Your jewellery ranges from classic gemstone pieces to more unconventional designs such as the Skeletal Ring, Talon Ring and Spikey Claw Ring. How would you describe your design aesthetic, and what draws you to creating such different styles of jewellery?
I’ve been designing and making jewellery for 35 years now and my style and focus has shifted over the years. When I first started I was heavily influenced by the alternative music scene, I was interested in furniture designers like Phillipe Starck and I was interested in jewellery from the Victorian era and medieval jewellery. I was also making a lot of jewellery for men. The rounded soft forms that morphe into more fierce shapes came from considering the strength of women and the female form but beware the strength that lies within.
Can you take us back to the beginning of your journey as a jeweller? What first drew you to the craft, and what has kept you passionate about creating jewellery over the years?
My mother was Latvian and Latvians have a very strong bond with silversmithing. Jewellery is an important part of their culture, the shapes and forms often representing different dieties and fertility. I grew up with it and found it powerful and magical that you could wear something that was imbued with so much. My grandmother on my other side had a wonderful collection of weird and wonderful Victorian jewellery that also was beautiful and seemed other-worldly. I love making jewellery because I get such a rush from creating. Seeing the end result stemming from the initial idea and design is super satisfying.
You’re bringing back some of your older designs, including the Skeletal Ring, Talon Ring and Spikey Claw Ring. What inspired the decision to relaunch these pieces, and what makes them worth revisiting today?
My daughter Mia is working with me now and our focus is shifting to clients more her age and the styles they’re interested in. It’s fun bringing them back, we’re loving it. I’ve been making some of those pieces all the way through, especially the earrings like the Devils and the Ottos, the Stars and Spikes, they’ve always been in demand.
Gemstones, precious metals and pearls each have their own qualities and character. How do you approach selecting materials for a design, and does the material itself ever shape the direction a piece takes?
My focus with gems and pearls is really all about beauty. If I think it’s beautiful I’ll endeavour to use it in a design. If it’s a knockout gem or pearl, I’ll design something around it, particularly if it’s a special order for a client.
When you look back at your earlier work alongside the pieces you’re creating today, how has your creative perspective evolved? Are there things you approach differently now because of your experience?
Yes, like everybody as I’ve evolved and as fashions change my idea of beauty has also evolved. I have a lot more knowledge about gems and pearls now too so I enjoy showcasing them and the marvel of nature. I love going back through my older designs though and marvelling at the attitiude! It was more about the form of the metal then. Some of them were so fierce!
How do you balance creating jewellery that reflects your own creative vision with making pieces that people can connect with and wear in their own way?
A huge buzz for me is seeing a happy client at the end of the day so I’m flexible when it comes to making what people want even if it’s not my usual style. I can still appreciate the beauty in other styles.
Is there a particular piece you’ve created that holds special significance for you personally, whether because of the process behind it, the inspiration or the response it received?
I don’t really have one piece in particular that holds special significance, I think I appreciate each collection on it’s own merit because they reflect how I was feeling at the time. I love the Devil earrings from the Spikey Claw range because they’re so fat and fierce and cute, but I equally love the Queen range with their huge gems and ridiculously big pearls.
What do you think makes a piece of jewellery timeless, and is that something you consciously consider when developing a new design?
I design for the moment, I consider the client and the materials and the feeling of the piece. I don’t consider timelessness as a concept. I think good design remains good design even if it is of it’s time and goes in and out of popularity.
With the relaunch bringing some of your earlier designs back into focus, what are you looking forward to most in this next chapter of Ina Barry Jewellery? Are there new ideas, collections or creative directions you’d like to explore?
Mia brings new and fresh ideas and energy. It’s great fun working together, it’s exciting! We’ll have to wait and see….
