2022 Spring Show Win

I am honoured to have won first prize in the JEM MFA category of the 2022 Academy of Art University’s Spring Show for my body of work which includes Whispering Crow, my wearable shoulder crow, and my Four Element series.

Whispering Crow was designed to capture the long tradition of nature oracles through history. The word ‘oracle’ derives from the Latin orare, meaning ‘to speak’. Indigenous cultures around the world have found meaning in the movements and changes of their environments: oracles have been received from the whistling of the wind, a calling from the north, the movements and calls of birds and other animals. The crow has been a contentious oracle through history with some cultures viewing it as a sinister omen and others considering it a messenger of wisdom in times of need. Whispering Crow is a wearable shoulder crow, made in copper with an antique patina – a wise helper who provides guidance, warnings and assistance to those who take the time to notice and listen.

In the tradition of shamanism, a shaman is a ‘hollow bone’ through which the compassionate spirits relieve suffering. The four elements align with the cardinal directions and a range of animal totems. These animal totems can be surprising – instead of literal associations (fish for water, birds for air), the shaman reaches for whichever animal has the most to offer in a given situation. The Four Elements ceremonial series (below) features a ‘hollow bone’ fabricated necklace with pendants that represent earth, air, water and fire. Each pendant expresses textures relevant to its element, with gemstones and totems that relate in a non-linear way to the element’s traditional meaning. The eyes represent the shaman concepts of ‘strong eye’ (seeing with the inner eye) and ‘awakened heart’ (seeing through feeling and compassion).

Honey Myrtle Bangle

Modern moonscape