Meet The Maker – Leigh Shepherd

Leigh Shepherd - jewellery designer

After studying Fine Art at Manchester Metropolitan University Leigh worked in animation, including projects for Channel 4 and ITV. Following a career in teaching Leigh is now a ‘full time’ jewellery designer and maker.

Vintage Scrabble Tile necklace on silver in Sky Blue Blossom chiyogami paper

Scrabble tile necklace on silver chain with sakura amethyst chiyogami paper

Leigh’s designs were inspired by a desire to recycle or preferably ‘upcycle’ objects to create new pieces using vintage Scrabble tiles for necklaces, sixpence pieces for earrings and domino and draught pieces for brooches.

Sixpence earrings in blossom blue chiyogami paper

Leigh makes these beautiful earrings using original sixpence pieces and handmade silver earwires and presents them in a matching tin.

Draught brooch - Angel design using original photo of a 40s starlet

Each of Leigh’s pieces is carefully collaged with high quality papers. Leigh uses Japanese silk screened papers known as ‘chiyogami paper’, postage stamps or hand marbled Italian paper sealed with a glossy, water based resin to protect the design.

Draught brooch - Leigh's own tattoo design based on 50s style Rockabilly imagery

The resin used is very durable so Leigh’s brooches are safe to wear on a coat or bag. They will be unaffected by rain showers.

Draught brooch - dreamer

Leigh has been featured in Make Jewellery Magazine and Craft & Design magazine to name a couple and now has work in the British Museum.

Domino brooch in chiyo red

All Leigh’s lovely ‘upcycled’ pieces come on a card and are gift wrapped by Heart Gallery so all you have to do is enjoy the giving!

Domino brooch on display card

Saltaire Arts Trail – May 2011

Saltaire Arts Trail informative booklet

Bank Holiday Monday I left my lovely ladies, Mandy and Julia, in charge at Heart Gallery to visit Saltaire for their Arts Trail. I’ve always done this on a Sunday in September before as the Open Houses have been part of the Saltaire Festival.

Saltaire with a grey and gloomy morning sky!

This year the organisers took the plunge to host the Arts Trail as a stand-alone event and I sincerely thought it worked really well despite the fact that our Yorkshire weather was rather damp for it! This did not seem to put visitors off as all the houses were really busy so I do hope that all makers/artists involved, and the organisers, felt all their hard work payed off.

Wet cobbles in Saltaire

I had a plan (of sorts)  ….. park in my usual spot on the outskirts of Saltaire so that I could get a walk in too! First stop would be Number 1 Myrtle Place which was one of my favourite houses in September as I met the lovely Laura Slater, textile artist, there and my daughter joined in a book binding demonstration making a little booklet for Grandma for her Birthday.

Laura Slater in 2 Constance Street 2011

One of Heart Gallery’s  resident artists Clare Caulfield was also exhibiting with Laura last year but this year she had decided to take the plunge and open her own home to the public exhibiting her own fabulous pen and inks alongside illustrative work by Nick Tankard.

Clare's canvases nestled into her bookshelf

Clare Caulfield - artist and printmaker

Clare Caulfield and her Dad in a very busy house!

My aim was to then amble down to the Makers Fair in Victoria Hall. After that, I wasn’t sure what my plan was other than lunch, more houses and coffee with Ceramicist Helen Russell!

One room in the busy Victoria Hall

There were quite a few of Heart Gallery’s Hebden Bridge and local makers in the hall so it did take me quite some time to get around but it was fun chatting with them and finding out how busy they had been.

Catherine Edwards - Hand Stitched Leather Bags and Accessories

Rachel Lucie - Jeweller

Anne Crowther - Textile Artist

Sue Candy - Ceramicist

Leigh Shepherd - busy upcycling scrabble tiles, domino pieces and draught pieces with Japanese papers

Had to stop for a bite to eat and then onto another few houses before meeting Helen Russell for a chin wag. I’ve recently introduced Helen’s elegant hand carved ceramic and silver jewellery to Heart Gallery and we just needed to finalise how many wall pieces she was sending me for the Art At Heart exhibition launching 12th June at Heart Gallery.

Helen Russell - hand carved porcelain and silver necklace

68 Victoria Road

Another Heart Gallery ceramicist was in 68 Victoria Road along with some very interesting work I hope to book in for 2012 so watch this space!

Sarah McDade - Ceramicist

I had a great day in Saltaire; I had my favourites and discovering unique artworks inside peoples homes was fun and inspiring. If you like to indulge your love of contemporary craft, and are also fascinated by other people’s homes then this Arts Trail is a must so pencil May in for 2012 … you will not be disappointed, I wasn’t.

Celebrate Summer at Heart Gallery

Well folks, despite the weather being so wet for this time of year things are warm, inviting and sunny in Heart Gallery. The latest work has been well received and so I thought I would share a few more images with you and look forward to seeing you soon.

Amy Keeper’s silver photo etched jewellery using old postcards has just arrived and is stunning – call in to see her earrings, bracelets, necklaces, rings and cufflinks soon, you will not be disappointed.

Amanda Bates’ textile work is just wonderful and incorporates automata so if you look at this piece very carefully you can see a small mechanism to the right. If you call in to Heart Gallery to ‘have a play’ you will be able to see the Magpies do their own special ‘jig’!!

Leigh is one of Heart Gallery’s local designer/makers and her latest range has been a hit. She uses vintage Mah Jong and scrabble tiles as her inspiration and covers them with japanese papers and a non-toxic coating turning them into necklaces with a matchin tin or pot to keep them in. At £38 and £30 respectively for these amazing pieces they are perfect not only for gifts but as treats for yourself.