A Tale of Many Catherines & A Limited Edition Design
Seed Gallery on Catherine Hill in Frome is about to celebrate its fifteenth anniversary - to celebrate, I have made three limited edition Catherine Wheel Chain Earrings set with Rhodolite Garnets, the modern 15th anniversary stone.
Here's the story behind these special limited edition earrings.
The Story of St Catherine and the Catherine Wheel
Catherine Hill in Frome and the Catherine Wheel fireworks are named after Saint Catherine. It's said that Saint Catherine refused to renounce her Christian faith and as a consequence was tortured on a wheel by Emperor Maxentius. The wheel broke and Catherine was sadly beheaded instead. Saint Catherine's martyrdom is remembered in the wheel-shaped firework the 'Catherine Wheel'. The National Gallery have depictions of Saint Catherine in their expansive collection.
Saint Catherine's, Frome
The vibrant town of Frome in Somerset's artisan quarter is named Saint Catherine's after the saint and is where you'll find my almost namesake Catherine Hill. A picture-postcard perfect cobbled street, lined with independent shops, makers and galleries.
Catherine Hill has been the commercial centre of Frome for centuries and is part of the original medieval street pattern of the town consisting of a small series of cobbled streets.
At the end of the 20th century Saint Catherine's in Frome went into to decline but the affordable rents tempted small businesses and the area has been a destination for discovering alternative shops and artisan makers ever since.
Seed Gallery Frome
At the bottom of Catherine Hill stands Seed Gallery where you can now find my work. This spring, the gallery celebrates its 15th anniversary so I wanted to create a special piece to mark the occasion.
Seed Gallery was opened in March 2010 by Sinead, whose background was in fashion and styling. She had always dreamed of opening a space to celebrate the craft of British designers and artists. Seed Gallery has been in three locations in Frome but seven years ago she opened the current space at number 13 Catherine Hill - a beautiful period property set over two floors.
Catherine Wheels for Catherine Hill
I've made a limited edition of Catherine Wheel Chain earrings to celebrate - the perfect fit for their namesake location, made by their namesake designer! The centre of the design is a swirling Catherine Wheel - it reminds me of a Fiery Eye which is type of Catherine Wheel firework. They are adorned with chunky chains, which make a real statement adding movement and interest to the design. They are light and comfortable to wear; eye-cathching yet sophisticated.
Rhodonite Garnet
The earrings have a Rhodonite Garnet in their centre which is the stone to mark a 15th anniversary. Garnets are also January's birthstone. Rhodonite garnets are rose-pink and named after the Greek word 'rhodon' which means rose-like - the stones have a distinctive bold pink hue.
My limited edition Catherine Wheel Chain earrings are available in a choice of sterling silver, oxidised blackened silver or gold-plated sterling silver from the Seed Gallery. Visit the Seed Gallery in Frome or shop online for world-wide delivery.
