Linye Pan

1. Your artist statement reveals a deep-rooted love for the craft of jewellery making. What initially sparked your interest in pursuing a career as a jewellery artist, and how has your passion evolved over time?

A:When I was a high school student, I took a crafts class where the teacher taught me how to make aluminium sheets into shapes I liked. I found the sawing and polishing of metal sheets to be both very peaceful and fascinating at the time. That was the first time I came into contact with and became interested in metal craft. Later, I learned about jewellery design and gained a general understanding of what a jewellery artist does on a daily basis through the Internet, which sparked my interest in wanting to study jewellery. At the same time, I am also a person who likes to wear uniquely designed jewellery, so I dream of becoming a jewellery artist with my own style of design and focus on craftsmanship. As time went on, my passion for it became stronger, and while I continued to explore my style, I had a general idea of my future and planned to learn many metal techniques that I found interesting but could not yet do or was not good at, such as gemstone setting.

2. Graduating from Birmingham City University in 2023 is an impressive achievement. Could you elaborate on how your education and training have shaped your artistic perspective and approach to creating jewellery pieces?

A: Being educated at Birmingham City University School of Jewellery has been a great experience for me. There are many great artists at the university who have helped me in many ways. My biggest influence was the technicians at the school basement, who are dedicated to helping students explore how to make our designs. I learnt a lot about metalwork in my daily contact with them, and when I was interested in a particular process they would teach me and help me understand how to achieve it. I became very interested in metalwork through our communication, and it made me want to incorporate this craftsmanship into my work. They have influenced my style and artistic perspective to a certain extent, as well as being a great help in creating my jewellery.

3. Your jewellery designs artfully narrate intriguing stories inspired by everyday life. Can you take us through your creative process when translating these stories into wearable art forms?

A: My creations usually start with a phenomenon I have observed or an insight I have had that I want to tell through my jewellery. I start the process by extracting as many visual elements as I can from my concepts, and then I experiment with materials to see if I can create something that expresses my feelings and state of mind through sight, touch, smell, or other senses, and then combine them with metal.

4. Your collection "Unexpected Scent" explores the fascinating relationship between fragrance and jewellery design. How do you approach the fusion of scented materials with metals, and what aspects of this intersection do you find most intriguing?

A: Firstly, I experimented with scent materials with scents that are familiar from everyday life and explored the properties of the scent materials created in different ways to make sure that the scent remained stable in the jewellery and that it was familiar to the viewer, and on the other hand, to make sure that the properties of the scent materials were feasible to combine with the metal. This is done by combining the scent material with the metal that has been subjected to a special process, or encapsulated in a specific part of the jewellery. The key is to ensure that the scent and the metal do not interfere with each other, maintaining their respective properties, while creating a visually appropriate effect.What is most fascinating about this fusion is that it is a multi-sensory aspect of the experience for the viewer. The viewer is not only able to see and touch the jewellery, but also perceive the scents within it through their sense of smell. This integrated sensory experience creates a more holistic interaction, allowing the viewer to interact deeply with the piece and create a personal emotional connection.

5. In your research on olfactory transformation and emotional value, how has your understanding of fragrances and their impact on emotions influenced your design choices when creating scented jewellery pieces?

A: Perfumes have the powerful ability to trigger emotions. In addition, certain scents can evoke memories and trigger emotions. In my designs, I utilise these properties of perfume to create this emotional connection. I try to create scented materials using familiar scents from everyday life and combine them with metal to make wearable jewellery that triggers different personal memories in the viewer, ensuring that the scents resonate with the viewer and create a sensory experience that deeply engages with the viewer.

6. "Unexpected Scent" encourages active audience engagement. Could you expand on how you envision wearers interacting with your jewellery and the role of scents in enhancing their sensory experience?

A: My collections is suitable for everyday wear and allow the wearer to experience the Proust effect either intentionally or at unexpected moments when wearing the pieces. For example, in everyday hand movement, the wearer is able to smell the sudden scent brought by the ring. And for those rings which I have designed a mechanism, the wearer can access the scent by playing with the mechanism. For the only necklace in my collection, the wearer can access the scent by tearing open the sealing bag the moment they want to smell it, and I've made extra pouches with different everyday scents that the wearer can replace with their favourite scent at will. Smells can trigger sensory experiences, and the Proust effect is a sensory experience in which memories are triggered by smell. Scents play a crucial role in enriching sensory experiences. In my series, they evoke personal memories and emotions in the viewer. At the same time scents can create an immersive atmosphere and make the work more memorable.

7. As a talented and passionate jewellery artist, what exciting projects or themes are you looking forward to exploring in your future works?

A: As a jewellery artist with a passion for goldsmithing, I am eagerly looking forward to continuing to challenge the technical limits of goldsmithing in my future works, and to try to create breakthroughs in the traditional ways of metal engraving and shaping, in order to present individual, personalised jewellery pieces that will bring a unique visual effect and emotional experience to the wearer. I believe that my continuous exploration will inject unique vitality and glamour into my work. I am dedicated to this journey of artistic growth and innovation in the realm of jewelry design.