An exhibition by jewellers Lauren Simeoni and Melinda Young March 30 - May 1, 2010 Expect the unexpected in this whimsical exhibition by Australian contemporary jewellers Lauren Simeoni and Melinda Young. Simeoni and Young delight in finding expressions of the "natural" in the "unnatural". They have intimately shared a sketchbook, found materials and ideas over a period of two years between their residing cities, Adelaide and Sydney. Utilising artificial plant foliage, vintage synthetic flowers, beads, precious metals and wood, they have independently designed, deconstructed and assembled. The result is a collection of beautiful wearables unified here by their autumnal colours. This lively collaboration translates magically into a visual conversation between materiality and form. About the Artists Lauren Simeoni is an Adelaide based artist. She completed a Bachelor of Arts in Gold and Silversmithing, Canberra School of Art in 1996, followed by a Design Associateship at the JamFactory. She has been a guest lecturer at both the Canberra School of Art and at the University of South Australia. Simeoni has exhibited extensively since 1998, including several solo exhibitions at Soda + Rhyme, Adelaide, Object Gallery, Sydney and the JamFactory, Adelaide. She has also participated in numerous group exhibitions at Masterworks Gallery, Auckland, Object Gallery, Sydney, Metalab Gallery, Sydney, Velvet da Vinci, San Francisco and InForm Gallery, Christchurch. Melinda Young is based in Sydney. She has extensive involvement with contemporary jewellery, craft and design working as a curator, writer and teacher. Young completed a Masters of Visual Arts from Sydney College of the Arts, University of Sydney in 2002. She has participated in over 85 exhibitions in Australia and overseas since 1997. Since 2002 Young has held both solo, duo and group exhibitions at Masterworks, Auckland, Metalab, Sydney, Craft Victoria, Melbourne, Zu Design, Adelaide, and Object Gallery, Sydney. She was the recipient of the Profile Award 2008- Established Artist, Jewellers and Metalsmiths Group of Australia. Young has also appeared in several publications including, 500 Plastic Jewellery Designs, Lark Books. Pieces of Eight is the Melbourne venue for this touring exhibition which has already been shown in Sydney and Auckland. It will be presented in Wellington and Christchurch, New Zealand in late 2010 before travelling to Adelaide in 2011. It is the first time these artists have exhibited with Pieces of Eight.