Precious Botanicals - drawing inspiration and abstraction from the natural world
From the ancient civilisations of Egypt and Greece to the here and now, botanical motifs have been a prominent theme in jewellery design for as long as there has been jewellery. For Goldsmiths’ Stories, writer Janice Hosegood explores the work and practice of three makers who draw inspiration and abstraction from the beauty of the natural world.
The Renaissance and Victorian eras gave us strong examples of this style, with intricate designs featuring roses, lilies, and other symbolic flowers crafted in precious metals and adorned with diamonds and colourful gemstones. At the turn of the 20th Century, the Art Nouveau movement introduced a more organic interpretation of plant life. Pioneers like René Lalique and Carl Fabergé used enamelling and semi-precious stones to create stylised representations of flowers.
For high-end brands such as Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, Chanel and Tiffany & Co., floral jewellery remains popular, symbolising timeless elegance, femininity, and a deep connection to nature, making it a cherished element of precious jewellery on the high street. In her book ‘Floral Jewels,’ Carol Woolton chronicles the history of flowers in jewellery through the eyes of some of the world's leading brand designers. In an article for Sotheby’s, she writes: “Flowers are one of the ways we mark particular moments in our lives, and jewellery is another. It’s a small wonder, therefore, that flowers are a significant theme in the oeuvre of jewellery designers.”
In the hands of artist jewellers, silversmiths and contemporary craftspeople, this source of influence creates pieces of a highly original nature.
Fred Rich is well established as one of Britain’s most dynamic and exciting art enamellers. His distinctive style and technical expertise make him one of the country’s foremost designer-makers, attracting a wide circle of discerning collectors. “I’ve always been fascinated by nature, and plants in particular” Fred explained, “and in answer to the question ‘why,’ the simple fact is that plants in all their forms are just simply beautiful.” This passion has been with Fred from an early age and even influenced his choice of school for A-levels so he could study botany, which he loved. “Although my exam results were a bit rubbish, a lot of the information stayed with me and gave me an understanding of how plants work and an insight into the ecosystems that allow them to thrive. Even now, in my design work, however stylised or abstracted, I still try to make sure that the ‘botany’ is right, although it has to be said that I would never allow botanical correctness to compromise a design.”
It is not just plant forms, colours and textures that captivate Fred; quite often he’s inspired by something else: “It’s to do with the life that plants exude, especially in a particular setting,” he explains. For instance, his ‘Hidden Hedgerows’ abstract beaker is inspired by the pale gold light from a low February sun, highlighting the luminous hues of lichen and liverworts hidden amongst a tapestry of dormant forms bursting with the promise of new life. “On the other hand, my ‘Conkers’ beaker is an expression of joy at lucky mahogany conkers simply falling out of the sky. The natural world is a never-ending kaleidoscope of delight and inspiration for me, that cannot be bettered.”
Hidden Hedgerows by Fred Rich. Photography by Richard Valencia.
Most of Fred’s research is done through photographs followed by sketch designs, which are then painted in watercolour. He takes time to get the colour balances right before trying to emulate the designs in enamel and ensures that the drawings are as close as possible to what he intends to create. For Fred, it's essential that the client can see what to expect, making it a crucial part of the commissioning process.
“Yes, I am a gardener and love it” he shares when I quiz him about how far this interest goes. “I have a view over our garden from my workroom which can be quite annoying when you see something that needs doing but can’t justify leaving the job in hand to go and sort it. Dahlias are my favourite to grow, but I'm happy to plant anything that catches my fancy. There’s a place for everything and even clashing horticultural misfits have a way of sorting themselves out. I find gardening gives you a sense of well-being.”
When I started the conversation with Jed Green for this article, she admitted to being initially quite puzzled. “It made me think more about my influences,” she admitted, “and that I would not have named ‘botanicals’ as being one of them.” This was a surprise as, for me, these references are visible in her work, in an abstract way.
Although now firmly part of the contemporary jewellery scene in the UK, this was not Jed’s original intention. She studied sculpture and printmaking at The Slade School of Fine Art and in the early years, with limitations of space and time, and with a young family, her sculptural work was small-scale. “I noticed the similarities with jewellery,” she says, “so I took an evening class to learn some rudimentary techniques and kind of ‘slid’ from sculpture to jewellery.”
