Cynthia Cousens studied silversmithing at Loughborough College of Art and Design before undertaking an MA in jewellery at the Royal College of Art. Her works in the collection take nature as their starting point and the shapes she uses are organic: seed pods, leaves, grasses and other images of growth. She often used siilver and different coloured metals, in combination. The metals were rolled together and the same rolling mill was used to create surface texture on the metal. In some of the pieces different elements are soldered together using wires and then moulded with textured planes in silver, and yellow or red-gold used as highlights.

Glossary

  • Design

    The arrangement of elements or details in an artefact or a work of art.

  • Metal

    Metal is a medium frequently used by artists to make art works - from sculpture to printmaking. Surfaces can display an array of colours and textures, and are capable of being polished to a high gloss; metal can be melted, cast, or fused, hammered into thin sheets, or drawn into wire.