Tusheeta David, MA Jewellery, Silversmithing & Related Products

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Graduated from Birmingham Institute of Art & Design

Selected by Jackie Norton

Beneath the Surface, 2008

Artist statement

I create jewellery that reflects my influences, inspiration and my identity. The application of current technologies in contemporary crafts fascinates me and I use it as a tool to venture into unchartered territories.

In contrast to traditional precious metals, the unglamorous ubiquity of plastics and its availability in a wide range of colours leads me to explore its properties further. Colour is very crucial to my design aesthetic, and I combine hand dyed, bright colours with pre-coloured fluorescent acrylic. My work explores the play of light via the material, thus exploiting its properties of luminosity and transparency.

Microscopic images and the mystery they exude, along with the sense of wonder of a parallel life veiled beneath perceived existence is a constant inspiration. I use these images from nature to create highly magnified digital patterns using Computer Aided Design (CAD); thus harnessing existing laser technology in a new context. Thermoforming techniques assist me in creating simple yet clever forms in acrylic which act as the canvas for these elaborate patterns. The result is an exciting symbiosis of colour, form, material and technology.

My jewellery incorporates clever nuances of sculptural form to deliver a visually stunning product by virtue of its theatrical scale.

Selector text

Entering the 48 Weeks Later Exhibition at The School of Jewellery, nestling in the heart of the Jewellery Quarter in Birmingham I was first drawn to a fascinating display of suspended pieces in fluorescent acrylic. It was the work of Tusheeta David, her first collection of 'Contemporary Jewellery in Acrylic'. Her portfolio of supporting evidence catalogued some fascinating observations of molecular form and microscopic images drawn from organic inspiration.

Her current collection incorporates laser technology application, her choice of material lending itself to the opportunity to use edge lighting and thermoforming. This is cleverly combined with David's influences from 'her rich and colourful Indian Heritage', thus creating a symbiotic fusion of traditional and contemporary creative exploration.

The artist's background prior to her MA studies was far removed from her current collection; prior to moving to the UK in 2006 she was working for one of India's largest jewellery brand Tanishq, a TATA company. She worked as a Senior Jewellery Designer creating Fine Jewellery collections using gold and diamonds. With the company she worked on prestigious projects including the design and overseeing of the manufacture of jewellery for the Oscar nominated Bollywood production Paheli (2005). Her work has been showcased in Milan and was part of 'the core group which worked towards taking Tanishq to the US market where it is currently retailing'.

David is continuing to work on the development of her current collection and has been accepted for the Design Space Scheme within the Jewellery Quarter. She has also been recently commissioned by Swarovski designing pieces for their 'Gem Vision 2010 Trends Publication'. The commission was initially based on her previous work with Fine Jewellery, however after the success of her recent contemporary pieces they are looking towards incorporating some of David's recent collection. (Jackie Norton, 2008)