Contemporary Gothic Jewellery Melbourne
Well we’re back in lockdown again here in Melbourne/Naarm so I thought I’d use this opportunity to share with you some of my favourite local contemporary Gothic / alternative jewellers. They could really use your support during this difficult time so check them out and be impressed! We’re really spoiled for choice when it comes to Gothic jewellery in Melbourne (and really any kind of jewellery). There are so many talented people around unafraid to showcase their unique styles, it’s an exciting time! So as you can imagine keeping this list short was tricky but I had to impose a limit or I’d be writing it for days. Enjoy! Hex Arcana Amuletic armour, designed and made in Melbourne. Each piece is created with the desire to instill a sense of strength and protection in each wearer, whether during daily life or ritual. Hex Arcana was born in 2017, forged from a love of the occult, alchemy, symbology, and all things dark and macabre. @hex_arcana Metal Couture Griffiths’ prolific output reveals a rich tapestry of historical and cultural influences, inspired by his own life experience. From gothic architecture, tattoo art and baroque ornament to the biomechanical, his bespoke creations range from delicate whispers of diamonds, daggers and swallows to massive, opulent cathedral rings, both distinctive and breathtaking to behold. @wlgmetalcouture Christina Gore @christinagorejewellery Corinne Lomon Corinne Lomon is trained in fine art, silversmithing and blacksmithing. She has a strong belief that jewellery is a form of personalised sculpture, which gains character and value with wear. @corinnelomon A Curious Elixir An alchemical transformation of pewter into unique artworks. Anatomical, heraldic and mythological themes embossed from sheet metal; textured, patinated, aged and polished, embellish with paint, gems and vintage illustrations. @acuriouselixir Jeka Kaat Jeka designs and creates modern tribal talismans, inspired by the world, urban and natural environments alike, activating the amazing shapes, textures and stories throughout her work. @jekakaat.jewellery Emma Rea Emma Rea jewellery is made in Melbourne using sustainable practices. At minimum, 70% of the silver used to create Emma Rea pieces is recycled and sourced from local purveyors. Using recycled silver alleviates our footprint on the planet by not using newly mined silver. @emma_rea Cut Off Your Hands Jewellery Alana Smith is a Ballarat based artist who works predominantly in sterling silver. Focusing heavily on texture, Alana is inspired by Brutalist architecture and likes to capture the roughness of eroded concrete structures in her work. @cutoffyourhandsjewellery Psychic Desert Psychic Desert was created in 2015 by Genie Desert when she began exploring the concept of wearable art as an extension of her fine art practice. Genie is fascinated by an ancient time when jewellery was more than an adornment but rather a talisman; a conduit for divine protection, which can involve both the attraction of positive energies to the wearer and the deflection of disease, danger and the evil eye. @psychic_desert Zoe Ace Metal Zoë works with sterling silver, gold and steel. She draws inspiration from the natural world, pagan mythology, fables, the punk, goth and metal music that she listens to, as well as the urban textures she encounters in daily life. @zoe.ace.metal_jewellery And then of course there’s yours truly and you can find my most Gothic inclined work here
Creating an Elfin Empress
Wondering how to create the most regal Elfin Empress or forest Faerie Queen cosplay? Find out how Dragonfly and myself brought this fantasy costume to life from concept to photograph. https://www.skadijewellery.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/VID_128590218_072036_671.mp4 Just cutting out all of the elements took a couple of days! Skadi Jewellery Design ambassador Dragonfly came to me with a great idea a while back for some elf ear cuffs. I decided to make up for my slow progress in making them by adding a few trinkets, now here we are a couple of years later, she looks like an incredible elf warrior queen and I’m so proud to be part of it! Like most of our collaborations it started off with an offhand remark and snowballed into an elaborate project… Making the elf jewellery set This was my first attempt at ear cuffs so a bit of research was required. After trawling through hundreds of elaborate wire contraptions wrapping every which way around the ear my main takeaway was that I wanted to keep it simple! Every added element meant the cuffs were likely to fit on fewer ears sizes. Cut to several hours later with a desk and surrounding floor littered with cardboard prototypes and I finally had a simple spade shape which would sit comfortably on the top of the ear without falling off. I created the leafy scrollwork design to fit in with an enchanted forest theme and from that point the chandelier earrings design pretty much took care of itself! As with the elf ear cuffs, I wanted the crown to fit as many head sizes as possible and the only way to do that was to make it adjustable. I wanted to keep a fine lightweight appearance so I decided to use a chain to secure it to the head. The main section I divided into 3 so they could bend with the shape of