This year, Gallery Director Melanie Katsalidis invited nine Australian artists to do something rarely attempted: to paint by hand, directly onto the surface of a baroque pearl.
Each artist was sent a pair of pearls to treat as a miniature canvas, working with enamel paint and the pearl's irregular, sculptural form. With painterly prowess, each created a one of a kind artwork, transformed into wearable form.
The result, eight pairs of earrings where painting and jewellery become one, alongside a pearl-strewn sculpture by Troy Emery. Each unique work, shaped by the individuality of the pearl itself is impossible to repeat.
Featuring: Emma Coulter · Troy Emery · Betra Fraval · Lucas Grogan · Pia Murphy · Joshua Searle · Miranda Skoczek · Heather B. Swann · Kate Tucker