Featured Artist: Lyn & Tony

What attracted you/got you started on your artistic path?

We are both been obsessed with the beauty of nature, having grown up in the idyllic landscapes around Byron Bay, on the far north coast of NSW. Our art practice is a process through which we explore this amazing world that surrounds us.

What inspires you?

The natural world is a constant source of inspiration for us - we are constantly collecting rocks, plants, feathers etc that never cease to amaze with their incredible colours & textures.

How would you describe your aesthetic?

We would describe our aesthetic as rich, colourful & textural - we love to combine contrasting materials that highlight the beauty of the natural products we are working with.

Besides jewellery making, what medium do you enjoy working with?

Our jewellery developed as an extension of our art photography, which we have been exhibiting internationally for 10 years or more. Our photography explores the contrast of the fragility of the body against the harsh extremes of the Australian landscape.



Tell us a bit about your studio space...

Our studio space is a wonderful old lolly factory in East Sydney, one of the few industrial buildings in the area yet to be converted to apartments. The area has an interesting history as the centre of the Razor Gang action in the 1920s & was still surrounded by brothels etc up till the early 90s when we first moved in. It is a great luxury to have the space to use our studio for both photography and our jewellery making. The building has a wonderful, calm ambience despite being in the centre of the city and we surround ourselves with inspirational objects ...... boulders from our favourite beach, unusual and rare plants and pieces from our art nouveau ceramic collection.

If you could peek inside the studio of any artist, designer or craftsmen (alive or dead) who would it be?

We are very interested in the aesthetics of the french Art Nouveau movement and the influence of the natural world on the development of their art, so the studios of the sculptor Rodin, the jeweller Rene Lalique & the glass/ceramic artist Emile Galle would be amazing to see.

What’s next for you and your practice?

We are excited to have discovered some beautiful Australian opals to work with for upcoming jewellery pieces & we are looking forward to our first photographic show in Tokyo, later this year. We are also completing a photographic book project that we have been working on for a few years now, so its going busy!