Janine Barnsley – Jeweller
Born and bred in Yorkshire, in 1973 Janine was awarded a B.A.(Hons) in 3D design/jewellery from Sheffield School of Art and Design (now Sheffield Hallam University).
After various teaching posts, she opened a retail outlet selling mainly her own jewellery, but also that of others whose work she admired.
In the 1990’s, she successfully created a wholesale range of much simplified designs, based on her one-off pieces. These she sold at craft fairs and art markets, also taking orders from galleries throughout the UK. She has exhibited at the British Craft Trade Fair for many years.
Janine works mainly in hand-forged silver, ornamenting some pieces with silver and gold wire and semi-precious stones and saw-pierced detail.
Her style is a blend of the flowing and organic lines of natural forms, married with inspiration drawn from a lifelong fascination with the jewellery and artefacts of ancient cultures, particularly pre-Columbian. The marks left on these artefacts by their makers enthral her. The feeling that her work, handmade in a similar way, using similar hand tools, makes connections with people of long ago, is what excites her.