Motorcyclist - Holding Place

Motorcyclist riding through the rainbow and out the other side…A Locket.

Materials: Silver, gilding metal, biscuit tins, vintage found object, copper.
Dimensions: 35cm x 30cm x8mm.

“He rode towards the rainbow, then right underneath it and out the other side…”

This locket was inspired by a beautiful drawing of a rainbow, drawn for me by my 4 year-old daughter, on a grey, rainy morning during a typical soggy, British camping holiday to brighten up the day. Drilled spots allude to sparkling raindrops against the grey. As a motorcyclist, it is I who rides through my daughters rainbows. Here is the drawing that inspired the piece.

Maria Whetman
Bere Alston, Devon. UK

I am a 41 year old jewellery designer-maker with a college and university trained background in metalwork then teaching. Since 1993 I have worked with students of all ages to help them express their stories in the miniature medium of jewellery, using metals as well as other materials from a strong traditional skills basis coupled with creative thinking. I continue with my own practice which often revolves around whimsical narratives (such as that in the selected Rainbow Locket piece here) as well as narratives invented by the graphics imposed by redundant litho-printed tins, which for a decade I have used as source material in many of my pieces. I sometimes use found objects where appropriate and enjoy the challenges of making pieces which require a number of construction and joining processes, whilst still remaining wearable.


These containers and vessels definitely hold their place in the world of stunning art objects as well as in the world of metalsmithing.

Since the dawn of time humans have created containers to hold things that were important to them, from large vessels to hold food and harvests to intimate containers for small precious things. They might hold memories, ashes, medicine, beverage, fruit or food - but all spring from the imagination and skill of the maker. Some have specific religious functions, some are meant for everyday use. When one thinks of a vessel or container the inclination is to think of something with solid walls - yet many of these works involve the exploration of positive and negative space, and the use of negative space to help create the illusion of the wall of the vessel.

As the world’s largest jewelry related internet site, Ganoksin strives to develop exhibitions showcasing work from around the world. This exhibition was open to all metalsmiths, professional and amateur, advanced and beginner. Participants are from The Netherlands, the USA, Canada, Australia, Costa Rica, the United Kingdom, Israel, Hong Kong, Colombia, Romania, Italy, Ireland, Japan, Malaysia and Denmark. While most of the pieces are by an individual metalsmith, some are collaborations, one of three artists spanning 50 years.

In total 319 artists contributed 729 show pieces for the permanent online exhibition.

Objects in the exhibition include boxes, lockets, urns, ash containers, bowls, wine cups, reliquaries, match holders, vases, teapots, pitchers, sugar bowls, baskets, nests, pillboxes, clutches and a range of sculptural forms. A variety of techniques are showcased covering a wide range of metalsmithing techniques. Materials used include everything from gold and silver to less expensive metals. Ornamentation includes the addition of enamel, chasing and repousse’, gemstones and found objects.

The exhibition was curated by Beth Wicker, President of the North Carolina Society of Goldsmiths in the United States, and Adjunct Instructor at Northeastern Technical College in South Carolina. Director of the exhibition is Hanuman Aspler, founder of The Ganoksin Project, the world’s largest internet jewelry site.