Meet the Maker - Faye Hall

This week we speak to Textile artist and Silversmith Faye Hall. Faye's collection beautifully combines the two disciplines; pairing textiles techniques and a variety materials to create wearable art jewellery that is rich in colour and texture.

When did you start creating jewellery?

I began making jewellery after my first son was born in 2015. I am textile trained, and since graduating to going on maternity leave I had worked as a textile designer, creating intricate, tactile and innovative fabrics for high end fashion and interior clients. I decided to leave this area of the industry for various reasons, but once things had settled a little bit and I adjusted to motherhood, I was really itching to create again. I began with embroidering into small pieces of leather or scrap fabric- anything that I could do in between baby naps, or getting other things done! It kind of snowballed from there, I began to love creating textiles on such an intimate scale, and my love for creating small sculptures began. I did some one to one silversmithing training and as the years have gone on, my practice which works directly between silversmithing and textile process began.

Who inspires you the most?

I am inspired by too many things! I am always taking photographs when I am out and about- I am like a magpie for anything colourful or textured. In terms of people, again I am inspired by so many, but I also keep a certain level of distance because I like my work to feel original to me. I feel inspired by makers who are explorative with their material selections and also those who are bold with colour. I was particularly taken with Christian Ovonlen’s hand dyed and printed silk lengths at last year’s Collect for example.

What was the inspiration for the rings in the exhibition?

The inspiration from all my jewellery comes from my preliminary textile collages and drawings. I allow myself time over the year to just play with colours and form on both paper and fabric in a really organic way. This allows me to consider new colour combinations, or shapes that I can position in certain ways. Saying that, even when I draw elements out of a collage to design a piece of jewellery I often end up changing things along the way, sometimes the pieces become far removed from their start point but it’s this element of change and chance that keeps me interested and motivated. I enjoy making rings as I purposely make them on the larger side- like brooches for the hands!

Please can you tell us a bit about your creative process?

I begin making collages/drawings and then select my materials. I work with a big selection of materials that I like to combine together such as wool, metal, precious gems, wood, silk, formica. I will then go onto considering the composition of my piece and which colours may go where and leap in! I love working one day on silversmithing, then the next working with the softness of cloth and embroidery. It’s a very happy balance for me as a maker.

What’s next for your creative practice?

I was lucky to receive the Catalyst Grant from The Goldsmiths Centre last summer, so this year I will be spending some time developing my metal forming skills as well as exploring the possibilities of CAD embroidery within my jewellery. I am really excited about the possibilities of scaling up my work and learning new things. I will be exhibiting at Collect this spring, as well as at The Future of Craft in May, so lots to keep me busy!

What is your favourite piece that you’ve ever made?

That is so hard- I tend to have a favourite and then a year later a new favourite will push its way in! It depends on what my favourite colours are at the moment too I think!

Finally, for fun, what would be your dream piece to make or person to make for?

I would love to see Esme Young in one of my larger pieces, I think that she could definitely pull it off with her sense of style and creativity!