NS Industrial Project Begins

Maritime Steel, New Glasgow, NS, Winter 2013 — Eliot Wright

After careful thought—and some procrastination—my partner Liz van Allen and I applied for an Arts Nova Scotia creation grant in May of this year. To our great surprise, two letters arrived in the mail a number of weeks later; we had received the funding!

The project will focus on Nova Scotia's industrial history, especially that of coal, iron, steel and other mineral exploits that have played a large role in the development of the province and in the jewellery making process. It will begin with the researching and photographing of operational and non-operational sites across the province. From there, details in the photographs, the landscapes and the physical materials will be used to influence Liz's jewellery designs.


Industrial sites and architecture have been a reoccurring theme in my work, beginning with Grain, 2010, and continuing through subsequent works. These themes also engage Liz, albeit in a different manner. In her previous work, The Topographic Series, 2012, she explored locations of personal importance through maps and arial imagery, drawing upon lines, elevations, and other visual elements to inform her jewellery pieces.

We both have experience in our respective areas, but it is the collaboration between photography and jewellery—two usually very separate mediums— that really excites us. Make sure to check back frequently and we'll keep you up to date!

Brule, 2012 — Liz van Allen