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The Candescent Project 'Green Gold' images on

A Candescent Project exhibition, ‘Green Gold’ profiled Oro Verde ® (Green Gold),

the first initiative to certify responsibly mined, small-scale artisanal metals.

Oro Verde ® is based in the verdant, rainforest region of Chocó in Colombia

and works with mining families

to ensure that working practices are fair and environmentally friendly,

with miners receiving a premium for the ‘green’ gold

which is re-invested back into the community

and a method of extracting the gold

that does not involve the use of mercury and cyanide.

‘Green Gold’ featured jewellery created by Stacey Whale,

whose award winning, innovative and original jewellery uses a variety of precious stones and lenses

and is handcrafted using gold and silver.

Stacey was commissioned by the Candescent Project to produce jewellery

using gold sourced from Oro Verde ®.

The fairly traded gems for the jewellery were supplied by Columbia Gem House

in Vancouver, Washington, U.S.A.

Cuff handcrafted from Oro Verde® gold by Stacey Whale.

Trompe l'oeil artwork by Francis Martin and photographic portraits by Kike Arnal

accompanied the exhibition.

Francis works as a fine and applied artist on private commissions and feature film productions.

Kike is a still photographer and videographer whose work has appeared in

The New York Times and Life magazine.

The exhibition was held at the venerable Art Workers Guild, a hidden gem in Bloomsbury, London,

established in 1884 by a group of young architects

associated with the ideas of William Morris and the Arts and Crafts Movement.

The exhibition was part of Coutts London Jewellery Week 8th-14th June 2009

and Respond! An RSA Arts & Ecology Initiative

Gems supplied by Columbia Gem House.

Funded by