Could a modern take on mourning jewellery, necklaces made from chicken feathers and a bronze/brass lab rat take pride of price as accessories or look at home in a gallery exhibition?
They can when they are the finely crafted; these inventive adornments were selected as the prize winners in Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery's Contemporary Wearables '25 Biennial Jewellery Award which opened last Friday
Victorian artist Sylvia Nevistic won the $6000 Excellence award with her ring secured to a small vessel made of patinated sterling silver and finished with archival wax titled, To have and to hold 2025.
Award judge Julie Blyfield, who is a jeweller and metalsmith with an impressive list of national and international exhibitions, said the winning piece was beautifully made.
"It's a most evocative piece with links to history and mourning jewellery," Ms Blyfield said.
"It is an intricate piece to hold in the hand that alludes to handicrafts of the past. The ring and vessel are encrusted with hundreds of silver granules making it an uncomfortable, almost menacing piece to hold. The investment of labour and time in making the piece is commendable."
Victorian artist Cara Johnson looked no further than her own chook yard for inspiration.
It proved a masterstroke with her series of three neckpieces, Flock I, II and III, judged the winner of the $4000 Innovation award.
"Cara has demonstrated a gentle, light touch in traditional stitching technique in the crafting of her neckpieces," Ms Blyfield said.
"Who would have thought you could make such beautiful pieces from chicken feathers - Cara writes 'I live my life alongside a flock of chickens, we share the same little patch of dirt. Their feathers are everywhere' This is deeply personal work."
The $2000 Student award was presented to Queensland College of Art and Design Master of Visual Art student Jessica Andersen for Wearable memorial for lab rats 2024.
"I love to have a conversation and making work that people haven't thought about," Ms Andersen, who took up making jewellery 18 months ago, said.
"It is a wearable memorial for the sacrifices lab rats have made for humanity, cast from materials that are used for more visible memorials in our cities.
"I've worn it on the train and had a lot of fun making the piece."
The technique and inspiration for the piece impressed Ms Blyfield, who said the piece was finely crafted.
"I loved the way the neckpiece sat around the neck, how the feet flipped. The concept displays humour and originality in contrast with the seriousness of the subject matter. The chainmail body was made for protection, symbolising how lab rats, which are subjected to medical research, help guard us against disease."
The Excellence and Innovation awarded works were acquired for the Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery - Toowoomba City Collection (*For the full list, visit www.tr.qld.gov.au/trag )
Ms Blyfield was full of praise for the entire exhibition and commended Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery for its work to build one of the two most comprehensive regional collections of contemporary jewellery in Australia.
"As artists working in our studios, we are often alone in our own thoughts and our making. Exhibitions and awards like this allow people to view and respond to our works while building a community of makers and wearers," Ms Blyfield said.
Toowoomba Regional Council Library and Cultural Services portfolio spokesperson Cr Melissa Taylor said Council was pleased to continue its support for the Awards and to build one of the most cohesive surveys of contemporary jewellery and object practice in Australia.
"We are thrilled with the entries, award winners and acquisitions from 2025," Cr Taylor said.
"This is the major Toowoomba Regional Council-funded initiative for contemporary visual arts practice, and we are proud to support Australian artists."
The nationally recognised award exhibition is Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery's contribution to promoting excellence in contemporary adornment and is proudly supported by Toowoomba Regional Council.
Every two years, the exhibition showcases the current trends of makers and celebrates the innovation and craftmanship of artists.
The Award was established by the former Toowoomba City Council in 1989 with the aid of the Toowoomba Gallery Society Inc.
The 52 exhibition pieces, which have been created by 49 artists around Australia, will be displayed at Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery until Sunday, November 23, 2025.
This year's Award was juried by Caitlin Eyre, Curator and Exhibitions Manager, JamFactory, Independent arts writer; artist Tineke Van der Eecken and Lisa Waup, a First Nations Artist and curator.
Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery at 531 Ruthven Street, Toowoomba is open Wednesday to Sunday 10.30am to 3.30pm.
The Gallery is open on Monday, September 15 and 22 during the exhibition. The Gallery is closed on other Mondays, Tuesdays and all public holidays. Entry is free.
Contemporary Wearables Biennial Jewellery Award and Exhibition is proudly supported by Toowoomba Regional Council, Haymans Electrical and Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art.
Captions:
Student Award winner Jessica Andersen (left), Award judge Julie Blyfield and TRC Library and Cultural Services portfolio spokesperson Cr Melissa Taylor at Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery's Contemporary Wearables '25 Biennial Jewellery Award announcement. (top)
2025 Excellence Award Sylvia NEVISTIC / To have and to hold 2025 / patinated sterling silver, archival wax / 21.0 x 3.5 x 2.2cm / Photographer: Jo Armstrong / © Sylvia Nevistic
2025 Innovation Award Cara JOHNSON / Flock III 2024 (detail) / feathers from chickens I've loved, thread from stock feed bags, unravelled silage netting
/ 23.7 x 24.5 x 0.4cm / Image courtesy of the artist / © Cara Johnson
2025 Student Award Jessican ANDERSEN / Wearable memorial for a lab rat 2024 (detail) / bronze, brass / 40 x 8 x 8cm / © Jessican Andersen (bottom)
