Belinda Esperson

lives in Melbourne, Australia

education

2009
Advanced Diploma Engineering Technology – Jewellery
Northern Melbourne Institute of TAFE, Melbourne

1991
Bachelor of Arts – Interior Design (Hons)
RMIT University, Melbourne

1985
Bachelor of Business – Marketing
Monash University, Melbourne

career before jewellery

Before embarking on my jewellery career I worked as a Project Director for several corporate branding consultancies. This included 2 years living and working in beautiful Amsterdam.

I did work briefly in interior design during and after completing my interior design degree but found the long leadtimes, extensive client intervention and resulting design compromise too much to bear as a designer – and so gravitated towards managing the business side of design projects – which is what I did for 10 years. But I missed designing and was still searching for a way to use my design skills and my love of design. After trying a few different areas including floristry I took a short course in jewellery making and on day one I realised I’d finally found what I’d been looking for.  I loved the immediacy of jewellery making and realised that it involves many of the aspects I enjoyed about interior design – materials, form, textures, structure – but that I enjoyed the process as much as the outcome.

selected exhibitions

2021
Arcobaleno (group exhibition)
Pieces of Eight Gallery, Melbourne

2017
About Face (group exhibition)
COTA Gallery
Strand Arcade, George St, Sydney

2014
Victory (group exhibition)
Pieces of Eight Gallery, Melbourne
Dec

2013
Raw Detail
solo exhibition
Pieces of Eight Gallery, Melbourne
1 Oct – 9 Nov

Breathe into…
An exhibition of creative origin featured a singular piece of new work from a group of COTA artists
COTA Gallery
Surry Hills, Sydney (May/June)

also shown at the Jam Factory (Adelaide)
June

2012
Divine Decadence
Pieces of Eight Gallery, Melbourne

Atelier en Route
Quesnoy-le-Montant, France

2011
Christmas Treasures
Pieces of Eight Gallery, Melbourne

Downsizing – a group exhibition of interior designers turned jewellers
Pieces of Eight Gallery, Melbourne

2009
MINT
Graduate Exhibition for NMIT Advanced Diploma Engineering Technology
Melbourne

2009
Contemporary Wearables ’09 Biennial Jewellery Award & Exhibition
Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery, Queensland Australia (travelling)

2009
BUDA  2009 10th Biennial Leviny Commemorative Exhibition
Contemporary Australian Silver & Metalwork
BUDA House, Castlemaine, Victoria Australia

awards

2012
Artstart grant
Australia Council for the Arts

2009
Best 2nd year student
Advanced Diploma Engineering Technology – Jewellery
Northern Melbourne Institute of TAFE, Melbourne

2008
Best 1st year student
Advanced Diploma Engineering Technology – Jewellery
Northern Melbourne Institute of TAFE, Melbourne

further learning

2019
White Enamelling – an in-depth exploration
Jessica Turrell
4 day workshop, West Dean College Chichester, UK

2016
Mold Making and Casting Process – Creating Jewellery and Vessels
Peter Bauhuis
5 day workshop in Munich, Germany

2012
Atelier en Route
Willemijn de Greef & Ineke Herkens
6 day jewellery workshop
Quesnoy-le-Montant, France

Dream Now – Ruudt Peters
6 day conceptual jewellery workshop
Ravenstein, The Netherlands

Indigenous Basket Weaving
2 day workshop
Geelong Botanical Gardens, Geelong Australia

2011
Pacific Weaving – Maryann Talla Pau
Making ceramic jewellery (casting) – Gretchen Hillhouse

2010
Deconstructed Basketry – Anna King (Scotland)
4 day workshop
Ballarat, Australia

Translucent Porcelain – Steven McClure
2 day workshop
Melbourne