Course Summary

Learn how to utilise everyday materials, such as plastics, by using a variety of creative techniques with attention to detail to create a unique neckpiece and wearable art.
Suitable for anyone wanting to explore and develop creative contemporary jewellery, creative recycling, enhance design and fine motor skills, or prepare and expand creative portfolios.

Currently, we have no dates scheduled for this course. Please contact us via email enquiries@cae.edu.au to register your interest.

You can source many or all of the materials for this course around your own home or neighbourhood, utilising a variety of recycled, discarded or broken objects and materials, especially plastics. We begin with reimagining a found object and then we redesign and remake it into wearable art.

Pennie Jagiello will guide you through developing considerations for design, detail, and scale while exploring finer details to complete a unique neckpiece.

The aim is to be resourceful utilising recycled materials in ways that aim to minimise further waste and to explore the simple things around us that can be repurposed as tools. This leads to a creative practice working as sustainably as possible in a fun and creative challenge.

The following is a guide, but not limited. It’s open to expansion!

  • Plastics: e.g. milk bottles, food, beverage or shampoo bottles, old containers or lids, straws, balloon sticks, plastic tubing
  • Thread: e.g. sewing thread, embroidery thread, wool, string, rope- these will be used to join, connect and secure materials together, to thread onto, to crochet, or to decorate.
  • Other materials: e.g. beads or other desired embellishments 

Suitable for anyone wanting to explore and develop creative contemporary jewellery via creative recycling, while enhancing design and fine motor skills, as well as preparing and expanding your creative portfolio.

At the end of the course, you will have created a unique neckpiece with a newfound knowledge for imaginative exploration of recycled and found materials. At the same time you will incorporate a variety of hands-on creative techniques from multiple disciplines, all of which you can continue to develop and expand beyond the course.

  • Pennie Jagiello is a Melbourne-based contemporary jeweller with a Masters in Fine Art from RMIT. Her master’s body of work was constructed from anthropogenic debris collected from beaches and coastal environs across Victoria, New South Wales and the Pilbara.
  • Pennie’s works have been exhibited nationally at selected Craft and Design galleries, as well as showing in alternative art spaces.
  • Pennie was selected from RMIT to exhibit her MFA works in the prestigious Galerie Marzee International Graduate 2018 Show in Nijmegen, Netherlands. In addition to running classes at CAE, Pennie also delivers workshops, short courses and studio lectures in the School of Fashion and Textiles and in the School of Art, RMIT.

Purchase of these materials will be an investment, enabling you to continue making sustainable jewellery piceces for friends, family and yourself.

  • Scissors (for cutting materials such as a variety of plastics, fabric, thread and rope)
  • Retractable knife
  • Coping saw (optional)
  • Dremel/ other hobby drill (optional) for drilling holes and decorative details
  • Pliers
  • Stapler (optional)
  • Hole-punch
  • Lino cut tools (optional, for carving plastic)
  • Awl (or similar tool) used to pierce and engrave plastic
  • Sewing needles and thimble
  • Crochet hook (optional)
  • Wooden chopsticks
  • Permanent markers to use on plastic (optional)
  • Fabric scraps/ rags
  • Cutting matt or board
  • Serrated bread knife (optional) for harder plastic objects
  • Safety work gloves – for using with sharp tools
Last updated: March 25, 2024 05:03pm