Cathie

From childhood onwards I have been fascinated with and influenced by nature, colour and design. I grew up with an artistic Father, who himself designed jewellery for a time and was intrigued by coloured gems. He also passed on to me his love and significant knowledge of plants. My Mother instilled in me her love of flowers and beautiful natural scenery. Living near the bush, there was ample opportunity for my parents to draw my attention to, and teach me respect for many insects and small creatures. I was also influenced by my aunts who were talented in floral, fashion, interior and jewellery design.

Having been immersed in this environment, and with my own natural inclination towards artistic creativity, I gradually developed a keen desire to express myself through design. I discovered it wasn’t with paint, brush and paper that I would create art, but with material, flowers, beads and gemstones, shells and leaves.

My love of and fascination with colour, gemstones and design converged about six years ago when I began to create jewellery. The inspiration and influences expressed in my designs are many and varied, and range from rainforest, flowers and insects to history, culture and architecture. Most of my jewellery includes gemstones or freshwater pearls, and almost all pieces are unique. I rarely exactly replicate a piece, as I find more joy in creating something new...... (Cathie Blissett, May 2010)