Clondalkin artist Jean Wilkinson to feature in RDS exhibition

INTERNATIONALLY award-winning silversmith and enameller Jean Wilkinson is set to feature her work at Ireland’s largest gathering of craftspeople in the RDS this December, reports Jenna Schweikert.

Originally from Clondalkin village, Jean has mastered plique-à-jour, a rare and time-consuming enamelling technique whose finished product resembles tiny stained-glass detailing.

“Plique-à-jour, which has become my passion, is made up of cells and looks a bit like lattice work,” said Jean, who now lives in France.

She recently exhibited pieces with this technique last year at the four-day International Cultural Heritage Fair in Paris, which takes place in the Carrousel du Louvre.

Now her work will feature at Gifted, the Contemporary Craft and Design Fair, which takes place at the RDS from December 6 to 10.

Jean draws a connection between her creative style and the textile work her mother did for Irish fashion designer Sybil Connolly, who was known as ‘Dublin’s Dior’.

“My mother, Kitty Doyle, was an Irish lace crocheter – her mother and grandmother did it – and she was among the women in Clondalkin who worked for the famous Irish designer Sybil Connolly.

“Even though I was young, I was very aware of how important this fashion lady was and what she was doing for Ireland’s reputation.

“Mammy had the skills in her family already and used to make and assemble the pieces that the other women made.

“She would also fund our Santa presents by making a lace crochet blouse or a Christmas shawl.

“I only recently realised how similar our artforms are, they are both very delicate and made up of cells and space and air.”

Jean draws inspiration for her work from the art nouveau period of design and from the forms of the natural world.

The plique-à-jour technique allows her to bring the light, colour, and reflection from her inspiration into her pieces.

After training as a silversmith and jeweller in Ireland in the 1990s, Jean went on to train with master enameller Phil Barnes in the late 2000s.

However, despite her family flair for craftsmanship and a draw to silversmithing from the age of 12, Jean’s parents discouraged her career choice.

“I was the youngest of nine and my parents had an older generational mindset, whereby they always told me to work with my head rather than my hands.

“They had come through a lot of hard times and felt that education and a job outside the trades was the way to have a better standard of living.

“I was an IT Consultant for a large part of my twenties as a result and, while it’s true that I was making good money, I wasn’t happy.

“I’m much happier now because I’m making my heart’s desire all the time. As an artist, you’re always conceiving and you’re always immersed in beautiful things.” Jean will be bringing the dish that earned her the gold in the Goldsmiths’ Craft and Design Council Awards 2020 to Gifted next month.

She earned the bronze in both 2016 and 2018, and a commendation in 2011 and 2014.

She will also bring a number of small silver music boxes inspired by her husband’s love of Christmas.

“The music boxes are decorated with a scene and movement on the top and has some moving parts. It’s a departure from my usual designs but I really enjoyed making it and would love to see what the Gifted crowd thinks of it,” said Jean.

Gifted, the Contemporary Craft and Design Fair, will take place at Dublin’s RDS from Wednesday, December 6 until Sunday, December 10.

Learn more about the fair HERE.