the head. More than 10 hours of saw piercing followed by engraving, shaping, soldering and polishing and the shiny silver elf set was ready for it’s trip from Melbourne to Portugal! Styling, make-up & photography As soon as I told Dragonfly I was finally making her some elf ears she was immediately brimming with styling ideas! As a professional make-up artist, model, photographer and generally creative genius, I’m always happy to leave Dragonfly to her own devices and be completely surprised by whatever she comes up with. One of my favourite parts of the process is the anticipation and seeing those stunning photos for the first time with no idea what to expect. Of course this set was no exception! The enchanting forest monarch with a warrior edge which Dragonfly created with the jewellery I made is a mesmerising figure. I can’t wait to see what kind of character we come up with next! ‘Part of the process of becoming a professional make up artist was the need to improve my skills to do what I love most in the process of the photoshoots I make for each work . And Skadi was from our fist collab the biggest impulse I needed to accomplish my make up goals. In every Photoshoot I did for Clare I felt challenged to do something different and the weight of the responsibility to do justice to the beauty of each jewellery piece was getting bigger. With this particular shoot I feel really proud that I was” part” of the influence to make Clare do these elven ears. Since I saw Shannara Chronicles and the earcuffs Amberle used I was in love with it and I imagined how Clare would be able to do something similar and unique at the same time. And again we think as one and when she showed me the result it was exactly as I imagined In my head . I guess it’s really true ,”Great minds think alike”. I’m so grateful to represent Skadi as her ambassador and couldn’t be more proud. For this look I had the help of a friend who is so talented too and doesn’t know it as she should . Zélia from Penteados Veia Artística has such skills to make the most amazing braid hairstyles I think she should work full time on it. I think the hairstyle was a great help to make the look more badass . I wanted to create a mix of an Elf look but not a cute one, more like an warrior style . The look was entirely made freehand on the day . I didn’t even make a Facechart for it. I just bought face lace stickers and added them . I used a brand I’m addicted to and I think that also made a big difference. Danessa Myricks products are amazing and versatile, they worked perfectly on this look. I’m really proud with the results . I can’t wait to create our next character ‘ – Dragonfly If you would like to see past collaborations between Dragonfly and myself check out the gallery. See more of Dragonfly’s incredible make-up artistry and photography on her Instagram M.A.MAKEUP Elvin Empress ears Elfin empress crown elfin empress earrings
Time Saving Saw Piercing Techniques
Are you learning how to saw pierce but you’re worried you’re missing something obvious? Here are some tricks, tips and saw piercing techniques I’ve picked up from over a decade of wielding a saw frame. While teaching saw piercing workshops I’ve been asked many questions which range from incredibly insightful to downright silly. Regardless of how obvious the answer may seem they’ve all been great and helpful in one way or another. For this post I’d thought I’d address some of the most commonly asked questions about saw piercing. Hopefully the answers will provide some tricks and saw piercing techniques which will save you time, effort and frustration! Note: if you’ve never done any saw piercing before it might be helpful to first read my post on how to start saw piercing. Print your design on sticker paper for a clear pattern to follow Sticker paper When I was first learning saw piercing I was told to use a glue stick to attach my paper design to the metal. Often half of it would come off while sawing and the rest was impossible to remove without acetone. It was a messy nightmare. I thought I’d take a shortcut and use sticker paper (postage labels work well) and haven’t looked back! It’s easy to draw or print your design on, stick directly to the metal and then just peel off when you’re done. Start on a point When deciding where to start cutting make it easy for yourself! If there is a point in your design start there, that way you will also be ending on a point and making the saw line match up perfectly is not so much of a concern. You should also make your drill hole close to this point so you don’t have far to go. Wherever possible give yourself at least a millimetre of space between the hole and your design so you can see what you’re doing and you don’t accidentally drill into the design.If there is no point, saw at a right angle up to the line with the most open space around it, turn 90 degrees and follow the line. When you come back around to finish the cut it will be easier to match the lines because you’ve left yourself a nice block of material (rather than an acute angle). Use the peg to steady your blade The bench peg is your friend! It’s not just there to lean on, you can also use the wood to help steady your blade. When beginning a cut your blade can slip around, simply put your blade against the wood then bring the