Local artists complete goldsmithing program, join touring exhibition

Angi Luciani and Celeste Sugden started university thinking something was missing.

The creative aspect of their lives was not being fulfilled until they discovered goldsmithing.

Their love for jewelry brought them from Centre Wellington, where they attended high school, to Georgian College where they recently completed the goldsmithing and silversmithing post-graduate program.

They use their skills to turn “a raw elemental substance into a piece of wearable art,” said Sugden.

“I’ve always enjoyed crafting, and making beaded jewelry,” said Luciani, who started a jewelry business Eclectaccessories last summer.

“I found this program by fluke, really, I didn’t even know jewelry was something you could go to school for. But being able to manipulate metal and work with stones seemed to me to be the next logical step into delving into jewelry.”

Goldsmithing is intricate work according to the graduates, who use stone setting techniques, electricity to change colour in the metals they work with, and more to create unique items.

“In order to be a goldsmith you need to have the drive, creativity, extreme attention to detail, dedication, technical skills to complete whatever task is at hand and above all else, in my opinion, you must possess a fierce passion for what you do in order to truly create,” said Sugden.

She won best in her year for her jewelry and display, along with eleven other awards. She also had the opportunity to travel to London with her college, where she gathered inspiration.

“I spent hours in the jewelry exhibit which had some of the first jewelry ever made in ancient times all the way to modern day,” explained Sugden.

The two graduates are on tour with the Goldsmithing Graduate Exhibition until December.