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- Hazel Atkinson
Hazel Atkinson
Hazel Atkinson is a leading jewellery designer living and working in Nottingham U.K.
After graduating from Loughborough College of Art and Design, she established her business in 1984 and built an enviable reputation for bold, colourful and eye catching design.
Today her work can be seen in over 200 galleries and independent retailers throughout the U.K, USA, New Zealand and mainland Europe. She also designs and makes bespoke jewellery, and has made pieces for theatre, T. V and film.
We are pleased to introduce her new collection 'Natural Selection' which replaces her previous range ' Heaven and Earth'.
'Natural Selection' has evolved through a painstaking process of experimentation and elimination using various dying, printing and painting techniques to finally produce a collection of strong vivid colours and intricate patterns.
Each piece is designed and hand crafted in Hazel's Nottingham studio.
All earrings are fitted with Sterling silver hooks and the pendants are supplied with a 16 inch (40.5cm) silver chain.
Anodizing is a process which can be applied to aluminium to cause a layer of aluminium oxide to grow on the metals surface.
The layer is transparent, but porous and can absorb certain dyes and inks, as well as grease, dirt and moisture.
Work made of clean, pure aluminium is suspended an an acid solution and an electrical current is passed through it. The current will flow from the work ( which is a positive element, the anode) through the electrolyte to the cathode ( the negative element) and causing a chemical reaction between the oxygen in the water and the aluminium, building a layer of oxide on the surface.
At the same time the sulphuric acid eats into this oxide layer, creating microscopic pores, which will absorb certain pigments.
After this process they are and painted and decorated with permanent inks and specialist dyes. During this part of the process latex gloves are worn so as not to contaminate the anodized surface with grease and dirt from the fingers. However, sometimes stray fingerprints can be found if you look closely.
After decorating with inks, the metal is suspended in hot dyes for 15 minutes and then it is boiled in water for 30-60 minutes to seal the colour permanently.
Finally, the coloured metal is cleaned with a mild solvent, and is then ready to be used.
