For a child, a ring can be a toy, a bracelet can become an object of fascination, and metal can simply be something cold and shiny to hold between their fingers. For Vanessa Ree, the Irish artist behind the Sunburst collection, the childhood moments spent playing with her mother’s jewelry were her first encounter with a world she would step into several decades later.
She came from advertising, while building her own studio and artistic practice alongside her career, and in 2019 she left the corporate world behind to launch her own jewelry brand. Today, she sees jewelry as a form of wearable art, where metal, technology, craftsmanship and the artist’s hand come together to tell a story. She does not follow trends and is critical of the increasing homogenization of contemporary jewelry design, while seeing technology as a tool that can push creative work beyond the limitations of traditional techniques.
At Romanian Jewelry Week, Vanessa Ree presents Sunburst, a collection about light, hope and human connection.
„Romanian Jewelry Week offers a unique community who confidently see jewelry as an art form, embracing all types of materials and techniques in their creativity. The uniqueness of this community is not to be underestimate”
We spoke to Vanessa about the fine line between jewelry and art, how an idea takes shape as a piece of jewelry, and what it means to contribute to the art jewelry scene in Ireland, a country where the field is still finding its place.
Romanian Jewelry Week 2026 kicks off in Bucharest on 30 September and runs until 4 October at the National Library of Romania, bringing together contemporary jewelry artists and designers from Romania and around the world.
The stages of your formation as a jeweler
My interest in Jewelry started from a very early age. I remember as a child being cuddled by my mother and playing with her rings and bracelets as I sat on her lap. She is an artist and always wore contemporary pieces of silver jewelry from the 70s.
Fast forward a few decades and whilst I was working in the creative advertising industry and having children, I trained part-time in the craft of jewelry. Over the years I developed my studio built up my tools and enhanced my skill set. In 2019 I quit corporate and lunched my own jewelry brand. Conceptual design has always been of interest to me and whilst not formally educated in this arena - it was central to my corporate career. But there is nothing like moving metal, creating 3D wearable forms that also tell a story. I find great satisfaction but, more profoundly, joy in it.
How your perspectives on jewelry have changed
In Ireland, there is always an emphasis on craftsmanship rather than creativity and whilst craftsmanship is important, it brings more of a functional aspect to jewelry. Through the years I have become more grounded in my own approach to jewelry seeing it as an intimate object of wearable art. So I create pieces that reflect a relatable theme, pique the interest and reflect the taste and character of the person ultimately wearing the jewelry.
That fine line between jewelry and art
Frankly, I don’t sweat about this too much - it comes naturally. At the end of the day what’s central to my approach is that my piece tells a story, is a unique design and is a joy to wear - that is what is most important. I was once told my a distinguished jewelry critic that jewelry made from precious materials is not “art jewelry”. In my opinion that’s a myopic attitude. I love creating my jewelry in precious metals, manipulating the shapes and each metal feels different - from butter to brick, so for me “categories” are inconsequential. It’s the connection the wearer feels with the meaning the artist injects into the jewelry.
Your personal mark in jewelry creation
I’ve recently been told that I have a very clear design style by a fellow designer. This both surprised and delighted me. What she saw was a bold expressive type of design with lots of metal, yet paired back clean forms. And I guess even when I’m including gemstones in my creations, the design is never about just the gem. First and foremost, it’s about the piece itself and the gem enhances the creative thinking, but is never at the center of the piece.
The creative process you go through from idea to final object
My creative process is very intuitive. My research involves listening to many podcasts, music, keeping abreast of current affairs and through all that finding inspiration for a topic that you can connect with. If it feels right in my gut, I go for it. When it comes to translating that into a 3D form of wearable art, what is in my mind doesn’t always work out. I usually go straight into metal rather than drawings and I have been known to use Lego, cereal boxes, but seldom drawings. Unfortunately, I do not possess the same talent in that area as my Mum. Alot of the time I might get part way through a piece and then leave it on my bench for some time thinking on how I can move the metal to create the form I’m looking for. I don’t think there is one single hardest part in creating Jewelry. Sometimes you have good days and everything works out and sometimes things just don’t come together and at that point it is time to step away from the bench. Tomorrow is a new day.
