Aubin BishopAubin Bishop, Touched By Scotland Artist

I graduated from Duncan of Jordanstone, Dundee in 2000 with a 1st Class BDes (Hons) in Jewellery & Metalwork. Since then I have been involved in the creative industry producing my own work for exhibition locally and throughout the UK as well as working as a designer and tutor.

In 2001 I began training as a commission designer for Sandy Menzies Jewellers in Aberdeen, specialising in producing one-off designs for customers and am still doing so presently. Later I became involved in the part-time education initiative at Grays School of Art teaching jewellery as a short course which I am still part of today.

My own personal work has evolved over the years from experimental large-scale jewellery in silver and brightly coloured acrylics to smaller scale pieces which are I think are fun, light and easy to wear. This no doubt has been an influence from working in a more commercially aware environment. I seek inspiration from so many things, to name a few: I love colour, spaceships, headphones, retro furniture, bugs and quite often the materials I am working with at the time.

To achieve the finished article usually begins with lots of experimentation with dyeing, juxtaposing colours and materials which are then fabricated using traditional silversmithing techniques. In my most recent range I have explored inlaying techniques and have particularly enjoyed integrating the design of my own findings/fittings into some of the designs.