Alyssa Beigi is one of the artists behind our current exhibition, Being Seen, Being Heard, Having a voice. She talks to us about her background and the inspirations that lead to her wonderful jewellery pieces.
After a decade working in television, in London, England, I moved to Vancouver to pursue creative passions and am now in my final year of Jewellery Art and Design at VCC.
As a former journalist, I am intellectually curious and I find I approach my creative process in much the same way I would a story. My work often begins as a concept that I explore through research. I immerse myself in the subject, look at it from different angles, live with it for a while, and soon I start seeing the world in a new light. This fresh perspective sparks my creativity.
Other times creating becomes a more visceral experience; I allow my instincts to take over and it becomes a meditative practice as my body creates without my mind interfering.
While exploring the beauty in imperfection, my pieces are inspired by architecture, dance, the human body and magical realism. I have always been fascinated by and continue to explore the intersectionality of cultures, the human psyche, and our spiritual journeys.
I’ve always sought artistic expression in some capacity and I feel it’s not so much a want as it is a need to create. Sharing my work publicly, however, has taken courage, and it is my grandmother who serves as my inspiration. She was a couturier, who ran her own atelier, and though she left this world years ago, her incredible, timeless creations live on. I am continuously in awe of the skill and detail that have gone into her work, you can practically feel the love contained in every stitch.
It is that feeling I strive to imbed and pass on to the wearer through my work, and what drives and re-ignites my passion as an artist.
It’s interesting to see what speaks to different people- I think it can depend on where we find ourselves in our lives or on our journeys. Some people immediately recognize the symbolism pertaining to life, rebirth and recovery, in my work. Others are drawn to aesthetic elements; the movement, the figures of the dancers, or the romance of the worn, sunken-treasure feel of this collection.
Currently in my final semester, I am deep in the research phase for my grad project, which is at once satisfying and exciting. I let my curiosity guide me and even I don’t know where I’ll end up!
When I am not creating, I enjoy reading, visiting galleries, theatre and dance performances, live music and spending time near any body of water, all of which feed into my practice in one way or another.