Victorian Hairwork Workshop

The 19^th century of the Victorian Era was a time rife with sentimental culture. Death rates were high due to numerous factors including disease, war, and high childhood mortality. Queen Victoria was an unlikely fashion icon and submerged herself in mourning after the deaths of both her husband, Prince Albert, and her mother in 1861. Aside from her mostly black wardrobe, she was widely known for her love of mourning jewelry, which contained hair of a loved one inside.

Victorian hairwork became very popular in both jewelry and shadowbox form during the 19^th century and into the beginning of the 20^th century. It transcended the concept of a wearable human relic into a fashion statement during this time period.

In today’s workshop, participants will learn to create wire-work items that can be used in shadowbox creation. We will be working with copper wire and horsehair to form intricate twists and braiding that can be manipulated in various ways to form flowers, leaves, berries, and other shapes. Participants will be able to make an item suitable for mounting in a frame, or wearing as a brooch or hairclip