FIND Contemporary Jewellery Collective are excited to introduce our latest emerging jeweller, Louise Taylor.
The artist, Louise Taylor, started experimenting with the ancient art of cuttlefish casting at Art School in York, England as a 16 year old. However, life had other plans and art gave way to travel, motherhood and midwifery. Then, 32 years later, a chance reconnection with a fellow student from York breathed new life into forgotten dreams and a love of the mercurial nature of cuttlefish casting was born. Each piece begins with a hand crafted mould in cuttlefish bone before the silver or gold is melted and poured, often with sapphires cast in place within the mould. No replicas are made. Each piece is unique. Louise now calls the beautiful wilds of Tasmania home, where she collects the cuttlefish bone herself on the wind swept northern beaches, constantly inspired by the raw nature of forest, mountain and ocean.
You can view, and purchase, Louise's work now in-store at FIND Contemporary Jewellery Collective or contact Louise directly -
How long have you been making jewellery for?
I’ve only been making jewellery since 2019. I learnt this technique briefly when I was 16 at art school in York. I use to make rings with my first love who was also on the course. He taught me to do it as I was specialising in ceramics at the time. We lost touch for 32 years and then reconnected even though he was in Paris and I was in FNQ at the time.… I felt this overwhelming desire to make him a ring using cuttlefish as we had all those years ago. So with cuttlefish I found on the beaches and with the help of a dragon fruit farmer who had an oxy torch in his workshop I melted down some silver jewellery and began creating. I was so beguiled with the process that long after making Alasdair his ring, I am still creating, refining and learning.
Describe your practice in 3 words.
Inspiration, flow, realisation.
What inspires you to make?
I love the mercurial nature of the molten metal and the alchemy of transforming it into new and beautiful form that will enhance the natural beauty of those that wear it.
Can you give us some insight into your creative process? What I find most incredible about the creative process is the drive within to create. Although I enjoyed ceramics when I was young, I wasn’t driven by this mysterious force that inhabits me now. Sometimes I become aware of myself in flow in the workshop and I am amazed, it’s like I am not there and this process is rolling along. It sometimes wakes me up with ideas in the middle of the night and it works out problems while I’m away for the workshop. Without this mysterious creative force I don’t think I would be creating. I am so grateful for its presence and the joy it brings.
Is there a skill you'd like to develop or a material you'd like to work with in the future?
Yes!! So many!! But the main one would be stone setting. Currently I cast rough sapphires in place within the mould but I would like to learn to set cut gems and connect them into cast pieces.
