One design. Three materials. 30+ individual jewels

Melissa Cameron regularly issues a design challenge to herself. How many different objects can you create from one pattern?

Her 2012 exhibition at Studio 20/17 netted 38 unique works from her AutoCad drawn and laser cut ‘Untitled: Pattern in metal #4’ piece. She showed in that exhibition one version of the whole object that had not undergone transformation (a sheet of intricately cut steel approx. A4 in size), and arranged around the rest of the gallery space was a suite of unique jewellery and objects works that were made from the duplicate single sheet of laser cut forms.

This time she has made a pattern half the size and had it cut professionally twice. In the development stage she prototyped one section of the pattern in sterling silver, hand cutting the elements for a ring, a bracelet and pendant. Three works and counting. How can she creatively engineer and customise the rest of this suite of pre-cut forms to make 100% unique works every time? Challenging herself to create works that use up all of the pieces from the puzzle and do not self-duplicate is tough, but this from an almost completely two-way-symmetrical pattern? It won’t be easy, but when the designer’s pride is on the line…

The works, in silver, stainless steel and titanium were displayed alongside a reproduction of the pattern on paper to show the origin, enabling the viewer to find each jewel’s place in the scheme.