The evolution of jewelry design in recent years
I find like many parts of society jewelry design has become more homogenous. Safe. And consequently boring. That’s why shows like Romania Jewelry week are so important in the contemporary jewelry art calendar. I don’t do “trends”. It means people are chasing after the latest thing which ultimately, they will never meaningfully connect with. That is the antithesis of what I stand for in jewelry. The latest thing in jewelry is how to incorporate AI - artificial intelligence - , but frankly, I believe that is a race to the bottom. I prefer real human intelligence, after all it is real humans that wear my jewelry.
What I am most excited about is how jewellery artists are using technology to evolve their artistic process and create work that might not have been possible using just traditional skills.
From inside Ireland's art jewelry industry
The jewelry industry in Ireland has a tradition going back millennia, however not unlike Romania, Ireland is a young country having gained its independence just over 100 years ago and it only became a wealthy country this century. This has meant that customers are not necessarily confident about investing in a piece of contemporary art jewellery.
So whilst there are a significant number of independent studio jewelers, they are mostly creating occasion jewelry for engagements et cetera. However, our small community is growing from strength to strength with names like Clodagh Molloy & Emer Roberts gaining more international recognition.
As a founding member of the Irish Jewelers and Silversmiths Guild, what we are aiming to do is to highlight jewelry as an art form, high design while still being respectful of the tradition and craftsmanship. I guess because I come from a corporate creative background, I take the approach that if it doesn’t exist, we will build it so the Irish Art Jewelry scene is growing and my vision as a driver in this is for Ireland to become a Mecca for Art Jewelry. No small ambition for our small country.
Creation at the intersection of modern means and traditional goldsmithing techniques
It’s a sympathetic combination of the both modern techniques, traditional crafts and most importantly the human stamp on design that I find most compelling. And this is the approach that I employ myself. A dialogue between creating a unique contemporary design from a purely traditional skills or incorporating technology into part of the production process to convey conceptual creations you can connect with on a human level is what makes for really strong work.
For me as an artist having my hands on the jewelry that I create is paramount as that is what I pass on to my client when they buy a piece of jewelry that they will then wear on their body. An idea conceived in my mind created with tools, technology and my hands passed on to my client to enjoy. It’s a very intimate relationship.
The Sunburst Collection
The Sunburst Collection comes from the gut feeling that I described above. It’s all too easy to complain about the status quo, to get lost down digital rabbit holes of doom. In contrast this, I wanted to wanted to create a collection that manifested positivity and hope - values that make our humanity so amazing.
Civilizations have always seen the Sun as a source of giving warmth, light and Life. And I chose to reflect the energy it gives off in this jewelry collection - quite literally using the golden shards from the rutilated quartz and exploding them outside of the piece through the gold fused into silver. I specifically learned the traditional technique of Keum boo to develop this collection and I’m really enjoying making each of the individual pieces, sourcing alternative cuts and really delving into unique shapes, fusions and settings.
Why you chose to speak about hope through jewelry, now
In 2006/ 2007 I embarked on a trip around the world starting in Mexico City and ending in Delhi, India. The common theme I found throughout the world was that people, regardless of where they are from, were largely decent. They are inherently good natured, respectful and kind. In the online and indeed offline world we live today in these values of humanity are being neglected favor of narcissism and greed, a world where division and isolation are sewn nurtured. But I believe and hope that humanity will overcome this and return to being what we call in Ireland “sound" and that is what this collection represents.
Your presence at Romanian Jewelry Week
Honestly, ROJW is a chance to get immersed into a wonderful cultural city of Bucharest, its people and creativity! I also may have internal doubts or challenges but attending the talks, chatting with the artists, and engaging with collectors always gives me a reassurance that I am on the right path for my work.
I think and hope I bring a unique perspective to the community. My thematic approach and fusion of metals gain a lot of interest. I love learning other artists practices, that we share the same challenges, but that we still persevere in the pursuit of our passion - Jewelry as Art.
What draws your curiosity in the creative community here
Romanian Jewelry Week offers a unique community who confidently see jewelry as an art form, embracing all types of materials and techniques in their creativity. The uniqueness of this community is not to be underestimated. There is such a great atmosphere and an engaged audience that has been curated over the years ROJW for me is both a joy and an honor to be exhibiting at. What I find really interesting is the amount of the public who are genuinely engaged in jewelry as an art form and I would love to learn more about this and how in Ireland we curate a similar scene. Really looking forward to Romania Jewelry Week 2026!
