Jacqueline Cullen originally trained in visual and performing art working in physical theatre until the lure of making jewellery couldn't be resisted any longer. She enrolled on the BA Honours Jewellery Design degree at Central Saint Martins leaving 3 years later with a double first for her final collection of hand built sculptural pieces in Whitby jet. After 9 years of experimenting with jet Jacqueline has developed innovative processes and formats that reinterpret the material for a 21st century audience.

Jacqueline is inspired by dramatic acts of nature, a placid sky ripped open by a slash of lightening, a volcano erupting, a cliff edge left jagged from erosion. Hiatuses inform her aesthetics and the interruption or breaking up of a bold, fluid form is central to her work where fractures, fissures and crevices release a luxurious cascade of textured gold or glittering diamonds.

Jacqueline uses fine lined observational drawing and free form collages to design her dramatic jet jewellery. Her method of finding and using inspiration will be featured in the new book by Vogue jewellery editor Carol Woolton 'Drawing Jewels for Fashion' released in October.

Jacqueline selects which slice of raw jet to use for each new piece inspecting it for fault lines and inclusions. Her raw Whitby jet is supplied by a person living in the area who abseils down the cliffs on a rope to get into the disused mines and ancient caves. Working from her Cockpit Arts studio in Holborn Jacqueline and her assistants use diamond tipped water cooled lapidary saws and grinders to cut and shape the jet into it's initial forms. Jacqueline then hand carves each piece which are then set with either 18CT granulation, hand made settings or diamonds.

Each finished piece is delivered in it's beautiful wooden box closed with a black seal stamped by one of Jacqueline's jet granulation rings and placed in a black be-ribboned bag....

Finally after a hard days work in the jet studio Jacqueline relaxes by dancing with Paraiso School of Samba to a live bateria of tribal drums!