As her children grew and went to school, Jed started a business creating small batch-production collections. “I worked part-time in a gallery,” she explains, “so I understood the commercial aspects and although it was reasonably successful, I didn’t find it fulfilling.” Jed dedicated time to exploring what she wanted to make and what was important to her and discovered that removing the repetition of production to create purely one-off pieces was the answer. “I feel I’ve come full circle back to sculpture, albeit as wearable art forms,” she concludes, happily.
Without the constraints of self-imposed themes in her pieces, Jed admits to enjoying what others see in them. “Although I haven’t set out to create botanical or nature-inspired work, clients often describe it as ‘mechanical nature’ and see similarities with underwater plant life or creatures,” she explains. As we delve into her processes, it’s clear that her fine artist approach enables her to push the boundaries of the glass-making techniques that she utilises. Although her raw materials start as hollow tubes, as she slices, carves, melts and drills, the resulting forms are often organic. “I don’t look directly at plants or natural forms for inspiration,” she smiles, “but my husband is a passionate gardener and plantsman, so perhaps I’ve absorbed this influence by osmosis.”
Our conversation moves on to Jed’s more direct inspirations and she admits she can be as motivated by a truck full of building scrap as nature itself. She cites an admiration for landscape artists Andy Goldsworthy, and Christo and Jeanne-Claude, and how they transform existing forms, objects and buildings on a monumental scale in the environment. “I’ve recently been drawn to Ikebana, the art of Japanese flower arranging, too,” she confides, “which takes beautiful, floral forms and sculpts with them.”
By contrast, German jeweller, Anne Franke, has taken much more direct influence from flora and botanical forms. Her delicate pieces are made predominantly from embossed paper, silver and steel, and have the same ethereal quality as petals and leaves. “I enjoy observing the small details,” Anne tells me. “My inspiration invariably comes from nature itself, whether it's the rhizomatic growth of root networks or the veins and structure revealed in dying plants.” She goes further: “On a deeper level, floral and botanical elements have universal symbolism. They often represent growth, renewal, and the passage of time, themes that resonate with all of us. By incorporating these elements into my jewellery, I aim to evoke a sense of connection to nature and life's cycles.”
Anne uses antique tools originally intended for making silk flowers, which she found in a Belgian market. These tools carry a history of craftsmanship that she uses with great enthusiasm, and she has repurposed them to shape paper into floral designs. “I create flexible, wearable sculptures that you wouldn’t find in nature as it’s not my goal to replicate it,” she explains.
Anne is as in tune with her materials as she is with her source of inspiration, and this has great bearing as she’s creating a new piece. “The way the material rustles, how the individual shapes are fixed so they move with the wearer, and even how they interact with an imagined garment are all considered in the design process. The leaf shapes come in various sizes, and I need to determine whether a necklace should convey lightness or if another one with large elements should impart a certain weight.”
Like Fred Rich, Anne has a passion for plants and gardens. “In my home, I surround myself with plants and floral motifs, creating a space that reflects my love for the natural world. I enjoy the changing of the seasons, even on a small scale. The microcosm that reveals itself when you observe closely how a leaf transforms through weather, light, or the natural process of decay, is truly fascinating.”
I’m intrigued by Anne’s plans for adding extra dimensions to her pieces too. She’s already introducing subtle colour to some of her work and the next step is to experiment with fragrance. Paper is an excellent carrier for scent and she’s exploring this original idea with what seems a natural sensory partner.
As a passionate amateur gardener, I’m struck by the similarities between an artist’s work and the privilege of shaping a space with plants. It is a journey of constant change and learning, of tangents to be followed and the endless joy of discovering something new. One of the UK’s greatest gardeners, Beth Chatto, summarised it beautifully: “We all pass on, our gardens change, and many disintegrate and disappear. That is not important. What matters is the continuing cycle of sharing and learning about plants, and perhaps a little bit of us remains with our plants…maybe this is another precious thing about gardening.” Substitute the garden references with those about jewellery, silversmithing and art, and the sentiment remains as strong.
Written by Janice Hosegood for Goldsmiths’ Stories | Photography by - Jayne Lloyd (Fred Rich), Tas Kyprianou and Jed Green (Jed Green).