Sentiments in silver

Images of India translate into this talented jewellery artist's designs, based on her unique experiences of the country

BY PREETI JABBAL

She is an artist who appreciates the environment, and uses relevaac imagery and material co create contemporary pieces of jewellery. Meet Marian Hosking renowned artist, dedicated academic and proud Australian. For Marian, making jewellery is a vehicle for her sentiments and m emories, where the use of identical or similar elements becomes a metaphor. Her forte is rendering nature unto metal, mainly silver. Working primarily with the Australian environm ent, Marian cl aims that a part of her practice is diaristic in namre, drawing inAuences from her travels around the g lobe. Marian tal ks to lndiall Link, describing the joys of exploring the fabrics, textiles and architecture of Northern India.

"Travelling and reaching in India has bee n a very stimulating visual and cul tural experience. The dive rse and rich culmre especially the architecture and craft pract ices, have had a lasting in1pacr on me," she reveals.

" ] was moved by the patterns, colours and textures of decorative art in India ," says Marian, elaborating on her eirperiences in fodia. " I travelled co India in 2004 co teach at the atio nal Institute of Design in Ahmedabad. I went back to Delhi in 2007 to be part of an exhibition that originated out of RMIT. On char trip, I travelled co courisr destinations like Agra, Udaipur and Jaipur. And 1 went back again recently to attend tl1e 1\bhushan Jewellery Summit run b y the World Craft Council. ln each trip 1 was amazed at the diversity o f people and the rich arducecrure of die buildings chat I vis ited. I renu:ned and made some s mall vessels as a mark of respect, and in response to the dungs that I experjenced in India," she added.

"My app roach co jeweller ymaking is very Australian; however when I travel around tl1e wo rld, some of m y experiences seep into my work. After my trip co fodia I s tarted using gems in my designs, an d also beads that] bought back with me. I an1 happ y co see chat Lidia has recently seen an upsurge in the making of contemporary jewellery designs that draw on the country's tradition and heritage," says Marian, airing her opiiuon on tl1e making of fodian jewellery.

Marian has been a jeweller and craft ed ucator for over forty years. She recalls the hipp y popularity for lndian cloches an d accessories in the 1 970s, when traditional Indian clotl1es were imported in vast quantities and were colourful and not very expen sive. "In the past decade I have noticed an increase in the number o f Australian designers and craft~people who are travelling to India and eitl1er wmking very cl osely witl1 artis,ms o r bu)fog homewares and fashio n from companies established in Lidia tl1at specialise in quality goods utilising traditional craft techniques and materials. Obvious ly lndian artisans and craft~peop le have skills and a decorative tradition which is greatly admired in Australia," says Marian. She has also travelled, taught, sn1died and exhib ited her wo rk in Europe, the United States, Korea, Japan , China and India. Marian has won several awards and her wol"k was exhib ited at the Living Treasures: Masters of Australian Craft in 2007 She also won the National Contemporary Jewellery Award in the Precious Metal category u1 Griffith, NSW and was honoured b y the Australian Council Fellowship in 2009/2010. Maria n bas held numerous exhi bitions of h er wo r k around tl1e world, and her o·eations are available in Gallery F unaki in Melbourne and the Galerie Ra in Amsterdam.

Marian was also among the four artists chosen to be a part of an upcoming artists in residence programme in Canberra citied 'Talking IJ?t,ters' The programme will promote and showcase Canberra's distinct nan1ral and cultural landscape leading up co me state's centenary in 2013. the countrts tradition and

Besides creating jewellery and heading tl1e Department of Fine Arts in Monash Univers ity, Marian likes to spend time bushwalking and swimming. Art is hidden in alure and she likes to spend a lot of time exploring me great outdoors "It .i s easy for me as an artisc, as mere is so much out there in l anire that can in sp ire me. There is always sometlung that w ill motivate me to continue m aking more jewellery," she said in conclusion.