United Kingdom
The ritual of fusing the enamels is painstakingly precise, almost regimented. Applying the enamel freely but purposefully however, allows the material not only to decorate a piece, but to be instrumental in its creation, its appearance and its function. My designs evolve through a dialogue between my source inspiration and the creative potential of the enamel. The versatility of the material is what attracts me the most as it gives an organic feel to my work. My response to the way in which the materials fuse together is intuitive and impromptu. With each layer the enamel adds form, structure and substance to the piece. The natural fragility of the material exudes a new found strength, richness in texture and an acquired preciousness at the same time as the precious metal chain is slowly buried into obscurity. The inquisitive attention, tactile approach and numerous juxtapositions, provoke a sense of preciousness in my jewellery that is understated and enigmatic.
‘Liana’s work has both an immediate and an ancient quality. It looks effortless and elemental: both sumptuous and scabby. The processes Liana uses in making her jewellery are ones of building and burying. Layer upon layer of enamel slowly obscure the foundation of silver chains, forming a vitreous crust that is raw, crackly and uneven. The surfaces are reminiscent of rough ceramic glazes or thick oil paint, and are far from those required by traditional enamelling, which insists on thin and even layers protected by thin walls of metal. Liana’s work shows a healthy disregard for these traditions – her way is inside out, upside down, wrong way round – enamels that are fused to a seemingly unstable base, which surround the fine and delicate metal links, encapsulating them and rendering them inflexible. The natural quality of the surface gives a feel of a much earlier age, yet buried under the enamel are anonymous, potentially unattractive, silver chains of this age of mass production. The point of delight is, not only that unique, colourful and exciting pieces of jewellery are created, but that the rules of enamelling have been broken and rewritten so successfully. It has been a pleasure to watch Liana’s jewellery grow in strength and stature over the last few years.’ Caroline Broadhead