Open Studio: Phoebe Porter
Sapphire Pendant, Phoebe Porter
Since 1998, contemporary jeweller Phoebe Porter has been developing her intimate knowledge of materials, process and craftsmanship. Often working with titanium, stainless steel and aluminium, she successfully combines industrial materials and processes with precious elements using her refined hand skills. Each of Phoebe’s designs is reduced to its necessary elements, often using a mechanism as a starting point, which then becomes integral to the design. She creates striking pieces that can stand alone as sculptural objects, yet come alive when being worn.
Since graduating with a Bachelor of Arts (Gold and Silversmithing) at ANU, Phoebe has exhibited extensively across Australia as well as in Japan, Germany and the UK. Her work has been acquired for a number of public collections, including the National Gallery of Australia and the Powerhouse Museum. She has also received a number of awards including a Canberra Critics’ Circle Award, Victorian Premier’s Design Mark and grants from the Australia Council and Arts ACT.
Phoebe’s Open Studio event is an exciting opportunity to peek inside her full equipped workspace which is not usually open to the public. See how Phoebe develops her work from start to finish: from her inspiration through to sketches, models and fabrication of the final pieces. Examples of Phoebe’s latest collection Multifaceted will be on display.
“Many people have a deep fascination with the tools and processes I use in my studio, which are a combination of traditional techniques such as sawing, hammering, filing and soldiering as well as more industrial techniques such as machining, pressing and anodising. I have a vast collection of tools including jewellery making tools, vintage workshop equipment and some custom tools I’ve developed specifically for particular designs.”
Phoebe will have work for sale on the day, so visitors can purchase unusual pieces from her archive, as well as her latest designs and signature pieces.