![Shimara Carlow, Fine Silver Oxidised & Gold Plated Bowls • Eileen Moylan Shimara Carlow, Fine Silver Oxidised & Gold Plated Bowls](https://eileenmoylan.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Shimara-CarlowBowls-300x253.jpg)
I recently came across the work of Scottish based silversmith Shimara Carlow. It turns out she was born in West Cork so since it’s the Cork Craft Month I thought it was as good a week as any to show you some of her work.
As well as her jewellery collection she has a large range of hand raised vessels. Some of which like the pieces above are oxidised and gold plated. Oxidisation is a process where you blacken silver using a solution called Liver of Sulphur. The solution reacts with the silver to create this deep black finish. I’ve read that you can use food that gives off sulphur like boiled eggs but I haven’t tried it. Apparently you mash up a warm boiled egg and put it in a plastic bag with the silver item. It sounds a bit messy but the Liver of Sulphur smells so bad I’d be happy to try the less smelly alternative. Oxidisation only works on metals like copper and silver so the gold in Carlows bowls remains unaffected.
Here are some more photos of her silversmithing work, have a look at her website to see her jewellery.
![Fine Silver Eggshell shots, Shimara Carlow • Eileen Moylan Fine Silver Eggshell shots, Shimara Carlow](https://eileenmoylan.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Shimara-Carlow-Eggshell-shots-300x253.jpg)
![Fine Silver Perfume Vase, Shimara Carlow • Eileen Moylan Fine Silver Perfume Vase, Shimara Carlow](https://eileenmoylan.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Shimara-CarlowVase-297x300.jpg)
![Hand Raised Bowls, Shimara Carlow • Eileen Moylan Hand Raised Bowls, Shimara Carlow](https://eileenmoylan.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/HandRaisedBowlsShimara-Carlow-300x262.jpg)
![Hand Raised Fruit Bowl, Shimara Carlow • Eileen Moylan Hand Raised Fruit Bowl, Shimara Carlow](https://eileenmoylan.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Hand-Raised-FruitBowlShimara-Carlow-300x269.jpg)