I created this one-of-a-kind handmade brooch, Punctured Patina, from a bent and crunched piece of metal that I found on the streets of Melbourne. Usually I combine bits and bobs of found items for my brooches. However, this piece of metal was unique and worthy of becoming a brooch in its own right. Depending on the light, it has a blue patina on a few of the bent bits, mostly top left.
I normally create wall sculptures and 3D sculptures from the wood, metal and tiles I find on the streets of Melbourne. Through Instagram I met handmade jewellery designer Lynn Powers from New Orleans. She encouraged me to try making jewellery from the objects I found on the street, but I never had.
Then I saw that the Contemporary Art Society of Victoria was holding its annual brooch exhibition, so I entered–and found that making brooches is great fun. Five of my pieces were on display in the 2019 Australian National Brooch Show. Several more were in the 2020 Wearable Art exhibition at The Old Auction House in Kyneton. Others will be featured in 2021 at an exhibition during Melbourne Design Week in March.
My brooches are available through Incube8r Gallery, in the shops in Fitzroy and Prahran, as well as online. Be sure and check out my Instagram account for my brooches, https://www.instagram.com/nancydeebrooches/.
