About
My name is Maree Grant. I am a part time silversmith. I have been working with silver for nearly 10 years, but have been teaching and making art, in some shape or form all my life.
I love everything about working with metal. The way it behaves, and misbehaves, when it is cut, beaten, heated or cooled. It can be an unpredictable being, but I am always ready to start a new piece or face a new challenge.
I have a passion for traditional Japanese Kanzashi hair ornaments. I saw a display in a gallery once, many years ago, and was hooked. Their elegant movement of line and strong links to nature and history captivated me. My inspiration comes from the beautiful land, fauna and flora around me. I see potential ideas for creating basically everything I see. A sunrise against the mountains will become a pair of earrings or a fish swimming in the river may become a Kanzashi hairpin. It is exciting trying to create and connect a colour, shape or texture to represent a particular thing like stalactites or tiny coral berries on a rock or the rich colours of an iron bark leaf.
Over the years I have started exploring other mediums such as enamels and Mitsuro Hikime wax, these mediums have opened up a whole new world of colour and unique texture for me. Glossy enamels allow me to create bright, flashy abstract flowers or using simple symbols for the mountains, hills, water and land, and matching and combining subtle colour palettes. It is very exciting layering the enamel powders and then wondering what will come out of the kiln. Mitsuro Hikime is a 1,300-year-old Japanese wax technique using a malleable blend of beeswax, pine resin, and oil/red wax to create intricate, organic, and striated textures by hand-pulling. The wax is warmed in the hands and stretched, forming delicate, flowing lines for jewellery models which are then cast using lost-wax methods. The wax provides a stunning balance between earthy aesthetics and modern design. Inspired by the natural elements twisting and twirling sea kelp, these pieces can feel organically rustic yet undeniably contemporary.
All my jewellery has a story behind it. It is what makes each piece special and builds a connection between me, my work and my audience. Sometimes the story might connect to a place they were born or lived or a shared feeling of happiness or love.
Exhibiting with Arts Canterbury was a little nerve raking at first but is now exciting, and I have recently opened an online store. Another big step in the jewellery journey.
