Studio Visit with Skye Bragg

Skye Bragg studio visit, The Corner Store Gallery. Photograph by Madeline Young.

Studio Visit with Skye Bragg

Skye Bragg is a silversmith based in Peak Hill and is exhibiting as part of our new group exhibition Heart Place opening this Wednesday. Skye’s work is heavily inspired by nature and in particular the Australia bush. Immaculate silver gum nuts and leaves sit amongst the real thing in tiny cubed shelves in Skye’s studio. Skye is a collector of beautiful things, in particular dried leaves, pieces of bark, seed pods and gum nuts etc. These treasures are dotted through out the studio and provide endless inspiration. Scribbly gum bark is mimicked and emulated in silver using a rolling press. Many different techniques are used to create intricate representations of nature.

Some of Skye’s most recent series of silver jewellery will be on exhibition as part of Heart Place, a group exhibition with Colleen Southwell, Maggie Mackellar and Skye’s daughter Georgia Bragg from May 22nd until June 2nd. Sales will launch online at 8pm Tuesday May 21st so set your alarms.

Preview the Exhibition Catalogue here.

Tell us a little about your background, how long have you been working with silver?

I grew up on a mixed farming property near Cudal, NSW.

I began silversmithing classes in my last two years of boarding school through Sturt Gallery in the Southern Highlands just over thirty years ago, Now I’m showing my age!

What inspired this new body of work? What was your motivation?

Through a conversation with fellow artists Colleen Southwell, my daughter Georgia Bragg and Maggie Mackellar we decided to put a collection of works together of what is close to our hearts, hence the name of the exhibition “Heart Place”. There are many parallels in our lives, connection to place being a common thread with us all. Having lived on the Darling River for over 27 years in the Bourke area, Western NSW and now living on our own property with views of the Herveys Range, Central NSW the contrasting landscape has personally been my motivation for this body of work.

Can you talk us through your process?

First of all I walked along the river and range taking many photographs, collected found pieces of nature, drew sketches before making paper forms and then crafting my designs in sterling silver. The processes are varied involving sawing designs from sterling silver sheet, forming, soldering, texturing and polishing. I also organically cast gumnuts and seed pods in my kiln which then become elements in my designs.

Can you describe your fabulous studio to our readers?

I am so fortunate to work in a beautiful space. My studio was a granny flat which we have transformed when we moved here 18 months ago.

I have a large grey gum slab jewellery bench with separate soldering and saw bench areas made by my husband, a forming stump made from timber found on the Darling River and a workbench made by my Dad. My light filled studio is full of gumnuts, seed pods, native flowers and other treasures I have accumulated over many years which I draw my daily inspiration from.

What's your favourite piece from the collection?

That’s a tricky one. If I could choose 2, it would be the Darling River landscape earrings which will always hold a huge part of my heart and the Herveys Range bangle inspired by my new surroundings.

Skye Bragg, *River Landscape Pendant*, sterling silver.

Skye Bragg, *Range Textured Landscape Necklace,* sterling silver.

q and a, studio visitMadeline Young15 May 2024The Corner Store Galleryskye bragg, silver, silversmith, jewellery, heart place, studio, studio visit, interview, Q and A1 Comment