Barbara Mullally

I love to work in metal. I am seduced by fire, the tools, the malleability and transformational quality of the materials.

Pieces evolve from stories, memorable places or times, and interesting stones. I love quirky ideas, odd juxtapositions, and humour. Lately I’ve been working with openwork organic designs combined with stones that I’ve gathered in over 25 years of collecting. I am excited by the colours I get with stones, copper and enamels, in addition to silver and gold. I love to make my signature three-dimensional pieces like my pea pods, and fold-formed leaves. My pieces must have presence and scale, but be light and always wearable.

I use carved bone in some pieces, creating tiny moon faces that characterize this work. Each is different: I collect expressions, sketching faces and capturing moods to use in new pieces.

I feel strongly that jewellery must not abandon its history of human adornment, as be a wearable, personal object. Jewellery that is not created by the human hand in concert with the human mind and spirit risks losing its identity.

I love playing with ideas, materials and fabrication techniques. As long as there are interesting ideas to explore, technical and creative challenges, I will hammer on.

Clayton, Ontario, February 2019