Oceania Collection was an idea I had to display 9 enamelled copper shell brooches. The inspiration was from Museum visits, looking at the collections from Victorian explorers who travelled the world collecting natural flora and fauna. These displays included handwritten notes and were often presented in cases or trays.
My shell shapes were taken from my imagination and each one seemed to develop its own personality with each firing. The brooch fittings had to be soldered on before enamelling and each three dimensional shape I spend a ridiculously long time looking for an old wooden box to display the collection in. I then had to make the dividers for each section and line it.
I must admit I had fun writing the labels! Each shell has a name. The shells were collected from the unknown oceans surrounding the ancient seaport of Leicester.
The collection is on display in Leicester Museum and Art Gallery until January 31st as part of the Open Exhibition I was thrilled to receive the Leicester Galleries and Museums Development Trust Award.
It feels very fitting to have this piece in the Museum. Leicester Open Exhibition, in the same building as the fossils, dinosaur bones and archaeological finds.
