Ornamental Elements

Jill Hermans likes to take one idea and explore it to the max! “Sometimes I find that a simple pattern can be like an extremely catchy song. The pattern or configuration screams loudly in my head until all possibilities are explored and exhausted; one idea leading on from the other in a chain of possibilities. I have come to notice more and more that the art of jewellery making is for most an obsessiveness: a want to explore a material, form or concept to the very end. At the present time my mind is occupied with the Japanese alloy shibuichi, and Japanese ideals of beauty and truth that seem to click so well with this rich material. By juxtaposing simple shapes and forms with rich and intricate surface colours and textures I am able to create a balance between simplicity and complexity. These explorations result in playful works that push the boundaries of conventional perceptions of the material, whilst still staying true to the essence of the metal.”