Meet Dalila Malek
Congratulations to Dalila Malek, winner of the Beginner category in the Opposites & Contrasts Challenge! Her winning piece, Dissonant Harmony, is a sterling silver pendant with a citrine CZ.
This was the first time Dalila has entered an artist challenge and was quite surprised to learn that she had won! “I love making artistic jewellery and the theme of “Opposites and Contrasts” resonated with me deeply. I saw it as an excellent opportunity to challenge myself creatively. I had to overcome my imposter-syndrome tendencies; like many artists, I experienced doubts and anxiety before entering. However, I’ve learned that taking risks and stepping out of one’s comfort zone is integral to artistic growth.”
Dalila’s Inspiration
“My pendant Dissonant Harmony is an attempt to encapsulate the interplay of contrasts and unity,” says Dalila. “Coming from a musically gifted family, I have a deep love and appreciation for music, especially classical music. My inspiration came from the world of music where dissonant harmonies evoke a sense of tension, much like the diverse elements within this pendant, but give way to harmonious resolution. With this pendant I attempted to mirror the delicate equilibrium between geometric precision (the semi-circle burnished elements with a smooth surface) and organic fluidity (the opposing elements with wavy irregular borders and textured surface). These contrasting elements weave a tale of human diversity and shared existence, inviting us to recognize the beauty in our differences.
“Also drawing inspiration from my roles as a skin surgeon dermatologist and a silver artisan, I wanted the pendant’s textured interplay to mirror the contrast between the polished artistry of a skin surgeon and the raw creativity of working with silver. I wanted the design to subtly convey the idea that, like musical notes, our differences can converge into a richer, harmonious narrative.
“Just as dissonant harmonies in music lead to beautiful resolutions, so too can our individual experiences harmonize to create a rich, shared symphony. Dissonant Harmony is a testament to the intricate dance between contrasts, celebrating the unique melodies each one of us contributes to the grand composition of life.”
Creating the Winning Piece
“I did sketch it out in advance,” said Dalila, “although the initial sketch looks quite different from the finished item! I deliberately allowed the piece to evolve as I worked on it. I had some difficulty in merging the contrasting textures seamlessly, especially joining the large and small elements in an opposing manner to make it visually balanced despite the apparent asymmetry which was deliberate to stay within the theme of contrast.
“I found it easier to join the two elements once they were completely dry, then setting the stone and then finally firing the piece using a torch. Its relatively large diameter initially worried me that it wouldn’t fully sinter using a torch, but I bit the bullet and went for it as I don’t yet own a kiln, but it did work out in the end! I have an agate burnisher that I absolutely love using in my work, and it helped give a lovely shine to the final piece and I used this deliberately on the smooth side only to enhance the contrast between the sides.”
Introduction to Metal Clay
“I have always loved crafting and making,” Dalila said. “I previously got involved in pottery but didn’t have the space to pursue it. I first came across metal clay around 2010 and was fascinated by transforming a piece of clay into solid metal, but life got very busy with work and young children. Now I’ve finally had the chance to start creating, and it has been an absolute pleasure to see my pieces come to life from my sketchbook!
“My membership in AMCAW has been a great help. I watched some guild recordings and got inspired by some published projects and tutorials. I tend to work solo as I have a very limited time to do this, usually anti-social hours in between my work and parenting duties. I love sharing ideas and techniques with my friend Sara, who also works with metal clay, and we can’t wait to go together to the SINTER event in the UK!
“I have also experimented with polymer clay and want to learn to incorporate it into my metal clay projects. I have taught myself how to set stones and I am very proud of that. I actually find a small instrument called a punch (actually used to take skin biopsies!) an excellent tool for stone-setting. My nurse colleagues know this and they always keep aside any punches that have not been used for me; it’s also a great way to recycle these! I am now in the process of teaching myself soldering in silver.”
About Dalila
Dalila lives in the UK in a seaside town, Southend-On-Sea. “I’m fortunate to be of a diverse background: Algerian by birth and ancestry and British by education. I love nature, and I grew up picking olives in the Berber mountains in winter. I have a rich heritage in silver jewellery making, and though my formal education took a different direction towards medicine, I retained my ancestral love of silver smithing.”
Find Dalila online at:
Facebook: Lalla Dalila
Instagram: lalla.dalila99
