Education
Sept 2008-2009
Portfolio Preparation Programme at Dundee College
Sept 2009-2010
First Year Foundation Studies at Edinburgh College of Art
Sept 2010-2013
BA (Hons) Jewellery and Silversmithing at Edinburgh College of Art
Employment and Work Experience
– October 2013-October 2014: Vanilla Ink Studios, Dundee
– 18th April 2013: Assisted at the Incorporation of Goldsmiths exhibition ‘Silver of the Stars’ opening evening at the Museum of Edinburgh
– Sept 2012-June 2013: Designed and made a range of jewellery to exhibit at the Edinburgh College of Art Degree Show 2013. This work was also displayed at the 2013 New Designer Show in London
– Sept 2011-June 2012: Gained experience in Sarah Hutchison’s gallery, SH Jewellery, learning bench skills, sales techniques and how to display work. In addition assisted Sarah with all of her gallery open evenings and have been entrusted with solely running the gallery on a few occasions. Also have exhibited a series of work called ‘Limited Edition’ in the gallery.
– June-Sept 2011: Worked alongside Jewellery Designer Maker Lorna Miller in her jewellery studio outside Anstruther, working on both design and bench skills.
– April 2011: Assisted Commercial Jewellery Designer Moira McKenzie for 2 weeks over Easter, learning about the commercial jewellery industry and testing my drawing, designing and CAD skills.
Achievements
– 17th-19th Feb 2012: Was granted a full bursary for the Non Traditional Stone Setting short course at West Dean College, taught by Penny Davis.
– April 2012: Received a Highly Commended award in the 2012 Gem Set Jewellery Competition, awarded by the Scottish Gemmological Association.
– February 2013: Came second in the Duchamp student Cufflink design competition.
– April 2013: Awarded a grant from the Incorporation of Goldsmiths by Edinburgh College of Art.
– June 2013: Shortlisted for New Designers Goldsmiths’ Company Jewellery Award 2013
– September 2013: Selected onto the Vanilla Ink 2013/14 Programme
November 2013: Received a Fife Opportunities Grant
– March 2014: Selected for One Year On, London
Exhibitions
Dec 2011: Limited Edition Collection, Edinburgh College of Art
Dec 2011: Limited Edition, In Space Gallery
Dec 2011: Limited Edition Jewellery, Noir Christmas Sale
April 2012: Limited Edition collection exhibited in SH Jewellery Gallery
2013: Edinburgh College of Art Degree Show 2013
June 2013: New Designers 2013, London
Sept-Oct 2013: New Talent Exhibition 2013, Lesley Craze Gallery, London
Sept-Nov 2013: Making the Grade Exhibition 2013, The Barony Centre, Craft Town Scotland, West Kilbride
March 2014: Kirsty Stewart Jewellery Launch, Maisie&Mac, Cupar
June 2014: One Year On, Business Design Centre, London
October 2014: Scottish Jewellery Week, The Old Flour Mill, Dundee
October 2014-January 2015: RBSA ‘Useful or Beautiful’ Exhibition, Birmingham
November 2014-December 2014: Contemporary Jewellery Exhibition, &Collective, Bridge of Allan
Stockists
CultureLabel
SH Jewellery, Edinburgh
Kirsty Stewart is a young Scottish jewellery designer maker who uses traditional craftsmanship combined with contemporary design to produce her beautifully hand crafted jewellery collections.
Kirsty graduated in June 2013 from Edinburgh College of Art with a BA (Hons) in Jewellery and Silversmithing. Since then she has returned to Fife to set up her own jewellery business ‘Kirsty Stewart Jewellery’. In October 2013 she was accepted onto the prestigious ‘Vanilla Ink’ programme, an incubator space for jewellers to set up their businesses.
Birds, in particular there flight and feathers, inform her work. In some pieces she creates scenes and scenarios of flight, others are focused on the details, patterns and textures of feathers. She creates her work using traditional techniques such as forging, to manipulate the metal and achieve the desired textures and patterns. She combines precious metals with both precious and semi precious stones to incorporate colour into her work.
