Photography /
Editorial / Print
As featured in Unfolded Magazine Issue 10
"I am always trying to come up with new ways of wearing
jewellery or pushing the boundaries between embellishment and
fashion" says Rebecca Onyett, a young jewellery designer based in
Kent. With a passion for the creative industry, she found herself
drawn to jewellery, whilst studying for a 3D design course at
Plymouth University. Onyett is fascinated by the "relationship
between a person and the specific piece of jewellery that they
choose to wear", in as much as it "creates a strange bond that only
the wearer of the piece truly understands." A change of course and
having taken evening classes in making silver pieces, led her to
UCA for a dedicated jewellery course and she hasn't looked
back.
Onyett's designs are bold and different. "I like to
experiment with themes that intrigue and captivate but also
offend and repulse. The darker, more sinister things in life that
we know as a viewer we should shy away from but instead for
some reason are drawn to".
The theme is recurrent throughout her collections and her
interests in Jenny Saville, Francis Bacon and Egon Schiele echo a
outlook for the more "darker themes in life". She tells us that
"when I worked on my 3D course at Plymouth, I created furniture
and household objects (fruit bowl) that were covered in spikes
giving them a dangerous, edgy look. When I finally moved into
jewellery my first project was inspired by celebrating the inside
of the body by bringing it to the forefront and I looked at
creating large scale ribcage necklaces, intestine scarfs and lung
printed t-shirts". More recently, Onyett is still following this
theme but also trying to create a more commercial collection that
appeals to a wider audience.
The first piece of jewellery she ever designed was a brooch
made of silver that was covered in acrylic dolls eyes. "I still
have it now", she say "it is really creepy but when people ever see
it they really love its weirdness. It would look great
on someone's jacket as it looks like a monster staring at
you." Away from the safety of university, the young designer
has an appreciation for what the course has taught her, as it gave
her the skills and a structure to her workflow.
Her most recent collection is entitled Skin Deep and
"emphasises the desire for perfection and immortality by recasting
over sections of the skin and adding unique embellishment to
questions themes of disease and disfigurement." It seeks to
question humanities perception and ideals that causes us to judge
and determine what makes something beautiful or what makes it ugly.
Using a method of "recasting parts of the body, the jewellery
mimics over the surface of the skin, in sections that would not
normally be embellished, creating unique jewellery embellishment
for odd parts of the body."
Previous collections have included Seven Sins, a modern take
on the theme, each piece symbolic of one of the Seven Cardinal Sins
with each having a story to tell. The collection entitled All
that Glistens is evocative of "cabinets of curiosities", taxidermy
animals and insects, much collected and admired in the 18th
century. Through the techniques of lost wax casting, Onyett recasts
different parts of different birds, mammals and insects,
transforming them and giving them a new life as jewellery. She
tells us that "Taxidermy seeks to preserve life by celebrating
death: it is a strange half-live, a suspension, an illusion.
Insects on the other hand, through their lives, destroy this
illusion: they feed on death, breaking down, demolishing, creating
movement from a silent arrangement, forcing change and action." She
brings these two themes together by making a series of bird and
insect pieces that "explore the idea of decomposing, preserving,
death and immortality."
On her work and how it has been received, there is a
selfishness she says comes from "designing things that I like
rather then what other people would like, but still my work does
have some commercial feel about it and definitely fits within
current trends." Extensive research and creating a story around
each collection go into the work, that she admits "some people will
love and others will not." The observer in her likes watching
people see her work for the first time at exhibitions "they either
have a real intrigued and surprised look or they instantly
screw up their face and walk away. I guess it is like Marmite you
either love it or hate it." There is strong fascination with life
it seems and all that has to offer. Her favourite things to do are
going to low-key gigs to see new bands, "I love festivals in the
summer as it gives you a chance to really let loose for a long
weekend, experience and meet new people from all walks of
life."
Life is Onyett's biggest inspiration, "I am always thinking
about new ideas and looking at what people are wearing around me.
Inspiration could come from a tree, a paper, a documentary. It is
that random and that's why I love it so much because its nature and
just happens. You cannot push creativity or control it," adding "I
love how right now the seasons are changing and there is an autumn
crispness in the air. I just love finding new things that I have
never seen before, it could be an unknown magazine left in a shop
or someone selling work in Brick Lane that really catches my
senses"
Jewellery, all over the world, is universally appreciated and
Onyett tells us she "would love to see how all the different
countries make jewellery or wear embellishments. That is one
of my big plans for the future, to make some time to see the
rest of the world."
Personal commissions give Onyett a direct and real personal
link to the wearer, seen from her casts of peoples body parts that
she says "creates jewel lery that is specifically a part of
them. My dream would be to do this for a celebrity such as nipple
covers for Rihanna, as i think they would look amazing on her with
her very provocative way of dressing".
Of future plans, Onyetts tells us "For next summer I would
love to do a bikini range that has jewels embellished onto it. I
would also like to venture into men's jewellery and how it could be
incorporated onto shirts, blazers and bow-ties." Onyett currently
has her work exhibited in Diana Porter in Bristol and will have it
in the Jewellery Emporium in Folkestone over Christmas and is
"looking to set up my own online shop for the Christmas period and
will exhibit/sell at any shows that come my way."
Photographer and Journalist specialising in art and fashion. Former editor of Unfolded Magazine.
Contact: nsb@nardip.com
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