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Contemporary Melbourne-based jeweller Vicki Mason has been passionate about wearing jewellery since the age of two, and has been making jewels in various forms since she was six or seven. Vicki creates contemporary jewellery with a botanical flavour from metal, textiles and plastics to reflect her love for the forms and textures of the plants she studies closely.
Vicki Mason at her jewellers bench
“Making jewellery fulfils a need I have to create objects that hold special meanings. These objects can be worn and can potentially provoke in the wearer and viewer a need for a response or interaction of some kind. A dialogue is opened up – jewellery then acts as a portable tool for the communication of ideas.”
Vicki Mason Standard Rose
Vicki trained at art school in studio craft/art majoring in jewellery in the 1990s and in 2012 went on to do a research degree at ANU in the Gold and Silversmithing workshop in Canberra. After nineteen years Vicki has built a successful career making one of a kind works for exhibition, making small and limited production run ranges while also teaching skills to those who are new to the jewellery field. Based in Melbourne this Kiwi is very much looking forward to taking up an Australia Council for the Arts studio residency in Barcelona, Spain later in the year. Vicki will be doing research towards her next body of work for exhibition and will be investigating dry climate plants and Mediterranean garden styles.
Vicki Mason – Big Tree and Welcome Mat Lawn
Vicki frequents botanical gardens and parks and draws and photographs the plants relevant to her current research. These photographs and drawings are then translated into drawn designs and many models and experiments are made to help finalise a work. This design process helps resolve wearability and weight issues as well as other factors associated with making art work for wearing on the body.
Vicki Mason Bouquet spray brooch
Vicki Mason Daisy punch earrings
Traditional goldsmithing techniques such as sawing, filing, sanding, bending and soldering are employed in working the metal parts of her work. Vicki also employs industry sometimes to help powder coat her work to give the metal colour and she also uses casting companies to enable her to create multiples of a designed element. The vibrant interior forms seen in her work (for example those seen set in the metal casings) are made from cotton, linen, leather and silk that is stitched, coiled and cut by hand.
Vicki Mason Grafted Bouquet
Vicki’s work references her passion for plants as subject. Notions of place, belonging and the life cycle are explored through plants used as metaphors to represent these ideas. Plants native to Australia, exotic plants, plant forms found in the fine and decorative arts and plants used in gardens are just some sources referenced and researched. Botanical motifs have a long history within jewellery’s imagery so are a rich source for reinterpretation and investigation.
Vicki Mason Oregano, Wattle and Rose brooches. Photo by Bill Shaylor
To see more of Vicki’s work you can visit her website Vicki Mason Jewellery or visit galleries that sell her work. Her work is sold in the following locations:
• Melbourne:
• E.g.etal
• Studio Ingot
• National Gallery of Victoria International Design Store
• Sydney:
• Studio 20/17
• Stanley Street Gallery
• Brisbane:
• Fio
• Canberra:
• Bilk
• Adelaide:
• JamFactory
Email: Vicki vickijewel@hotmail.com
Pin board above Vicki’s work bench with items of inspiration
Vicki Mason Radiating Bouquet
