Trevor Vipond - Goldsmith
I visited my new friend Trevor Vipond at his top-secret workshop studio to learn more about making rings - and other things - out of gold, diamonds, and other jewels!
Trevor Vipond. Photo: Grady Mitchell https://www.gradycmitchell.com/
Trevor’s work is really interesting, an innovative mix of new and very old technology and processes. There’s something weirdly primal about it, melting metal and shaping it under brute force - but there’s also something very delicate and fine about it too, working polished gold and stones under a microscope to make everything fit just perfectly.
Our conversation ranged from Trevor’s beginnings as a student of sculpture to the techniques Trevor uses in his work, from how stones are cut to the human connection that drives his work. Of course we have to talk about gold and diamonds, including their sketchy and captivating histories and futures. We even talk about grills!
I’ve never bought a ring or other fancy jewellery, so a lot of our conversation was new to me. It made me think about precision artwork and how industrial processes can turn out something very, very beautiful. This was always what made me interested in printmaking, a hobby I’ve enjoyed exploring over the past year, but in that case what I actually cut and carve is not the final product (the print) that catches the eye.
If you want to see more of Trevor’s work, check out Atelier Vipond’s website or visit him on Instagram.
