A working record of role, study, teaching and practice.

Eric Holmes is a South African jewellery designer, maker, and academic whose practice bridges contemporary studio jewellery, material experimentation, and higher education research. Based in Bloemfontein, he lectures in Jewellery Design at the Central University of Technology, where he has contributed to the development of emerging jewellers through practice-led teaching, curriculum innovation, and industry-focused training. His creative work spans sculptural rings, brooches, pendants, and concept-driven collections that explore themes of memory, landscape, botanical form, and the dialogue between handcraft and digital technologies. Holmes is particularly interested in transforming overlooked materials and found objects into meaningful adornment, as well as preserving natural forms through casting, enamel, stone setting, and advanced fabrication techniques. Alongside his studio practice, he completed doctoral research focused on assessing and improving jewellery curricula for Industry 4.0 readiness. This resulted in the development of the Jewellery Practice Curriculum Assessment Tool (JPCAT), a framework designed to align jewellery education with contemporary technological and professional competencies. His broader research interests include jewellery pedagogy, creative practice as research, generative AI in design, and the future relationship between craft skill and digital innovation. Through both making and scholarship, Holmes investigates how jewellery can remain materially rich, intellectually relevant, and culturally responsive in a changing world.