Spotlight On: Alice Fry
Spotlight On: Alice Fry
Alice Fry is a recent graduate of The Glasgow School of Art and a multi-award-winning jeweller and silversmith, celebrating the chaotic beauty of crystal and mineral formations through metal. Alice’s work aims to re-imagine these rare mineral specimens into functional jewellery and objects without depleting their precious resource. Alice is one of a small handful of metalworkers in the UK specialising in the metal niobium, allowing her to add bright blue pops of colour to her collection through the technique of anodising. Alice’s work was featured in our 2020 Graduate Showcase exhibition. Since graduating, Alice has undertaken further studies at Bishopsland Education Trust, a residential course specialising in jewellery and silversmithing. We caught up with Alice to learn more about her work and career in her first year since graduation.
One of my earliest memories of making jewellery was when I made ‘earrings’ out of a pipe cleaner at around the age of 6. I asked my mum to wear them and her response was along the lines of “I’m not putting those in my ears, you’ll give me an infection!”. This has stuck in my mind and made me more determined to continue with my craft. From there, I attended an after-school jewellery-making class (beading bracelets) in primary school taught by local jeweller and artist Sally Kheng. She was a huge inspiration for me and even ran a jewellery-making party for my 11th birthday! Throughout secondary school, I beaded jewellery with my friends and set up a jewellery-making club at school.
The transition from beading to metalwork began when I did a one-to-one ring-making class when I was 13. This was the pivotal point at which I believed I could make a career out of jewellery making. Perhaps unusually for a teenager, I attended jewellery and rock fairs whenever the opportunity arose.
Why did you decide to follow this career path?
My end goal was always to pursue a career in jewellery making but I had first intended to take a painting degree, with a view to perfecting my drawing skills. But when I went to the open days at the art schools of Edinburgh and Glasgow, I completely fell in love with their jewellery courses. I was drawn in by the old machinery and the rhythmic, mesmerising sound of hammering in the workshop. I automatically felt more at home there than in the painting studios.
At school I loved a mix of subjects. I studied Chemistry, Maths and Art at A level. Going round the open days made me realise that jewellery and silversmithing is a perfect blend of my passion for history, design, chemistry, rocks, art and making.
‘Fools Gold’ Brooch (Niobium, 18ct gold, sterling silver and steel pin)
Blue Rock Ring and Blue Crystal Earrings
Blue Crystal Earrings (Niobium and sterling silver)
Can you tell us what you are doing in your career right now and what you are currently working on?
Having graduated with a First-Class degree from the Glasgow School of Art BA (Hons) Silversmithing and Jewellery Design, I enrolled in a post-graduate silversmithing course at Bishopsland Educational Trust. I’m nearing the end of this year-long course and currently working on scaling up my work into larger silversmithing pieces using techniques such as raising, chasing and repousse and engraving. I am working towards completing pieces for the Jacobs Jewellers competition and the final exhibition at Bishopsland, ‘Retrospective’.
Online marketing has become an integral part of setting up a business in this challenging year of COVID. I’ve just launched my website with an online shop and information about my specialisms — niobium and chasing and repoussé.
Crystal Pendant commission (Niobium, sterling silver and sapphire)
Alice chasing gold in the alloying masterclass with Patrick Davison at Bishopsland
Blue John Stone mineral specimen
Where do you draw your inspiration from in your work?
Since I was a child, I have had a fascination with looking at the different colours, shapes and reflections in rocks and gems and developed my own rock collection, which I still use to sketch from.
After visiting the Blue John Stone caves in Derbyshire – where mining of the rock is limited in order to preserve the history and natural beauty of the caves – I used the specimens found there as inspiration for a large part of my collection. Using a Blue John Stone mineral specimen found in these caves, I have directly ‘drawn’ into the metal using the ancient craft of chasing and repoussé.
Other inspiration comes from visiting museums, such as the Hunterian Museum in the University of Glasgow and the Natural History Museum in London, where I sketch and take photographs of their mineral specimens.
I find that the seemingly random and chaotic arrangement of these crystals growing out of rock makes them appear out-of-this-world. The fact that they are often found hidden in dark underground caves adds an air of mystery to these mineral specimens.
Crystal Formation Tumbler
Crystal Beaker
How would you describe your design style?
My work is the embodiment of ethereal, fantastical mineral specimens with playful pops of colour. I like juxtaposing angular, geometric shapes against organic rock-like forms, often using colour or texture to further contrast the two. I hope to create original, enduring works of art that can be passed down as treasures for generations to come, just like the earthly, timeless crystals and minerals that inspire me.
Crystal Confetti Earrings (hand engraved in sterling silver)
Detail of chasing
Blue Rock Earrings (Niobium and sterling silver)
Tell us about your practice and methods you have developed in your work.
I use the ancient technique of chasing and repoussé in my own unique way. Forming such sharp angles and flat areas to recreate the crystal shapes is extremely difficult and time-consuming, and requires specially made punches that I make by hand. To create a contrast to these geometric shapes, my rock-like forms are made using my signature diamond texture. This is made using diamond burrs as chasing punches, creating an imprint of the tiny shards of diamonds on the surface of the metal.
To create colour in my work, I use the metal niobium. Experimenting with this unusual and rare metal has allowed me to develop my skill of using chasing and repoussé; my work is unique in that I chase niobium at such sharp and flat angles. Once I have formed the shapes, I anodise them to different colours. My signature colour is deep blue, which contrasts beautifully with silver.
What is next for you this year?
After I finish at Bishopsland in August, I plan on setting up my own workshop with other jewellers/silversmiths in Sheffield and continue to expand my products into silverware. I am looking forward to being able to exhibit my work in person and to meet customers. Online shows have been inspiring, but it does not replace seeing work in person.
You can keep up with Alice on Instagram @alicefryjewellery or on her website, www.alicefry.com