Making the Bo Kaap Collection - A Creative Journey
As a jeweller, I know how thrilling it is to take an idea from concept to reality. This is especially true when you are creating something unique and unexpected. That’s exactly what happened when I made my first earring collection, the Bo Kaap Collection. Drawing inspiration from the colourful houses in Bo Kaap South Africa, I used a terrazzo style slab technique (thank you Polly Collective for the great tutorial video!) to create these beautiful pastel hued earrings - each one with its own individual texturing detail that really makes the colours pop!
The Making Process
I find that the making process of any project is incredibly satisfying; this was especially true of my Bo Kaap Collection. It was such a joy to take my idea and transform it into something tangible! For me, it starts with researching different techniques and materials before moving onto experimentation and finally production. With this project, I started out by watching a few videos on terrazzo style slab techniques before mixing up some clay in my desired colours. From there I went through trial and error until I got the design just right! The attention to detail was so important for this collection; each earring had its own unique texturing effect which was very time-consuming but worth it in the end!
The Final Product
In the end, my hard work paid off because the final product was even better than I could have imagined. The colour combinations were beautiful and vibrant; perfect for summertime wear! Even though some of these earrings are no longer available, they will always remain special to me as a reminder of what can be achieved when you put your heart into something. They also serve as an inspiration for future projects that will come out of my studio – who knows what they might be?
My Bo Kaap Collection is one of my proudest accomplishments as an artisan jeweller. Taking an idea from concept to completion is an incredibly rewarding experience that I'm sure all jewellers can relate to. This particular collection taught me many lessons about patience and attention to detail which ultimately resulted in some beautiful semi circle earrings that were truly one-of-a-kind. Inspiration can strike at any moment so be sure to capture it while you can – you never know how far your creativity will take you!
