MAKER OF THE WEEK - Katherine Bree

Katherine Bree

Semi-Precious Beaded Fashion jewellery. Colour plays a very important role in my work.

The pictures are of my winter garden collection which will be for sale at MADE.


When and where did you first want to do what you do?
Standing in the Jewellery room at Liberty' in London, looking at the inspirational designer-maker pieces for sale at that time.

Who would you say buys your work?
Individual and creative women and those who buy for them.

How do you set about starting a new project?
I create mood boards that are a culmination of what has inspired me over the previous few months.

What do you have on your pinboard?
1950's Tikki style images of film posters, postcards of tropical foliage, collections of coloured stones and shell, experimental jewellery pieces,


Where and what is your studio?
My studio is based in an old mews property in north London, which is freezing in the winter and like an oven in the summer. Although the mews is full of rubbish bins belonging to the shops that back onto it, I have a beautiful little roof garden where a trainee horticulturalist friend of mine likes to experiment with new planting ideas. It started as a black garden, all black foliage and flowers and now has bright oranges and purples, cabbages, a grape vine and a weeping willow. I work alone, but listen to BBC London which keeps me sane! Vanessa Feltz, Robert Elms and Danny Baker are my constant companions.


Surprising activity/hobby?
I recently took up tap dancing which is great escapism!

Do you have a good work/life balance? Are you able to switch off from art work?
I rarely switch off. I constantly have design ideas racing around my head, too many to produce.


Do you think art and craft has any real importance?
I think art and craft is essential in this world of speed and technology. For makers and appreciators, it is a doorway through to the soul.


Are their other fields that you'd like to apply some facet of your work into?
I originally qualified in textile design. Publications such as 'Selvedge magazine' http://www.selvedge.org/ are really inspiring in their portrayal of textile designers and it's giving me a hankering to take up textile design again.

Can anything be 'art'?
If 'Art' stands for ideas then I guess anything may be art. But in this society it appears this only applies if the artist has a qualification.