Neon Wood Pendant

Month five outcome -

Neon Wood Pendant:

Neon wood pendant – For those following me on social media, you will know that July was my month of making wood jewellery. Wood, is something I have tinkered with before in the studio (in my White // Wood Collection) but it was lovely to revisit it once more.

Month five was a celebration of wood because this is the material that marks the fifth wedding anniversary. So each month for the rest of the year, I will be selecting the next material in line. Each marks the next sentimental anniversary gift.

My plan this year is to mark months 1-10 in celebration of my ten years in business.

During July I also recommended some brilliant makers who create pieces made in wood, see more here. I interviewed jewellery designer working in wood Kelly Munro, see more here. Finally, I made a NEW neon wood pendant and this is what I wanted to talk about further in this blog post.

Designing in wood

Making with found materials …

For those of you who read my last #ProjectWabiSabi blog about my new linen earrings, you might remember that I mentioned that my work is often led by the materials themselves. Through play, I like to see in its most basic form, how it can be manipulated.

Whilst creating my neon wood pendant, this again was the case. Early on in July, I asked followers to vote on which type of wood they thought I should work with for my outcome. I was choosing between a piece of beautiful oak wood veneer that’s been in my materials kit for such a long time. The second option was some rather rough pine block offcuts which had been charred by an angle grinder in a recent DIY project at home.

I was quite surprised that followers chose the pine blocks. I had kept them due to the beautiful, polished edge the grinder had created so I was excited to take on the challenge of making jewellery with them.

Work in progress…

At the beginning of July, all I knew about the wood I was going to making a piece with, was that I didn’t want to change it much. Sometimes I believe that things are perfect just the way they are. Sometimes an accidental activity brings the most perfect outcome, without any further manipulation.

The wood that we’d cut from the surround of our front door, smoothed down by the grinder we were using, was a mini piece of art if itself. We would never have found the method, without the very situation needing us the think outside of the box. I had kept it at the time, intrigued by its properties, wondering whether at some point it might come in use and this was the perfect opportunity!

Wood outcome

Problem Solving…

As I begun to play with the chunks of wood in their original, unmanipulated form, I realised that my outcome options were going to be somewhat limited. Though a couple of friends challenged me to make a bracelet, it was a neck piece that my gut was telling me to pursue. (Bracelet challenge has not been forgotten!)

At first I was looking at incorporating several of the chunks into one neck piece and I wanted to find some kind of pulley mechanism to add movement and impermanence. After several sample attempts, I found there was too many variables that would change on every make, that didn’t enable the quality of outcome I wanted. But all to often within this project, especially within the short timescales, I’ve found the only answer is to simplify!

So often, I find that I set myself impossible challenges. I don’t just like to set myself the one challenge, ie: make a piece of jewellery with wood. I like to create myself some basically pretty limiting parameters, ie: make a piece of jewellery with wood. It’s a necklace made of offcuts of charred pine. You cannot change the pine. The necklace should be able to moveable and non permanent in its form. It should be able to be worn by people of various shapes and sizes. It should be minimal is style but include some unconventional materials. It’s making should be simple but it’s design clever and replicable. And that’s just some of them!

I suppose in reality I’m forming myself a brief but sometimes I seem to create so many boundaries in which to create, I make a solution which is overcomplicated! Ironic that one of the main reasons I say I love being my own boss is that I have freedom isn’t it?!

The outcome…

I opted to simplify the design by incorporating just a single wood block whilst designing with moveability. I added a big punch of colour with some neon thread, which contrasted beautifully with the polished dark charring of the pine. The grey arc at the top of the piece not only creates beautiful form, it also sits comfortably on the back of the neck, whilst keeping the cotton strands separated.

The block istelf can be slid up or down the lengths of thread. Not only is this great for ease of putting on, but it means it’s up to the wearer to change the look of this piece, dependent on their fancy.

The lengths of thread are deliberately long, enabling the wood to sit at a playful and adjustable position, resting between your chest and tummy. Bringing brightness to a tee, top or dress. Full pendant drop length is approx. 60cm and wood block is 2.5 x 3.5cm.

So I’d love to hear what you think of my neon wood pendant? …

Contact me if you'd like to a neon wood pendant

Month five outcome -