We love commissions at The Design Trust as they can be such a great creative, personal and profile-building opportunity! In this Real Life blog post we asked two creatives to share their creative commissioning process – how they got these exciting commissions, managed them and what they loved about them too. Firstly we hear from jeweller Ayshe Brandts about a very personal engagement ring that took many months, and then from architectural illustrator Katherine Jones who got commissioned by St. Pauls to draw this world-renowned cathedral. An amazing opportunity!
JEWELLER Ayshe Brandts
A former landscape architect, Ayshe Brandts’ work is heavily influenced by her experience of growing up by the beach on a Mediterranean island, and her consequent love of nature. Using pebbles and shell fragments collected on beaches, and twigs and botanical elements discovered on weekend walks, Ayshe creates jewellery that sparks a deep emotional reaction.
What has been one of your best commissions? And how did it get started?
“An engagement ring using heirloom gems. It was for a French client, who works and lives in London, who chose to work with me after extensive research worldwide looking for jewellers whose work is nature inspired. She had been researching online for a while (probably Pinterest) and decided my design process and aesthetic were the best fit for what she had in mind.
The client got in touch and asked if I could make her a unique twig ring using heirloom gemstones given by her partner’s family.”
Tell us more about the creative commissioning process.
“The client had a very clear vision of what she wanted. As someone who had already invested in many big name fine jewellery pieces, she had already given a lot of thought as to the style of the ring and she wanted to make sure the end result would be exactly what she had imagined.
We had several meetings so my client could look at my existing collections in order to get a better feel for the shape, texture and feel of my rings. We then looked at some new twig shapes I had been working on and she chose an oak twig as the basis for her ring.
Based on her comments, sketches and other reference material she sent me, I started to make wax casts of the oak twig which I then started to build into a ring. The design went through many iterations before we arrived at its final form.
From first contact to delivery the process was fairly long, starting just before Christmas 2022 and delivering the finished ring in August 2023. In that time my client had a baby and went on maternity leave! Based on my experience as a mother I imagined that there would be a period of no progress but in fact my client was motivated and focused throughout so we slowly progressed the commission.
We had a few meetings where the client’s partner was present and we looked at the heirloom gems and discussed how they would be incorporated into the design. The large sapphire had a chip on one side so I arranged for it to be recut and polished.
My client also brought along a parcel of old mine cut diamonds of various sizes. They were absolutely stunning, with some irregular shapes that were the perfect match for the organic form of the ring.”
What was so great about this commission?
“There are many ways in which a jewellery commission can progress. Sometimes it’s an engagement ring with a traditional proposal planned for a particular date. Sometimes I get an order for an existing design and I just have to make another one.
On this occasion, I felt a little like a conduit for my client’s vision of what she wanted. There was a lot of communication and progress photos and markups throughout. I had to be very patient and trust the process even though there were many changes and I wasn’t sure where the design would end up.
It was hugely gratifying that my client absolutely loved the end product as she got exactly what she wanted. I felt very fortunate to be able to work with their family heirlooms and was glad they trusted me to take care of these gems and create something worthy of their provenance.“
What have you learnt about the creative commissioning process?
“I think with bespoke commissions there is the risk that someone is just wasting your time. There are ways of ascertaining the client’s level of commitment, a deposit being one of them. Strangely enough, even though most bespoke projects are with clients based abroad or outside London, I get a sixth sense about the person and I usually know how serious they are even if it takes 2 years from start to finish. Yes, this has actually happened!
I guess I’m a lot older and have learned that you can’t rush things (or people). The way I work can be other-worldly. Quite often there is a connection with the client at a spiritual level (not religious, but rather, a love of nature and its forms, a deeper connection with it which is at the heart of my creative process) and I know that they want to work with me and trust that I will put them front and centre of the whole process.”
