Methodology...

I started off B-tech by finding tribal tattoo patterns that I could rework to make my own designs using elements of different tattoo patterns together. I would then make up the pieces, once made up I would wear them out to see what sort of reaction they would get. I would wear them to clubs aimed at different sub-cultures eg. Burn- for the more Gothic/ alternative opinion, Eighties- for the trendy teen opinion and Casablanca- for the older trendy opinion.

Later on I found I liked to find one basic pattern or shape and make a mould of it that way I could use the wax elements to design, it was a lot quicker than repetitiously redrawing the same shape over and over and made designing a lot more desirable to me.

I would take photos of these new designs and keep them as records of my process. I also started to discover something else that was very important to me was being able to produce pieces quickly with as little bench time as possible as I was never really fond of the idea of spending a lot of time at the bench, by reusing the same mould and just redesigning the elements my work became a lot easier to make. This way I was also making gothic style jewellery in a more commercial way.

During the first year my journal was used to keep a record of all my findings, however after we were introduced to blogging this became my means of keeping track of both the manufacturing and the thinking. My blog (www.fusionthroughdesign.blogspot.com) gave me a way to communicate with the world, for people from all over to see and comment. Knowing I had an audience made me more determined to keep posting designs, pieces and thoughts as opposed to the journal which stayed in my room without any observers.

Statement of intent...

My original intention was to make a range of gothic jewellery that could be sellable to a wider audience. My aim was to achieve this by finding the middle ground between gothic pieces and classical jewellery. I felt it would be a lot harder to sell gothic jewellery to the more conventional market but if I made the jewellery have a bit of a commercial flavour the market would probably widen considerably.

The practical work/idea remained the same however I found over the past two years it became a lot more personal as I began questioning why I was so intrigued by the idea of gothic. Instead of looking at what it meant to society I began looking at what it meant to me. This topic is a self exploration for me through my jewellery. I find that I am a feminine person with alternative tastes just as I have more than one side to my personality I felt that jewellery should be able to incorporate more than one style.

Identity is one of my main underlying frameworks because I find the jewellery you wear does seem to represent and group your social standings in society. The jewellery you choose to wear does classify the type of person you are perceived to be.

Gothic....

Gothic is a sub-cultural group that has been around since the 1980’s. It started in the United Kingdom as a section of the punk rock scene (“which was also a rejection of society values and anything considered the ‘norm’.”*1) and managed to form its own separate subculture which is still around to this day. There is a strong use of black in the Gothic culture which was “something of a backlash to the colorful disco music of the seventies.”*2. Goth or Gothic has a different meaning for each follower. It can be the usage of only the fashion to disassociate themselves from the rest of society, while others emerge themselves fully into the music, literature and ideas. "A lot of people turn to the Gothic subculture after having a hard time in school, feeling alienated, and looking for a way to express themselves that mirrors those feelings. Others find the scene through literature, still others want to be shocking, and some people just find black clothing slimming."*3 Gordon A. Crews, associate dean of the School of Justice Studies at Roger Williams University in Bristol, CT claims, “It is up to the individual to define what Goth is for themselves ... The mentality is, 'I want to be left alone but I want to be seen. I want to see the shock on other peoples' faces."

What attracted me to this notion of gothic? First and foremost is this idea of power that Goths have. People tend to be unsure of Goths and their motives for dressing this way. With the abundance of black in the clothing, jewellery and make-up so many people believe that Goths are Satanists or against God;

"GOTHS ARE PROUD OF THEIR SIN, PROUD TO PARADE AROUND LIKE SICK HALLOWEEN FREAK-SHOWS, PROUD TO DEGRADE THEIR BODIES WITH TATTOOS AND PIERCINGS, PROUD TO ENGAGE IN FILTHY SEXUAL PERVERSIONS, AND IN THAT PRIDEFUL STATE THEY CANNOT REPENT - YOU CANNOT REPENT OF SOMETHING YOU'RE PROUD OF. PRIDE IS ONE OF THE 7 ABOMINABLE SINS WHICH ARE HATED BY GOD."*4

It is important however to remember that Goth is a style not a religion! Due to all this uncertainty the general public makes general stylizations "They're basically outcasts, Gothic people, they’re into anarchy. They're white supremacists and they're into Nostradamus stuff and Doomsday."*5 which I feel give Goths a form of power, the fact people are afraid of what they don’t know or understand.

I also love the gothic clothing, which is very medieval inspired. I have always been drawn to the medieval era which was set in Ireland, from the clothing and houses to the music; I feel this is due to my Irish heritage. The gothic dress that inspires me has the same medieval feel with the use of corsets and long flowing dresses, very feminine however because of the stronger colours used which include emerald green, ruby red, sapphire blue and obviously black the clothing is given a more powerful, less nature feel.

In the Goth culture I see women as having a more dominant role. They are portrayed as very sexual creatures with the corsets (in medieval times used for undergarments) being worn as clothing producing large high positioned busts that become a focal point with attention being added to the area by jewellery that follows the same contour. A lot of leather is also worn which gives the women a bit of a dominatrix feel.

1. www.goth.net

2. Peter Wake, "Frequently asked questions list for alt.gothic newsgroup," at: http://www.vamp.org/Gothic/Text/gothic-faq.html. An updated version is maintained by tom Fosdick at: http://www.darkwave.org.uk

3. Found on the website: Spiritual paths and ethical systems. The Goth culture: Its history, stereotypes, religious aspects, etc.

4. S. Evans & M. Ardill, "Relax, it's just black," Toronto Star, 1999-APR-25, Page D16 - D17.

5. Rev. R. G. Green, GodHatesGoths.com

6 "Media's incorrect useage of 'Gothic' in Colorado tragedy," at: http://www.darklinks.com

Trendy...

I have been through many words in an attempt to properly describe the sub cultural group to which I refer. Originally the word I used was commercial as I was referring to the jewellery specifically. I have since used words like glamorous and feminine but since have come to the word Trendy.

When I used to work at the Winston Pub ( a club-like bar that would host alternative bands as a platform for them to get their name known, aimed at the alternative sub-cultures such as Goths, Punks and Metal-heads. ) people who would come to the pub after a night out at clubs such as 54 would be referred to as the Trendy kids.

Basically the ‘Trendy’ subculture are those who buy into consumerism, they buy only brand labels like Guess, Puma, Levi’s not because it’s a better quality but because they believe it will give them a higher social status.

The dictionary definition for trendy is