The decorative/ornamental plant motif in jewellery : its potential to document narratives in the Australian craft context

Abstract

The decorative/ornamental plant motif in jewellery: its potential to document narratives in the Australian craft context. A study in the form of an exhibition of jewellery shown at the Gold and Silversmithing Workshop, School of Art, The Australian National University, Childers Street, Acton, on 4th August, 2011, which comprises the outcome of the Studio Practice component (80%), including an Exegesis that documents the nature of the course of study undertaken, together with a Sub-Thesis (20%). The Studio Practice component focuses on research into plant forms from various sources and a variety of production technologies and materials, with the aim of creating jewellery that documents a personal narrative within the Australian context. The sub-thesis, divided into two parts, examines theoretical issues relating to the studio practice in the form of two separate essays. The first essay, 'Negotiating change', explores the relationship between the use of indigenous Australian plants in the garden and as motifs on crafted objects produced during the period 1850-1920, in order to understand the motivations for their use and the role they played in the process of people settling in a new land. The second essay, 'At home in the land', analyses how relationships to the natural environment and landscape of Australia have changed for many Australians since the 1960s. A study of works by three Australian studio jewellers, who use indigenous Australian plants as subject matter, supports the thesis that contemporary relationships with the landscape and bush reflect experiences of home that are intimate and immersive. -- provided by Candidate.