Suzanne Elisabeth Jewellery's 'iKhaya Collection'

My iKhaya Collection is a homage to my upbringing in South Africa. ‘iKhaya’ is the word for ‘Home’ in the African language Zulu, which is local to Kwa-Zulu Natal, the province in which I grew up

The iKhaya Collection consists of ceramic jewellery with brightly coloured geometric designs.

If you were to explore the countryside of Kwa-Zulu Natal, you would come across houses painted green, lilac and red. The washing lines are strung with clothes in bold yellow, orange and purple. These all lie beneath an open blue sky. Which is why when I think of my home in South Africa, I think of the almost surreal colours.

When I chose the underglaze paints to use on my first pendants when in South Africa, I was immediately drawn to the those on the brighter end of the spectrum, the pots of azure blue and lime green. Having been in England for four years now, I am still painting in them. Perhaps this is because they maintain my link to South Africa. My love for them has never dulled. Just take a look at my jewellery for evidence!

A traditional Ndbele iKhaya in South Africa would be painted in bold geometric designs. These have inspired many artists, architects, and designers. I draw on them for inspiration in my own work.

My iKhaya Collection is a marriage of these two features of my home in South Africa, bold colours and geometric designs. As a result, this jewellery range with designs of clean lines and block colours hold a special significance to me.