Anna Lewis

Anna Lewis is an artist and designer maker exploring ideas through the mixture of jewellery, fashion, photography and film. Originally trained as a jewellery designer, she has exhibited in contemporary craft galleries and events all over the world including a solo show in Japan. Anna's work has been featured in many international design publications including Elle Décor, living etc., Crafts, Selvedge and The Times magazine.Anna has also diversified into large-scale installation and collaborated more recently with photographers and filmmakers on several projects including music videos and fashion film. Recent directions extend from jewellery into eyewear design for ffin eyewear and the work featured in craft hub in cast glass with Samina Begum.

Q&A

Artist Statement

Notions of the body, beauty and making in mixed media remain central to the work. An innovative use of mixed media often combines with delicate printed imagery with materials such as feathers, leather, wood, silk, stones, silver, vintage objects and recently cast glass. Most of the work is created by hand but also utilizes new technologies such as laser cutting, digital print and 3d printing.Inspiration stems from on-going research into memorial, superstition, death and beauty, the uncanny and an overall feeling of storytelling and dark otherworldlinessMemorial, superstitions, heirlooms, and amulets have consistently been interconnecting themes which have inspired and informed my work be it jewellery or large-scale installation. I realised I was striving to discover the symbolic significance of objects in people’s lives whether they be personal, religious, cultural or universal. Stemming from a fascination with recording my own personal history I became interested in the relationship people have with certain objects and how they influence behaviour and belief through their material meanings. I interpret these influences both symbolically and visually in my work. This has recently merged into much darker themes exploring death itself and its connection to beauty and to the idea of the object fetish. The Uncanny has become central to the development of the work and the nature of veiling. I am always drawn to the idea of magic in objects and of otherworldliness in myth and storytelling, this often occurs in my work.I combine materials like feathers, leather, wood, silver, glass and stones that are printed with delicate traces of memory. Personal memory and emotion with reference to a lost time are constant threads running through the work. Some of the photographs and films deliberately set out to undermine people’s sense of normality whilst creating a somewhat disturbing dream like state.

What craft do you work with?

I’ve made since as long as I can remember, it’s how I navigate the world. I have been a professional jewellery artist and designer for over 23 years. I love to experiment with a range of materials and unusual combinations. Recently glass but historically feather sculpture and silver detailing.

What inspires you to work with this craft?

I love anything wearable or connected to body adornment. Jewellery is loaded with meaning, it shapes our identity and can hold deeply embedded meaning and symbolism, it tells stories and that is why it will always be important. The best thing about it in terms of material is the fact it can be made in anything from the throwaway to the highly precious.

How do you start your creative process?

The creative process happens all the time, its lifelong. An obsession with gathering the world through photography, images and objects will deeply inspire and grow thoughts around my work. I always tell my students to listen to the material and have a bold curiosity, the work will grow from those principles.

How would you best describe your workspace and what tools could you not do without?

My work space can be nomadic, I have worked everywhere! from studio to kitchen table and workshop at the University where I teach. I even remember making work on a train once. The tools that are key are my hands, they are the most important tool any of us can have.

Are there new techniques you would like to try?

I am keen to explore the possibility of mould making for wax and metal but using digital technologies such as VR drawing and 3d printing.

What have you learnt or the best advice you have received that you would like to share with fellow crafters?

Just make.