About
Welcome to my gallery site. I have designed it to serve as a way for you to get an idea of the kind of work I do. No sales can be made from this site. If you are interested in having a piece of jewellery created for you, please contact me.
A bit about me.
I had a career in medical research, but retired in 2011. I have been interested in jewellery for many years. I bought pieces for myself and my wife and started making bead and wire jewellery for my wife and daughter. In 2002, I took my first jewellery course at the Nova Scotia Centre for Craft and Design and was hooked! I joined the Metal Arts Guild of Nova Scotia (MAGNS) in 2004 and served as its President from 2009-2011. Over the years, I have taken several courses at NSCCD, NSCAD (Extension Studies), and New Brunswick College of Craft and Design. I have benefited greatly from workshops sponsored by MAGNS and deeply thank the members of that organization for their support and mentorship. In 2018 I was successfully juried into Craft Nova Scotia (formerly the Nova Scotia Designer Craft Council). Thus I can present my work at Craft Nova Scotia under my own name. I am also represented at Earth Goddess (5586 Demone St). I will continue to present at various craft shows under my name or under the aegis of the Metal Arts Guild of Nova Scotia, and remain available for custom work.
My work
My work is hand-constructed in metaI - primarily fine (999) and sterling (925) silver, but also incorporating reticulation (800) silver for special effects. I love surface texture in jewellery. In my own work, I use roller printing, hammering, and flame-produced reticulation to get a variety of textures. I'm also fascinated by flowing form in jewellery. To achieve this I often use method called fold-forming. This technique coupled with further hammer forming can produce wonderfully delicate shapes. Last, to introduce contrast and colour into some of my work, I incorporate patination, gemstone beads, pearls or bezel-set stones.
Contact
Please contact me to discuss purchases or custom design. You can reach me ....
...by phone at (902) 462-8170
...by email at contact@johndownie.ca