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About Mandy
Mandy started creating gemstone jewellery after completing a Doctor of Philosophy in Archaeology and Palaeoanthropology at the Australian National University.
She has always been creative and has long been interested in geology and gemstones, a passion cultivated by family fossicking trips.
Mandy’s aim is to create gemstone jewellery that is beautiful to behold, comfortable to wear, affordable, and which honours and respects the materials from which it is made.
Every piece is designed with careful consideration of Mandy’s emotional response to the origins and the cultural history of the components. As a result of this process and, owing to the handcrafted nature of the product, no two pieces are identical.
Although attracted by the strong geometric form of machine-cut stone beads and the design possibilities their uniformity offers, Mandy can’t resist the surprise that comes from unveiling the natural beauty of freeform and rough-cut gemstones, which is why so many pieces offer those unexpected edges.
Mandy believes that each piece she makes has a story to tell, whether in the origins of its component parts or in the cultural milieu that inspired it. In this way, Mandy conveys her knowledge, understanding and passion for the designs she creates and her respect for the Earth.
Each piece is tagged with details of the various gemstones and other components used in its creation.
The Inspiration
Mandy’s background in Middle Eastern archaeology has carved the path for her creative journey.
A self-confessed polymath, inspiration for Mandy’s jewellery comes from numerous sources, including the ancient Middle East, more recent Arab and Ottoman Turkish culture, Georgian and Regency period furniture and ceramics, oriental rugs, the fabulous silver and turquoise jewellery of the American Southwest, mid-20th century Danish furniture design and the jewellery of Tony Duquette, to name just a few.
She also brings humour to bear in the creation of pieces inspired by television shows such as The Flintstones and the British science fiction cult classic, Blake’s 7.
Above all, she is inspired by the materials – the colour and shape of a bead, its geological origins, whether a rock or mineral, the manual skills involved in production and any underlying cultural imperatives. Her creative emphasis is on the beauty of natural materials.
