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Our content creator and photographer Carli Wilson interviewed Boom Maker Nicola Knackstredt about her artistic process as a jeweller and where she finds inspiration.

Q. What does a typical day look like in your studio?

A. It’s usually a slow start to my studio day because I want to approach studio time gently. I walk or ride to my studio, either get a coffee on the way or as a mid-morning break, and let the metal guide my day. Silversmithing is iterative, process-driven and variable: I could spend half a day rolling down metal, a whole day emerying, or hours polishing.

Q. How do you balance your time in the studio with other commitments such as work, family etc?

A. At the moment I work 4 days a week in my job that pays the bills which leaves me with Fridays in the studio. When I have a deadline—like an upcoming exhibition—I’ll also try to spend some of the weekend in my studio, but generally weekends are for my partner, friends and family. It isn’t easy to balance and I certainly wish I had more time to spend at the bench!

Q. Tell me one fun fact about you.

A. I was enrolled in fashion design before I got my final marks in Year 12 - it was something I dreamed about as a small child. At the eleventh hour, I decided to switch to law school with a focus on human rights. After a number of years of pursuing that path, I reaquainted myself with my creativity. I think you can see my early love of fabric in my work.

Q. Can you walk us through your creative process?

A. When I am making production work, I typically make a very rough sketch and then move to paper or thin card prototype, followed by an aluminium model. With exhibition work, I tend to move from an idea/rough sketch straight into silver. Each metal has unique properties, so it makes sense to work through challenges in silver if time is precious.

Q. What is something not many people know about you?

A. I didn't finish art school! I was studying part time and had just started my third year when Covid hit. Workshop access was shut down, so I set up a little studio at the house where I was living at the time. I needed a bit of a goal to keep me focused so I decided to pursue opening a business and making for the pleasure of it.

Q. How many hours does it take you to produce a typical piece?

A. Silversmithing is process driven, so when I am making production line work it makes sense to make a number of pieces at a time—typically it takes two days from start to finish for the earrings I sell at Boom. When I make exhibition pieces it may take as little as a day or two, or up to several months, to finish a piece. In the latter case, I’ll generally have a few pieces on the go because they’ll all be at different stages and will likely require different processes.

Q. Over a week, how much time do you have for creative practice and how do you schedule time to be productive?

A. I have a dedicated studio day and maybe some time on the weekend. I do a lot of admin around my business/ other non-studio work in the evenings after my day job, which means I can fully dedicate my day off work to being at the bench. Sometimes when driving long distances I brainstorm ideas and work though problems, which is also an effective use of time!

Q. What inspires your creativity and how do you stay motivated?

A. I get inspired by what I see around me—in exhibitions, in fashion, sometimes by what someone is wearing on TV—and through conversations with other creatives, who help me to think outside the box. Having a goal to work towards, like an exhibition or entry to a prize, is very motivating but can also be quite stressful when timeframes are tight!

Q. What advice would you give an emerging jeweller trying to find their feet in the industry?

A. Be true to yourself. When I started making what I wanted, rather than what I thought people wanted, I found pleasure in making and a unique aesthetic. Sometimes I need to remind myself why I make jewellery: it’s for me. If people like my work and want to wear it, that’s great! But ultimately my practice is where I go to connect with myself.

Q. What is the biggest challenge of being a jeweller?

A. Time. Time away from my day job to spend in my studio. Time for my body to recover from the physicality of my practice. Time to think, experiment, rethink. Time for the many, consecutive processes that go into making one wearable object!

Q. What role do you think creatives have in society?

A. Creatives help people find joy and self-expression. Whether it is a painting on the wall, or what you put on to adorn your body, people choose artworks that make them feel something significant. When people choose an item of jewellery to wear, it is a decision about how the piece makes them feel and how they want to present themselves to the world.

Q. What is the best show / exhibition / gig you have ever been to?

A. I was fortunate enough to see the Sydney Theatre Company’s ‘The picture of Dorian Gray’. It was an immense privilege to witness an artist (Eryn Jean Norvill) at the height of their power and talent, and everything else about the production—from lighting to costumes—was perfection.

Q. Does the place you live now influence your practice? If so, how?

A. Absolutely! I am fortunate enough to have my own studio at M16 Artspace in Canberra. An affordable studio is a real luxury and we are really lucky in Canberra. I have the space to make basically anything I want with tools that I have purchased to suit my practice. I even have natural light and a sink! A great space to make allows for flexibility which helps creativity.

Q. What was the first piece you ever made?

A. The first piece I made in silver was a ring at a night time community college in Sydney, back in 2011. I had a dream to work with silver for many years as a teenager, and when I saw the silver dust floating down from my blade as I sawed through the metal, I was hooked. It took a while for me to find silversmithing again after that experience, but I am so happy I did.

Q. Where were you born and has this influenced your creative practice?

A. I was born in Sydney but grew up in Dorrigo, in Northern NSW. We were 20 minutes from town with no internet and little TV so we entertained ourselves. I drew, made clothes for dolls and beaded jewellery for myself, my family and friends.

Q. Can you share with us links to recent media articles or collaborations that showcase your practice?

A. I'm really excited to be part of Radiant Pavilion, a biannual jewellery festival taking place in Melbourne from 14-22 September. As part of this, I have a group show with a former ANU classmate, Saskia den Brinker at Brunswick Street Gallery, from 12-29 September.

https://www.radiantpavilion.com.au/listing/outside-our-boxes/

https://brunswickstreetgallery.com.au/blogs/exhibitions/#upcomingexhibitions

Lifestyle Photography: Maddie Manning
Product Photography: Carli Wilson