Introduction

I will be using action research to develop a collection of contemporary art and jewellery that is referenced by a selection of Islamic art.
This research report is made up of three chapters:
 1. Chapter one defines the terminology of topics I am looking at for this research report.
 2. Chapter two is a literature review of the artists whose work I have used as reference in this report.
 3. Chapter three discusses the pieces of jewellery and supportive art that I have made based on my interpretations of the references.

Islamic art
Islamic art is classified as all of the arts, which includes architecture, ceramics, jewellery, henna and textiles, that were made in the lands where Islam was the dominant religion or the religion of the rulers.

Contemporary jewellery
I have defined the term contemporary jewellery by looking at the writing of Bruce Metcalf, Kenneth Quickenden and Roberta Bernabei.

Research methodology

Figure 1.1 - McNiff, J., (2001) Flow chart, drawn by me, depicting the Action Research Methodology

Action Research Methodology
The Action Research methodology is a method of practitioner-based research that was developed by professor Jean McNiff. It is a method of research which requires the scholar to do research on themselves, which makes it a self-reflective practice. The researcher starts by developing a plan, acting according to the plan, observing the outcomes of the action taken, and reflecting on what has happened, before cycling back to the planning stage. The action research methodology results in continuous learning and growth because of its helical nature.

My plan
My plan is to study the different types of Islamic arts, in order to identify areas of interest that I can then draw inspiration from to design and create jewellery. With each piece or concept that I work on, the action research methodology will be applied. The method of execution will be to plan my piece, make the piece, recognise and document my observations, then reflect on how it links back and contributes to my research topic. Once a piece or prototype is complete, the next planning phase will be initiated.