Iona McCuaig is a jeweller, artist, researcher and educator. Her work explores the themes of narrative, value and materiality through a variety of outcomes. Historical references are strongly embedded in her practice and are often playfully juxtaposed with contemporary observations as a way to respond to societal challenges. Outcomes have a mixed media approach located in the context of applied arts and influenced from training as a jeweller.
During her BA (Hons) at Glasgow School of Art (2008) she made a series of jewellery inspired by a collection of letters written during the Second World War. She developed a range of metal techniques such as etching, fabrication and patination to form wearable objects illustrating the letters. She continued this narrative practice during a two year artist residency at Friends’ School in Saffron Walden (2008 - 2010) were she produced jewellery which responded to the schools schools’ archives.
In 2016 she was awarded a fully funded scholarship to study at the Royal College of Art where she developed a practice based research methodology to explore the college’s archives and collections. The outcomes from the project were a series of playful re-contextulisations of archive material that drew on various cultural, social and political influences.
McCuaig’s creative practice runs parallel with a career within art and design education. She is currently a lecturer at the historical School of Jewellery in Birmingham and enjoys working with galleries and museums as an arts facilitator.
During her BA (Hons) at Glasgow School of Art (2008) she made a series of jewellery inspired by a collection of letters written during the Second World War. She developed a range of metal techniques such as etching, fabrication and patination to form wearable objects illustrating the letters. She continued this narrative practice during a two year artist residency at Friends’ School in Saffron Walden (2008 - 2010) were she produced jewellery which responded to the schools schools’ archives.
In 2016 she was awarded a fully funded scholarship to study at the Royal College of Art where she developed a practice based research methodology to explore the college’s archives and collections. The outcomes from the project were a series of playful re-contextulisations of archive material that drew on various cultural, social and political influences.
McCuaig’s creative practice runs parallel with a career within art and design education. She is currently a lecturer at the historical School of Jewellery in Birmingham and enjoys working with galleries and museums as an arts facilitator.
