Maddabling: Friday Friends, Australian Makers

Thank goodness for Friday! Hello lovely Maddabling blog readers, I hope this post finds you well. The Festive Madness seems to be all around, life is terribly hectic at the moment! Today it is my great pleasure to introduce to you all a new Friday Friend and Australian Maker - meet the super talented Jane of FUSIONJewelryStudio.

Jane makes such beautiful things. Necklaces and earrings and other lovelies. Firstly let me share with you all the VENUS NECKLACE and a little about how it was made. "This necklace features a beautiful hand fabricated sterling silver chain with a simply elegant bar clasp, adorned with semi-translucent kyanite beads and transparent aquamarine chips with sterling silver beads to create a graduated row of Venus figures. The Venus figure is associated with the mother goddess, femininity, the power of women, a celebration of the female form. The chain is known as a loop in loop chain and is found in many examples of jewellery from antiquity and was first used by the Sumarians in 3000BC. A truly sophisticated piece, that reflects your femininity. Fabulous for your next special occasion."

Next is the SUN RAY PENDANT STATEMENT NECKLACE. "This contemporary pendant is hand forged, made from fine silver

(.999 % silver). It is suspended on a stylish sterling silver omega chain (either 16" or 18"). The modern design is based on the beautiful patterns of the rays of the sun and the circular heart of the design represents the sun itself." Just stunning!

Lastly, these delicate DIAMOND SHAPED EARRINGS 24 K Gold over Sterling Silver with Forget Me Not Flowers) or LOTUS BEAD EARRINGS(made from 24K gold plated sterling silver,on vermeil ear wires) would make a gorgeous stocking stuffer for someone special this Christmas!

Dear readers, I invite you now to sit back, relax and enter into The Fusion Jewelry Studio Odyssey. Wishing each and every one of you a most wonderful weekend x♥o

The Fusion Jewelry Studio Odyssey

CREATING MY JEWELRY ODYSSEY. I've been a creative critter since I was a kid, eternally curious, always fascinated by nature, the magic of colours and making stuff. Nothings changed really.-I'm still consumed by these things now!

After attending Art School and being told by one of the best renowned ceramicists of the day that he could not survive on his art alone without his wife and her day job, I decided another plan of attack was in order. After all I did not have a wife! And this was at the pointy end of the course....So off I went to train to be a teacher.

I still teach visual arts at high school and a couple of Art Schools in Sydney; I do love it. The desire to make stuff seemed to be nipping at my heels, but ceramics is a messy business that needs a lot of space, so I thought I would do some silversmithing courses. I had a ball, got rather excited and tried metal etching then cloisonne enamelling.

I then discovered the ancient art of chain making, the amazing world of gemstones and the historical story of beads-ohhh it was like being in a lollie shop! You know the feeling- where you want one of everything.

So evolved the idea of finding an outlet where I could sell the things I make, the Etsy shop became the solution. I'm so excited to be showing my creations to an audience that will appreciate the process, the final product, the visual feast that is my artwork.

My sources of inspiration include looking at the works of jewellers from the past from all over the world as well as ceramics, textiles, the decorative arts, design and the natural world.

The mediums I work in include sterling silver, copper, brass, nickel silver, enamels and ancient reworked glass, gemstones, shell and bone. I am dominated by my love of colour - just can’t help myself. When I design something I might start with an idea but generally they morph as I go along. The actual way it looks, rather than the drawing I made, determine how I fly with the idea.

Trying new techniques is exciting, solving the problems, working out what to do are challenging and it keeps me enthralled! I’ve tried silversmithing, chainmaille, enamelling, etching, hand fabricated chain, viking knitting (sort of knitting with metal), beading and when I look at other pieces I try to work out how they were made.

The things I make are varied, probably because I’m trying different materials and techniques-this is how the name FusionJewelryStudio came about-a mixture of the ancient, the antique, the modern and the contemporary. The idea of making something using ancient methods or objects worn by someone in the distant past and being utilised to make a new piece fascinates me.

In the future I hope to continue on my creative path, design unique jewellery, learn new skills and find people who would love to adorn themselves with something I have made.

I usually exhibit at Gallery 307 in Northbridge, Sydney a couple of times a year. I have a Facebook page and my sister is coaching me with it to help with my exposure.
You can find it here:
https://www.facebook.com/FUSIONJewelryStudio