Katherine Jones
Katherine Jones is an award-winning artist and architect based in Cardiff, Wales. After 11 years of architectural training, working in various practices and bringing buildings to life, she realised she could help people connect with places in a new way by creating meticulously detailed drawings of properties and landscapes that have real meaning for people. Katherine uses pens, inks and watercolours to draw landmark properties, universities, first homes, wedding venues and cities and her artwork now hangs on hundreds of walls and evokes precious memories for people all over the world.
What has been one of your best commissions?
“That’s a really difficult question! I’ve been fortunate enough to work on some wonderful commissions – ranging from iconic British landmarks such as Tower Bridge and Waddesdon Manor, to wildlife charities such as the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust – Slimbridge. The commission I’ve chosen for this blog post is for St Paul’s Cathedral – my most prestigious piece of work to date.“
How did St Paul’s Cathedral find you?
“I was exhibiting at trade show Top Drawer in London in January 2023, and was showcasing a drawing I had of the London skyline viewed from the Southbank, which included the top of the dome of St Paul’s Cathedral.
I had approached the retail team of St. Paul’s before the show, and the commercial director and the retail buyer both came to meet me at Top Drawer. That’s when the conversation started! This led to St Paul’s Cathedral commissioning me to draw four views of this iconic British landmark.“
Tell us more about the creative commissioning process.
“Working from historical drawings, plus detail photographs, I created a series of four unique drawings. The first focused on the overall south elevation in its entirety. In addition, there were a series of three very specific and special architectural details; the clock tower, the ball and cross (on the top of the famous dome) and a Corinthian column.
I had a number of email discussions, Zoom calls and an in-person meeting with the retail team at the Cathedral to finalise the design brief and plan the desired outputs. Once the layout scope was signed off, I started drawing!
This was an extremely detailed set of drawings, requiring time to work out the complexities of the light, shadow and details. The project was a delight to complete and the hand-drawn details I captured were extraordinarily intricate.
It required lots of patience, concentration and measuring! I was often measuring fractions of millimetres in order to make sure the proportions, dimensions, and scale were correct.
I completed the original drawings in December 2023. The collection of five prints, including a limited edition run of 100 prints of the south elevation, are now available to buy from the St Paul’s shop. A range of six cards are planned in the next month, and additional products, including a scarf, will also be released throughout the year!”
What was special about this commission?
“As an architect myself, to be asked to draw this iconic landmark by the St Paul’s team was a huge honour.
St Paul’s Cathedral was designed by the famous British architect Sir Christopher Wren and is renowned for its stunning architecture, rich history and the sense of drama and grandeur. The dome is the most prominent feature of St Paul’s Cathedral – standing at 111 metres tall and one of the largest domes in the world. It is one of the key features of the London skyline and recognisable worldwide. It was an honour to draw.
Whilst the overall elevation captures a sense of the grandeur and magnificent Baroque architecture, honing into the details allows you to focus on the often overlooked, or hidden components that make up this beautiful building. It’s only by looking in so much detail, I came to realise and understand the scale of the elements I was drawing!
Working with the retail team at St Paul’s has been brilliant, they have been so enthusiastic about my work from the beginning, and have enjoyed seeing the process as I progressed the drawings. It’s been an exciting and fulfilling project to work on, and the team have only enhanced this. I have had lovely feedback from the buyer too:
“From the outset, working with Katherine on the St Paul’s Cathedral project has been a joy. We initially started the collaboration at the beginning of 2023 and the journey from concept to the finish product has been seamless. Katherine’s attention to detail is truly stunning and her work stands out in our collections of existing prints. I would have no hesitation in recommending Katherine to other cultural and heritage organisations, with enthusiasm. ” – Garry Shrimpton, Buyer, St Paul’s Cathedral
We love commissions at The Design Trust! They are fantastic opportunities for creatives to extend their creative skills, improve the profile and credibility, and are financially great too! Do check our unique Creative Commissioning Course out that helps creatives make the most of the opportunities of commissions, and which will help you to plan, price + promote your commissions better too.
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