SPECIALIST gold and silver jewellery makers are congregating in Edinburgh this week for the annual Elements festival.
The event offers exhibitions, talks and workshops as well as a sale of handmade work by designers from across the UK. Organised by The Incorporation of Goldsmiths of the City of Edinburgh and fine art auctioneers Lyon & Turnbull, it runs from Friday until Sunday.
The fair, which will feature 50 jewellery makers, will take place on the ground floor of Lyon & Turnbull’s historic New Town auction house.
Jewellery and silverware ranging from £45 to £15,000 will be on offer, from affordable brooches and earrings to exquisite one-off pieces, handcrafted using precious metals and gemstones.
Organisers are aiming to showcase established industry names as well as 17 makers, including 10 from Scotland, who have been in business for less than five years.
There will be displays of work by jewellery and silversmithing students from five Scottish colleges.
One of them is Stefanie Ying Lin Cheong, an artist jeweller from Glasgow, who uses stones found in the UK and gold that is either recycled or fair trade, and Andrew Fleming, also from Glasgow, who helped design the medals for the 2019 European Athletics Championships.
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Among the exhibitors are Akvile Su, whose metalwork emphasises minimalism and sustainability, and gold, silver and titanium specialist Ruth Leslie (right).
Mary Michel, director of The Incorporation of Goldsmiths of the City of Edinburgh, said: “Elements is a chance to meet some of the finest contemporary designers, see work by the makers of tomorrow and learn about Scotland’s long history of gold, silver and jewellery making.
“The incorporation has been championing the country as a centre of superb craftsmanship since the 15th century, and this festival is a way that we can support this ancient tradition by celebrating the best that is being created today.”
Lyndsay McGill, curator at the National Museums Scotland, will also give a talk at the festival discussing Scottish works.
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