Anne Morgan

Anne Morgan was born in England. After gaining a BA (Hons) in Designed Metalwork and Jewellery at Buckinghamshire College, High Wycombe she moved to Cardiff, Wales to begin her jewellery making journey. In 2015, Anne was able to forge her dream to open a permanent gallery display, championing and showcasing the best of contemporary jewellery in the UK. Anne Morgan Jewellery is a haven for jewellery lovers who appreciate contemporary jewellery. The gallery showcases a curated collection of talented makers, whose inspirational designs sit together in one incredible gallery experience,Anne has always loved the imperfect elements of her discipline. She enjoys silver's potential for texture and her practice explores the relationship between 'look and feel' in the materials she uses. Anne's specialism is to use a technique called reticulation, and her creations proudly show off their origins through workshop experimentation.

Q&A

Artist Statement

Anne Morgan is an award winning contemporary jeweller – specialising in handmade silver and gold reticulated jewellery – showcasing unusual gemstones. Anne has always loved the imperfect elements of her discipline. She enjoys silver’s potential for texture and her practice explores the relationship between ‘look and feel’ in the materials she uses. Anne’s specialism is to use a technique called reticulation, and her creations proudly show off their origins through workshop experimentation. Using reticulation as her starting point, she experiments with different materials to create wearable contemporary jewellery.The asymmetry that is found within the landscape of the surrounding coastline, the erosion that naturally takes place, all influence her designs alongside the carefully selected gemstones that accompany them. The ethos of Anne Morgan the designer translates fully into the Anne Morgan Jewellery gallery – jewellery expressed as the stories of the lives we lead, and the narrative it can provide as we wander our worlds. As well as her own work, Anne and her team showcase unique, handmade jewellery by some of the UK’s leading designers at their gallery in Penarth, South Wales. The gallery has successfully established itself a destination for jewellery lovers, building on its reputation for curating, exhibiting, and championing handmade works by Anne Morgan and other leading jewellery designers from the UK and further afield.

What craft do you work with?

As a keen jewellery lover at the age of 5 it was only natural to follow this passion at a further level. With over 30 years worth of experience in the jewellery trade Anne always draws her inspiration from reticulation. The textures that are created with a flame make each piece unique. Its her obsession!

What inspires you to work with this craft?

Inspiration always begins in the workshop and always through experimentation. Reticulation is a special technique that is really successful in silver but through crating a silver pieces these can be cast to create the refined, luxury pieces in golds. Anne is particular passionate about contemporary jewellery, trying never to compete with the traditional styles and always giving a contemporary twist on them. Giving the wearer a unique piece is very important to Anne. Striving for the next unseen piece is at the very core of Anne’s practise.

How do you start your creative process?

Allowing your mind time to travel through different scenarios is always the starting point after the sheet of silver is prepared by reticulating it. The process of the preparation is freeing and holds no purpose other than creating a texture, after this happens the designing and problem solving begins. Trying to create something 3 dimensional out of something flat has always been the biggest challenge.

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

The workshop is situated in the back of the gallery and is the opposite of the serene clean interior Anne has created there. Its full of the beginnings and sometimes the ends of pieces.

Are there new techniques you would like to try?

Having become very fascinated about rough stones and partially finished stone- stone cutting would be a great new technique that would take Anne’s work in the direction she would love to explore.

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

Having created an amazing gallery for contemporary jewellers Anne’s professional dream has come true. Being surrounded by so many different styles and workmanship of jewellery and techniques leaves Anne in awe and wonder of this practice. Anne employs other jewellers and is more than happy to share the experiences that have been collected over the years. Being able to help others create a good working practice is very important to her.