SENSITIVITY TAKES A SHAPE: THE JEWELLERY DESIGNS OF PAULA CASTRO & KATE BENNETT
Hailing from Porto, Paula Castro is an artist whose love for mountains reflects her deep connection with nature. Drawing on her background in psychology, Paula's passion for art, aesthetics, and her unique sensitivity always nurtured her soul. A jewellery training course sparked a new passion, and her sensitivity began taking shape. Her work explores themes of freedom, identity, and resilience, inspired by her life experiences and love for nature.
Paula's artistic motivation revolves around the idea of feeling trapped within ourselves due to family and societal rules and stereotypes. This confinement often leads to discomfort, insecurity, and lack of motivation to challenge ourselves. To break free, we must allow our souls to experience life and move our bodies in harmony. Paula's work embodies the idea of liberation and lightness, urging us to dance, breathe, and feel good about ourselves.
Her inspiration often comes from emotions and feelings, reflecting her background in psychology and her artistic sensitivity. When someone wears her jewellery, Paula hopes they feel a deep connection to the piece, identifying with its meaning and feeling uplifted by it. Her goal is to create a sense of belonging and comfort, allowing the wearer to embrace the lightness and freedom that her designs embody.
Kate reveals her affinity for working with found objects, including metals, resins, wood, gemstones, and clay. She finds inspiration in discovering unique materials, treatments, and techniques, transforming them into stunning works of art. Kate also incorporates spent bullet casings into some of her jewellery designs to subvert their political and ideological power, highlighting subtle hidden meanings in her work.
In the Cluster online store, her piece Suppression exemplifies Kate's distinctive style. The composition features brass, copper, clay, acrylic paint, and resin, with lips in the centre surrounded by two ruptured bullet shell casings on either side. The design symbolises the suppression of people's voices and their unyielding determination not to be silenced.
In the Cluster online store, her piece Movement III exemplifies this philosophy. This brooch, crafted from porcelain and silver, features a circle with a slight movement. The circle symbolises imprisonment, while the subtle movement represents breaking free from those constraints. As a designer, Paula seeks to convey the lightness of being through the movement of body and soul.
Paula discovered her desire to pursue jewellery design in her 50s, longing to venture into a completely different field. Her favourite materials to work with are silver and porcelain, loved for its colour, purity, lightness, transparency, and moldability. She also has a passion for using raw, natural elements in her work.
Katherine Bennett, the creative force behind Amended Elements Studio, has developed a distinctive approach to jewellery design and fabrication, drawing from her diverse background in metalsmithing and costumery. A passionate student of jewellery and fashion design, she continuously explores new techniques and media to expand her remarkably varied portfolio.
Kate's journey began at Indiana University in Bloomington, where she was first introduced to metalsmithing. She later honed her signature style during a two-year residency at the Faulkner Gallery, often integrating unusual and recycled materials in her creations. This innovative approach demonstrates her belief in the potential of unconventional materials to produce extraordinary art and jewellery.
Her sources of inspiration include using unconventional and recycled materials, as well as fashion trends. By incorporating objects not typically used in jewellery fabrication, Kate develops one-of-a-kind creations that reflect her inventive spirit.
When someone wears Kate's jewellery, she hopes they feel unique and powerful. Her goal is to create pieces that stand out from the ordinary, making a bold statement while showcasing the wearer's individuality.