The Bite Magazine - Spring 2019 - Issue 24

bite jewellery In her experience, a quality product is fashioned from high quality gemstones or minerals and crafted creatively with a devotion to form and function. It is then finished with the highest standards of workmanship. Whilst she doesn’t have a particular jewellery designer she is inspired by, Carol does admire the brilliant designers that have made reputations over the decades for the big jewellery houses. “But, truly, entrepreneur designers inspire me the most, people whose names aren’t widely known, but who are doing brilliant work.” One of those entrepreneur creatives is an Italian designer living in Bali who makes incredible, modern, geometric cut stone jewellery and whose work she is madly in love with. She also hopes to collaborate with him in the near future. One person she would have loved to design a piece for, if she was still alive, was her mother, who she called ‘the celebrity in her life’. “The only other ‘celebrity’ would be Iris Apfel – she’s so interesting and definitely seems interested to explore the unique!” When it comes to preparing for a fashion shoot or show, there are certain elements that have to come into consideration such as the context, the back story or the setting. “What enhances the ‘story’ being told? Who’s the audience? If it’s a blank canvas, then I’m free to experiment. I’d bring pieces that have fabulous natural colour, or an interesting shape, or pieces that pair unusual elements like amethyst and quartz.” As Carol prefers constructing her pieces, rather than drawing, these will look amazing no matter which stones she uses. For the designer, the amazing thing about designing is sourcing interest- ing stones. “It’s an instant love affair when I see the right stone. I said the same thing when I met my husband. I just knew he was the one for me.” Such a beautiful analogy! While she still loves making big statement piec- es, Carol is currently dabbling with smaller stones and placing them in an interesting environment, such as mixing Mexican fire opal with garnets or moonstones. At the moment her favourite colour is green, especially with garnet, other- wise known as uvarovite, for its sparkling, saturated colour. Material-wise, she loves challenges, whether they are big or small. “When I find a stone I love, I immediately begin imagining its future home, whether it will stand alone, or with other stones, whether it will be cut or sliced or fitted. How it will ‘live’ in a piece with other elements, such as pearls, or turquoise, or merlinite, for example. The possibilities are endlessly fascinating to me.” “If I had to choose, I admit that I am mesmerised by the sublime beauty of humble quartz. It shimmers. It radiates warmth, and it reminds me that humility, like quartz, is forged over time and under pressure. Like the hu- mans who wear them, the quartz pieces I choose for my designs represent a species, even though each individual is singular and unique. The really cool part of the jewellery design is that I get to decide which individuals fit together to make a great big, wonderful, beautiful statement.” For aspiring jewellery designers, Carol would advise them to firstly, “do what you love. If you are passionate about what you do, then all the rest follows: the hard work, the persistence, the perseverance, and, of course, the humour and delight. I’m so lucky to be in this creative space with so many other truly remarkable designers, those who are already established and those who are venturing into the market – like me.” Carol Richard Jewellery can be found online on their website. https://carolrichard.com