Despite being told in college to think about "who is your market" I never did. I never thought it was necessary, I disagree with the idea that people are limited to one genre of creative expression be that in fashion, music or whatever. Maybe this is just me, but I find myself drawn to what ever provokes my imagination, aesthetically, musically, or even in personal relationships. When I design, I don't consciously aim to please a certain stereotype, it just comes from my personal tastes, things I see and people I meet that inspire me to create, hmmm maybe I am the stereotype lol!! 

At the moment my latest range of work is based on The Tara Brooch. This is an iconic piece of Irish history housed in the National Museum on Kildare St, Dublin. I spent days in this place studying this incredible masterpiece of ancient Irish craftsmanship. I could go on and on about how AWESOME this is but not right now! 

So I wanted to reinvent the reproduction of The Tara Brooch... as its been reproduced BADLY for so long ... I wanted to completely vandalise this and put my own stamp onto it.

Which I did!

My Tara Brooches take influence from graphic design, Japanese Harajuku Girls, 80's fashion, Memphis Design and designers such as Anna Sui, Theo Fennell among others.

                                              

                                                    Harajuku Girls

               

                                                 80's Inspired Fashion

            

                                      Andy Warhol Screen Prints

I took the unmistakable silhouette of the Tara Brooch and simplified it. My imagination took over and spewed out designs .... 

I anodized alluminium and developed new techniques to hold the colour of the dye really well, and make the colours POP! 

The layering of alluminium translated into my designs really well as it echoed the flat paneling of the original Tara Brooch. 

I did away with the traditional pin element of the brooch and designed a new fastening mechanism, using magnets! I introduced a layer of .25 mild steel hidden behind the middle layer and made a separate component from stainless steel with magnets hidden inside!

So here they are!

More to come .......