About Christina Hirst
Christina is based at Coburg House Studios in Leith, Edinburgh. She grew up with parents who loved to make things and grow things. They passed these passions on to her and she took them to Dundee where she studied Jewellery and Metalwork at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design.
Her work is inspired by a love of nature, she experimented with many different metalworking techniques during her degree to try to achieve an organic quality in metal. This led her to investigate a then new material, Silver Clay. It is composed of minute particles of silver suspended in an organic binder and water. The material handles just like ceramic clay. Once fired the organic binder burns away and the silver particles fuse together, so the piece becomes pure silver.
After setting up her studio she continued to work with silver clay combining it with different materials to produce two ranges of work which explore different attributes of nature, the bold and the delicate. Deeply textured silver used in the Grain Collection mixed with gold and tropical woods to create big bold pieces inspired by tropical trees and seeds. Delicate seed and bud forms in the Pod Collection, mixed with pearls and semi-precious stones to create fine tactile pieces based on seeds dripping from trees and clusters of berries.
Further Images
Granule Earrings - gold plated silver & pearls
Granule Cufflinks - gold plated silver & silver. Photo Paul Hartley
Ridge Necklace, Zebrano wood, silver and smoky quartz
Tiny Pod Stack Ring, oxidised silver, 18ct yellow gold, diamonds, photo Paul Hartley
Bud Cluster Necklace, oxidised silver, labradorite and peacock pearls
Tiny Pod Cascade Earrings, oxidised silver and white pearls