TABS

Sarah Elson 'Imbolic'

West Australian jeweller talks about her strange work for the Perth Craft Award

The foreground works are cast plant parts; a flower bud, a withered flower an the leaves surrounding the pod. These are cast in scrap silver and copper alloys using the lost wax process. Each piece is then worked individually. One has been pierced to reveal the inside of the pod, and another has had its surface worked by hammer and blunted chisel with the traditional metalsmithing technique of repousse. All pieces are soldered to a wire that has then been coated with wax. The background works are collected dried flowers and the body of a mouse which have been preserved with a coating of shellac.

The word "imbolic" comes from a pagan festival which signals the end of winter, a time of life regenerating and renewing itself. I chose 'Imbolic' as my title particularly because the work reflects a new direction for me in exploring materiality and suggests new possibilities and new growth in my art practice. I particularly enjoy making reference to ritual and at the same time testing the conventions and tradition-laden practices of placement with the crafted object.

Sarah Elson is a West Australian jeweller

The opinions expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect the official policy of Craft Victoria. Please log into the online forums to discuss the content of these articles.