A pair of oval drop earrings in sterling silver, and embellished with a sparse, asymmetrical pattern of raised dots. Each earring in the pair has a unique, organically shaped 'bite' taken out of one edge, like the curve of a sandstone ridgeline running through the landscape. On the opposite side to the 'bite' is an irregular border section stitched in coloured silk thread. The earrings are oxidised black and are gently convex. They hang from hand-made hooks.
The Rangelands earrings would add a pop of colour and sculptural style to any wardrobe. The design elements are inspired by the formative years Kate spent on her family's farm in western NSW. The coloured silk borders on this pair of earrings suggest the green colour of the Leopardwood tree (L. Flindersia maculosa).
Sterling silver, silk
4.2cm drop from piercing
25mm wide
Kate Gardiner’s 'Rangelands Revealed' project combines the artist’s contemporary jewellery practice, knowledge of Australia’s rangelands and respect for the people who live there, as well as her creative writing.
Rangelands cover approximately 80% of Australia’s landmass and include savannas, woodlands, shrublands, grasslands and wetlands. Across these regions people are working to repair the environment through consultation with First Nations People, and innovative, critically informed practices.
Kate’s range of sterling silver, silk and gold jewellery draws upon the formative aesthetic influence this environment had on her during time spent in western NSW. Every piece is infused with elements unique to the rangelands, from curved sandstone ridges to the bark of the ngarrkaray (Pilaarrkiyalu language)/Leopardwood tree, to the bright spots of gold in the wide starry sky. The coloured silk borders suggest the red soil, the vast blue skies, the pink feathers of galahs, or the golden tan of the stockworkers’ kelpie collaborators.
Kate is an Australian maker based on Ngunnawal country, Canberra.
