Bejewelled fragments and ruins
- Gabrielle's contemporary jewellery handles grief, repair and renewal
- She makes both decorative and wearable pieces
- She advocates for a collective future in craft through a dedicated podcast
Gabrielle Desmarais uses the body as a canvas to tell stories with her jewellery. "My practice emerged from a personal turning point, as I left my science studies and discovered jewellery in Mexico. Later, this path helped me process the loss of my father through a major enamel and fibre piece I created," she says. Gabrielle received formal training at the École de Joaillerie de Montreal and Alchimia in Florence. In her riverside studio outside Montreal, she creates both one-of-a-kind works and more accessible collections, often reworking fragments, ruins and family gold into new forms. In her practice, Gabrielle brings together wood, embroidery with stones, fibres, resin and precious metals. She is a community builder who employs a small team and teaches final year students.
Interview
- When did you realise jewellery is the right path for you?
- In my early twenties, I travelled to Mexico and started making jewellery on the beach. Later, as a student at the École de Joaillerie de Montréal, I visited Galerie Noël Guyomarc’h. Once I saw its fascinating work, I immediately knew that this is what I want to do with my life.
- How would you describe your approach to contemporary jewellery?
- For me, jewellery is a narrative object rather than a simple accessory. Each piece begins with an inner theme, which dictates the choice of materials and the format on the body. Whether I use wood, fibres, stones or metals, the aim is to open a dialogue between the wearer and viewer.
- Why do you maintain both one-of-a-kind pieces and collections?
- My one-of-a-kind work allows new ideas to emerge, and allows me to process experiences, such as grief. My collections translate those ideas into pieces that people can wear and afford. I need both: the experimental work keeps me creatively alive, and the collections keep the studio connected to clients.
- What role do teaching and community play in your practice?
- I teach final year students how to build collections and coherent bodies of work. Through my podcast, I speak with makers about the realities of craft life. I believe the future is collective. We have chosen a demanding path, and we need to build supportive, shared structures together.
Gabrielle Desmarais is an expert artisan: she began her career in 2010 and she started teaching in 2019
Where
Gabrielle Desmarais
