Gwawr

Gwawr is such a brilliantly macho, metal, roaring word, which translates to the very delicate word ‘dawn’. It’s a big stretching roaring mouth to me. It was a difficult one to produce. I initially saw a kind of nod to breastplates, thinking of making something in polymer clay to paint in bronze. I wanted it to have fangs. I wanted to have a nod to the balance between the strength of the word, and fragility of the meaning, so opted for glass for the fangs, which were handmade by local glass maker Andrea of Dragon Art Glass. I had a number made, so I could play with them (and of course, accidentally wreck a couple in the process).

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After a few goes with polymer clay, I admitted defeat, it wasn’t giving the feel I wanted. I ended up going for a very spare design – simple silver hinged ‘jaws’ with 4 glass fangs bezel set; two in each ‘jaw’. I strung the piece on soft gold leather, that can be put over the head with no fastening. I’m really pleased with the final piece; it embodies the strength of the word in it’s shape, and the fragility in it’s form and materials.