Artist's Statement
Jenny Laidlaw is a jeweller captivated by the ideas of time and memory. No use in crying over spilt milk explores the beauty of the impermanent, imperfect and incomplete.
Braided iron wire and silver form decaying fragments that continue to age and rust, staining the wearer’s clothing with sepia memories of what was once present. These imprinted reminders reflect the images and personal experiences Jenny selects and isolates in her jewellery. She recreates those that are most fleeting: the minor and hidden, the subtle and evanescent. The viewer must look closely at the work to discover the intimate details, such as the glint of yellow gold hidden within the rusting strands of wire that are only visible when worn against the skin.
Shards of etched metal and moss encased in a fragile shell of enamel are found scattered throughout the collection, to serve as further reminders that nothing lasts forever. This collection requires acceptance of the fact that jewellery alters, breaks apart, changes colour. Time leaves scars, erodes, and ultimately turns everything to dust. No use in crying over spilt milk captures this essential fragility of materials, memory, and mortality.
Further Images
Silver earrings with detachable braided iron
Oxidised silver and iron link earrings with braided iron and 18ct gold
Oxidised silver and iron link earrings with rusted braided iron
Etched Brooch.3 - No use in crying over spilt milk
Silver, oxidised copper
20 x 3 x 3cm
Rusted Brooch - No use in crying over spilt milk
Silver, oxidised copper, iron wire
19 x 3 x 2cm
Short Rusted Necklace - No use in crying over spilt milk
Silver, copper, enamel, iron wire
66.5cm
Long Rusted Necklace - No use in crying over spilt milk
Gold, iron wire
200cm