Bradford School of Arts and Media   2009/2010

Glenys Phillips

Whilst undertaking a degree in Silversmith and Jewellery in Sheffield I also studied to become a fellow of the Gemmological Association. This opened up a world of deliciously beautiful gem stones to me, from the vivid orange of the fire opal to the variety of the rich green garnet. I was introduced to an amazing array of gems, most of which are never heard of or used. Dennos Durham has recently retired, is a master of gem cutting. Using years of skills and experience he brought the best out of these chunks of minerals, shaping, faceting and polishing them until their absolute beauty shone through. Radiant colour and brilliance revealed by a craftsman who fully understood each material he was working with. To date I have worked mainly with black gem stones but now I’d like to take this opportunity to design several pieces of jewellery which showcase the beauty of some lesser known colourful gem stones.