Altered and Upcycled Wearable Art – the idea…
Way back 12 years ago a friend gave me a box full of costume jewellery before migrating to another country. Me being an accessory lover and a fanatic about anything related to the past jumped at the opportunity to have all these new wares. When I brought this boxful home my mum wanted to have a look too. We were like two little children rummaging in this box. Ever since I was little, I remember my mum doing string beading and during secondary school I got into making seed bead bracelets for myself and for my friends. It was all the rage back then so much so that at one point they got banned from school and my headmistress confiscated an armful of bracelets from me…oops! Moreover, I also grew up with my dad being a woodworker and I would often go to the basement and tinker with his tools and machinery.
From this box I discovered a new love for upcycling and reinventing. I was never really the super feminine type so I wanted an industrial look and to merge two distinctive styles into one. A love for romantic nostalgia and science fiction was born and the fusion of steampunk began, which was the perfect look that also symbolises my character.
Reinventing clock parts into another type of jewellery whilst reusing old beads and accessories was always the perfect balance between machinery and the nostalgia of times gone by. The alternative scene was the obvious choice rather mainstream and slowly through lots of practice and mistakes the idea to go for artisanal jewellery came about from my passion to create unique things for unique people.
Repurposed & Reused Materials keeping the earth at heart. Inspired by times gone by, breathing new life into antiquity. Established in 2011 and recently rebranded, Atelier Nineteen Wearable Art was started. A studio with my lucky number, nineteen, from which wearable art emerges. Introducing Steampunk jewelry on the island and the only Maltese artisan to create Wearable Art in this style through a selection of story themed necklaces, mixed media compositions and recycled clockparts. Atelier Nineteen does not make use of single use plastics, gives new life to otherwise damaged watches and up cycles old jewelry into Wearable Pieces of Art, unique like their valued customers.
The story
Welcome back in time to a concoction of romance and industrial fantasy! Atelier Nineteen Wearable Art, specialises in creating vintage-inspired jewellery for men & women alike. In 2011, we introduced steampunk style lifestyle, jewelry and accessories on the Maltese Islands and since then have been the pioneer in antique watch & clock parts creations that are upcycled into new creations. Many pieces feature vintage and antique components with fresh findings. Combined with different techniques, using mixed media to create unique jewellery items as wearable art.
Don a pair of earrings made with post-war clock parts, bring the past to the present. Take a piece of history with you as you venture through your own journey. Every creation is made with all the patience and attention to detail, a unique creation deserves and thus each design is carefully thought, with a story behind it, making it an original and unique piece of art – wearable art.
Atelier Nineteen is based in Malta, our items are available online only. Occasionally, I do attend markets around the island and hold pop up shops in curated galleries and shops. Connect with us through social media to know more or feel free to get in contact directly.
Officially launching *Christmas Market Season* with a bang ????Come shop for unique gifts, save time from December quality time with family #ateliernineteen #wearableartjewellery #christmasmarket
Posted by Atelier Nineteen – Wearable Art on Saturday, November 16, 2019