Miniature Modernism: The Hepworth Collection

Our latest collection was inspired by the ever-iconic Yorkshire-born sculptor Barbara Hepsworth. A huge inspiration for many, this isn’t the first Hepworth-influenced collection for Toolally, with our creative director Mags Walker often finding inspiration in her work. 

“This is not my first Barbara Hepworth inspired design; I’ve been inspired by the Yorkshire-born sculptor for a long time. Hepworth’s art exemplifies modernism, combining elegance and strength, and experimenting with texture and space. 

I wanted to play with modernist designs on a miniature scale, experimenting with materials and shapes, and considering the ‘landscape’ of the face and neck in a similar way.”

Spring Into Toolally 

The Hepworths have been introduced as part of our Spring Into Toolally collection - pieces inspired by nature: flowers, insects, and the great outdoors. 

The Spring Into Toolally collection was designed with an air of “secret garden” in mind; with many of her sculptures being featured at the Yorkshire sculpture park, and much of her inspiration coming from the vast landscapes of Yorkshire and St. Ives, Hepworth’s pieces are all about the framing of nature. 

We can officially dust off the winter cobwebs, enjoy the long-awaited sun for a few hours more, and celebrate the arrival of spring through our jewellery. 

Yorkshire Born and Bred

Born in Wakefield in 1903, Barbara Hepworth became one of the most influential sculptors of the 20th century, pushing the boundaries of form and material to create pieces that were organic yet abstract. Yorkshire and its rugged, awe-inspiring landscapes was not only her birthplace but also an enduring source of inspiration throughout her life. We at Toolally can certainly relate to this as Yorkshire-based creatives. 

The Hole Story

One of the defining characteristics of Hepworth’s sculptures is her use of negative space - those iconic holes that invite light to pass through. Hepworth once explained that she used holes to “pierce” her sculptures, creating a visual language that allowed people to see through the object rather than just at it. 

Our Toolally Hepworth collection plays with this concept on a miniature scale, allowing light to interact with the jewellery.

An Immovable Design? 

It’s not only light we’ve played with in our Hepworth collection, but movement too. Barbara Hepworth’s sculptures were solid as… well, rocks. But these acrylic beauties are lightweight, with the ability to swing and sway beneath your ears. This changes the vibe of the artwork from unmoving and intriguing, to breezy and intriguing. So we get to keep our lightweight Toolally charm while embodying the message of the artwork. It’s magical what the change of material can do for a design. 

The Pieces

The designs from our Hepworth collection weren’t necessarily inspired by specific Barbara Hepworth sculptures, but by the repeated shapes she used as well as the notion of liminal space, and the placement of her artwork. Nevertheless, here are some sculptures that share similarities with the earrings in our Hepworth collection.               

Hepworth Earrings

Perhaps the most simple design from the collection, the Hepworths feature one single drop with that classic Barbara Hepworth off-centre hole. They embody a 2D version of her 1966 sculpture, Elegy III. This is a bronze sculpture, and is the third and final work in a trio of sculptures, all of which share the same title. 

As Hepworth described, “the closed form, such as the oval, spherical or pierced form (sometimes incorporating color) which translates for me the association and meaning of gesture in landscape; in the repose of say a mother and child, or the feeling of the embrace of living things, either in nature or in the human spirit” (quoted in P. Curtis and A.G. Wilkinson, Barbara Hepworth: A Retrospective, exh. cat., Tate Gallery Liverpool, 1994, p. 82).

Hepworth Drop Earrings

These unique drop earrings nod to Hepworth’s 1968 piece ‘Two Figures’, another bronze sculpture which was cast in seven copies that are now located around the world. There are subtle differences to each figure, and the same goes for the earrings. Like many of our statement earrings here at Toolally, this pair is asymmetrical. Mags often designs her earrings this way to better complement the angles of your face - and yes, this means there’s a right and a wrong ear for each piece! 

The Hepworth Chandeliers

There aren’t any Hepworth sculptures that look quite like our chandeliers, we’ve produced a few shapes in this design, they make quite the statement, and our Hepworth Chandeliers combine this bold charm with the intriguing shapes of Hepworth’s sculptures. 

Honouring Hepworth’s Legacy

Jewellery, much like sculpture, is an art form that invites personal connection. Hepworth’s sculptures ought to be experienced from different angles, and in different locations, and our earrings mirror this. They catch the light in different ways, shifting and changing depending on how they are worn, and what they are worn with. Art transforms under different conditions after all, which is exactly why “the jewellery you wear should be a considered decision you make every day!”.   

A Tribute in Every Detail

Whether you’re a lifelong admirer of Barbara Hepworth’s work or discovering her artistry for the first time, we invite you to explore this collection. Each pair of earrings is inspired by the vision of a woman who changed the face of modern sculpture forever.