Artist Book

‘Roaming For Gypsies’

An artist book in the form of a jewellery box containing a constructed bracelet. Demonstrating a traveller's belief in jewellery enchantment, rituals and charms for luck. Memory has been written on the beads, which is held securely in a box. It is a tangible piece to provoke the thought of holding something precious, like memories and their journey as well as the  idea of protection or good luck.

My love for jewellery and the rituals relating to jewellery in the gypsy community is why I decided to produce  this. The box itself  consists of tea stained – to signify the reading of tea leaves - shredded gypsy sheet music, which is representative of hay and the land on which we travel. The box  is reflective of hiding or putting an importance of the bracelet. The beads on the bracelet spell out the nature of keepsakes and their relationship to travel – memories. The lace reminiscent of old lace curtains that you would associate with an elder's dwellings.

The outside of the box has been layered with paper mâché and beads as well as charms mimicking the passing on of precious heirlooms and jewellery.

The final work is effective in representing the emotional aspect of travelling so the audience can touch and have an experience relating to buying a souvenir of travelling, however it cannot provide them with the cultural or ritual aspects relating to the jewellery. Nevertheless, the work has been thought out and a true representation of a trinket that will forever show my travels into the world of gypsies and artist books.