Emily Kidson

Story - Emily is known for her use of wood and laminate with precious metals. Sensitive use of colour is central to her work and is the backdrop to a minimal, modern aesthetic with areas of intricate detail.

Old industrial cities and canal sides are particular influences, from tapered chimneys and pottery kilns to barges and water towers.

Emily has come back to making after a career as an art librarian. Her use of laminate started when she discovered it as samples in the Materials Collection at Central Saint Martins library in 2013.

Materials - Laminate is paper and resin formed under extremely high pressure. Emily uses the brand Formica which you may be used to seeing on table tops and kitchens. It can have quite a mid-century modern feel and the colour doesn’t fade.

The wood Emily uses is walnut, the silver is sterling (925) and larger pieces are hallmarked at the London Assay Office. Emily also uses resin, paint and Keum Boo in some pieces to add extra areas of colour and detail.

Process - Emily cuts the wood and laminate to manageable sizes, glues them together with an epoxy glue, leaves them to dry overnight and then hand cuts it into her signature shapes with a jewellers piercing saw. Each piece is then finished by hand.

Emily uses traditional jewellery and silversmithing techniques when working with the silver. It starts as sheet or wire and is rolled, pierced, textured and polished. The findings (ear wires/hooks etc.) are all handmade. Some pieces include inlaid silver dots into wood and laminate.

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