Jen Neame-Collins is English, but has been based in south west France for over twenty years. After completing a degree in Printed Textiles at Winchester School of Art, and working as a textile designer for a few years, she started making decorative objects in papier mâché - mirror frames, vases, tables etc with trompe l’oeil draped fabric effects
made from layers of paper glued together and hand painted with ornate designs. She exhibited and completed many commissions in London and around the UK.

After moving to France she started creating jewelLEry with the same emphasis on colour and decoration. From small earrings to start with, to larger and larger statement pieces she is always moving forward, one idea leading naturally into another. In 2018 she designed a collection for the New York Fashion Week A/W 2018 catwalk show by Helen Anthony.

Since 2019 she has exhibited at MAD About Jewelry, JOYA Barcelona, Milan Jewelry Week, and most recently Roma Jewelry Week 2024.

WORK AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE SOON

Colour, pattern, ornamentation, extravagence and fun are at the heart of her work. She
works in paper – glueing layers together, then cutting shapes from the templates she
designs, to create incredibly light but strong and rigid pieces. Her work is a riot of colour
and exuberant pattern, she revels in creating pieces to bring joy to the wearer. Using
gold or silver leaf and various medium such as artists oils, 3D paints and crayons she
builds up ornate decoration on both sides, finishing with waterproof varnish, so the
jewelry is hard wearing and practical. She calls these “charms”.

The charms are joined together, often layered charm over charm, to create flamboyant, sometimes chaotic jewellery that reflects her inspirations - from Renaissance art to Dolly Parton, fashion and flowers. Every piece is different and unique – she will not recreate the exact same decoration on the charms, working in her studio she loves that she doesn’t quite know how each design will turn out. As the charms move with the wearer the pieces come alive, catching the light.