Memento Mori and hair

My current work has developed into a collection of contemporary mourning jewellery. It started for me in BA7 when I became interested in the latin victorian phrase 'Memento Mori ' ( Remember that you must die!) It actually for me became a mantra for the preciousness of being alive in the moment and remembering ones own mortality. It is so important to accept ones death and the' little deaths' (losses) that occur throughout life, so that we may live fully and in the present.
My jewellery when worn brings the wearer into the present moment, you know you are wearing it. It is abit like the cognitive therapy technique of wearing a rubber band around the wrist, pinging it to bring the wearer into the now.
Hair was often used in Victorian Mourning Jewellery, so I did alittle experiment of my own.

Synthetic monofibre hair, digital ground for non porous surfaces and photographic inkjet print.

Inspirational photography from one of my pinterest mood boards.

Close up shot.

Laser cutting cold porcelain

Had a mega cooking session all day tuesday, getting ready for yesterdays laser cutting. I was very organised, or so I thought. Having cooked and rolled out the cold porcelain onto cling film wrapped boards, eight in total.
When I came to taking the material off the boards, Huge Problem! It had stuck solid! Thankfully, Steph from surface design was around and looked after the lasercutter whilst I looked for a large palette knife. Thanks Steph, you saved the Day!

Cold porcelain, engraved with laser. I had to alter the settings on the laser alot to get the effect that I was after. This piece is 'After Albarn/Ansari.'

Another shot of the piece, as its still wet and pliable I can still work with it and mold it.

Our lovely laser cutter at Nuca

First batch didn't completely cut through the material, so altered the setting to 5mm.

As the material is still pliable, I can see lots of potential for future research.

Work in progress!....

After yesterdays  laser cutting session I now have a kitchen table full of acrylic shapes to weave together with wire and rubber. I finished late into last night just picking the protective layer off the shapes with a needle, so my fingers are abit sore today.
Heres some more work in progress:

Because the pieces are woven together they twist really well creating different ways to wear the piece.

Scuse the sellotape!

Hanging by threads!

Another twist

Glue!!!

I've had lots of problems with the micro nuts & bolts that connect parts of my jewelley and the fact that they keep coming apart. Todays experiment was using plumbers tape, worked but the end of the screw is white! Not a good look. Superglue in a pot, using a cocktail stick as a dropper. Looked awful... Think I've now solved the problem with model makers cement, but its really smelly and solvent based.

Super glue on the left, looks really awful, plumbers tape on the bottom right and top right magic cement!

Work in progress, had to take this apart quite a few times....slowly getting there!

Weaving with fluro acrylic rods, expensive though!

Another pic of two rows of acrylic weaving

It bends nicely, but I'm not sure of the breakage point as yet

Pinterest...

I've recently joined Pinterest, an online virtual pinboard. Its great for creating moodboards for projects. Although I think I'm now addicted! Having spent many, many hours online!
Heres a few images I've collected for my final project at Norwich University College of the Arts. The original sources can be found on pinterest.

Iris van Herpen

Una Burke

Kate Moss

Sarah Moon

Roses!

After five days of cooking the petals I pulverised them with a blender. Drained the water from the pulp overnight and was left with a mushy mess. Smells rather nice though. Next step, coating kebab sticks in melted beeswax and forming the beads. Not sure if it will work yet! They look like a cross between kebabs and the eggs our dogs leave in the backyard!
Try another experiment later....

Straining off the water from the petal pulp

Not sure this will work yet....

Pressie from Hubbie...

My lovely hubbie Andy brought me a muntjac deer skeleton as inspiration for my latest work. He found it whilst walking our two hounds Wooluf & Greebo. I think they might have liked it for their tea! Naughty Dawgs! Inspiration for my latest work comes from Giger, Dr Gunther van Hagen, ( programme on channel 4 recently about his work, 'The crucifixion')http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/9190588/Crucifixion-Channel-4-review.html There was an amazing church in Prague featured in the programme, made entirely from human bones. It was rather macabre but also very beautiful. Hubbie thought it'd be such a shame to leave this wonderful skeleton on the roadside, he really does understand my strange taste in beauty.

Makes me think of Giger

I decided to bury this beautiful creature, the earth will strip all the bones clean in about six months or so.