I am Heather McNair Horsey, I've been making jewellery for over 20 years...ugh that sounds like a long time! My journey began as a creative girl on the shores of Lake Erie, growing up drawing on the back of bulletins on the hard wooden benches of the Baptist church to keep quiet. Eventually several colouring contests, poster and yearbook design competition wins later, I pursued studies and earned my BA Fine Arts at the University of Guelph Ontario.  My first love was printmaking. Etching and relief printing were my mediums of choice - both techniques strongly influence how I have made jewellery through the years and today.

"Capturing your memories in metal" is so much deeper than a trinket of jewellery, it's a connection to the person they love and cherish that will last forever. It is such an honour to be part of that."

Early on, most of my jewellery was created around images of nature using etching and combining handmade silver pendants with gemstone beads. My favourite themes were leaves and birds. (Still are) In hindsight, it was my parents' love for birds and gardening, that influenced my designs. Originally, the idea of "capturing memories in metal" was the snapshots from my own memories of camping and spending time with my sister and brothers outdoors at the beach, in our garden and yard. Even then, I suppose, family was at the core of what I did.

Once my own family came to be, my jewellery reflected that too. I made my first personalized leaf pendant to celebrate the joy of having my first son, Will, in 2004.  To me, the leaf motif was the perfect symbol to represent my growing family tree. Alex would follow in 2007 and by then leaf pendants had become a very popular part of my jewellery line.

By chance, a good friend asked if there was a way to capture her boys' fingerprints in jewellery and I discovered that I could by using new environmentally friendly techniques with recycled silver that I had studied in New York. So from 2010 "capturing your memories in metal" became capturing fingerprints as well as images and personalized pieces.

Over 2000 fingerprint pendants later, that's the core of what I do, with a sprinkling of gallery quality pieces that I show from time to time to push boundaries in style and technique.  I can honestly say, I have found this is the most rewarding work that I have ever done. Through this form of jewellery I have met the most amazing people that have shared incredible personal stories of both joy and loss.  "Capturing your memories in metal" is so much deeper than a trinket of jewellery, it's a connection to the person they love and cherish that will last forever. It is such an honour to be part of that. I hope, I can help you capture your memories too.

 

Heather McNair Horsey

E-Mail: heather@swaysilver.ca

B.A. Specialized Honours Fine Arts, University of Guelph

Rio Rewards Precious Metal Clay Certified Instructor

Reside & work with my Husband 2 boys & dogs in Cambridge, Ontario, Canada