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I've always been a creative soul and fiddled with many crafts
over the years, but wire work has definitely been the one that
has sustained my interest and constantly fuelled my creativity!
Perhaps it's because it provides me with instant gratification,
with jewellery pieces being made in minutes instead of hours!
And in the tempo of the era that we live in, I believe it's a
wonderful form of non-objective self-expression.
What is Wire Jewellery? Well, it's essentially what it says
'on the tin'. Jewellery made out of wire with beads and
gemstones, however the singular difference between this
and the craft of traditional jewellery making, is that it's all
'cold connection'. This means that no soldering, or heat is used!
This makes it such an affordable hobby to embark on, as
your tool outlay is minimal, plus you can work at a kitchen
table, or on a lap tray, without having to have a designated
workshop space.
It's a craft open to anybody at any age ... so long as they can
hold a pair of pliers and have good enough eyesight, with or
without glasses! I run workshop sessions for all ages from
10 to 100 years and my criteria to begin is: "can you tie your
own shoelaces?". If so, you'll most probably have the dexterity
to give it a go!
The beauty of wire as a material is its versatility. My analogy is,
if you can doodle a line on a piece of paper, you can doodle the
same shape with wire. But don't feel you have to be a good
draughts person, because you can find shapes and outlines to
trace and they're all downloadable on the internet!
With wire, you can create 3 dimensional structures, shapes and
motifs, you can create letters, words and numbers. You can plait
it, coil it, twist it, weave with it, knit it, crochet with it, wrap with it,
hammer it ... ! You name it! Wire is your proverbial oyster!
Wire can be purchased in all types of metals such as aluminium,
copper, brass, plated in silver and gold and every rainbow colour,
as well as precious gold and sterling silver.
The appeal of learning the craft, is that once you have a few simple
techniques under your belt, you can let your imagination flow to
create endless variations using different gauges and colours,
incorporating a variety of beads, gemstones, shells, sea-glass and
any found object that appeals to the maker!
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So with all that in your tool belt, I have created and will continue to
create, a series of tutorials for my YouTube Channel which will
hopefully inspire anyone starting out, as well as sparking new inspiration
and creativity in existing makers. It's my way of sharing my ideas and
my knowledge.
Wire has given me my self-expression and I've come to realise it's
also my inner therapy. The way that I can escape from the hum drum
and difficult obstacles that come along with life!
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In the moment that I'm designing, picking beads, curling shapes
and creating pieces, I am completely absorbed! And in this fast pace,
media-negative world that we currently inhabit, a little escape is
a healthy counterbalance and should be considered as important
as medicine for your mental health and overall wellbeing!
So do hop over to my Channel: Linda Jones Wire Jewellery
for some wire therapy and spread the love of wire to as many
people as you can!
EXPRESS YOURSELF THROUGH WIRE ART!
All the jewellery images shown here are FREE tutorials on
my YouTube Channel, plus ... many more! So please do
SUBSCRIBE and that way you'll always get the latest
update, plus:
If you have any requests for techniques or projects,
please message me, as I will endeavour to create tutorials
for you.
HAPPY CREATIVE WIRE WORKING!