metal up to the blade where you want to cut it. By cutting the first few strokes into both the wood and metal, the blade will obey your commands. This principle also works for finishing a cut. When your sawblade suddenly meets no resistance it can jump forward and cut into your design. All you need to do is again lean your sawblade against the wood of the peg for the last millimetre of your cut and it’s got no where to jump! Go from the inside out So you have several different compartments in your design and you’re wondering where to start? If you work from the centre outward, you’ll always have the most possible material to work with. If you cut around the outside first you’ve immediately shrunk your piece of metal and made it all the more difficult to hold and manoeuvre. Of course you always want to keep the piece of metal smaller than the depth of your saw frame or you’re going to get stuck. Check for broken blades If your blade is getting blunt instantly, 9 times out of 10 it’s because there’s a tiny piece of broken blade from your last one stuck in your metal. It’s worth getting into the habit of checking for little shards every time you break a blade because it will save you time, money and irritation in the long run. Leave the top of the blade locked When loosening one end of the blade to move it from one compartment to another, I find it easier to release the bottom screw and leave the top alone. There are a few reasons for this; the first is that you will then be threading the blade through the top of your metal so you can see exactly which hole it’s going into. The second is that if you release one end of the blade while not holding the metal it’s going to slide off rather quickly and you’re much less likely to lose it if it’s slides towards rather than away from you. And finally, I just find it easier to loosen and tighten the bottom screw because it’s closer to me 😉 Cut from the inside out unless your piece is too big for your sawframe Make sure your setup makes you comfortable Invest in the right set up I could write for days on the subject of creating the right setup for your long term comfort but it’s going to be different for everyone. It’s probably going to be a case of trial and error to find what’s perfect for you but I have some suggestions to get you started. If you want to be sitting down, take the time to find a comfortable chair which forces you to sit upright and holds you at the correct height for your bench. For some this may mean a fancy office chair or kneeling chair. Either way if it’s adjustable that will probably help! I personally like to stand up while I’m sawing as this causes the least amount of back and neck strain and it’s easy to move around. Catch your scraps Particularly now when gold and silver are getting so expensive you don’t want to waste anything! With my standing setup I have a little drawer under my bench peg which I can open while saw piercing
Artist Feature: Dragonfly
It’s been 3 years since I made the announcement that the model Dragonfly was the Skadi Jewellery Design Ambassador. Already ridiculously talented as a model, photographer and concept designer, Gui has since upskilled to professional make-up artist as well! She displays all of her incredible skills in the Winter Sprite photoshoot taken recently for the upcoming Christmas season and featuring the Falling Snow jewellery range. https://www.skadijewellery.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/video-1601832128.mp4 Collaboration with Photographer, Make-Up Artist & Model Dragonfly I’ve been collaborating with Gui (model Dragonfly) for 5 years now! And every shoot is a surprise and delight. From demons to snow queens, vampires to fauns, I can always trust Gui to come up with and execute an amazing concept. I feel guilty that all I have to do is make the jewellery. Working with someone you’ve never met in person on the other side of the world should probably be daunting. But I say it can’t hurt to try! What if you find someone with matching ideals and aesthetics but a completely unique perspective? You might create something extraordinary together! Of course remember to do your homework before sending off all your worldly goods, but be open to new opportunities. Dragonfly also works with some other amazing brands so be sure to check out her full catalogue. Winter Sprite If you’ve perused the gallery page of this website or you’re already familiar with Dragonfly’s work, you already know how versatile and creative she can be. What you may not see without looking more closely is her ingenuity. I was absolutely delighted to find out she had put together the entire Winter Sprite photoshoot in less than a day in Portugal while I was sleeping in Australia. How is this possible you wonder? To achieve the right Winter ambience Dragonfly used some of her Christmas decorations as props as well as in her make-up and hair. Admittedly she has very tasteful decorations, but being told that after viewing a stunning piece of editorial photography made me very happy. And it won’t surprise you to hear then that she also decorated her entire house from floor to ceiling. I believe the feature colour is silver, as it should be. In this shoot Dragonfly models the Falling Snow range of hand pierced silver snowflake necklace, earrings and ring.
