Bermuda, being the small British Overseas Territory it is, offers only limited opportunities for those whose ambitions go beyond what the island offers. This is especially true for those in the arts.

Typically our young people go abroad for education; which, upon graduation. when confronted with the little the island offers in their field of study, they sometimes look for whatever, elsewhere.

In the of case of Melanie Eddy, with her interests in jewellery, the opportunities elsewhere were far greater than anything Bermuda could offer. Still, in Eddy’s case, the influence of her Bermudian heritage is ever present in her work.

Her current solo exhibition, Meditations on Form, at the Bermuda National Gallery is her first solo exhibition. It seems appropriate that it is being hosted in her homeland by the Bermuda National Gallery.

The exhibition itself is spectacular; it is not only beautiful, but also informative, especially about the process of jewellery making, but additionally about the underlying inspirations that led to particular pieces of jewellery.

Credit for the exhibition goers primarily to the artist, Eddy, but the design and installation of the exhibition goes to the curator, Eve Godet Thomas. Indeed, the installation is also an work of art. It’s magically beautiful.

But how was it that Eddy developed an interest in jewellery in the first place?

She says that she was always interested in art, but initially, did not see it as a viable career. Her undergraduate studies in Canada were in English and international studies.

She first saw jewellery as especially engaging while on a visit to the Gem Cellar in Hamilton and it was there that this interest was encouraged by the owner, Chet Trott.

From this encounter, she went to further studies in goldsmithing, silversmithing and jewellery design at the Royal College of Art in London, followed by graduate studies in jewellery at Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design where she earned a Master of Arts degree in 2007.

Thus began her profession as a maker of jewellery. Here are some of the highlights of her career.

In the last few years, her work has been exhibited by Sotheby’s in both New York and London. She also received a commission from the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.

Sotheby’s is the premier destination for auctions and private sales of contemporary, modern and Impressionists and Old Master Paintings, jewellery, decorative arts, Asian arts and more.

The Victoria and Albert Museum is the largest museum of applied art and design in the world.

Eddy has also lectured at her alma mater, Central Saint Martin’s and is likewise a director of the Association of Contemporary Jewellery. She is also a licentiate (with distinction) of the Society of Designer Craftsman and is involved with the Society of Jewellery Historians.

Are you impressed? I certainly am. Indeed, we Bermudians have good reason to be proud of Melanie Eddy and her achievements.

Now to something about her jewellery.

Considering the circularity of her bangles and rings and the impact of her Bermudian heritage including the movement of the sea, as in whirlpools or eddies, I cannot help but notice that her surname is Eddy. What an amazing coincidence.

This exhibition has been, from my own perspective, an educational experience, as admittedly, I have never spent much time thinking about jewellery.

I was most struck by the beauty of her bangles and how she has turned something symbolic of slavery into something reminiscent of the beauty of Bermuda.

I note as well Eddy’s highlighting her use of triangles, whose angularity is reminiscent of the angular shadows found in Bermudian architecture, but also the triangle in the so-called and notorious Bermuda Triangle.

There is another triangle to consider that Eddy highlighted, the triangular route between Europe, Africa and the new world.

The exhibition is being held in the Ondaatje Wing, the smallest of the BNG galleries. Considering the small size of the art, it is fitting that the exhibition be in such an intimate space.

In order to see the exhibition, however, you must enter via a glass door, but since the room has been darkened with the jewellery being spotlit, it is possible you might think the space is closed. It is not.

I sometimes state that an exhibition is highly recommended, but in the case of Meditations on Form, its is absolutely a must-see show. Consider it an imperative. You have to see this exhibition and it’s open too the public free of charge.

• Meditations on Form is sponsored by Butterfield, with the support from the Bermuda Foundation. The Exhibition continues until May 2025