Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Otways Narrative Earrings

I recently completed a pair of earrings made with reclaimed copper from the scrap bin, inspired by my 4 days staying in a cottage in the rainforest of the Otways Ranges, out of phone reception, immersed in nature with only a woodfire to warm us. 

We spend the time going on bush walks, hikes to waterfalls, visiting the 12 Apostles, gazing out at the sea at giant ancient rock formations from windswept mountainous cliffs, marvelling at fungus, lichen and moss, looking at a male Bower bird blue object collection and mating ritual nest/construction outside the bathroom window of the cottage, checking out the Shell Museum which was the lifelong collections of a frail elderly man in his house in which he had every specimen that can wash up on the seashore you can imagine and included many neon rainbow airbrushed corals and sponges. 

It was also the place my partner Ben proposed to me by a billabong in the forest with frogs singing all around us with a custom made Nina Oikawa ring (my favourite jeweller) so it was a magical trip for so many reasons, one I will never forget and have now immortalised in these earrings. And I'm sure it will continue to inspire me for forever.

While it was in progress....



Finished...


I designed then to be worn in stretched ears, looped through tunnels or naked lobes.