Libby Ward
Libby Ward is award winning contemporary jeweller designer and maker from Staffordshire, UK.
She says "My perceptions of preciousness in materials reflect toward the natural aspects and organic life around me. I see beauty in objects and materials, which most people wouldn't regard; it is this curiosity that feeds my need to experiment, which then transpires into layers of depth in my finished pieces."
Libby's design approach is based on experimental methodologies; she has a passion for juxtaposing unusual and an unexpected mix of materials using a myriad of making processes in order to create thought provoking pieces.
Libby makes process starts from looking at objects around her that have interesting textures; then she makes a mould of this and create that texture in either resin, silicone or latex. Then she manipulates the processes by adding materials, etching, coating, layering, stretching, heating and also breaking.
Libby also do a similar process to metals, although the main techniques. She says " I use for this; are etching textures or images on to the surface, build up metal by electroforming and experimenting with patination. I carry on this procedure until I have acquired a large body of unusual samples, to which I also add strange existing materials that I have found or altered."
Libby's current practice of work equates or references museum collection of strange and wonderful specimens and artifacts, which have been found and collated as 'sequences' for the viewer to observe and question.
See below her creative contemporary designs
