Angela Elsom, Geology Jewellery, the arc space, July 2011
Fossils and Rocks from Gosport’s Geology Gallery were the inspiration for this knitted jewellery collection, by artist Angela Elsom, currently on show in the arc space. Angela photographed the exhibits and for two months drew in the gallery on a weekly basis, studying structure, shape and natural colour. During this time she also experimented with materials. The finished work is made using hand spun knitted and felted wool with vegetable dyes, providing a range of natural tones that perfectly reflect those found in the rocks.
Angela’s work was originally exhibited in the Geology Gallery with the aim of raising visitor numbers which had declined since the death of David Kemp, the Geologist and Assistant Curator, whose lifetime collection of fossils are housed in the building. Angela has an association with the gallery, having worked there as a museum assistant and says she feels privileged to have known David. She was therefore keen to do what she could to help.
Following a successful exhibition, Angela packed the work away until a few months ago when she presented it to an arc critique group. As she says, "After a very rewarding and thought provoking critique group, I was persuaded to think again – and get the jewellery out of its “shoebox” where it had been stored and nearly forgotten about."
The result was a visit to Yaverland on the east side of the Isle of Wight where Angela took a series of photographs, some of which are now displayed with her jewellery. Yaverland Beach is well known for its regular fossil hunts and celebrated finds of dinosaur bones, reptile and fish remains. For her exhibition in the arc space, Angela has brought together photographs of the cliffs with labels from the Geology Gallery exhibition that document her thoughts about the exhibits alongside the jewellery that was inspired by them.
Angela Elsom lives and works in Gosport, has a BA in Fine Art and an MA in Art, Design and Media from the University of Portsmouth, is a member of Art Space Portsmouth and a regular contributor to the arc crit group.
