Independent business Honeybourne Jewellery celebrates its 20th anniversary in July of this year.
Established in 2003, the brand has flourished under the creative vision of Sophie Honeybourne, a graduate of London’s prestigious Royal College of Art.
To mark this significant milestone, amongst other pieces, Sophie has been meticulously crafting a collection of exquisite automated sculptures made from sterling silver and slate. These exclusive pieces will be unveiled at an intimate pop-up exhibition held at the Honeybourne Jewellery shop from 21st to 29th July, coinciding with this year’s Ventnor Fringe Festival.
Sophie’s inspiration for this collection stems from her interest in natural form, with a particular focus on butterflies and meadow grasses, symbolising metamorphosis, flight and seed allochory, which, for Sophie, encapsulates the feelings of creating, growing and nurturing the business. These intimate pieces not only showcase Sophie’s craftsmanship and artistry of which she is well-known but also incorporate her love of movement.
When the handles are turned, the pieces gently come to life via a hidden mechanism, a technique which Sophie 1st explored during her time at the Royal College.
Sophie expresses her excitement, saying:
“A brief was set by our course professor David Watkins, we had to interpret a classical piece of music written about ‘A Midnights Summers Dream’.
I took inspiration from the swaying of the meadow grasses left in the fairies’ wake. I have always wanted the chance to revisit them; it seemed like the perfect time.”
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The Honeybourne Jewellery team comprises Sophie’s husband and business partner Raff Raphael and fine art graduate Emily Buckingham. The team work collaboratively under Sophie’s guidance to ensure each piece reflects Honeybourne Jewellery’s commitment to craftsmanship.
The pop-up exhibition at Honeybourne Jewellery’s shop during the Ventnor Fringe Festival presents an opportunity for silverware enthusiasts, art, sculpture and jewellery lovers to see a micro perspective of Sophie’s creative journey alongside their signature in-store collections.
