‘Xanthorrhoea’, 2009, ring, hand-dyed PVC, powder-coated brass & silver, 6.2 x 4.5 x 4.5cm

I am so very pleased to officially launch this site and present my very first post to you. And I am even more pleased that preeminent jeweller Vicki Mason has agreed to share her ideas and wonderful work with us! I first met Vicki at a Jewellers & Metalsmiths conference in 2000, and have been loving watching her progress ever since.

I hope you enjoy Vicki Mason’s work.
x Julie

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Vicki Mason was born and trained in New Zealand, but is now based in Melbourne. She has most recently been busy completing her MPhil, including showing her body of work at Bilk Gallery in Canberra, and at e.g.etal in Melbourne.

Vicki Mason – ‘Offshoot series’, 2007. Printed & hand-dyed PVC, polyester thread, nylon, sterling silver, rubber, copper coated wire. Largest piece 5 x 5 x 2.7cm

Vicki uses an eclectic range of materials, chosen for their aesthetic value rather than any inherent monetary value. She uses PVC, cotton, rubber, brass, and sterling silver amongst other things, with equal vigor. She loves the colour, fluidity, and range of textures that textiles can bring to a piece – often difficult to achieve with the more traditional materials used by the jeweller. And as with many craftspeople there is also the influence of a family history.

“My mother was a brilliant spinner, knitter and dyer of wool, so I think I was destined to work in the crafts from a young age. I’m a jeweller but my interest in incorporating textile techniques goes back to my undergraduate studies as my New Zealand course focused on both textiles and jewellery. I found it difficult to select only one medium when I reached my third year, as both disciplines resonated with me. I’ve never quite been able to let go of textiles and combining the two seems to make perfect sense.’”

Single stem banksia spray, Powder coated brass, copper and sterling silver, PVC, hand-dyed PVC, polyester, rayon and viscose thread, 7.2 x 6.7 x 1.8 cm, 2011

Vicki has been working with plant-based motifs for some time, and melds inspiration from various sources, including colonial interpretations of indigenous plants on jewellery and objects, chinoiserie plant motifs on Mason ceramics, and plants common to the Melbourne area. “I continue to be enthralled by plants as subject matter, and the potential they have to tell stories about our lives and the societies we live in.”

Mixed floral bouquet, Powder coated brass, copper and sterling silver, PVC, hand-dyed PVC, polyester, rayon and viscose thread, 7 x 8.5 x 2.5 cm, 2011.

Circular flower bouquet, Powder coated brass and sterling silver, hand-dyed PVC, polyester, rayon and viscose thread, 9 x 8.5 x 2 cm, 2011.

Vicki has located herself firmly within the traditions of jewellery, by producing elegant and very wearable pieces, but simultaneously hovers outside it, questioning the preciousness of jewellery with her choice of materials – by choosing mundane, synthetic, remnant materials and reinvigorating them with her artistic vision and skillful manipulation.

I love her sense of play, her quirky interpretations of flower forms and rich colours; but what draws me in the most is the wonderful textures. Wouldn’t you just love to fondle these lush things? So so gorgeous!

Vicki Mason – The entangled garden, 2011. Powder coated brass, copper and sterling silver, hand-dyed PVC, PVC, polyester, rayon, nylon and viscose thread, cotton interfacing, Largest 9.5 x 9.5 x 4 cm

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