In the “Dunhuang – Nine‑Coloured Deer” collection, I draw on the mural The Nine‑Coloured Deer Jataka from Mogao Cave 257. The story recounts how a nine‑hued deer rescues a drowning man in the Ganges and asks him to keep its existence secret. Tempted by a reward, the man later betrays the deer. When the deer appeals to the king, the monarch is moved by its virtue and spares it, while the faithless man is punished for his treachery.Florentine imagery also features in my work. The iris is Florence’s civic emblem, and the city’s flag bears a stylised red iris on a white field. In my “Iris” signet ring I carve this stylised flower to honour the city’s history. I also use classic scroll motifs—ornamental patterns of spirals and incomplete circles that often represent vines and leaves and have been widely applied in architecture, pottery and manuscript illumination. By combining the graceful curves of the scroll with a silky metal ground, I give new life to these traditional patterns.
Beyond jewellery, I engrave three‑dimensional sculptures as well. On a silver Buddha statue, for example, I use a Florentine rigato base paired with damasco scrollwork, so that the surface exhibits a silk‑like lustre and rich texture when caught by the light.