Meet the Maker

A Jewellery Journey

Although I had no idea what I was signing up for, I think I was subconsciously drawn to jewellery, because it combines detailed technical work on a small scale with creativity - both aspects that appeal to me. Essentially, you get to play with gemstones, metal & fire! Over time you develop an understanding of the essence of these elements and how they interact with each other. You learn to negotiate shaping and transforming the metal with tools and a steady hand. Along the way you are rewarded with unexpected super powers like Patience & Perseverance.

My journey with jewellery has been an adventure in many ways and provided a platform through which I can express my creativity and create beauty while adding joy to people's lives.  

My Work 

Creating a piece of jewelIery is like writing  poetry or cooking a curry.  How you choose to combine the ingredients will influence the overall outcome and experience. The process, techniques and creative decisions make up the unique chemistry of every designer and piece.

In my shop I offer collections that are made to order, and One of a Kind pieces that are available to be shipped. New work is added as ideas take shape and come to life.

I specialise in personalised commissions. Combining elements from someone's unique story and creating a piece to represent that, have resulted in some of my favourite and most magical work. 

Aspects that can often be seen in my jewellery include hand engraved detail, elements of nature, words, patterns & geometry. I enjoy crafting sculptural work and jewellery that tells a story.

My studio is based in Woodstock, Cape Town. 

'As tangible objects worn on the body,  jewellery is an intimate reminder of our life stories. It could be your wedding ring, the earrings you got for your birthday, or a special commission. Every time you wear your special piece, it connects you to the people you love or the unique story that it celebrates.'  Adi Cloete

 

Inspiration

Inspiration is infinite. Nature, dreams, people, words, architecture, geometry, colour… it could be anything, really. Just depends how you look at the world around you and choose to reflect that spark back in your unique way.

Jewellery as Art

In jewellery making your canvas is a micro world and becomes a balancing act of technical skill and aesthetic consideration in a very limited space. As an artist specialising in jewellery making, the unique combination of one's creative interpretation and techniques used, becomes your authentic signature. I love the challenge of combining these elements into something that becomes a treasured wearable object in someone else’s story.

Jewellery as art highlights the fact that a piece is unique or part of a limited edition collection. It might combine unusual materials, techniques or be more conceptual than the jewellery in a mainstream store.

'Every piece carries an essence of the creator’s imagination and ultimately becomes an object of wearable art.'  Adi Cloete

My Background

• My journey with jewellery started in 1989 at Stellenbosch University. After 2 years I chose to do an apprenticeship with a large jewellery manufacturing company. This gave me a good technical foundation and I specialised as a model maker, which means making the original piece that is used for production purposes.
•  In 1996 I started working for myself and for the first time had the opportunity to explore my own ideas and creativity.
• In 2003 I was very lucky to receive a Commonwealth Arts and Craft Award, which gave me the opportunity to live and work in another Commonwealth country. I chose India and worked at  JDTI (Jewelllery Design and Technology Insitute) in Noida alongside craftsmen and students with whom I collaborated on projects. 
• From 2005 – 2015 I shared a studio with Adeline Heyns, as co-owner of Firepetals Creative Jewellery. It was a big chapter in my story with loads of beautiful jewellery seeing the light, exhibitions locally and abroad as well as the teaching of jewellery making hobby classes.
• In 2016 Adi Cloete Jewellery was established.