Venice Jewellery for Karla Spetic

Venice Jewellery for Karla Spetic

The Venice Jewellery for Karla Spetic collection was inspired by the elaborate and intertwining patterns present on Portuguese façade tiles. Selecting specific details, designs were drawn and sculpted by Venice in high-definition polymer clay. The sculpted polymer clay pieces went through an extensive casting and moulding process that resulted in a finished cast glass piece ready to set into silver.

A colour scheme of lime green, deep blue, luminescent yellow and silver were chosen to match the striking colour palette of Karla's collection. Highly detailed surfaces cover simple geometric forms direct from Spetic's SS2011 prints; a glass sphere, a linear chest plate, exude implicit complexity, where detail reveals itself upon closer inspection, leaving us with a blurred idea of where complexity and simplicity meet.

Using gilding techniques, surfaces are covered in gold and silver leaf, reflecting light and bringing clarity to their design. 'I am awestruck by the medium of cast glass. By its complex processes in creation, by its irregular properties that need to be carefully monitored and controlled and by the endless possibilities and visual effects one can experiment with." says Venice.

Glass pieces are set into a textured silver surface, bringing Portuguese patterning into a structural realm through a series of rings, bracelets and neckpieces in sterling silver.

'Cast glass is not commonly used in jewellery, especially within Australia and that was part of its allure, along with its qualities fitting to Karla's aesthetic.
Working with glass gave us a broad colour spectrum and a level of detail that was advantageous to our concept and interest in the detailing of Portuguese tiles."