1. The sun / the sea pendant
SUPPLIED
When I was studying at RMIT, Robert Baines (director of research and innovation at the institute) said to me that I had perfected the “wonky”.
At first I thought that’s terrible, but then, for me, it became a very strong part of my aesthetic. When something is made by hand you see the marks of the tools, and if you carve a ring by hand, it’s never perfect, but that is perfection in itself. I try to make something new look like it’s old; like it has an energy and life of its own that came through its own creation.
All my pieces are handmade and reflect a philosophy of the handmade. I manipulate every single wax so it has something different to it. Everything is considered.
2. Victorian ring
SUPPLIED
My maker’s mark is the warp and weft of fabric. The warp is the threads running down and the weft is what makes up fabric. It’s based on a notion by cultural theorist Trinh T. Minh-Ha, she talks about “to weave is to speak”, so a culture’s identity can often be understood by their textiles and how they wear and adorn their jewellery and clothing. I think it’s very interesting to work with metal, which is a hard material, but through the casting process I can make it appear soft and more tactile. That is a theme that runs through everything I do with jewellery.
I predominantly use silver and gold and have a preference for Australian parti sapphires.
This is because I know where they come from and how they have been mined. I think gold is a very beautiful material. It has a lustre that I can achieve with that metal that I don’t see as much in other metals. So my love of gold is not its monetary value but the inherent properties of the metal itself.
If I can make a wedding ring well and someone wants to wear that for the rest of their life, then that’s a big achievement for me.
It’s as significant as doing an art exhibition. I see it as an important part of what I do.
There’s so much jewellery in the world, but there’s only one me. The jewellery I make comes from everything that I know. Hopefully the end result carries some of that. It needs to look old and like it’s lived through the process of its making.
When I make, it’s very important that I don’t labour too much. That allows me to capture these forms that look quick and easy, like a child. I try hard when I make to be really present with the material. It’s the way I teach as well. You have to be present. Look at what you have made and see what it is saying to you. It’s like learning from what happens, rather than saying, “It has to look like this”.
Art is about people and communication and life. It’s about asking why do I do what I do; how do these objects inform not only each other but where they are positioned within the culture I live in. My dream project is to push myself to explore concepts that will hopefully inspire new work. If I can do that, then I feel like that’s where I want to be.
5. Precious ring
SUPPLIED
» www.katherinebowman.com.au
» www.katherinebowman.blogspot.com
» Also available at Studio Ingot, e.g.etal
Katherine Bowman is an accomplished Melbourne contemporary jeweller, painter and sculptor. Always so considered and layered in her work, she has created pieces that have delighted her clients over the years with many becoming avid collectors. With a new website and her ever-inspiring blog, Bowman is set to spread her wings even further.
6. Celestial pendant
SUPPLIED
1 \ The sun / the sea pendant Sterling silver, enamel paint, beads
2 \ Victorian ring 18-carat yellow gold set with rubies
3 \ Wing pendant Sterling silver with enamel paint
4 \ Random ring 18-carat yellow gold set with ruby, tourmalines, Ceylon sapphires and diamonds
5 \ Precious ring 18-carat white gold set with diamonds
6 \ Celestial pendant Sterling silver set with yellow sapphires
7 \ Large pledge ring 18-carat white gold set with natural parti sapphire
8 \ Lucky ring 18-carat yellow gold set with rubies and sapphires
9 \ The fall pendant Sterling silver, yellow-gold plate, enamel paint, beads
7. Large pledge ring
SUPPLIED
9. The fall pendant
SUPPLIED