| Profile: Sylvie Magennis - Francineg Jewellery & Fine Art |
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My name is Sylvie Magennis. I am a 41 years old working full time and currently doing a BSc degree in Business and Information Technology at LSBU (London South Bank University).
I came to England in 1990 having spent years in France doing my college studies. My first problem was to learn the language while trying to survive. While working I studied part-time so as I could earn at the same time. I would have opted to go into Art education for a degree in design but I did not have the financial means to go for it - so for almost 10 years I have been working in fields that were not my area of expertise. In my country I had access to raw materials and a workshop. I was not able to open a workshop here because of cost, or continue in what I do best - designing. 5 years ago I travelled to Europe and Africa to buy jewellery to sell. I realised that although I could not have a workshop I could still design and use my workshop back home to produce the goods. My second problem was the marketing of my products and how to let people know that I have a collection - to sell to businesses and consumers. The cost of a shop or an outlet is very expensive for a beginner, so I decided on a website instead.
2 years ago I was travelling through villages and I discovered fine sculptures made of ebony. The finest I have ever seen. I decided to recruit a family of sculptors and started to design carvings and animals that would create a frame. The framing freezes a moment in time - a way of life in Africa. That was my objective - the carvings express an African way of life and they represent different stories. Francineg is what I feel about the way African Art can be viewed and interpreted. The jewellery designs also represent animals and an expression of life in Africa which is part of our rich culture.
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