Most people hang works of art on their walls or have them on display in their homes, but not artist Rebecca Skeels.

She takes a different approach and produces pieces you can actually wear.

Rebecca, 34, is a technical tutor at University College for the Creative Arts at Farnham, and successfully combines her teaching career with running an exclusive jewellery design business.

For her jewellery, she specialises in silversmithing, but she will also work in other mediums, including gold and platinum.

She occasionally incorporates more unusual materials into her work, such as paper or rubber, which allows her to make use of a wide range of colours and textures.

“Silver is my favourite material,” said Rebecca. “It’s nice because it’s not wildly expensive and it’s very versatile. Although its price has doubled in the last couple of years, it is still about a tenth of the price of nine carat gold.”

One relatively new material which Rebecca is particularly enthusiastic about is a substance called precious metal clay.

She explained that this is made of silver filings powder which is held within a binder. The finished piece is then cooked so that the filings fuse and the binder burns away, leaving the silver part behind.

Where this scores over other forms of silver is that first, it is extremely pure, and second, it is quick and easy to shape and mould without having to use a large number of specialist tools.

Its disadvantage is that it doesn’t give such a sharp finish.

Rebecca continued: “This type of silver is very fine and extremely pure. This means it doesn’t tarnish so readily because it is the copper in most silver products that causes the tarnishing.

“To reduce the risk further, silver pieces should be stored in acid-free tissue paper and never in a plastic bag because this traps moisture and encourages tarnishing.”

By using precious metal clay Rebecca has found a whole new world of design has opened up to her because of its versatility.

“I’m always interested in the latest materials and equipment,” she said. “I have recently incorporated rubber into some cufflinks which have been very popular.

“Men often say they don’t like jewellery, but they get really enthusiastic when they see these quirky details, as it gives them a chance to express their personality in a subtle way.

“I have recently made some pieces that respond to heat and light using the same pigment used in batteries to indicate how much charge is left in them. The heat sensitive ones change colour as you wear them and the light sensitive ones change according to the light intensity.

“Some designers stick with one signature style, but I like to try different things, although my work will always have my ‘look’ about it.”

For inspiration and artistic stimulation Rebecca finds the Farnham Maltings Jewellery and Silversmithing Network an exciting source of new ideas. Everyone in the group works as an individual and it provides the perfect opportunity for exchanges of ideas and discussion.

“We currently have ten members, but we are always looking for more,” said Rebecca.

“It’s great to be able to bounce ideas off other people, but that’s not the only place I get ideas from. I find things all around me which give inspiration, things which other people might not give a second thought to — for example at the moment I’m looking at pollen.

“I recently went on holiday to Italy and I found some interesting champagne corks. Some shapes lend themselves to particular kinds of pieces and the corks led to me developing a collection of necklaces and bracelets around their shapes.”

Considering how unusual Rebecca’s pieces are and the fact that many are unique, her jewellery is surprisingly affordable, with prices ranging from £20 up to about £300.

“I like to keep an element of exclusivity so I only sell through about seven or eight outlets,” she explained.

“I try to keep my prices down, but I’m not affected by competition from high street silver shops because I’m selling to a different kind of customer — one who wants something different, unique and special.

“My customers are people of all ages, although I don’t sell so much to teens and 20s because they tend to buy more high-fashion disposable jewellery. I sell to people who want to be individual rather than trendy and who want something that is well made and will last.”

Rebecca will also make to commission if someone wants something very special made just for them.

She starts by discussing the design with the customer, works out a price and gives an idea of a timeframe.

“Most customers have a budget,” she continued. “If we have a design which will be too expensive, then I might suggest small changes such as using 9ct gold instead of 18ct or substituting a cheaper stone to keep it within their price limit.

“My aim is to produce modern designs which are wearable and that their owners will love. I want people to wear my jewellery and I want them to wear it a lot.”

Rebecca currently has an exhibition of her work at the News Ashgate Gallery, Wagon Yard in Farnham. To see other examples of her work and for contact details, visit www.skeels.co.uk