Mornington jewellery designer Sally Rose welcomes clients into her cosy studio at The Nook on Progress Street to sit down and articulate their dreams and visions. Together they plan the design for a one-of-a-kind piece of wearable art. Each engagement ring, wedding or keepsake ring will hold that person’s story, energy and memories; a daily reminder of all they hold dear.
Meeting and talking to clients is a bit like conducting an interview. Sally has to grasp the essence of the wearer in order to create something that reflects his/her personality. When they have decided on the design, stones and metals, Sally creates an intricate mock up drawing of the piece to make sure it’s exactly what the client wants.
Designing has always been part of Sally’s world. Originally, her plan was to become a fashion designer, but sewing didn’t inspire her, so she went in a different direction. In her early life, Sally was surrounded by creativity. Her Mum, an early childhood teacher, enjoyed sewing, making and playing piano. Sally loved to sing.
Her father worked in radio and played drums as did her brother. They could have formed a family band.
Growing up on a couple of acres in Gippsland, Sally and her younger brother spent a lot of time outdoors. The natural beauty of the region had a profound impact. In school, Sally regularly got in trouble for daydreaming and doodling. She was always drawing. An enterprising child, on weekends and school holidays, Sally set up a stand outside her house to sell handmade beaded jewellery, foreshadowing her future.
Jewellery was a natural progression; it’s just scaled down sculpture
It made sense to go to art school. Sally went to Monash University, getting a Bachelor of Arts in Sculpture. She learned soldering and welding. Sally was making sculptures ranging from 1-5 metres tall. Her degree was useful for the practical, process-based skills that she learned. “Jewellery was a natural progression; it’s just scaled down sculpture,” she says.
Travelling through Europe, Sally had the opportunity to make body jewellery in London for styling in music videos. It was an interesting intersection of costume jewellery and fashion. The art, architecture and design aesthetic in Europe provided endless inspiration.
Sally’s motto is ‘beauty from every angle’ and that’s her approach in designing. “I have to look at each angle just like I’m creating a miniature sculpture. Then, I like put in little details. I literally dream of ring designs,” she says.
From classic solitaire rings to elaborate avant-garde pieces that incorporate elements of Art Deco, Art Nouveau or Mid-Century Modern, Sally makes statement rings to last a lifetime and beyond. She likes to think of her work as ‘modern vintage’ as she draws inspiration from design styles. Then she adds her own modern twist.
The stones chosen for each ring are dictated by the design brief. They have to fit the size and shape of the piece. Sally sources her stones from the same Melbourne suppliers that she’s trusted for decades. Sometimes clients come in with older jewellery which they’d like remade into something new. This creates its own interesting challenges.
The two things Sally loves best about being a jewellery designer are creating the design brief and meeting clients. “The look on a client’s face when they see the piece is the greatest reward,” she says. Whether meeting the challenge of repurposing or designing something original, creating jewellery makes Sally’s heart sing.
Much like her upbringing in beautiful Gippsland, living on the Mornington Peninsula provides an endless source of inspiration. Sally is a great lover of the ocean and its ever-changing palette of colours. She also appreciates the Peninsula’s big moody skies, verdant paddocks, grey green eucalypts and the sun-beached yellows of the bush.
Sally loves nothing more than designing a new collection. It’s her creative apex. She draws inspiration from unexpected sources like the book/film, The Virgin Suicides or Italian master Botticelli’s Birth of Venus painting. Post inspiration, the thrilling work of crafting all the interrelated pieces begins.
“I am authentic. I want to create one-of-a-kind pieces that last lifetimes. It’s an honour to design something that can be passed down. It creates a generational story. I love that,” she says.
Getting the balance right is key to a timeless piece – juggling the ratio of metal to stone, considering durability and, of course, the ring must be comfortable. Right now, Sally is itching to get a new collection underway, but time away from clients is tricky. They have to come first and she often has a commission queue. It’s no wonder. No one makes jewellery quite like Sally Rose.