New Collection: The Secret Door
Knock knock! Who’s there? The new Secret Door collection! Inspired by an ornate hidden antique door overgrown with ivy, these Victorian flourish style jewels all have a swinging ring which makes a lovely tinkling sound as you move.Small and sweet, the new range features a miniature floral door knocker as earrings, a necklace, a ring and the signature piece; a letterbox locket. Secret Door Ring Hand pierced from 100% recycled sterling silver, the arabesque style ring has a wide band and low profile for every day comfort. The ornate detail of the flourish on the front and cut outs on the side give the otherwise broad ring a delicate look. The swinging door ring is wonderful to fidget with and makes a lovely tinkling noise to emphasise your hand gestures. Secret Door Earrings The silver earrings are suspended by two fine chains in order to create even more movement in the escutcheon and therefore more lovely tinkling from the door ring. Secret Door Necklace The Secret Door pendant has as elegant simplicity which makes it delightfully versatile. This is the kind of necklace you could wear all day at work and still leave on when you go out at night. Secret Door Locket The letterbox locket is the signature piece of the Secret Door collection. Post a little note or photo to yourself hidden from the view of anyone else. For the full range see the Skadi Jewellery Design store
How to start saw piercing
Would you like to learn how to saw pierce metal in order to make your own jewellery? Follow this beginner’s guide to saw piercing to get started with a valuable skill which requires minimal tools and expense. Like many people around the world right now I’m staying home in an effort to reduce the speed of the spread of coronavirus. For me that means having a lot of spare time I never imagined having and I intend to make the most of it! Apart from actually taking the time to relax occasionally with a book, I’m hoping to learn some new skills and give myself the chance to be creative. Knowing that so many of you are in the same boat I wanted to share some of my knowledge and experience in saw piercing.Usually I teach these skills in an in person workshop where I can guide the students, share tips and tricks, answer questions and help them refine their technique. Unfortunately written instructions will never be as thorough, but hopefully my basic guide below will help you get started. Whether it leads to an afternoon of amusement or starts you on the journey to being a sawing master, I encourage you to have a go! A beginner’s guide to saw piercing Choosing the Right Sawblade Thickness of metal vs intricacy of design When deciding which blade to use for a piece, it’s important to consider a number of things. While it can often take trial and error to get just the right one, understanding your materials and design makes it a lot easier.Thicker sawblades are more resilient and will cut through metal faster, but they remove more material and don’t turn easily. The thicker the blade, the further apart the teeth. This makes them most appropriate for thick metal or very simple designs that don’t feature high detail, tight corners or small compartments within the design. Thicker sawblades are a poor choice for thin metal as the teeth will often get caught.Thinner sawblades, by comparison, are much more accurate and easier to control. They’re ideal for very intricate, highly detailed designs, but they break easily and cut more slowly through thick metal. Choosing the Right Frame Sawframes Different sawframes are suited for different jobs. A sawframe with more depth (the space between the blade and the parallel back edge of the saw) is ideal for cutting larger pieces of metal, but doesn’t offer a lot of accuracy, as your eyeline will be further from the metal whilst cutting. A more shallow sawframe will offer more control on smaller and more elaborate pieces, but may have difficulty cutting long straight lines. Loading the sawblade If a blade is stretched too tight, it will break easily. If not tight enough, it won’t cut effectively or accurately and is also more liable to break. When loading the blade, first ensure the teeth are slanting downwards toward the handle of the sawframe. Place the top of the blade into the top clamp of the sawframe and tighten the screw. To get a good blade tension, gently push the top of the frame against your bench while placing the bottom of the blade into the bottom clamp of the frame and tightening the screw. Preparing the metal Selecting the right metal thickness for the job As thinner metals are easier and faster to cut through, they’re usually the most enjoyable to work with – not always the most appropriate though! Metal with a thickness of 0.3 – 0.5 mm is great for incredibly intricate designs and any jewellery for which weight is a necessary consideration (such as earrings.)0.6 – 0.8 mm thickness works