award winning contemporary jewellery maker, sarah augusta murphy shares with us her design selection for the contribution piece from the series ‘meander’ – a kind donation for the focus now cancer council girls’ night in fundraiser for women’s cancer research
What does being an ‘Artist-Maker` mean to you?
Being a maker has been in my blood for as long as I can remember. It was not until I had children though that I actually started to actively search for a craft that I would become truly passionate about. My journey started with glass and making glass beads. I would then turn those beads into Jewellery. After many years of playing and experimenting that I decided to formalise what I was doing and enrolled in the ANU School of Art to study Silversmithing.
What inspired you to create this piece?
This piece comes from a series called ‘Meander’. It is a reference to my own life and the sense that I sometimes feel like I have lead a seemingly unplanned life through following what I love.
What made you select this piece to donate to the fundraiser raffle?
Surprisingly this was simpler than I thought and the piece came to mind as soon as Shereene approached me about the event. I knew this was a perfect donation, giving the intention that the Focus Now team were creating for the event and the story they wanted to share. I have had a loved one touched by Cancer and I think it this piece is a gentle reminder that our lives are a journey and there will always be unplanned turns that we will navigate and reflect on. This for me, is the way that these illnesses catch us off guard but we have the opportunity to reflect on the journey of life each day.
https://secure.cancercouncilfundraising.org.au/registrant/FundraisingPage.aspx?RegistrationID=1242621
There are times in personal and entrepreneurial life where Empowerment, resilience and courage is required in the face of adversity – what creative or design tips do you have to share that come from your work so far?
There is use of repetition in my work that creates structure. The presence of structure in our lives gives us the sense that we are somehow in control of our own existence. I enjoy creating jewellery with these characteristics and exploring how this might affect the relationship between the wearer the viewer and the piece itself. We make decisions about the items that we wear and how it might affect our sense of empowerment will also reflect in our daily lives. This piece ‘Meander’ can be both a reminder of the journey which is the same in chasing our pursuits in business can be at times challenging, tiring and trying as well as triumphant at times.
What tips do you have for Creatives who want to start out?
Well, starting out for me was all about trying lots of different things until I eventually found what inspired me the most. There are tons of short courses out there, so go for it!
Everything you learn along the way will shape the way you think and approach each new project.
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