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Creators Profile
DEON SMITH
South Africa
biography
I did not set out to be a jewellery designer. I studied medicine and practised as a paediatrician. I discovered, quite by chance, that I also enjoyed designing, especially jewellery. After I retired, I was encouraged to pursue this newfound interest and launched my first jewellery collection in the midst of the COVID pandemic. The response to this collection of large sculptural brooches and pendants, in wood and silver celebrating the unique Fynbos flora around Cape Town, was quite amazing. I was featured in British Vogue and was invited to participate in the Milano Jewellery Week 2022 and the Florence Biennale 2023.
My design focus then shifted slightly and some of these designs, centered on found objects and gemstones, have been featured in Artistar Jewels MJW 2024 and the Inflow Exhibition 2025.
It has been an exciting, and quite unexpected, journey.
Creator's Perspective
Living in Cape Town, South Africa, surrounded by its extraordinary natural beauty has been a major source of inspiration, but it has also made me acutely aware of the fragility and vulnerability of the natural world. This has motivated me to design and produce sustainable jewellery – from repurposing gemstones, using recycled precious metals to verifying the sources and sustainability of other components.
Some of my designs are also influenced by my personal observations and insights of events and developments, not only in Africa, but also globally.
I feel that designing jewellery allows me to leave a tangible record of my experiences, ideas and aspirations.
