Jewellery

Elise Sheehan

Elise Sheehan is an object and jewellery designer based in the Nicholas Building in Melbourne’s CBD.  Here she makes fine jewellery, ceramics and illustrations with a distinctive minimalist approach.

Written
by
Lisa Marie Corso

Jewellery, objects and sketches by Elise Sheehan. Photo – Annette O’Brien for The Design Files.

Elise Sheehan at work in her Melbourne studio. Photo – Annette O’Brien for The Design Files.

Fine jewellery and object design by Elise Sheehan. Photo – Annette O’Brien for The Design Files.

Studio details. Photo – Annette O’Brien for The Design Files.

Jewellery and object design by Elise Sheehan. Photo – Annette O’Brien for The Design Files.

Ceramic vessels and objects by Elise Sheehan. Photo – Annette O’Brien for The Design Files.

Studio details. Photo – Annette O’Brien for The Design Files.

Elise Sheehan in her Melbourne studio. Photo – Annette O’Brien for The Design Files.

Writer
Lisa Marie Corso
16th of July 2015

Elise Sheehan is an object and jewellery designer based in Melbourne. Working from her studio in the Nicholas Building, she makes fine jewellery, ceramics and illustrations with a distinctive minimalist approach. Her restrained aesthetic is the reverse outcome of having spent many years in her teens abiding by the ‘more is more’ philosophy. ‘I used to wear everything all at once, I remember feeling as though the op shops and Camberwell Markets did not have enough jewellery and trinkets to satisfy my desire to wear it/buy it!’ she recalls.

Originally studying textile design, Elise was later drawn to jewellery design because of its portable nature and simplicity. It wasn’t until a housemate circled a jewellery design course in the newspaper and slipped into under Elise’s bedroom door that she decided to pursue her passion. She later enrolled in RMIT’s Bachelor of Fine Art with honours in Object based Practice.

All of Elise’s work stems from her fascination with line. ‘Most of my work is an ongoing investigation of the line. Drawing is always a consideration when producing my work, as a starting point, an accompaniment or even as a way to approach to the material itself,’ she says. Elise combines small scale jewellery production with installation and sculptural pieces created for retail and event spaces, and recently produced a window installation for Craft Victoria called ‘In/Out’.

Creatively, Elise works on many projects in tandem, going back and forth until she is happy with the results. ‘These days I am in control of the soldering flame and making small-scale jewellery and ornate wire structures (for the most part) fearlessly, and work on lots of things at once’ she says. She tends to create works in a monochromatic palettes using silver, ceramic, enameling and found materials. She is currently looking forward to an exhibition as part of the Craft Cubed Festival at Milly Sleeping and has been short listed for the Victorian Craft Award.

Elise Sheehan’s work is available from her online shop, Craft Victoria, Monk House Design, MIRKAMIRA.

Elise Sheehan’s studio in the Nicholas Building. Photo – Annette O’Brien for The Design Files.

Recent Jewellery