Description

Sarah Drew: Boulder Opal Statement Necklace immediately commands notice. Characteristically asymmetric, it is yet controlled in design. It has great variety in a small space, combining the precious with the more mundane materials. Balancing the ethically sourced boulder opal set in silver, it has a piece of rusted metal. Driftwood is contrasted with eco-silver. While it is a statement piece, it is also subtle. Like all her work it is distinctive and individual.

About the artist

Sarah Drew is one of our GroundJewels artists. She lives and works in Cornwall. Inspired by the environment and resources of the coastline, she makes contemporary eclectic jewellery. She assembles found objects such as driftwood, sea plastic, sea glass, slate, pebbles, recycled glass, with ethically sourced semi-precious stones. These she combines with chunky hammered eco silver chains, delicate crocheted fine silver. Fused silver focal pieces often appear. Inventive reuse is characteristic of her striking and sustainable practice.

“I am and always have been a bit of a collector: not of high value, status-ridden things that you have to be careful with. Just little curious, quirky things that are everywhere in everybody’s everyday life. I just like to pick them up, look at them and put them in my pocket. Later I like to make them into jewellery”.

Using recycled materials, she will often remake old broken jewellery. Some of what she works with is basically ‘rubbish’ but she always transforms it to something special. This way she maintains  a sustainable practice, creating unique pieces that aren’t a strain on new resources. She always ensures that their material components are traceable.

Sarah Drew is a published author: ‘Junk-box Jewellery’ (A&C Black)
‘Wild Jewellery’ (Jacqui Small)
and ‘Hair Accessories’ (GMC)

About the materials

Eco-silver

Sarah Drew uses eco-silver as an eco-friendly alternative to sterling silver.   Jewellers buy it from the supplier as wire, sheet, grain and solder. Made from 100% recycled silver products, it is just as high quality as sterling silver.

Boulder opal

This beautiful stone comes from Queensland, Australia. It has the characteristic iridescence we associate with opal, yet its slightly rugged edge comes from ironstone.