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Christine
Christine came to jewellery from an art and teaching background.
Soon after arriving in Canada at the beginning of 1977 she began a 4 year apprenticeship as a Goldsmith , and Jewellery Design studies with the Gemmological Institute of America .
"Being married to a goldsmith for 30 years you also learn a lot through osmosis," she says.
From 1984 to 1987 Christine designed a line of silver high fashion jewellery for haute couture fashion designer Paddye Mann. This developed into a continuing line of handmade ebony, silver, brass etc. high fashion jewellery which sold across Canada.
After that period Eric and Christine collaborated on designing and making one of a kind pieces of gold and silver jewellery which were sold through their own showroom and various other prominent galleries and Craft Shows in the Ottawa region.
Christine finds her inspiration in the beauty and laws of nature- where colour contradiction and graphical glory is evident. A university course given by famous local naturalist Michael Runtz continues to influence Christine. "I had a great deal of fun making some blind sphinx moth brooches and am working on some bees right now."
Her unique pieces often feature a combination of metals, using different textures, patinas and highly polished areas. "I love working with unusual gemstones and stones native to Canada.
I found a piece of picture jasper that looked like a field of sheep grazing. So I made a silver stone wall and a 5 bar gate to keep the sheep in! "
Her sculpting background often draws her to making large , sculptural brooches.
Christine believes a finely designed piece of jewellery should be part of a persons wardrobe, creating a natural extension of the wearer's image. Her pieces render an evident feeling of confidence and self expression. She is ultimately a sculptor who displays her work with gold and silver on the human form .
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