Up in the Blue Mountains doing the tourist thing for a couple of days, so here’s a post that I prepared earlier…

Rust Belt is a collaborative project between jewellers, Anna Bario and Page Neal. Their aim is to explore ways in which jewellery can be made from “re-purposed materials using low-impact, environmentally conscious practices.”

I first came across their work on the Daily Poetics blog, where I was very taken with their wonderful and innovative use of glass bottles to package their jewellery. I’ve never seen jewellery shown this way before and I think it’s totally inspired. It’s both practical and beautiful - the jewellery is protected in transit and then you have a stunning way to display it when you’re not wearing it.

Rust Belt Alluvial Collection: Packaging

However, once I visited their site, I was even more impressed by the environmental commitment at the heart of their work and the depth of their research. As someone who dabbles in silversmithing, the pollution caused by mining metals is a concern for me, so it’s absolutely fantastic to see other artists tackling these issues head on. If you’re a contemporary metalworker, then their blog is a must-read but I’m sure it would be interesting to non-metalworkers too.

Oh, and did I mention that their jewellery is utterly lovely…

I particularly love their sparse graphical pieces made with vintage chains.

Rust Belt Alluvial Collection: Red Angled Knottedrush

They also seem to be melting down and reusing metals, as in this gorgeous organic bracelet:

Rust Belt Alluvial Collection: Gale

It’s particularly great to see artists working with recycled materials who also have a very contemporary style - a lot of objects made with recycled or re-purposed materials can be a bit ‘worthy’ and ‘clunky’ for my taste but while reusing existing metal is absolutely central to this work, I like that it doesn’t completely dominate the aesthetic.

So, a useful resource for metalworkers and environmentalists and they make beautiful work - what’s not to like?

I’ve just discovered the sculpture and steel jewellery of artist, Megan Auman. I don’t know how I’ve missed seeing it before because she’s been mentioned by Cally, whose blog I read regularly.

Long Leaf Necklace’ by Megan Auman

Isn’t this fab. Despite studying and making silver jewellery, I’m not much of a jewellery wearer but I’d make an exception for this. I particularly love that it’s made from steel instead of a precious metal, that really adds to the aesthetic for me - the stark black against the white makes me sigh with visual lust. I’ve been playing around with lots of colour in my new art journal lately but apparently I’m not over my monochrome thing and honestly, I don’t want to be - colour fills a certain place in my soul but black and white will always own my heart.

I had already noted the resemblance of Megan’s work to my own drawings but I was amused to discover that she also did a smaller series of daily drawings in 2007. Megan also has an interesting blog that’s worth a look - apparently she’s going to be making a life size sofa out of metal, I look forward to seeing it.