series
‘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
‘Torn’ Brooch
Echoing the qualities of old, torn wallpaper.
Anodised Aluminium, Sterling Silver, Steel
‘Torn Fragments’
‘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