The thriving cluster of jewellery designers on Orkney has welcomed the arrival of a wee gem.
Zoe Davidson, 25, is set to launch a unique collection of handcrafted silverwork using an ancient form of metal origami this weekend.
Ms Davidson, who graduated in jewellery and metal design from Dundee’s Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design in 2013, decided to start her own business after working with several of the islands’ well known jewellers including Alison Moore Designs and Ortak.
Born in Borneo but raised in the Orkney port town of Stromness, Ms Davidson has also undertaken internships with Amsterdam fashion designer, Iris Van Herpen, and Plockton-based jeweller, Gilly Langton.
Zoe Davidson Jewellery, which is based in Stromness, will officially launch on Saturday. The jeweller’s first collection, Hoy Sound, has been named after the fast tidal channel of water between Stromness and the island of Hoy.
Much of the collection has been created using the fold form technique, where the silver is hammered, heated and folded continuously by hand to reflect the curves and rippled texture of the sea. Ms Davidson also incorporates gemstones into her work, with a range that includes rings, pendants and bangles.
She said: “I first discovered fold form when experimenting at Art College. It’s a type of origami in metal that’s ideally suited to evoking the flowing and sculptural shapes of the swirling tides and curling waves of the seas around Orkney.
“I draw a huge amount of inspiration from the ocean and from the wild and dramatic Orcadian landscape,” she added. “For a jewellery designer, Orkney is a location that is unsurpassed and I’m enormously excited to be launching my own business back home in the islands. It’s exciting and a little nerve-racking too, but the support I’ve had locally has been wonderful. I’m just looking forward to sharing my first collection with everyone and getting to work on the next range of pieces.”
Edgar Balfour, development manager for Orkney food, drink and crafts, said: “Orkney is now very well known for its concentration of high quality jewellery designers, who all bring something different to the table. It’s always encouraging to see young, talented people enter the profession and locally the industry is providing lots of opportunities for those interested in jewellery as a career. It’s particularly nice to have a local graduate return home to start up a new business and we wish Zoe well with her stunning collection.”
