This project is still ongoing, it currently is composed of 8 individual pieces of various sizes, all of which are of different designs but shares the same materials used. The target of this project is to investigate how to translate the traditional Chinese watercolour painting into the context of silversmithing and contemporary jewellery.

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  The methodology used in the making of the objects will be from the Xieyi school of thoughts. The physical making techniques and experimentations are from mainstream silversmithing techniques and teachings. Following the Xieyi methodology, the purpose of the paintings is expressing oneself with freedom and spontaneous emotions. The backbone of the drawing practice is still rooted in the repetitive practice and traditions from the painting styles that had come before it, using minimal material medium to express thoughts and feelings. The inspiration of the painting subject matter plum blossoms in snow, became both attributing factor to the theoretical symbolism of bravery, independence and perseverance amidst difficult situations, isolation. The physical experimentation of techniques used are also inspired by the same symbolism, by pouring hot metal into ice cold water, the form of the blossom pedals can be accomplished with carefully controlled temperature to create a blend of quenching and cavitation, the silver “blossoms” while simultaneously been coloured with the audible popping of cavitation.

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  The motion of applying the water casting and casting on charcoal is the same as drawing the plum blossoms. Simple gentle drops that caressed the medium underneath the ink, wait and hold the brush before jerking the brush vigorously to create the distinctive markings of traditional Chinese watercolour paintings. This project has replaced the brush with customised silver pieces, the shapes, and forms of which is chosen for their controllability. The ink is replaced by molten silver, which is diluted through heat to vary the fluidity of the material. The heat from flames functions as water, rather than the pitch black of flowing ink, the silver achieves the same fluidity when glowing white. The coloured pigment comes from the patination created during the water casting process. The colour as seen with naked eye depends on the number of oxidation layers, the colour changes from a spectrum of silvery white-yellow-orange-red-purple-iridescent green-peacock blue before finally settling on black. Through intentionally inducing fire stain, the copper in the sterling silver was able to surface and bloom and form patterns and colouration that resembles the plum blossoms they were inspired from. The final touch of the water casting onto and encasing the black patinaed sterling silver backing is the process that really sums up the essence Xieyi ; it is the combination of the precision from repetitive practice; the simplicity of the ingredients used; the action that rebelled against the mainstream technique and re-inventing something from the old and taking a new interpretation of it. The end results should not be an exact visual copy of a painting, rather trying to capture the characteristics or spirituality of the subject matter through the abstracted forms. Both pieces are intended to be wore as brooches, the wearer shall become the silk the painting sat on.

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