ABOUT

Catriona is an award-winning contemporary Jeweller and Glassmaker, who uses the concept of sanctuary throughout her work...

BACKGROUND
I first got into jewellery making from an early age while in school as I love combining unusual materials together using links to adorn the body.

I continued this on, once I started studying at Edinburgh College of Art in 2001. I graduated in 2005 with a BA (hons) in Design and Applied Arts, specialising in Glass and Architectural Glass, while doing Jewellery as a second subject, which was an alternative way to keep my passion for jewellery going alongside my glass degree.

I later went on to study a NC in Lampworking during my glassblowing Post-grad, adding more jewellery techniques to my arsenal as I have gone along including professional development courses in Bristol since 2011.

PROCESS
I really enjoy the process of making my work from scratch in my central Bristol studio, at Centrespace Studios. The craft itself has always been what has drawn me to being a maker, both with jewellery and with my blown glasswork. I tend to play with various materials, using the heat from my glass torch, art materials, tools and carving taken from my glasswork. I can work very methodically in my approach, or freely depending on the affect I am after. I plan, but allow for the serenity to work its unique wonder, as nature would.

INSPIRATION
Inspired by the sanctuaryand texture of woodlands, with common themes arising. I have a love of myxomycetes (slime moulds) and mycology (fungi) which tend to reappear within my jewellery work.
When researching I like to go out walking in nature, or around the graffitied streets of Bristol taking photos, before I use my sketchbook to draw designs, shapes and patterns. My sketchbooks are like a storyboard, although the designs tend to develop or evolve further as I work with the materials themselves – it is often the process of making that inspires me. This is especially true when I am working with glass as it is such a fluid material.

MATERIALS
I tend to not be too fixed on what materials I used, however glass and precious metals are what I tend to use. I love the juxtaposition of transparent and opaque, which glass and metal create and I have been working as a Glassblower for 20 years, so it is a very comfortable material for me to use. Wood, paint and other natural materials are appearing more and more into my work as I think about what I want my work to say, they textures I want to introduce and the environmental implications and discussions involved. I am also getting more into working with wax casting as it allows me to be freer with the forms I want to create in silver - this is very useful when working with glass and cold connections.

WHERE TO FIND AND BUY Catriona R MacKenzie Jewellery:

Small releases of work is available to buy through the online shop at various points during the year. We also do seasonal exhibitions across the country with special pieces created for these events. To find out more information, and when pieces will become available online join the mailing list, or follow on Instagram for updates.

AT SELECTED GALLERIES AND SHOPS:

Atelier Beside The Sea Brighton Beach, 165 Kings Road Arches BN1 1NB01273 776159
Catriona will attend the occasional Bristol Market, do follow her on Instagram

STUDIO IN BRISTOL:

By appointment at:
Studio 16, Centrespace Studios, 6 Leonard Lane, Bristol, BS1 1EA

Email me - catriona@frithglass.com

I am part of Centrespace Studios, a cooperative studio space, which isn't open to the public. We run events here once or twice a year, so do follow us on instagram & our website

See where we are on the Contact page.

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Catriona R. MacKenzie

As well as being a Jeweller Catriona is a fully trained Glassblower and Lampworker:

Catriona would describe herself as a maker first - a skilled Craftswoman. She finds a connecting in the process of making, and has spend 20 years honing her technique.

She studied her BA (hons) at Edinburgh College of Art graduating in 2005 specialising in Hot Glass. While studying at ECA, she was chosen on merit to spend 6 months at Alfred University, NY State, USA in the Glass Department learning from very skilled makers in the US. This included spending time at Corning Glass Museum. After her degree, she attended the prestigious International Glass Centre, near Stourbridge to complete a 2 year Post-Graduate Diploma concentrating on the combining of Hot Glass and Cold Glass techniques. She graduated in to 2008 with 5 distinctions.

She has attended NORTHLANDS Glass School, Caithness, and worked with world class glassblowers - Simon Moore, Tobias Mohl and Janusz Pozniak.

Since then she has worked for glass artists, been a Glassblower and Manager of a very busy commercial glassblowing studio, trained glassblower in this environment and has taught in adult learning environments.

With her experience, and NC in Lampworking, Catriona teaches Beginner Bead-making classes from her studio in Bristol. If you are interested in a class then either email Catriona for more info or follow this link.

DISIBILITY IN THE ARTS

Catriona has suffered from chronic health conditions all her life, but suffered a physical impairment in 2010, which has led her to become a disabled jeweller and glassblower. Despite these difficulties it has been important to Catriona to be an advocate to Disability in the Arts and to represent that Disabled Artists ARE Artists. If you want to help support her, and other disabled artists like her, then please do recommend her work, like and follow and donate to disability charities when you have the opportunities.