HEATHER MCDERMOTT

Artist's Statement

The tideline of Skye is a treasure trove of unique objects discarded from the urban environment and reformed by the battering of the sea. The landscape is dense with windswept linear grasses on the hillside and gnarled trees moulded by the ever-changing weather.

These scenes are Heather’s constant source of inspiration and have sparked the theme for her current collection ‘Tidal Surge’.

Unconventional in size and structure, each piece is an expression of sculptural form and is designed to create a statement.

Stainless steel is hand formed into soft geometric shapes mimicking fishing nets and lobster pots. Repetition creates chaotic chain which is then embellished with weathered discs of vivid colour inspired by washed up buoys. The use of industrial materials throughout this collection contemporises the ever-changing shoreline found around her home.

Further Images

Buoy Earrings

Buoy Earrings

Iconic colours from the landscape of Skye are transferred and weathered onto these statement buoy earrings. Gorse yellow for the end of spring, sea green when the Mediterranean like seas appear in summer, and dreich grey for the winter.

Dreich Necklace

Dreich Necklace

Capturing the greyer side of Skye, these necklaces depict those winter days where you can see the rain and mist sweep over the mainland and engulf the outer islands of Eigg and Rum.

Discarded Rope earrings

Discarded Rope earrings

One of the shapes found on the ever changing shorelines of Sleat has been transformed into this elegant earring. Hanging from an ‘afloat’ stud this stainless steel shape gives a great contrast to the highly polished silver.


Cluster Necklace

Cluster Necklace

Stainless steel links form this necklace

Short Fankle with disc

Short Fankle with disc

Hand formed stainless steel links with a coloured disc

Small Washer studs

Small Washer studs

Small stainless steel washers with distressed colour


Short washer necklace

Short washer necklace

Stianless steel washer pendant on a short silver chain

Medium washer studs

Medium washer studs

Medium stainless steel washer studs

Extra Long fankle necklace

Extra Long fankle necklace

Small triangle links make up this long necklace


Working Buoy Brooch

Working Buoy Brooch

This statement brooch embodies the shape and colour of the iconic buoys that withstand the turbulent seas surrounding Skye. The circular grey a reminder of the ever present dark Atlantic.

Fankle Necklace

Fankle Necklace

Meaning ?to entangle' this fankle necklace represents the tangled chaotic rope and debris that is found washed up on the beaches in Aird. Layers of stainless steel chain trap a disc coloured by the weather.

Summer Swell necklace & Stacking Creel bangles

Summer Swell necklace & Stacking Creel bangles

This beautiful necklace encaptures the grace of the calm lapping waves of the summer sea. It can be worn loose or wrapped twice to create different shapes and lengths. After each fishing trip the creels are stacked on the beaches, every day a new shape and pattern. These bangles illustrate this image as the shapes they create change with the movement of the body.


Just a selection of the contemporary jewellery available to buy on lovedazzle.com by Heather McDermott


More Contemporary Designers from dazzle exhibitions

Choose from a random selection below or search our directory by clicking here.

ANTONELLA GIOMARELLI

ANTONELLA GIOMARELLI

JACKIE FIELD

JACKIE FIELD


ADRIENN PESTI

ADRIENN PESTI

MARIKO SUMIOKA

MARIKO SUMIOKA


HELAINA SHARPLEY

HELAINA SHARPLEY

WILLIAM SHARP

WILLIAM SHARP