Renee Damiani

A couple of week back I was at Craft Queensland (or should I say the organisation formerly known as C.Q, and now known as ARTISAN), for an opening and happened to have a super quick glance at the jewellery cabinets. It was then that some brightly coloured scribble looking brooches and earrings really caught my eye. I thought the pieces were so inventive and fun. When I got home I contacted Adelaide jeweller, Reneee Daminari to tell her that I liked her pieces. Renee is currently a resident jeweller at the JamFactory after having finished her degree in 2005. I think she is definitely one to watch out for,and yes I am completely biased toward crazy plastic jewellery - but only if it's good!

Renee's name did sound familiar and on some investigation I worked out that she had asked me some questions as a student in 2005. looking at my answers now I was surprised to see how little my thoughts have changed, except when it comes to knowing who my "target market" is. Being online has really given me a better understanding of that, and hopefully a better connection to them.

Here is the interview if your interested.
Interview questions- Contemporary Jewellers that work with Synthetics materials (plastic, foam & rubber)


1.What are the main design considerations or ideas for your work?
I mostly make wearable pieces in which I consider how they will sit and the comfort factor for the wearer.

2.What materials do you predominantly work with and why?
A broad range of plastics & rubber, which are generally recycled/found objects. Tupperware was used extensively.

3.Is it a cost or an aesthetic consideration for choosing plastic, foam & rubber for the design of your work?
It is an aesthetic consideration although the lost cost is a great benefit.

4.How did you start working in these materials and why?
I have used found plastic objects in my work before. The turning point, in which I switched to a focus on plastics came after my 2004 show, I’m a Tupperware Lady. After I had made over 100 pieces of jewellery for this show all using Tupperware I developed an interest in exploring the possibilities further.

5.What are your main influences for your work?
I like anything that looks like a lolly!

6.Whose work do you admire most in terms of using plastic foam & rubber? Are you influenced by them?
I love Helen Britton’s work in term of her use of colour and the combining of plastics (junky pieces) and the precious.

Mark Vaarwerk – the plastic bag is just the best idea around.

There is always a lot of really interesting and inspiring work on the Fingers gallery website.

I spend time each day looking up websites and seeing other artists work and no doubt I am influenced by them.

7.What techniques or processes do you use in your work? How do you treat the material?
I cut, saw, melt, drill, twist and stretch.

8.Why have you continued to work in this material?
I haven’t discovered all the possibilities yet.

9.Is there a market for this material? Where do you market your works and what is your target market?
Yes there is right now. I sell work through places such as the Queensland Art Gallery, Craft Victoria, Form, KickArts and a number of others. My target market would be people who attend such places.

10.Do you predominately use plastics and synthetics for production lines or for your one off pieces? And why?
I use plastic materials for all lines. It is the time and ideas involved in different work that make them production or one off pieces.

11.Is colour important in your work & why?
Yes, I’ve always been interested in colour and using it to make bold statements.

12.If you like could you share some technical information with me about the way you work?
I am searching for new techniques and experimenting all the time.

13.What material do you think has the greatest influence on contemporary jewellery at the present time and why?
There is a lot of interest right now in plastics and recycled materials in general.

14.Will you continue to work with plastic in the future? What other ways can you see yourself working in? other materials?
I expect so. I have been interested in combining materials in the past and may do more of this in the future.

15.Anything else you would like to add about this topic?
I am interested/concerned in the longevity of these materials and try to consider this when choosing particular plastics/rubber.