Perhaps best known for her work as an award-winning jeweller and goldsmith, Annabel Eley has expanded her creative horizons into the fields of sculpture and painting. Annabel works mainly in Cambridgeshire, but also has a London base, she is a Freeman of the Goldsmiths’ Company.
Bold juxtapositions of pattern, texture, and contrasting coloured metals run through Annabel’s jewellery. Working in different coloured golds, platinum, silver, gemstones and pearls, she uses a variety of traditional goldsmithing skills to create her striking and distinctive pieces.
Whilst Annabel’s artworks are informed by her extensive jewellery career, each medium has a reciprocal, impact upon the others. She finds it refreshing and inspiring to work in metal on a large scale. The process of making things in steel; cutting, shaping, welding, often presents new ideas and directions.
The enjoyment of texture is also evident in Annabel’s paintings, many of which are in mixed media, painted in oils over a base of collage and acrylic. Often evolving from the landscape, they explore structure, patterns, and grids within it. The excitement generated by working with colour adds new possibilities to the other media.
EDUCATION
1978-79 Lincoln College of Art & Design, Foundation Course
1979-82 Central School of Art & Design, BA First Class Honours
1981 Received the Queen Mary Award
1983 Study Tour in South America (March –August)
2011-12 Morley College, part time course in metal sculpture
2012 Northampton College, City & Guilds Level 1 Award in TIG Welding
1982 to 1989 Established business, in Fred Rich's Portobello studio, designing and making special commissions for private customers and developing own jewellery collections in gold and precious stones.
1986 Two Pula coin for Botswana to comemmorate the Commonwealth Games, commissioned by the Royal Mint.
1987 Hydra Brooch purchased by the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths for their collection.
1989 Set up own workshop and design studio in heart of London's West End (Soho W1) concentrating on own distinctive collections as well as undertaking commissions for established clientele. Have also taken part in a variety of De Beers and World Gold Council collections.
1998 The King George VI and the Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes trainer’s prize commissioned by De Beers.
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1999 The workshop moved to Cambridgeshire whilst retaining a London base.
2004 Necklace with matching earrings commissioned by the Worshipful company of Goldsmiths.
2018 Clothed as a Liveryman of the Worshipful company of Goldsmiths
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AWARDS
1982 First Prize in Royal Society of Arts Design Bursaries Competition
1982 Commended in Platinum Awards
1983-84 Won competition for Blunt Medal, British Numismatic Society (for portrait medal of Christopher Blunt)
1986 Won competition for the ‘Garrard Gold Medal’ design
1993 Won First Prize in Goldsmiths’ Craft Council Awards (design section)
1994 Nominated for Young Designer of the Year, British Jewellery Awards
1996 Nominated for Designer of the Year, British Jewellery Awards
1998 Commissioned by De Beers to make Trainers Prize for King George and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes (Ascot 1998)
1998 Finalist for De Beers Diamonds-International Awards
2014 Goldsmiths’ Craft & Design Council Awards, silver (pearl jewellery design)
2019 Goldsmiths’ Craft & Design Council Awards, gold awards in Precious Jewellery and Technical Innovation
2020 Goldsmiths’ Craft & Design Council Awards, silver award in Precious Jewellery
EXHIBITIONS
1983 Young Designers Fashion Show, Park Lane Hotel
1983 FIDEM, Florence
1984 Young Blood Exhibition, Barbican
1985 FIDEM, Stockholm
1985 Up and Coming Exhibition, Goldsmiths Hall
1987 Contemporary British Medals, British Museum
1987 Jewellery and Precious Metals, The Design Centre
1993 The Gold Ring Exhibition, Liberty,London and Festival de L'Or, Paris
1999 Four London Goldsmiths, New York
2000 Treasures of the 20th Century, Goldsmiths' Hall
2002 Celebration - In Gold and Silver, Goldsmiths' Hall
2003 Modern Designer Jewellery, Fairfax House,York
2005 On The Cuff, Goldsmiths’ Hall
2012 Gold: Power and Allure, Goldsmiths’ Hall