The delicate imprints of architectural elements
- Mariko's interest in jewellery began in childhood
- She studied at Edinburgh College of Art
- She uses collages as a way to expand her imagination during the design phase
After learning the basics of design and jewellery making in Tokyo, Mariko Sumioka further developed her skills as a professional jewellery maker at Edinburgh College of Art. Graduating with honours, her success as an emerging talent at the New Designers exhibition led her to focus her activities around Europe, the UK, and the USA. Mariko draws inspiration from architectural elements and structures, such as the view of houses along a hillside or the overlapping tiles on rooftops. She uses photos of these elements to create moodboard collages, which is her way of exploring and expanding her imagination when designing new pieces. Currently based in Tokyo, she creates jewellery that combines traditional metalworking techniques with innovative designs, inspired by her collages.
INTERVIEW
When I was little, I lived in Brazil for about four years. There, many of my friends wore shiny piercings and necklaces, which is not as common in Japan. I loved seeing this jewellery, and I had an image of myself sitting and making my own at the bench.
In Japan, I feel that working methods are very focused on technique and materials. However, during college, I learned to centre my work around elements or themes that I am “obsessed” with and to explore the underlying reasons behind my creations.
In metalwork, texture can be applied by annealing the metal and adding pressure on it with a textured material. When the metal is annealed, it can transfer even the subtlest textures, like that of the surface of Japanese washi paper.
Jewellery making is a small field. It is important to explore other types of crafts and larger-scale objects. I would recommend broadening your perspective and learning about various crafts, not just jewellery, to compare techniques and find inspiration.
