The Jewellers and Metalsmiths Group of Australia NSW

Presents

Profile ’15

A Curated Award Exhibition

10 – 25 July 2015

Profile ’15 is a significant curated award exhibition of contemporary jewellery, objects and metalsmithing by members of the Jewellers and Metalsmiths Group of Australia NSW (JMGA NSW).  With awards on offer for both emerging and established artists, there will be a diverse and comprehensive cross-section of work from some of our membership’s most talented contemporary jewellers.

Profile ‘15 is part of the official exhibition program of edgesbordersgaps, the 16^th Biennial Conference of the Jewellers and Metalsmiths Group of Australia, 10-12 July, 2015.

And the Award recipients are:

Bridget Kennedy

Established Artist Award

Profile 2015

Charlotte Richardson

Emerging Artist Award

Profile 2015

Sean O’Connell

Highly Commended

Profile 2015

 Profile ’15 Room Sheet

 1. Kate Ruby Hutchinson
One With Nature: Brooch #2 (Orange)
brooch (2015), anodised aluminium, sterling silver, stainless steel
$330

 2. Kate Ruby Hutchinson
One With Nature: Brooch #3 (Purple)
brooch (2015), anodised aluminium, sterling silver, stainless steel
$330

3. Kate Ruby Hutchinson
One With Nature: Brooch #1 (Blue)
brooch (2015), anodised aluminium, sterling silver, stainless steel
$330

The trees cast shadows onto the world

While the city spreads smoke into the sky.

Suffocating under cloaks of black cloud

Their skeletons will rot.

4. Bic Tieu
Circling the Surface
small vessel (2015), sterling silver, copper, japanese lacquer, mother of pearl and gold leaf
$550

5. Bic Tieu
Circling the Surface
medium vessel (2015), sterling silver, copper, japanese lacquer, mother of pearl and gold leaf
$700

6. Bic Tieu
Circling the Surface
large vessel with pendant (2015), sterling silver, copper, japanese lacquer, mother of pearl, gold leaf and silk thread
$950

The three vessels and pendant presented in this mini collection explores the dialogue and practice of giving and acknowledges a past and history but also a return for auspicious and spiritual assumptions associated with ancestor veneration. These object vessels in part aim to reconcile these notions through the reflective qualities of lacquer application and iridescent pearl characteristics. The exterior of the vessels are dressed with floral graphic interpreted in various dimensions. The internal spaces invite the viewer to look inside.

Within this exploration of ritual and cultural expressions, it is the terrain of these objects and wearable I am investigating. It is this space and connectivity I am concerned with. Translation and integrating methods of traditional lacquering techniques for new surface translation.

7. Kaoru Rogers
Oban, Koban – Big Coin, Little Coin
earrings (2014), gold plated sterling silver
$750

8. Kaoru Rogers
Oban, Koban – Big Coin, Little Coin
earrings (2014), 18t yellow gold
$750

Earrings are shaped after coins from the Tokugawa/Edo era. Studies suggest they were shaped after rice barrels that were valued as currency at the time. The little Koban were used as actual currency while the big Oban were made as gifts of honour and were not circulated as currency in the market. Thus the age old question: which would you choose, actual value or face value?

The Big Oban earrings are large but gold plated sterling. The Small Koban earrings are small but solid 18t gold. Reflecting the concept, the 2 earrings are priced the same, prompting the question to the wearer.

This piece also embodies my quest for experimenting with the surface texturing of metal. The old Koban’s have horizontal markings on the coin that create an interesting reflection. Studies suggest they were made as proof to show the coin is solid gold in the inside. These marking inspired me to chisel the surface the way I did. There is also an interesting effect with the difference in scale.

9. Linda Blair
The temporary queen-a neckpiece for Lady Jane Grey
necklace (2015), 925 silver, 23ct gold leaf, enamel, copper
$1400

10. Karin Findeis
ignota flavum viriditas mordens (Parisiis) II
brooch (2014), sterling silver, enamel, fine silver, wax
$990

This work continues my interest in the relationship between the single entity and the whole. This idea can be embodied by the phenomenon of ‘scattering’, where small particles acting together with light rays make the sky appear coloured.

Or, in another scenario, our eyes could focus either on a pocket of individual elements, such as petals, or they could see the larger mass of the whole hedge trembling in the wind.

It is a matter of perception.

11. Victoria Cleland
Temporary Promises: The Deluxe Edition™
tattoo ring kit (2015), velvet jewellery box, temporary tattoo paper, printed card
$55.00

Temporary Promises: The Deluxe Edition™ is a kit comprised of temporary tattoo rings that traditionally celebrate relationship milestones. Easily applied, these rings wrap around one’s finger, last only a few days and can easily be removed with warm water.

Perfect for the commitment phobe or cash strapped connoisseur, Temporary Promises: The Deluxe Edition™ allows you to take your relationship to the next level without the responsibility of a permanent commitment or long-term consequences.

