I would love to hear the client say I am never taking it off
Imke Engelhard’s love for jewellery inspired her to study in her specialised field at the University
of Stellenbosch, where she obtained a degree in BA Fine Arts (Jewellery Design). As a former owner of a renowned jewellery & art gallery in Swakopmund, Namibia, she now works as an independent manufacturing jewellery designer from her studio in Swakopmund and trades as
Imke Engelhard Design CC.
Growing up on a farm served to pique Imke Engelhard’s interest in jewellery making.
‘As a child I threaded beads with the farm workers. They taught me how to make necklaces and rings out of beads and strings.’
Jewellery means the connection between civilisations for Imke Engelhard. Since prehistoric times mankind has adored its body. In our modern age the love for jewellery is constantly growing.
Imke is inspired by the traditional jewellery of Namibia as well as the modern concept of design.
In her designs tradition meets modernism and as such, conserves traditional values by redefining them in a modern concept.
Her playfulness with the formal aspects of design juxtaposition of different materials such as precious metals like gold, silver and platinum in combination with wood or amulets from the Ovahimba and Oshiwambo (Ekipa, Omba) transmutes the aspect of traditional tribal into modern jewellery. Precious stones like diamonds and tourmalines, stone beads and pearls are crafted into multipurpose jewellery, i.e. a brooch can be worn as a pendant.
Two of her platinum collars have won awards in the Plat Africa Jewellery competitions in 2001 and 2004. Both of them reflect a traditional craft like plaiting or crocheting as a vantage point for her designs. In the lace-like platinum collar with diamonds, she used wire to translate intricate traditional crochet collar into a more simplified modern piece of jewellery.
Designing jewellery for a customer is a process for her which involves intense consultation with the client. ‘I love people, meeting and getting to know them and finding out their likes and dislikes.
The lifestyle of a client and profession helps to design a piece of jewellery to suit the customer’s need. I love it when clients say: I am never taking it off.’
She continues: ‘I love drawing, etching and painting but my passion and profession is designing and manufacturing jewellery. Designer jewellery is an art that people wear daily, work with, celebrate with and cherish continually.’
As she so aptly puts it in her article Art is the language of the heart:
“Art is a visual language,
it translates emotions and impressions into a visual expression.
An art image says more that a thousand words,
it resonates at different levels.
It transcends and cross-pollinates religion, culture, sex or race,
it reflects our Zeitgeist – it unites us at the ultimate centre of our being,
it connects us to the divine.”
A summarised biography about Imke Engelhard also appeared in the book The Diamond Journey, published by the Diamond Board of Namibia in March 2009.
