Goulburn Ovens Institute of TAFE

Marketing

Emerging jewellers exhibit at Milawa

GOTAFE Jewellery Design and Metal Smithing students are excitedly preparing for an exhibition they are holding to showcase their creations to the public.

The emerging jewellers exhibition, entitled "925+ Emerging Contemporary Jewellers" will be held at the Muse Gallery in Milawa, from 10-29 October 2009. The 14 exhibiting students decided to display their pieces locally, and have chosen the gourmet precinct of the North East of Victoria to do so.

The name of the exhibition is derived from the hallmark for sterling silver (925), and the plus is to encompass the many other materials they have used to create their stunning and unique pieces.

Students have learned the skills of jewellery making and metal smithing through the practical training provided in the Advanced Diploma of Engineering Technology (Jewellery) course at GOTAFE. The course provides students with the ability and skills to produce jewellery and pursue careers as self employed studio based designer makers or as designers working in conjunction with the manufacturing industry. The course also includes a practical placement component whereby students complete work placement in the industry.

Kirsty Harker, coordinator of the program, explains, "The course really provides students with all the knowledge and skills they will need to move successfully into the jewellery design industry. The entire student group have worked really hard to exhibit some beautiful rare pieces. All students are local, so the exhibition gives them a great opportunity to start showcasing their talent to the local community."

The official opening will be held on Saturday 10 October at 2pm and the exhibition can be viewed for the following two weeks. Gallery hours are 10am-5pm Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday.

As all pieces are for sale it provides an excellent opportunity to find unique pieces of jewellery from some very talented emerging jewellers.

For more information regarding the 925+ Emerging Contemporary Jewellers exhibition, or to find out more details regarding the Jewellery course and the student intake for 2010, please call 1300 GOTAFE (1300 468 233).