# Project Description Grove of the Shanachie Ciara Draganova Summary Final work I am a maker, working in a variety of materials with a keen interest in multi-media work. My work is personal, exploring my lived experiences and views on our connection to the natural world. I am a maker, working in a variety of materials with a keen interest in multi-media work. My work... College Central Saint Martins Course BA (Hons) Jewellery Design Graduation year 2025 Reminding us of our deep bond with nature and the importance of reconnecting with it, Ciara’s collection draws inspiration from Irish mythology and natural materials gathered after a storm in her local park. Emphasising her belief in letting nature speak for itself, she creates rings, cuffs, and earrings from wood, beeswax, and amber with minimal intervention, embracing each material in its unaltered form. When worn, her jewellery becomes a point of contact between body and environment, prompting us to reflect on our relationship with Earth and our place within it. Interpretative text by Sera Eravci, BA (Hons) Culture, Criticism and Curation Final work Burnished Wooden Ring Wood (London Plane), Amber Smoothing and sanding the wood to expose its intricate details. The burnished finish creates a supple feel, inspiring the urge to be worn. Copper Setting Ring Wood (London Plane), Amber, Copper Highlighting my manipulation of the material, the amber protrudes from the wood clasped in place by copper. Shillelagh (Walking Stick) Wood (London Plane), Amber, Copper This piece exemplifies my aim with this collection, creating my own take on a symbol of Irish culture. This Shillelagh maintains the natural form of the wood while displaying my interaction with the material in the copper settings that hold the amber. Copper Setting Cuff Wood (Ash), Amber, Copper I have used a larger amber, setting it into the scar left on the wood from a previous branch. The copper claws secure it in place so the skin makes contact with both the wood and the amber. Research and process Research I focused on our interconnected relationship with our natural surroundings. Inspired by Irish stories that tell allegorical tales of how we should venerate our surroundings. Being raised in an Irish household we immersed ourselves in these stories, influencing me to manifest this into physical pieces that could be worn. Spending most of my time in my local park, I foraged for wood that I would use for my pieces. Displaying the natural beauty in the material, the grains mimicking finger prints in their uniqueness. I wanted to maintain the natural features of the wood, finding a place for the body in the material, rather than forcing the material around the body. Using amber set into the wood to represent the glint of hope in rekindling our relationship with nature, putting the fossilised resin back into the wood. Process Throughout this process I sketched through the material. Making decisions based on the forms in the wood, rather than enforcing my own design. Finding ways in which the body can connect with the material in an instinctive way. This required many experimental pieces being made, as I could only remove from the material. Share this project Reminding us of our deep bond with nature and the importance of reconnecting with it, Ciara’s collection draws inspiration from Irish mythology and natural materials gathered after a storm in her local park. Emphasising her belief in letting nature s... A link to this page has been added to your clipboard Browse related work Nature & Environment Wood Nature