Artist Statement
(first person)
I love to create elegant, classical and stylish jewellery for today's woman. A woman who is confident, who knows what she likes regardless of passing fashion.
I search the world for unusual and different gemstones and then combine them with other gems, pearls and silver to create quality one of a kind items. My designs are constantly evolving and each piece is created to highlight the beauty of the stones and materials used.
I am influenced by historic lore and old world simplicity – I endeavour to create pieces that are evocative of a golden age…timeless and enduring.
Artists Statement
(third person)
Creating elegant, classical and stylish jewellery for today's woman, Annette searches the world for unusual and different gemstones and then combines them with other gems, pearls and silver to create quality, one of a kind items. Her designs are constantly evolving, with each piece highlighting the beauty of the stones and materials used.
Influenced by historic lore and old world simplicity she endeavors to create pieces that are evocative of a golden age…. timeless and enduring.
Annette Piper creates elegant, classical and stylish jewellery,
incorporating quality gemstones, pearls and silver. Her designs are constantly evolving and are created to highlight the beauty of the stones and materials used. Influenced by old world simplicity and ancient legends, a number of her pieces have names evocative of a golden age. Preferring to make one of a kind items, she does include a small number of limited editions
in her constantly changing range.
Annette's first employment out of school (1982) was for manufacturing
jeweller, Peter Lind, in his exclusive retail outlet on the Gallery level,
Mid City Centre, Sydney. Here she was exposed to high quality jewellery
with exceptional stone and pearl selection. Next she worked for Olah Jewellers, another manufacturing jeweller as well as an opal specialist, located at the then tourist hub of the Hyatt Hotel, Kings Cross. A comprehensive workshop was located in the main store and here Annette gained a basic understanding of a jeweller's skills.
Whilst at Olah's she began a course in Gemmology through the Gemmological Association of NSW, which she completed in 1986, studying under respected instructors. During her final year of study she moved to Angus & Coote in Centrepoint, Sydney where she set up their new opal section. Not entirely comfortable with the big business approach to jewellery, she moved to Opal Spectrum also in Sydney city, where she worked for the Managing Director and Buyer, Tom van Brugge. As Assistant Buyer she gained valuable knowledge and experience. After completing her Diploma of Gemmology she also became Resident Gemmologist and would assist high profile clients of Opal Spectrum, as required, in their VIP room.
After having her children (a boy and twin girls) and with the girls at preschool, Annette started to dabble once again with jewellery. Starting with simple beaded projects for her daughters, she quickly progressed to selling uncomplicated pearl and gem strands for the local market. After some classes with Goldsmith, Sabine van Gent of Mudgee, Annette gained much confidence and has since gone from strength to strength.
In October 2005 she appeared in the prestigious Designer Showcase at the Bead & Gem Show, Sydney. She had a project feature in the December 2005 issue of the Australian Beader magazine and is listed by Orana Arts as a Contemporary Jewellery Designer. After many successful showings in the Mudgee, Merriwa and Coolah districts, a highlight of 2006 was exhibiting at the Lovedale Limited Edition Expo in the Hunter Valley.
In July 2005 Annette launched her own website www.annettepiper.com where clients can browse through and purchase her creations.
Her jewellery has become very popular in both locally and further afield. She is stocked by an upmarket gift boutique in Brisbane (Presentables) and a selection of her pieces are with an online gift store, Tonic Gifts. She also has a small selection of her work on display at a local artisan outlet in Coolah. She regularly displays at private and fundraising functions in the Merriwa - Coolah - Mudgee area.
So far in 2007 Annette has exhibited at the International Women's Day function in Dubbo and the Jazz in the Tops festival, Coolah and is looking forward to participating in Ironfest, Lithgow in April.
Annette works from her home studio and can be seen by appointment only. She can be contacted by email (annette.piper@bigpond.com) or by phone (02) 63774556.
