Curios

A contemporary cabinet of curiosities, using a variety of materials and techniques, including metalsmithing, stone carving, and assemblage.

With an essence of nostalgia enjoyed through the wonder of old toys and collected marvels, Mia’s work is playful, whimsical, and detailed, each with their own story to tell.

The use of language creates puns and word play for pieces in the collection, with the titles often key to the humour of the design.

Recognisable forms like teeth, sweets, and cocktail olives, plus familiar yet enigmatic characters like the Stuffandfluff and Tube Mice, are designed and hand made by Mia. Displayed as joyful artwork, many of the pieces also have removable wearable jewellery hidden within, to take them with you on your daily adventures.

Dirty Martini

In an antique glass sits an agate stone cocktail olive on a sterling silver pin. Display as an object d’art, plus the pin can also be removed to be worn as a brooch, then re-homed into the glass when the cocktail party ends.

The life-like olive has been carved by Mia using stone carving lapidary techniques, and the pin formed with traditional silversmithing techniques.

Mia enjoys discovering items at second hand stores for trinkets to bring an element of history to the pieces, this illustrative piece includes a vintage martini glass discovered on such a treasure hunt.

Tube Mice

‘Tube Mice’, the tiny creatures at home in the London Underground, are the inspiration for this design, with a playful pun as the mice are formed from metal tube.

Presented in an antique tin, they sit on a wooden map of that echos the transport network of London, and includes a golden chain that lays within the travel lines. The bodies of the Tube Mice have been hand cut from reclaimed copper pipe.

A display item, plus the Mice can be removed to be worn as a necklace, ring, and earring; then re-homed into the tin when the outing ends.

Sweet Tooth

Reminiscent of childhood delights, in an antique glass dish sits a collection of teeth and sweets carved in stone, a curious reminder of life’s temptations, sweet joys, and potential cavities.

Some of the forms can be removed to be worn as jewellery, on delicate silver chains and stud earrings.

Shaped using stone carving lapidary techniques, the sweet forms are created using recognisable gemstones, and the teeth have been crafted from stones collected from the beach, adding an element of playful contrast in the material.

Sweet Tooth Necklaces

Reminiscent of childhood delights, a collection of teeth and sweets carved in stone, a curious reminder of life’s temptations, sweet joys, and potential cavities.

To be worn as jewellery, on delicate silver chains.

Shaped using stone carving lapidary techniques, the sweet forms are created using recognisable gemstones, and the teeth have been crafted from stones collected from the beach, adding an element of playful contrast in the material.

Stuffnfluff - Sitting in tin - Mia Vilcins - 18x13xm 300dpi.jpg

Stuffandfluff

In a useful tin, amidst paperclips and pins, sits an enigmatic creature formed of fluff and stationery split pins.

Display as an object d’art, Stuffandfluff can also be removed to be worn as a brooch, then put to bed in the tin when the daytrip ends.

The limbs have been formed with traditional metalsmithing, the body from textile felting, and the pin-cushion seat sewn from vintage offcuts.

Mia discovers items at flea markets to support her designs, this whimsical piece includes a vintage tin discovered on such a treasure hunt, filled with very handy bits & bobs (and stuff and fluff).

Rock climber

A rock-bodied climber scales the surface of a larger rock climbing wall, dotted with gemstone climbing grips.
The rock climber character is removable, able to be worn climbing up clothing as a brooch, then returned to scaling the climbing wall at the end of the outing.

Mia has shaped the stone grips by hand using stone carving lapidary, including Amethyst, Agate, Aventurine, Citrine, Lapis Lazuli, and Malachite.
The limbs of the rock climber brooch have been formed from brass and silver with traditional metalsmithing techniques.
Mia enjoys discovering items in beachcombing and mudlarking adventures to support and inspire her designs, and bring an element of history to the pieces. This playful piece includes stones and rocks from such a treasure hunt.