The Maker

Lawrence Gibson was brought up in the hamlet of Nantithet on the Lizard Peninsula in Cornwall. After attending the local primary and secondary schools he decided to follow the one year Art and Design Foundation Course at Falmouth School of Art. He gained his National Diploma in 1991 and, at the end of that year, relocated to pursue a three-year degree course in Industrial Design. He gained his First Class Degree with Honours from Cardiff Institute of H.E. in 1994.

Upon returning to Cornwall Lawrence took up a position in a local model-making business where he learnt new techniques and processes. During his four-year employment, and needing an outlet for his creativity, Lawrence realised that he could utilise his extensive knowledge and skills to produce forms based on an ongoing collection of sketches. These forms took inspiration from the Cornish coastline with its beautiful coves, beaches, fishing harbours and surf culture, and began the process for creating his ocean jewellery.

The Process

The initial forms for Koa jewellery’s pewter and resin range are sculpted and then moulded to produce duplicates of the originals. Each handmade piece of sea jewellery is produced using a base metal of high quality pewter, which is completely lead and nickel-free. This is either polished or brushed and lacquered to give a contrast in tone. The majority of the sea jewellery designs incorporate coloured resin detail. This resin starts as a pure, clear liquid to which colour is added. The resin is then either dropped into the pewter casting or made as a seperate piece to be incorporated into the design. Several pieces such as the wave jewellery necklace, involve beads which are carefully selected and ethically sourced from fair trade suppliers.

Koa’s limited handmade ocean jewellery designs in wood and resin combine exotic woods, coloured resins, beads, handmade resin pebbles and leather with delicate, individual details. Each piece of wood is cut and shaped by hand, whilst the resin forms are individually hand-poured, fine sanded and polished. The wood and resin pendants are hung on either natural leather cord or coated steel weave wire.