Cathy Timbrell - Plus One Collective
Cathy Timbrell
Designer biography:
Cathy began work as a research scientist and teacher but her hobby all through her life was making jewellery. Her scientific background often informed the way she worked and gave her a fascination for experimentation. However, since 2008 she has been able to devote all of her time to jewellery making and enamelling in the workshop/studio she built in Buckinghamshire. She is largely self-taught following initial tuition from her brother. Since then, she has attended numerous courses at West Dean College, UK as well as others. She has also taught jewellery making and enamelling and is a founder member of the Buckinghamshire Craft Guild formed in 2017. Her work is exhibited in various Galleries in the UK including The Birchel Gallery in Norfolk, In Klover in Northern Ireland as well as the Buckinghamshire Craft Guild Gallery near Princess Risborough.
Collection concept:
My recent large, enamelled pieces are constructed from a vitreous enamelled piece of copper, some of which have been surface textured through etching. Enamel is applied by shifting layers of enamel onto the surface, sometimes using a stencil with very fine enamel powder or using the sgraffito method for scratching the surface to reveal the enamel underneath. Some enamels have fire-scale or sand added as well to give texture and the surface of the enamel matted with matting salts. The copper and enamel are fired in a small kiln at 850oC for up to 2 minutes. The process may be repeated many times. When the piece is complete, I mount it in a sterling silver mount and fix a stainless-steel pin to the handmade brooch fittings. All my pieces are Hallmarked at the London Assay Office.
