Artist of the Month
After graduating from the Royal College of Art in London, Eileen returned home to the Scottish Highlands to set up her own jewellery and silversmithing business on the Black Isle. This location provides her with the perfect environment in which to work as she is inspired by the mystical interaction between man and the sea. Eileen is fascinated by ancient stories and customs and this is what inspires her when she is designing her jewellery and silverware.
 
Eileen aims to create pieces that portray an element of fantasy which in turn bring these ancient myths into our modern world. She has recently been awarded a Creative Development Grant by the Scottish Arts Council to produce a new collection of work inspired by Scottish folklore. She collaborated with three Highland story tellers, Janet MacInnes, Bob Pegg and Martin Watssman, and has used their stories together with other Scottish customs as a starting point for her new designs.
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Eileen's new collection of work, which was part of the 'Highland Fringe Exhibition' at the Castle Gallery in Inverness in September, suggests that there is a story behind it. However Eileen does not classify herself as a 'narrative jeweller'. It is not her intention that the finished pieces tell a story or communicate a message to the viewer. She explains that it is important that her pieces are not too literal, as this would compromise the aesthetic qualities in her work. |
Eileen uses the stories and customs as a starting point, creating her own visual interpretations, abstracting them in such a way that the pieces portray an air of mystery and intrigue. A number of the pieces exhibited incorporate elements which have been cast from rowan trees, it was the belief that rowan protected you from the 'sidh' (wee folk or fairies) so it became a symbol of good luck.
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The Hare is also prevalent in Eileen’s work, an animal which is surrounded by myth and superstition. People believed that witches could metamorphose themselves into hares, therefore they were often feared. However they were also symbolic of fertility and therefore were also considered to be lucky. Eileen also makes reference to the seal, known as a 'selkie' in Scottish folklore. These tales of people that could transform into seals and live under the sea as well as on land were very common around the shores of the Black Isle as they were throughout Scotland. |
Eileen makes 'one-off' pieces to commission and for exhibition purposes. She also makes batch produced collections which include charm bracelets, animal forms and christening cups. She works predominantly in silver but often incorporates 18ct gold and semi precious stones to highlight certain aspects of the design.
Eileen’s work will soon be available online. For more information on her work, please email Eileen. |