12. Melanie Ihnen
neckpiece (2015), sterling silver & monel
$5800

13. Nat Gock
Blossom
neckpiece (2014), sterling silver 925, waxed cotton thread
$600

My awareness of the natural world has always been strong. My childhood was spent close to the Australian bush, watching the seasons change and the various plants yield their pods and flowers. I often stop and examine fallen objects lying on the ground, their patterns and construction always fascinate me and they are like small sculptures- hiding secret inner worlds, rich in complexity and pattern. I feel a natural affinity with the translation of plant references into metal components; its tension is softened by the forms created and forms a comparison to the mobility and softness of nature.

14. Sarah Murphy
Reflection
neckpiece (2015), glass, titanium, stainless steel
$480.00

My work is an exploration of light and glass and how these two interact with the body – the saturation of light through the glass is shaped, absorbed and refracted, creating a heightened perception of depth and dimensionality. Glass, an age old material fused from the sands of the earth, holds a complex and mysterious quality, seemingly fragile and yet bonded to give strength, capturing and reflecting the ever changing light. I use glass to make these reflections, not only within the work itself but to also reflect upon the wearer, reflections that move with the natural movement of wearing –changing and evolving, reacting to the environment of light.

A constant ever changing pattern for the eye to see, a feeling of transcendence and illumination – a reflection both within and on to the wearer.

15. Judith Torzillo
The Old Harold Park Paceway Site
neckpiece (2015), copper, elastic.
NFS

I grew up in an inner-city suburb and I pass through that same area most days now. Recently gigantic construction cranes have risen up around my daily commute. Despite how large they are, against an empty sky, they appear delicate. I see them so often now that I have developed a habit of crane spotting. I have begun to anthropomorphise. Suspended so high above us their distance seems physical and emotional, as if indicative of a haughty coldness – or neutrality: they do not concern themselves with the comings and goings of the small creatures who walk below them.

Crane structures are repetitive and looking at them becomes meditative. Time slows down when I examine them – but they are themselves a sign of change. Although I divorce them from human actions they are nevertheless a direct result of population and housing growth. Their direct role in changing the landscape around me seems incongruous with their otherworldly forms. This duality, this strangeness, is perhaps why I find them so fascinating. I have begun exploring ways of translating these repetitive structures on to the intimate surface of the body.

16. Jenny Fahey
One of the things I could have done
brooch (2015), copper, vitreous enamel, sterling silver, stainless steel, paper bark, acrylic paint
$380

This series continues my interest in the choices we make in life and the chance events that influence an outcome. The interplay between choice and chance leads us to arrive at a particular spot which may or may not be where we intended to be.

17. Majella Beck
Papaya
brooch (2015), sterling silver, nylon (re-purposed fruit nets), stainless steel
$275

 18. Majella Beck
Lemons
brooch (2015), sterling silver, nylon (re-purposed fruit nets), stainless steel
$275

19. Majella Beck
Limes
brooch (2015), sterling silver, nylon (re-purposed fruit nets), stainless steel
$275

 20. Majella Beck
Onions
brooch (2015), sterling silver, nylon (re-purposed fruit nets), stainless steel
$275

 21. Majella Beck
Oranges
brooch (2015), sterling silver, nylon (re-purposed fruit nets), stainless steel
$275

I see myself as an urban hunter-gatherer. For this work I have used a familiar material and taken it out of context: the humble fruit and veggie net. Through re-purposing and upcycling the common net is transformed into something wearable. I enjoy working with seemingly non-precious materials, and see my work as a constant exploration and evaluation of what makes jewellery precious.

22. Emily Copp
Duel
ring (2015), sterling silver, brass
SOLD

This ring has two faces, allowing the wearer to decide which one is exposed and which one is kept private. What you choose to hold within and what you share contributes to the fabric of the world we live in.

23. Fiona Meller
The Final Frontier
neckpiece (2015) sterling silver
$1600

The skull is the human carapace that enshrouds and protects our brain. It also symbolises our mortality. In this work I am questioning is there life after death or is it the final frontier?

24. Shan Shan Mok
Shan Shan 6th series travelling and settling
ring with stand (2015), sterling silver, silicone, resin, moonstone
$395

25. Shan Shan Mok
Shan Shan 6th series travelling and settling
ring with stand (2015), sterling silver, silicone, resin, moonstone, amethyst, black tourmalinated quartz
$495

 26. Shan Shan Mok
Shan Shan 6th series travelling and settling
ring with stand (2015), sterling silver, silicone, resin, labradorite, moonstone, black tourmalinated quartz
$450

 ‘Shan Shan’ is my Chinese name; the word ‘Shan’ means coral in Chinese. This series is inspired by the planulae (coral larva) travelling and settling phenomenon in coral ecology. It is a metaphor for my own travelling and settling experiences.

This series explores the effect of cultural differences in our life experiences through short term travel and long term settlement: the ‘hybridity’ of cultural difference experiences acting on a person. It is also about the interactions between the choices we make in life in relation to our surroundings; it is a process of ‘facticity and transcendence’.

27. Zara Collins
Autumn Inro
neckpiece (2015), earthenware, underglaze, thread, (scraffito etching)
$495

I am currently exploring Asian historical jewellery, traditional significance of wearable art and the ritual associated with these objects. Researching, appropriating and reinventing notions of jewellery as an indicator of status, cultural significance and as personal protector. This body of work merges my interest in Asian history, ceramics, jewellery and sculpture.