well for things like pendants, which require structural integrity without being too heavy. For rings, metal with a thickness of 0.7 mm+ is more appropriate as they tend to get knocked about the most. If you have a very intricate design which needs more structural integrity, layering is a good way to avoid compromising your design without adding hours to your making time. Simply cut out your detailed design in thin sheet then rivet or solder it to a thicker sheet. Applying the design There are two main methods of applying a design to the surface of your metal so you have lines to follow. The first is to lightly engrave your design onto the metal then cut it out. This works well if you just need to cut out a basic shape, but for a more complex design you may find yourself going a little cross-eyed trying to focus on the fine and often subtle engraved lines. If you don’t follow the lines perfectly, you may also find yourself spending a long time sanding out the engraving lines from the surface of your metal.For lines with a higher contrast which are easier to follow over a long period of time, sticker paper is the way to go! You can draw your design onto the sticker paper, cut it out and apply it straight to the metal, giving you an easy and accurate guide to follow. Sticker paper is also great if you have a design which you’d like to duplicate as you can simply print multiple versions. Drilling holes If you have compartments within your design which need to be cut out you’ll need to drill holes through which you can thread your sawblade. You shouldn’t need a drill bit any larger than 1mm, as sawblades are nice and small. Additionally, a smaller hole will take less time to drill and reduce the risk of drilling into your design. If the interior section of your design features a sharp point within the compartment try to put the hole close to it – this will be the best place to start cutting.When drilling, make your action smooth and decisive. Being slow and apprehensive is a good way to break drill bits! If you’re drilling a thick piece of metal you may need to drill halfway through, withdraw, and then
Someone Ate the Cuckoos Clock
When I was asked if I’d like to create a piece to feature in in.cube8r gallery’s Self Care exhibition alongside some incredible Melbourne artists, I figured it was the perfect excuse to make the time to create something just for myself. It’s a rare occurrence and if I’m honest, more than a little intimidating to have no boundaries, but a wonderful opportunity nonetheless! ‘Self care’ is a meditation on what it means to perform self care. We have invited creatives young and old, experienced and emerging to discuss the ways that they use art as a form of self care. Some works are unfinished, unpolished and imperfect, some created specifically as a means of discussion.in.cube8r gallery Time really does fly when you’re making art. My meditation takes a slightly different form to others’. When I’m saw piercing I can finally relax and let my mind wander. This piece in particular was a source of refuge amongst a stressful few weeks. Whenever I could find a spare minute I’d look forward to working on it and take a moment to enjoy what I was doing. Apart from the process itself I also tried to pack in as many features as possible which calm my mind and give me pleasure; playful kitties, beautiful architecture, overgrown ivy and a sense of times past. I also love hidden elements so I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to put a third cat behind the doors above the clock face where the cuckoo usually sits (hence the name of the piece just in case you missed that 😉 ). ‘Someone Ate the Cuckoos Clock’ consists of over 15 hours of drilling, saw piercing, assembly and riveting. Although it looks rather complicated and detailed, when you break it down into the component pieces of each layer you can see there’s mainly just a lot of cutting involved (which for me is the relaxing part). I deliberately designed the piece to only require processes and techniques which wouldn’t cause me any stress! So as you can see I was only using the most basic tools and cold forging (no soldering needed!).Just using brass and copper also kept the material costs low so it doesn’t matter whether or not I sell the piece (they also happen to add a certain warmth which I find appropriate). Having absolutely no concern for what anyone else thinks of the piece is a wonderful feeling. The main aim of this purely decorative non-functioning clock was that every process involved would be an enjoyable one, from the design to the construction and even it’s display. In that regard it was a complete success. I’m currently working on some everyday pieces inspired by this exhibition piece. If you’d like to see the latest updates follow me on Instagram and if you’re in Melbourne head along to in.cube8r gallery before September 25th to see the piece in person!
