Deirdre Maher Ridgway
she/her
Metal Keeps the Score
My work as a jeweller explores the relationship between nature’s enduring strength and the transformative qualities of metal, channelling a lifelong fascination with the Irish landscape into tangible, wearable forms. I am captivated by the folklore embedded in our hills—the sense of the land as a silent record—and create work shaped by the history of these places.
I am fascinated to how metal behaves: it keeps the score. Immensely durable, yet remarkably fluid, mirroring the landscapes that surround me, metal can be layered, textured, and transformed through heat and pressure use techniques like embossing and casting to capture the tactile nature of the outdoors—using tree bark or raw stone to leave permanent impressions on the material. Whether polished to a shine or left with an earthy finish, metal possesses a resilience that outlasts us, mirroring the persistence of the land and the stories it preserves.
Tree Bark Effect, mixed-metal necklace with amber pendant.
Detail of Tree Bark Effect, mixed-metal necklace with amber pendant.
Hammered and pressed Hawthorn collar.
Detail of Hawthorn collar clasp.
Detail of Hawthorn collar findings.
Detail of Hawthorn collar
Grá ring.
Grá ring enamel detailing.
Hammered textured cuff with mixed wire embellishment.
Ode to My Mother, brooch, 5 × 5 cm.