28. Sean O’Connell
Curlycuts
bracelet (2015), blackened wood, silk, steel
$900

This work is curly and it is cut lots of times. The catch needs some work, but I like the way it is cut. The way it was made was enjoyable. When I do more I will slowly work out the process (this is the first) and make some beautiful things in time…. It was carved while it was all clamped together – lots of pieces of laminated rock maple. Fun….

29. Jesika Hanford
Lost My Edge
brooch (2015), sterling silver, silk fabric
$485

30. Jesika Hanford
Mind The Gap
brooch (2015), sterling silver, silk thread
SOLD

31. Jesika Hanford
Across The Border
brooch (2015), sterling silver, gauze
$485

Created in response to the conference title, edgesbordersgaps, these 3 brooches illustrate the shift and flow of boundaries, both physically and politically.

Acknowledging the continuous movement of people, governments and the continents themselves, suggests that fixating on static territories is an outmoded way of thinking.

Breaking the world up and moving continents around is a way of illustrating that borders are only a construct, often created by those who wish to hold power over others.

Now that we as a planet are more connected than in previous eras it may be time to question these constructs and form a new unified way of viewing this planet and our place on it.

32. Lindy McSwan
Blackened Landscape
3 vessels (2014), mild steel, enamel, graphite, wax
$2150

Interpretations of aesthetics unique to remote Australian landscapes have been the focus of my recent studio practice. Using the vessel as my canvas, I seek to express notions of the sublime in the landscape. Experimental surface applications utilising enamel as a catalyst, allow me to articulate the beauty of the surfaces I observe in the landscape. This body of work references the devastating outcome of the bushfires in the Victorian High Country in February 2009.

33. Zoe Jay Veness
Knot necklace
necklace (2015), paper, stainless steel cable, sterling silver
$1350

34. Bridget Kennedy
It’s as simple as (black)
neckpiece (2015), beeswax, coal, steel wire, wax coated linen thread,
$390

35. Bridget Kennedy
It’s as simple as (white)
neckpiece (2015), beeswax, pigments, soil, cotton, steel wire,
$390

These works explore an anxiety around Australia’s continuing focus on digging resources out of the ground for short term gain to the detriment of the environment. I am interested in deepening, through the language of jewellery and object, my exploration of the social and environmental impacts of resource usage and the material and social values of western cultures.

36. Margarita Sampson
Confection/Infection
installation of brooches (2015), wool, faux pearls, silicon, human hair, magnets
$70 per brooch. SELLING!

This work situates itself as an infection, an outbreak of brooches, spreading out from the original site/wound to be carried away by host bodies.

37. Charlotte Richardson
Wish you were here
necklace (2015), sterling silver, sublimated aluminum
NFS

38. Charlotte Richardson
Wish you were here
earrings (2015), sterling silver, sublimated aluminum
$250

39. Charlotte Richardson
Wish you were here
brooch (2015), sterling silver, sublimated aluminum
$140

Society has scheduled our lives to move in unison; we go to bed, we get up, we go to work, we eat and we relax. However, working evenings and the weekend, I find my timetable is the polar opposite of others. Instead, I move through unoccupied spaces with only traces of people left behind.

40. Melinda Young
Love’s labour (for Alma)
neckpiece (2015), antique lace, patinated bullet casings, 9ct gold solder, cotton thread
$480

41. Melinda Young
Waltz
brooch (2015), emu feathers, 925 silver, marine ply, paint
$280

42. Melinda Young
I read somewhere that you were brave
neckpiece (2015), found book cover, oxidised 925 silver, waxed linen thread
$195

These pieces are representative of a larger collection of work titled silver city dreams made in response to a residency in Broken Hill during the winter of 2014. The works refer to real and imagined stories from the history of the Silver City and each incorporates materials collected there during the residency. The title and materials of the works may be read together to create an implied narrative (or not).

43. Clare Hooper
Outie
pendant (2015), wax, leather, glue
$150

44. Clare Hooper
Innie
pendant (2015), wax, leather, glue
$150

The idea behind this body of work stems from an age-old one – “why does the exterior self not reflect the interior self.”

In using the same techniques and materials for each pendant but inverting them for Innie and reversing them for Outie I wanted to show that those connections are much closer than we realise.

45. Helen Mok
Subtle breeze
neckpiece (2015), sterling silver
$8600

Subtle breeze is inspired by observing the delicate movements of leaves on trees and shrubs. The leaves movements’ are sketched into a basic line drawing. The drawing are re-drawn in to simplify lines to form the basic shape and transfer into metal.

Sterling silver uses for this pieces are recycled silver. They are melted down and re-roll in to different shape of metal sheet. The process determines to the size and shape of the overall leaves shape.

When the wearer wears the necklace the movement of the body will creates movement of the leafs like a subtle breeze.

Enquiries to Sally Clarke, AirSpace Projects on 0438 020 661 or spclarke@optusnet.com.au

 Opening night proudly sponsored by

 Image courtesy of JMGA NSW