Sketches in Italy influence new silver jewellery designs.

I love travel, especially my return trips to Italy, to my favourite place owned by my very good friend Martin. The beautiful home is nestled in the hills near Aulla, Lunigiana.

Panicale is a small medieval village where I can really unwind and enjoy a slower pace of life in nature surrounded by hills and terraces with olive trees, aloe vera, cacti and fig trees.

I often take time to sketch and paint in the charming studio https://studiopanicale.com

Opening these shutters has to be one of the best ways to start the day

Studio in Panicale

This is where I started to photograph and draw light through leaves a few years ago as I sat in the spring sunshine on the terrace.

large sketch of vine leaves https://www.clairehartdesign.co.uk/claire-drawings

And during lockdown I developed the series into a collection of detailed drawings from Italy and Stormont.

light through vine leaves https://www.clairehartdesign.co.uk/claire-drawings

I kept returning to the light through leaves idea and loved the texture and holes in thes geraniums, just past their best but with intriguing patterns and structures.

geraniums beginning to decay and still looking magnificent

I love seeing light filtering through leaves, captivated by the interplay of sunlight and foliage, transforming a simple moment into a visual symphony. I found myself particularly drawn to the geraniums, which, despite being just past their prime, displayed a remarkable beauty. Their leaves, slightly wilted and worn, revealed intricate textures that told stories of their life cycle. Fascinating patterns and structures are formed by the holes and imperfections in the leaves.

This juxtaposition of decay and vitality was compelling, reminding me of the transient nature of life itself. The geraniums, though not in full bloom, still held a beauty that was hard to resist. The way the light filtered through the leaves created a mosaic of shadows, each patch a unique blend of colour and texture that changed with the shifting sun.

The simple act of looking closely at the geraniums became an exploration of beauty in imperfection, a reminder that even at the end of their life cycle, there is still a profound elegance to be found. The textures and patterns were not just visual elements but celebrate resilience and the passage of time, inviting me to reflect on my own experiences and the beauty that can be found in the fleeting moments of life.

Chinese ink sketch of geraniums, painted with Chinese brushes

This year as I have enjoyed learning the new technique of chasing and repousse it has widened my scope to create more intricate designs, particularly leaves influenced by my photos and drawings. These designs have finally come from my time immersed in the beauty of nature in Studio Panicale.

I have thoroughly enjoyed the process of piercing and adding fine texture and burnishing to my pieces. Initially, I worked with copper, and I have since transitioned to using silver, which adds a different quality to my work.

Year s ago I stayed with a friend near Tibet. She saw the copper leaves recently and told me it reminded her of Tibetan jewellery. This observation has led me to consider the various influences on my art and how these cultural elements may have subtly woven their way into my creations, enriching the narrative behind each piece.

My fIrst textured copper leaf necklaces

New silver textured leaf pendants

The new silver pieces are in The Gift - CraftNI Gallery's Christmas Exhibition

The opening is Thursday 6th Nov 6-9pm, part of @latenightart_belfast and it continues until 31 January.

silver leaf pendants and leaf earrings