Laura Boudreau

I'm a Canadian jewellery artist from New Brunswick. I believe jewellery should make a person feel authentic without sacrificing comfort. I design and build carefully constructed, historically inspired jewellery that is lightweight and comfortable enough to wear all day, every day.

My Valeria collection is inspired by the evolution of ornamental ironwork in architecture from the sixteenth through twentieth centuries. I am inspired by wrought iron as an aesthetic for jewellery because it can be seen to exist as both masculine and feminine in its properties; its feminine curvature and dainty patterns are both challenged and complimented by its strength and permanence. The darkened appearance is a nod to the allure of antique metal in general. I have created the entire collection from a single simplified scroll element that is a common repeating pattern in ironwork that has evolved throughout the centuries.

My work is explores historical ornament and the interactions between tradition and innovation. The concept of femininity and its place alongside artistic motif drives my process, resulting in a stylistic revival that challenges its own origin. I achieve this by reviving traditional design elements and techniques, through modern practice, into jewellery that is inspired by the past and relevant in the present.

My design process begins with inspiration, usually from antique metalwork, architecture or machinery. I spend time reducing what I see into its simplest form, and from there it evolves into something new.

My patina is comes from the natural process that ages metal, called oxidation or tarnish – the darkening of the surface that is part of the allure of antique metal is what gives it the dramatic look that highlights the details. For both aesthetic and practical reasons, I age the metal in the way it would naturally occur over time, so it will need minimal attention to maintain.