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Meet the Maker: Pauline Edie

What is about fairy tales that inspires you?

Their bizarre nature, they can go from being shockingly dark to funny and back again in a second. Reading children’s stories forces you to be imaginative and uninhibited. The activity of reading them is cathartic; something I find to be immensely useful to my own creative process. I’ve always responded to narrative pieces, jewellery that holds a story always seems infinitely more precious to me. The choice to look at children’s stories seemed a natural choice.

Who is your favourite fairy tale character?

I’m one of seven children so the mother goat from Grimm’s “The Wolf and the Seven Young Kids”, makes me think of my mum.

Are there any artists you particularly admire, and who inspire or influence your work?

Karl Frisch’s approach to making jewellery, his irreverence for traditional techniques, is awe inspiring. Helen Beard’s ceramics have influenced my work greatly; the down-to-earth humour conveyed in her work is something I aspire to.

Tell us about the collection you’re presenting in Meet Your Maker.

It’s a combination of work from my degree show collection and new work. The pieces range from being overtly narrative to quite abstract. A lot of the pieces from my degree show were inspired by well known tales such as “Rapunzel”, “Little Red Riding Hood” and “Sleeping Beauty”.  The newer pieces are a development of this earlier work.

What are your plans for the future?

I want to continue working as a self employed designer/maker, and there are several exhibitions I am aiming towards. I would like to complete a masters in jewellery and goldsmithing at some point.

What is your favourite piece of craft that you own?

My elephant shaped milk jug, the milk pours out of his trunk, it’s all I want from life.