Chelsea-Belle Clark
Ba(visual arts): creative jewellery and metal design
Stellenbosch University
Graduates: 2023
Specialisms: Jewelry / Silversmithing
My location: Stellenbosch, South Africa
Chelsea-Belle Clark
First Name: Chelsea-Belle
Last Name: Clark
University / College: Stellenbosch University
Course / Program: Ba(visual arts): creative jewellery and metal design
Graduates: 2023
Specialisms: Jewelry / Silversmithing
My Location: Stellenbosch, South Africa
About
Chelsea-Belle was born and raised in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Whilst growing up, she played outdoors and took an interest in the surrounding nature, and now draws most of her inspiration from the natural world and her experiences thereof. It is in her nature to explore and experience in order to understand the world. Because of this, she draws her concepts from material that she can relate to, such as her own reflections and interactions with the world around her. This enables Chelsea-Belle to grapple with larger ideas and concepts with a sense of authenticity, and gives her work a touch of intimacy, as the works are often cultivated from a place of self-reflection. She enjoys creating pieces that are engaging, as well as precious, as she views jewelry-making as a timeless skill passed through the ages, yet ever-evolving. After completing her BA(Visual Arts): Creative Jewellery and Metal Design degree at Stellenbosch University in 2023, Chelsea-Belle is developing her skills within the South African jewelry trade and free-lancing.
During my fourth year body of work, I utilize my creative jewelry practice as a tool to explore and externalize my memories. I reflect on my memory of going flying and picking oranges next to an airstrip with my father. The pieces I create serve as devices to encapsulate and translate personal memory. Through creating new contemporary jewelry objects, I create new narratives that are informed by my recollection. My jewelry practice enables me to address and revisit my memories, which I then translate into wearable pieces. Memory is fragmented and largely subjective, and I make use of this multi-faceted platform to create pieces that are layered. Through curating fragments that I have created, I create a cohesive whole. Memory is also constantly in flux, while simultaneously staying true to an individuals recollection. I incorporate moving details within my pieces to embody these fluid and subjective characteristics of memory. The process of the creator is that of building and curating, and this functions much like the building of memory, which is characterized by editing, cutting, and embellishing details. I utilize my creative jewelry practice to embody this process, turning my memory into subjectively interpreted mnemonic devices.
Competitions
