Natural charm

 Sometimes it's the more simple of the collections which appeal to me most. Also the handmade, the idea of using what is around you to create the amulets.  The idea of putting more than one object together to create a whole new meaning - that is what appeals to me.

Teeth and claws

Tooth and bone necklace worn to cure disease and illness

One of the many curious drawers at the museum

Natural objects stabbed with nails and wrapped with thread

Nuts used to hang in a boat for good luck

Seal charm

A cure for warts

More from The Pitt Rivers Museum, Oxford

Young child, silver

 I went back to the Pitt Rivers Museum to have another look at the amulets collections. I wanted to expand my initial ideas for the metal pieces. I like the way that these pieces are in relief with the flat space surrounding them. I will experiment with the metal to see if I can get a similar effect.

Box of silver body parts, used as votives if the person has an ailment with that particular part of their body

View through one of the cabinets

 I am also interested in the way in which the collections have been displayed. The cabinets are often cluttered and full of notes, labels and fascinating facts about the objects. Some objects are in small display boxes, others in specimen bags and others simply labelled.

cow, silver

 This cow reminds me of a silver butter dish which I have, the lid of which has a cow very similar to this.

Case displaying labelled metal amulets and votives

Eye votive

Figures of a boy and girl, clay

 I particularly liked these clay figures, mainly for their simplicity and naivety. Also this illustrates the fact that something simple and almost insignificant can become an object of meaning/superstition/power because of the presence and meaning which someone has put upon it.

Clay and plaster moulds and casts

 It was interesting to see the casts again, especially after experimenting for so long myself with this technique. I like that the moulds have been displayed alongside the casts.

Mould for the goat

Various casts from clay, wax and wood

Wax goat with mould

Body part votives used as offerings for medical conditions

Releasing the moulds

 I was quite pleased with the recent batch of moulds, taken from doll's parts. They seem to have worked much better by placing the object at the end of the retainer wall. They came away easily.

 This is the first attempt at the casting from the first moulds. Although I had to glue some bits together which broke as they were extracted from the mould, it is hidden with the silver leaf. I chose to use the silver leaf as it creates a shinier finish to using silver paint, spray or pen. It has more depth to it. Someone said it reminded them of chocolate. I'd like to attempt to make a whole body (but maybe using different parts from odd dolls, and maybe an animal head)...watch this space!

 Second casting attempt with this mould. It seems to work much better if you leave the plaster over night to dry out/ go off a bit more. This way it is stronger when releasing from the mould, and less breakages!

Second attempt leg cast