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Tamara Russell

Jewellery (/ˈdʒuːəlri/) Noun - ornamental pieces that are made of materials which may or may not be precious, are often set with genuine or imitation gems, and are worn for personal adornment With mask wearing now a compulsory feature of life in Melbourne, masks are quickly becoming the new form of adornment for many. Hiding the majority of our faces behind paper or cloth is leading to many becoming more creative with the masks we wear. We are adding personal flair in our choices of materials and embellishments used in a similar way to our choices of jewellery. For this piece I have created three masks to adorn my face and portray my thoughts. Using vintage linen and reclaimed raw silk as my base, I have used cotton thread to adorn the masks in the place precious stones.

With the outbreak of COVID-19 bringing societies to an abrupt halt, we have had the chance to reconsider our lives and glimpse the efforts of the natural world to regain balance. This has also offered the opportunity to slow down and allow time to enjoy creating. Slow stitch using reclaimed materials allows me to take time for myself to relax and unwind. Using the practice of mindfulness and focusing my full attention only on the present, experiencing thoughts, feelings, and sensations but not judging them reduces stress and physical pain. The masks were created using the slow stitching ethos, allowing me to take pleasure in simple stitches and processes to reflect upon my time in lockdown and the requirement for mandatory mask wearing in Melbourne

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