Custom Labyrinth clock
I made a clock!…Well sort of.A little while ago one of my lovely customers came to me with a fairly ordinary Art Deco clock. As it turns out they happened upon it when it started chiming early one morning from inside one of the walls of their house! How it managed that feat after decades being buried without being wound is anyone’s guess. When they unearthed the clock it even still had the original warranty from 1948 hidden inside! The warranty was for 5 years by the way so I’d say it’s doing alright.While it was still in pretty good condition the face was a little sad and plain so they came to me for a facelift! Being a huge Labyrinth fan they wanted the design to be inspired by the Baroque style clock from the movie which has 13 numbers rather than 12. Obviously with 13 hours rather than 12 the clock could no longer be functional which made the design process a little easier for me. I may enjoy the aesthetics of a lovely antique clock but I have to admit the mechanics are beyond me.In order to fit the existing shape of the clock I designed the face to be a simple circle where I could go to town with intricate detail inside (and this being the first time someone has given me the opportunity to make a clock face I really did get carried away). After making sure the client was happy with the design it was time to get sawing! After hand piercing the face to get an abundance of scrollwork, I engraved a few details into the brass to define the features. I then cut out the numbers, hands and the elements which would hold the glass in place. After riveting the numbers to the face I painted both the hands and the channel created by the cut out numbers with black enamel to make them stand out. It was then just a matter of shaping the elements to hold the glass then nailing both them and the face to the wooden base with little brass rivets.The result is a curious amalgamation of styles and time periods I hope has given this clock enough life to get through another seventy years! If you’d like a custom piece of your own fill out the custom request form and I’ll get back to you ASAP!
Workshop: initial pendant
Learn how to saw sheet metal to create jewellery from scratch In this jewellery making workshop you can learn how to use a jeweller’s saw to cut out shapes from sheet metal (either brass or silver depending on your preference) to create an initial pendant from scratch. 3 different alphabet designs will be available so you can select the style which appeals to you! You will also be provided with a silver chain so you can walk away already wearing your creation.Whether you’ve never picked up a saw frame before or you’d like to take your technique to the next level this workshop has you covered! All required tools will be provided but if you have your own favourite saw frame, pliers or files feel free to bring them along! Material costs which include brass sheet, silver sheet and chain, as well as sawblades and sandpaper are included in your ticket price. Meet your tutor Clare Davidson graduated from Curtin University of Technology with a Bachelor of Arts – Jewellery Design in 2008 where she discovered she loved making jewellery even more than she loved wearing it. In her final year at University Skadi Jewellery Design was born. Using silver, brass and leather Clare loves to create works of art which appear as delicate as lace with the strength of metal. Almost every day from her first day of university over 14 years ago until now, Clare has been hand piercing intricate designs and takes great joy in passing on her thousands of hours of experience to help inspire other people. Very few people realise that when done correctly, saw piercing can be a form of meditation and Clare believes that’s a message worth spreading! When and Where Date: July 14 2019Time: 4:30pm – 7:30pmVenue: in.cube8r gallery Prahran – 116 Greville St Prahran, Victoria 3181 TICKETS For all the latest workshops click here
Workshop: Saw Pierced Earrings
Learn how to saw sheet metal to create jewellery from scratch In this jewellery making workshop you can learn how to use a jeweller’s saw to cut out shapes from sheet metal (either brass or silver depending on your preference) to create a pair of earrings from scratch. 5 different leaf silhouette designs will be provided which cater to all skill levels. Whether you’ve never picked up a saw frame before or you’d like to take your technique to the next level this workshop has you covered! All required tools will be provided but if you have your own favourite saw frame and pliers feel free to bring them along! Material costs which include brass sheet, silver sheet and wire, as well as sawblades and sandpaper are included in your ticket price. Meet your tutor Clare Davidson graduated from Curtin University of Technology with a Bachelor of Arts – Jewellery Design in 2008 where she discovered she loved making jewellery even more than she loved wearing it. In her final year at University Skadi Jewellery Design was born. Using silver, brass and leather Clare loves to create works of art which appear as delicate as lace with the strength of metal. Almost every day from her first day of university over 14 years ago until now, Clare has been hand piercing intricate designs and takes great joy in passing on her thousands of hours of experience to help inspire other people. Very few people realise that when done correctly, saw piercing can be a form of meditation and Clare believes that’s a message worth spreading! When and where? Date: May 24Time: 12:00 pm – 4:00 pmVenue: in.cube8r gallery116 Greville Street, Prahran, VIC 3181 Australia TICKETS For all the latest workshops click here
