Adventures of a Jewellery Designer Part 11

This jewellery designer has been busy having lots of adventures since writing this last blog and getting inspirations along the way.

Jaipur has been my base and time has been spent working on new Collections. However the wonderful thing about being in India is that there are always opportunities to go on adventures. A dear friend who is a choreographer from Australia called Liz Lea was working on a dance project in Ahmedabad with the famous indian classical dance company called the Darpana Academy – I was lucky enough to be invited to some rehearsals for a piece celebrating the great poet and writer Tagore’s 100th anniversary

Ahmedabad is an extraordinary city, and I stayed with Liz in a beautiful palace surrounded by peacocks. I used my time there to explore the city and as usual find new ideas, that I could weave back into my work. This included a visit to the amazing Calico Museum of Textiles, which contains one the world’s finest collection of antique and modern Indian textiles – outstandingly beautiful pieces. I also explored the old cities narrow streets to find glorious, multicoloured haveli’s, temples and mosques. Ahmedabad is especially famous for its incredible stone jali work, and this was one of my favourites – The Tree of Life.

 

 

Ahmedabad is also the home of the Ghandi Ashram – a wonderful oasis of peace and calm

Christmas took me back to Kathmandu, Nepal for the first time in many years. I went there to meet my family and we spent Christmas Day at an orphanage run by my lovely friend Kamal. He has about 35 children who he looks after at it is called Save Blessing Child Home

www.saveblessingchildhome.webs.com

We were all treated to a wonderful day with the children of song and dance and the famous Nepali dish – Dahl Bat – basically dahl and rice.  But it was one of the best Christmases I have ever had. As I have mentioned before, Nepal is full of colour, wonderful motives, patterns, shapes and sources of new ideas for my work. Some new Nepalese inspired rings are currently being made in my workshops.

I gather ideas as I go along and all the incredible temple paintings, patterns and colour feed back into my work.

My journey since Nepal has taken me to the other side of the world – to New York, America. A very long way from India, but I was going there to take part in Accessorise Circuit, the big American accessorise show, where i was launching my collection for the first time in the States, under the umbrella of the top jewellery agent in New York called Fragments.

 

I am now in London on my way back to India, after an exciting and rewarding time in the States. The favourite earrings from the show seemed to be my Peacock Earrings and my Lakshmi Lotus Earrings, versions of which can also be found in Fenwick, Bond Street London and John Lewis where I sell in the UK.

 

These are my Peacock Fan Earrings in turquoise and crysophase, inspired by peacocks.

The buyers in New York loved these earrings in all sorts of different colours

Another favourite were my Lattice Earrings at the show in New York which were featured on the front cover of John Lewis’s Magazine, Editions recently

Emma Chapman Editions

 

They also loved my iconic Lakhmi Pendant, which is inspired by the Goddess of Beauty and Wealth – maybe that is why it is so popular. This pendant can also be found in crystal and amethyst in John Lewis and in crystal, amethyst and turquoise at Fenwick, Bond Street. Is is shaped like the moon and stars and the centre is filled with diamonds.

New York was really exciting and my jewellery is now in the Fragment Showroom in Soho, New York.

Back here in the UK I am relaxing in a lovely hotel in the countryside near Elstree for a few days before heading back to India.  I I have just been to check out how things are looking in Fenwick, Bond Street and John Lewis, Oxford Street.

 

Heading back to India this weekend, for the Jaipur Literary Festival which will be in full swing by then. More adventures and inspirations to follow soon…..