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Shimara CarlowMaker in Focus

01 June - 30 June 2011

Shimara Carlow was born in Southern Ireland, 1979 and developed a childhood fascination for collecting shells, stones, mermaid’s purses’, feathers and pods found along the sea shore. Nature as inspiration continued into Shimara’s experimental practice whilst studying at Glasgow School of Art and latterly into her professional career as a silver-smith.

Whilst studying at Glasgow School of Art, Shimara experimented with hand made paper and silver as mediums for creating large sculptural pieces of jewellery and smaller silversmithing pieces. The work developed a tactile and organic quality that has continued in to her current practice. Shimara began a residency at Bishopsland Workshops in South Oxfordshire in 2002 where she spent two years. The opportunity was grasped to experiment with large scale silversmithing.

The silversmithing is all based on pod vessels; creating small and large pod vessels, bowls, vases and tableware. She uses fine silver and 24ct gold to create these pieces, which are all hand raised from flat sheets of metal. Surface texture is created using hammers and mallets followed with acid to take the silver surface back to its natural white state. The vessels are constructed to be free standing and off centre, giving them a fluid natural quality.

The jewellery of Shimara Carlow has equally been inspired by natural forms; primarily seedpods, creating a body of work based on ‘pod like’ structures. She uses silver, 18ct gold and silk paper. Collections include, ‘Daisy’, ‘Acorn Cup’, ‘Acorn Cup Wrap’ and ‘Silver Acorn Cup Wrap’. These pieces are constructed from individual acorn cup and daisy units assembled to create both large and small scale pieces of jewellery. The cups are assembled to hang in long articulated chains or set in to intricate wire structures that when worn, will adorn the body beautifully. 


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