Jane Martin

"I first trained at the London College of Fashion ( 1964 -1967) as a fashion designer, then running my own business in London, creating and selling hippy inspired fantastic frocks and blouses. After raising a family I am now a jeweler; a bead maker. 

Beads are the oldest form of ornament. They can be powerful and beautiful.
Jewelry is an important form of expression of identity and has been ever since the first shell bead was threaded. 

I work in gold and textured silver, using reticulation and hand etching.
Reticulation has movement and depth - I love the process and over the years have learned to control the results, which are always different. Etching is, for me, creating a picture. I print my etched silver plate (at Dartington Printmakers), then cut it up and make it into beads.

With this textured and plain silver and gold I make bold, sculptural beads and amulets that are threaded on silver cable or snake chain creating one-off necklaces with ancient stone beads, and more modern lapis, carnelian agates, and turquoise. 

The necklaces that I make have movement - the beads and amulets are not held rigidly but can move on the silver cable - and learning to make chain has been a recent delight and obsession."