Inspired by rocks, minerals and crystals...
Alice’s source of inspiration began as a child, when she collected rocks.
After visiting the Blue John Stone caves in Derbyshire, UK, where mining of the rock is limited in order to preserve the history and natural beauty of the caves, Alice uses the specimens found there as inspiration for a large part of her collection.
Blue John Stone specimen, from "Treak Cliff Cavern".
Detail of Blue John Stone specimen.
Other inspiration comes from visiting museums, such as the Huntarian Museum in Glasgow and the Natural History Museum in London, where she sketches and takes photographs of their mineral specimens.
Garnet specimen from the "Ilana Halperin: Minerals of New York" exhibition at the Huntarian Museum, Glasgow. October 2019.
Mineral specimens in the permanent display at the Huntarian Museum, Glasgow.
In 2019, thanks to the Goldsmiths Craft and Design council awards, Alice won a scholarship to do a diamond grading and identification practical course at the Gemmological Associatioon of Great Britain’s headquarters in London. On this course, she learned about the different ways in which diamonds grow, and was able to see some natural diamonds in rough rock.
Alice diamond grading at Gem-A headquarters, London 2019.
A natural diamond in rock that Alice studied at Gem-A.
Using this research, Alice uses sketches, paints, creates collages from photographs, and plays with compositions of shapes and texture.
Here Alice has painted a composition of crystal shapes, taken directly from her Blue John Stone specimen.
Taking these shapes and textures into objects, Alice has sketched an idea for a silver bowl and accompanying sculpture.
If you would like to see more of Alice's designs, or commission a piece from her, please contact her.