Magenta Trinkets - Artist Interview

Another Artist Interview this week - with Magenta Trinkets. Thanks so much for sharing with us Magenta!

Magenta Trinkets

How would you describe what you do as an artist?
I would say I am a combination jeweller /metal worker, I look at each piece I create as a miniature sculpture.

What inspires your designs?
Many things inspire my work, I love different shapes and forms in nature, I like to doodle and draw spirals and curves. My work often evolves as I work and tends not to be contrived. I can start on one piece with an idea in mind but the end result will turn out differently than I first intended it to, my mind gets busy when I work so I get my creative flow whilst I am working as well as beforehand. Sometimes I draw designs but rarely end up using them. If I hadn't studied Jewellery I would have like to have been a metal sculptor.Being creative requires originality, I strive to create unique pieces, I find some jewellery too contrived which is why I steered away from conventional and traditional jewellery. I also had to find my own style that appealed as an artistic form. I also rarely work on one piece at a time, I usually have a few pieces all at different stages until it come to the finishing, this can be a bit tedious as I don't enjoy polishing.

© Magenta Trinkets

How long have you been involved in this type of making?
My dad got me interested in jewellery as he had been an apprentice Diamond Mounter in Hatton Garden London in the 50's. He mentioned Sir John Cass College. I had wanted to go to art school and study fine art but I hadn't got a folio together. I started at John Cass doing night classes, then part time day classes as I couldn't afford to take full time study I had to work a day job. I started studying jewellery and loved it from the word go, I also did a few jewellery design classes. I was fortunate to have very good teachers two were Cartier jewellers one of them was the Cartier foreman.

I started classes at John Cass in 1978 and studied off and on for nine years in London and also Kent.The beauty of classes is you meet like minded people, you can also learn from others.I mainly worked on pieces for my family, friends and myself initially. Then in the early 80's one of my tutors suggested that he set up an interview for me with a well known London jeweller in Jermyn Street. I felt quite daunted and ill equipped, then I also felt it would be impossible to survive on an apprentice's wage so I didn't go for the interview. In hindsight I have no regrets, although I would have learnt many skills eventually, it would have taken a long time to get there. I also think I would have felt restricted with my creativity and may have struggled with the processes of making traditional jewellery. 

I have also studied painting in all mediums and Interior Design. All of which compliments my jewellery.

Where are you located?
We moved as a family to Wanaka, New Zealand nine years ago after living in the UK and Berlin Germany. The town we moved to is situated in heart of the Southern Alps and sits on a glacial lake surrounded by snow capped mountains in the winter time, it is a very picturesque and beautiful ski town and also a place that is a hub for outdoor pursuits enthusiasts both in the summer and the winter. Having said that I hope to move to Melbourne Australia later this year which will have a wider audience for me with my work and sales and also the arts.

© Magenta Trinkets

Do you have a website or etsy store?
I have just started selling my jewellery in two online shops, I am about to open two more. One of the shops I am going to open is for FAR which stands for Friends Along The Road. This will be a collective charity shop specifically to raise funds for people in grief. FAR is run by my friend Dave he wants to build a sanctuary retreat for people in grief. I am sourcing, jewellers, artists and craftspeople to join me in the etsy shop, we will donate 15% of any sales to help FAR. So far we have two artists and two jewellers, we want to be able to offer items relating to grief such as memorial jewellery or art.
http://www.senseofashion.com/MagentasTrinkets
http://www.etsy.com/shop/magentastrinkets


What other ways do you market your work?
I used to exhibit and sell in a local co operative shop in our town, I also had my work in galleries. I stopped doing this a few years ago as it wasn't very productive, New Zealand doesn't have a big population which makes it hard to sell here. I am hoping that online selling will be more profitable and will be looking into selling to London and Australian stores, then doing craft markets in Australia.

© Magenta Trinkets

Do you teach? if so, where?
Teaching is something I have wanted to do for a long time, I am intending to look into it once I move the Melbourne.

Any sage advice for newcomers that you would like to share?
Think hard about your style and try to be as original as possible. I wanted to make traditional jewellery when I first started but I struggled with precision and technique. I then eventually came to realise my own style and feel more comfortable doing what I want rather than making contrived pieces. My style isn't precise because I don't want to achieve perfection, I have learn't to accept my flaws and nuances, nothing in reality is perfect.

Research your market  before you give up your day job, jewellery is ideal to start as a hobby and you can find out this way how successful you will be.You don't need a huge studio with lot's of expensive equipment to start with. You can manage with very little in the way of tools and equipment and work from a table. If you do classes it helps because the school will have all the tools and equipment you need.

© Magenta Trinkets

Where do you envision your work going in the next year?
Hopefully onwards and upwards, If I start making lot's of sales I will look into casting my pieces as I would like to sell wholesale. I also hope to run workshops and teach. I am just putting out feelers and exploring, hoping and staying positive.

Anything else you would like to share?  
Some of my other links!
Facebook fan page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Magentas-Trinkets/111257445629555
Flickr page: http://www.flickr.com/photos/magentasimages/
Tumblr: http://piratepinnacles.tumblr.com/post/7225542919

© Magenta Trinkets