Dazzle is 35

Dazzle has been going for 35 years. The first ever Dazzle was conceived by Tony Gordon and Christine Bola in 1981 at the Royal Exchange Theatre, where Christine worked and then at the National Theatre in London and the Bede Art Gallery, Jarrow. Tony ran an art gallery in Manchester at the time. With a shared interest in the arts and Christine’s love of jewellery the first Dazzles were born.

The aim of Dazzle was to introduce the wealth of talented, innovative jewellery designers emerging from colleges at the time, to a wider audience. Over the years we have had thousands of jewellers exhibiting at Dazzle. Some that showed with us in the early days still exhibit with us now.

In the 35 years Dazzle has been going, they have managed to build up quite a collection of jewellery. So this month we delve in to Christine’s jewellery box and pick out her top 20 from the early years to the current day.

Click on the images below to find out about each piece.

1981: Clarissa. Necklace – Niobium & Silk

1981: Olga Hales. Brooch & Earrings – Titanium & Silk

Early 80’s: Jane Adam. Brooch – anodised aluminium & perspex

1986: Malcolm Morris. Brooch – Aluminium

1988: Susie Barr. Brooch – Niobium & Silver. This was a gift to Christine when their son Dom was born.

1988: Abbott & Ellwood. Brooches (left-right) Mike Abbott – Mad Cow Disease, brass. Jester, Brass. Kim Ellwood – Steel, gold leaf & enamel

Early 90’s: Elizabeth Callinicos. Ring – silver, oxidised silver

Early 90’s: Sue Cross. Earrings – rose gold & oxidised silver

Mid 90’s: Anna Gordon. Brooch – oxidised silver & gold

Mid 90’s: Angela O’Kelly. Bangle – hand-dyed paper

2003: Grace Girvan. Pebble Brooch, purchased at Grace’s graduate show

Early 2000’s: Marianne Anderson. Ring – oxidised silver and red glass.

Mid 2000’s: Wendy Sarah Pacey. Necklace – laminated acrylic, steel.

late 2000’s: Yoko Isawa. Veiled Necklace

2007: Antonella Giomarelli. Packing tape bangle – oxidised silver

2008: Indra Karpaviciute. Brooch – oxidised silver

2012: Mariko Sumioka. Brooch – oxidised silver, copper, enamel, kimono silk thread

2015: Jelka Quintelier. Necklace – lazor cut rubber

2016: Kathie Murphy. Brooch – polyester resin

2016: Lynne MacLachlan. Gego Ring. 3D-Printed silver

You can find out more about Dazzle at www.dazzle-exhibitions.co.uk