Kilt Pins, Brooches and Cufflinks

It seems that these three things have become my specialty of late!  Over the past couple of years my practice has taken a slightly different direction than what I originally intended, commissioned items are now mostly what I make. I do enjoy it, I really enjoy it! But I sometimes I feel the artist inside me misses exploring my own ideas rather than someone else's. (according to the little red wiggly line 'else's' isn't a word....well I don't know what else to say there so that's that.)

Plan to remedy that though, I should have a bit more free time soon as I'm leaving the OTC after 12 years, my other part of life as an Army Drum Major (again, never part of the plan..isn't it strange how life turns out) is coming to an end. I'm a bit sad, but mostly happy, and I've just spent an amazing couple of weeks in Moscow with them parading up and down Red Square so I feel satisfied with what I've done and ready to go.

So the plan is to turn some of the drawing I do into real life things! I've had money put aside for a print making session for ages now, it's something I've never done, but always fancied, and I'm terrible at making time for these things!! So, Tuesday nights (and the occasional weekend throughout the academic year, plus a week winter camp and 2 week annual camp) will now be drawing time! Yay! Pens and pencils, see you next Tuesday!

In the meantime, here is a selection of some of the commissioned pieces I've been making over the past, well 10 months really, not been too good at updating the ol' blog of late...preferring the quickness of Instagram really to fire up photos of work in progress and inspiration, so please follow me there if you use it, you'll find me @islayspalding. Also I'm better at pictures than words. :) Enjoy!

 Aberfeldy Mod Kilt Pin and Brooch
Designed as retirement presents for two committee members and to celebrate the Aberfeldy Mod's 90th Anniversary.  The kilt pin has a cut out of Loch Tay and the pipe score for 'The Atholl Highlanders'.  The brooch features the Lawers Range hill line and the suns rays, taken from the Royal National Mod's emblem, the overall shape is based on a Clàrsach.

 Bali Kilt Pin
Outline of Bali merging into an etching of a cycle route down Scotland and notches representing the date.

 Bird of Pray Kilt Pin
Date notches and hillscapes, roller printed feather texture.

 Borseth Crest Kilt Pin

 DLD Kilt Pin
The initials DLD with a thistle set into a notched frame.

 Fiddle Kilt Pin
Form inspired by the shapes found in the fiddle, date notches and a photo-etching of the score for 'Crossing the Minch'

 KJB Kilt Pin

 Lemonwood Kilt Pin

 LM Kilt Pin
The initials LM topped with a thistle head containing a garnet.

 Oak Leaf Kilt Pins
Two kilt pins made for a civil partnership, split by the River Don and containing a photo-etched oak leave design and notches representing the date.

 Old Man of Stor Kilt Pin
Hillscape of The Three Sisters on Skye running down the centre, topped off with layers of silver making the shape of the rock feature, The Old Man of Stor.

 Rose and Thistle Kilt Pin
A design inspired by the illustrations on the couples wedding stationary with the initials E and C wrapped round the stems.

 Dundee from Wormit Kilt Pin

 Thistle and Bee Kilt Pin and Cufflinks
The thistle and bee design is taken from the Ferguson Clan Crest.

Yin and Yang / Rhino and Swan Kilt Pin and Pendant
When sat together these pieces make a styalized yin and yang design and the co-orinates for the couples favourite viewpoint, etched into the silver, join up. The kilt pin is inspired by the horns of a rhino, and the pendant the neck of a swan. When together the notches represent the date of their owners wedding.

Thanks for reading/looking! And if this has inspired you please send your commission requests to islayspalding@gmail.com...I love to hear your ideas!