British jeweler Kate Bajic lives and works in a rural village in the Midlands, England, using the countryside around her as inspiration for her contemporary pieces. In particular, she is fascinated by the wide variation in color, shape, and form found in different lichen species, of which there are over 1,800 in the United Kingdom alone. Through photography and sample collection, Bajic examines the lichens’ minute complexity and translates aspects of this into her work. Pieces are handcrafted in sterling silver and gold, often paired with unusual semiprecious stones or lustrous baroque pearls. Designs evolve through experimenting with composition, playing with contrasting colors, or adding textural details. Each piece is designed as a tribute to the beauty and preciousness of the natural forms that inspired it.
