Gillian Finlay
About Gillian Finlay
Gillian Finlay grew up in Hong Kong, moving to Scotland to study jewellery & silversmithing, where she graduated with First-Class Honours. She has exhibited her work in New York, London and Edinburgh, where she has her studio. Gillian’s work is inspired by the extraordinary bamboo scaffolding which enveloped Hong Kong’s myriad skyscrapers and captivated her throughout her childhood. Gillian draws inspiration from these distinctive scaffold structures, finding beauty in their complex patterns. She reinterprets and reimagines them into more playful and flowing forms. Each unique piece reflects the contradictions in these bamboo scaffold frameworks – they are strong and structural, yet light and intricate.
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Gillian’s creative making process draws inspiration from her childhood memories of Hong Kong’s amazing bamboo scaffold structures, each with their own distinctive flow. She reinterprets these beautiful and complex patterns through the meticulous manipulation of precious metal wire; folding, pleating and pinching strips of silver and gold, reimagining them into more playful and flowing forms. Each unique handcrafted piece of jewellery captures the tensions between structure and fluidity, strength and delicacy, reflecting the contradictions inherent in the scaffolding that inspired her.
Information on commissions
All Goldsmiths’ Fair exhibitors welcome commissions. Don’t hesitate to contact this maker and start a conversation about commissioning a piece, unique to you. Examples of commissioning include transforming or combining old jewellery into new pieces, incorporating stones into new settings, or simply working together to create a bespoke piece in the style of this maker.
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