Medium: Jewelry
Location: Vancouver, BC
Member Since: 1998
ABOUT
Dominique Bréchault is a goldsmith and jewellery instructor based in Vancouver. She holds a Masters Degree in Art History from the University of Poitiers, France, and is a graduate of both Emily Carr College of Art & Design, and the Jewellery Art & Design Programme at VCC, in Vancouver. She has maintained a studio as a goldsmith since 1992 and has participated in many exhibitions nationally and internationally. Her work has been featured in exhibition catalogues, articles and books on jewellery. In 2013, Dominique received the City of Vancouver Mayor’s Award for Craft & Design. She taught jewellery classes with the Vancouver School Board for twenty years and is currently an instructor in the Jewellery Art & Design Department at Vancouver Community College.
ARTIST STATEMENT
As an artist and goldsmith, I find myself in a new place both physically and mentally. I’ve had a long relationship with jewellery making, and a few decades working at the bench have left its marks on my body. There are aches and pains that cannot be ignored. Adjustments have to be made, braces have to be worn; my body has been reshaped and battered. I am not battle-weary though. I am curious, intrigued, and grateful to be living and still working here and now, but I am rethinking my practice. The jewellery landscape has changed in the last 10-20 years with the introduction of new technologies that I have begun to explore happily. CAD opens up a lot of possibilities for designing, while 3D printing allows me to work with plastics and discover a whole new range of colours and textures. Using these digital processes in conjunction with traditional goldsmithing techniques can be challenging at times but it is helping me find my new place.