Monique Jeffrey Jones
Jewellery
Monique has always been drawn to the applied arts and decoration. She initially studied theatre design and started her creative career as a Scenic Artist designing sets, painting scenery and making props. She swapped her six-inch paintbrush to tiny tweezers and magnifying glasses and embarked on an Honours Degree in Silversmithing and Jewellery at Truro College, of which she gained a First. She graduated in 2017 and since then has enjoyed making work that intrigues and delights.
She is an Associate Member of the Devon Guild of Craftsmen, a member of the Guild of Jewellery Designers and a member of the Guild of Enamellers. She has been supported by the Graduate Start-Up programme delivered by Cultivator Cornwall.
Monique draws inspiration from the ancient rock formations found on Bodmin Moor. Her jewellery echoes its large granite boulders and outcrops of stones, their asymmetrical forms and toppling shapes.
Working in sterling silver, she combines polished surfaces with oxidised gunmetal finishes. Vitreous enamel and carefully chosen gemstones feature in her collection, adding moments of colour and contrast.
Ideas often begin with drawings or photographs taken at source; these are progressed through a series of design sketches and often trialled in copper first before final construction in silver.