CAMEO IS AN ONGOING SERIES FEATURING CANADIAN JEWELLERY ARTISTS. HERE, THEY SHARE THEIR LATEST THOUGHTS AND INSIGHTS, AND GIVE US A PEEK INTO THEIR PRACTICE.
Describe your current work/practice in one sentence.
In redeeming the beauty and value of decaying surfaces and abandoned objects, I create wearable contemporary and production jewellery.
What are three things/ideas that inspire you?
My main inspiration derives from the transformation of material collected from abandoned spaces and mimicking their surfaces.
The [abandoned] space, with its distinct personality and narrative sparks vitality and provokes a sense of discomfort, astonishment, sadness, and empathy.
Insight in the forgotten, neglected, and abandoned: I apply this in a minimalist architectural manner to create wearable art pieces. My hope is to restore their importance.
What other things do you do besides your jewellery practice?
While studying at NSCAD I had the opportunity to teach jewellery design at the Centre for Craft Nova Scotia and I hope to continue to teach in the future. It seems that my personal interest in hiking, biking and photography have become part of my practice and passion. On rural and urban adventures whether hiking or biking, I seem to be attracted to abandoned spaces. I capture my inspiration through photography and documenting and collecting material.
Derelict Resurgence is an assemblage of pieces that creates a closer and more meaningful dialogue regarding these decaying surfaces and objects. By setting a mosaic of objects with some untouched, some modified and mimicked surfaces, they become unified in their importance and value. This piece encompasses the techniques, inspiration, and motivation of my practice by combining contemporary jewellery practice and fine art installation work.
What is a favourite piece that you’ve made and why?
Michelle Plamondon
Derelict Resurgence (2020)
Steel, silver, enamel on copper, found objects
Michelle Plamondon
RCAF Beaver Station Rooftop (2019)
Silver, enamel on copper, steel
Innovative
What word pops into your mind when you think of Canadian art jewellery?
I am currently midway through a year-long artist residency at Harbourfront Centre in Toronto. I am focused on development and launching my first production line, along with planning to launch a collaborative project WATCH ME RUST, that will focus on the themes of decay from multiple diverse locations.
What is coming up next for you?
Published: 2021/05/12
