In the Footsteps of a 1st Century Goldsmith: Samantha Snow on Jewellery Crafted in Beeswax

Unlike jeweller’s wax with its many pliable varieties, beeswax is fragile and capricious, given to disintegration if not handled with great care. This did not deter Samantha Snow however, a self-taught, Sussex-based jeweller whose fascination with history has led her to recreate, with painstaking authenticity, the techniques and experiences of 1st century goldsmiths. “As I use beeswax in my jewellery, I wanted play on the relationship between bees and flowers. The collection is quite floral based, it’s inspired by wildflowers, clematis, wild pansies and forget-me-nots. These are flowers I see as growing in places that are quite untouched by humans and so relate to my organic aesthetic the most, and they have a connection to beeswax, because the life of a flower is dependent on a bee pollinating it.” Samantha is one of ten makers to showcase her new Nectar Collection as part of the Goldsmiths’ Centre’s Shine 2023 new talent showcase in jewellery and silversmithing. Shine provides UK-based early career makers with a unique opportunity to participate in an intensive taught programme, upskilling participants to present a new collection of work as part of a physical exhibition at the Goldsmiths’ Centre (3-minutes from Farringdon, EC1M 5AD) and for purchase online. Visit our website: www.goldsmiths-shop-talent.org Follow us on Instagram: www.instagram.com/gsmithscentre Contact us: [email protected]