An innovative collection of jewellery made from hand dyed elastic by jeweller Gilly Langton has caught the attention of the renowned Museum of Arts and Design (MAD) in New York and led to an invitation to take part in LOOT! 2011.

She is the only jeweller in Scotland invited to take part in this prestigious selling exhibition of work by fifty of the most innovative jewellery artists in the world, and among eight from the UK and Ireland.

Her new collection of brooches, neckpieces, bracelets and earrings using hand dyed flexible elastic was developed earlier this year during a three month Crafts Creative Development bursary at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design, funded by Creative Scotland. It supports craft artists to create new work through access to equipment, facilities and research staff.

Gilly graduated with a BA in Silversmithing and Jewellery from Loughborough College of Art and Design in 1995 and set up a studio in Lancashire. Ten years later a residency in the small seaside village of Plockton in the Scottish highlands changed her life. After falling in love with the landscape – the view of the Cullins in Skye and Loch Carron – she decided to move there. This had a tremendous effect on her work as she was influenced not only by the colours and constantly changing light of the landscape, sea and lochs, but also by nautical traditions and architecture such as ropes and safety rings on boats. She uses the same elastic local Plockton fishermen draw on in their creels.

Each year over 3,000 jewellery lovers and collectors from across America attend LOOT! where prices range from $200 to $12,000. MAD is the only American museum with a gallery dedicated to the display of both contemporary jewellery exhibits and its own modern jewellery collection.

“I’m really excited about going to New York” said Gilly “and honoured to have been invited to sell my work there, especially as the only jeweller from Scotland. It is a fantastic time for me, as I spend the beginning of September on a HI-Arts funded residency at Cove Park in Argyle, then go to Origin: the London Craft Fair before going to New York in October. I’m then returning to America in November with a group of craft artists representing Scotland at the Philadelphia Museum of Art Craft Show.”

Details:

LOOT 2011: MAD About Jewelry, 11 – 14 October 2011
Museum of Arts and Design, 2 Columbus Circle, New York, USA
Website: www.madmuseum.org

Origin: the Contemporary Craft Fair, 22-28 September 2011
Old Spitalfields Market, London E1 6EW
Website: http://originuk.org

The Philadelphia Museum of Art Craft Show, 10 November – 13 November 2011
Pennsylvania Convention Center, 12th and Arch Streets, Philadelphia, PA, USA
Website: http://pmacraftshow.org/

For information www.gillylangton.co.uk

Source: Tina Rose, PR consultant, Craft Insiders