burned brooch

Blue and amber brooch (2010) 100 mm x 20 mm x 35 mm
found object, plastic, oil paint, silk, 925

For our first jewellery project at RMIT this semester, I've been playing with plastics, melting and combining them with bits and pieces of other materials, mainly found objects. I used to really resent plastic as a substance, for several reasons, mainly prejudice I guess, but have come to think that the recyclability, affordability, range of colours, and the "organic" accidents which can occur while moulding the pieces are quite interesting. The toxicity however still worries me, and it might be for a while yet before I run tests in the home oven again : /

I found the amber coloured translucent component in a burned house, late last year, and made the clear piece by subjecting laboratory grade acrylic to high heat (yes, our oven on 210+C!!), with silk and blue paint encapsulated. The pin is sterling silver, and as the images reveal, got lots to learn in this department still. But what I really love, and can never get tired of, is the surprise, beauty and inspiration that randomly picked up, seemingly worthless (abandoned, discarded, even partly destroyed) objects can provide, both as themselves, and together with unexpected others.

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