2022 Grad Show

Luke Winterhalt

AUArts Grad Show into the work

Jewellery & Metals

www.luke-winterhalt.com/

In my work, I explore the themes of decay and the relic through metalsmithing and digital drawing. My desire to create, paired with a love of history and mythology, led me to study jewelry and metalsmithing. Like being a reverse archaeologist; I make the objects that I hope to find. This results in the creation of pieces that formulate a view into the past with a more modern application.
Death and ruination are linked to the idea of change: the departure from what once was. This is related to much of the imagery I employ in my work, either through physical transformation or through symbols such as the raven, which embodies an omen of death as well as other connotations. I’m fascinated by the way an object can change over time, specifically, in this case, metals. I’m interested in how metals change due to outside stimuli in the environment such as heating, which can cause fractures, or changes in colour, and general decay from a pristine state. Finding ways to emulate these changes in a controlled manner is a major part of my process. It gives the piece the appearance as though it has survived the passage of time, when in reality, it is something completely modern in make; a form of artifice if you will. It creates a reason to speculate how the piece came to be here. What is its story? It becomes something for the audience to wonder for themselves. This extents into my drawing practice as well, creating digital paintings based on the same ideas and techniques that I utilize in my metal pieces in a more fantastical manner.

Swanson Custom A commissioned piece intended to resemble the previous Hacksilver Ring, but less broken down, and allowed to wear down naturally, slowly wearing away the dark sulfur patina to allow for the bright silver underneath to shine through the more it is worn by its owner.
Swanson Custom A commissioned piece intended to resemble the previous Hacksilver Ring, but less broken down, and allowed to wear down naturally, slowly wearing away the dark sulfur patina to allow for the bright silver underneath to shine through the more it is worn by its owner.
Swanson Custom A commissioned piece intended to resemble the previous Hacksilver Ring, but less broken down, and allowed to wear down naturally, slowly wearing away the dark sulfur patina to allow for the bright silver underneath to shine through the more it is worn by its owner.
Swanson Custom A commissioned piece intended to resemble the previous Hacksilver Ring, but less broken down, and allowed to wear down naturally, slowly wearing away the dark sulfur patina to allow for the bright silver underneath to shine through the more it is worn by its owner.

Swanson Custom

A commissioned piece intended to resemble the previous Hacksilver Ring, but less broken down, and allowed to wear down naturally, slowly wearing away the dark sulfur patina to allow for the bright silver underneath to shine through the more it is worn by its owner.

Swanson Custom AUArts Grad Show Swanson ring pic 1
Swanson Custom A commissioned piece intended to resemble the previous Hacksilver Ring, but less broken down, and allowed to wear down naturally, slowly wearing away the dark sulfur patina to allow for the bright silver underneath to shine through the more it is worn by its owner.
Swanson Custom AUArts Grad Show Swanson Ring Pic 2
Swanson Custom A commissioned piece intended to resemble the previous Hacksilver Ring, but less broken down, and allowed to wear down naturally, slowly wearing away the dark sulfur patina to allow for the bright silver underneath to shine through the more it is worn by its owner.
Swanson Custom AUArts Grad Show Swauson Ring Pic3
Swanson Custom A commissioned piece intended to resemble the previous Hacksilver Ring, but less broken down, and allowed to wear down naturally, slowly wearing away the dark sulfur patina to allow for the bright silver underneath to shine through the more it is worn by its owner.
Swanson Custom AUArts Grad Show IMG_6382
Swanson Custom A commissioned piece intended to resemble the previous Hacksilver Ring, but less broken down, and allowed to wear down naturally, slowly wearing away the dark sulfur patina to allow for the bright silver underneath to shine through the more it is worn by its owner.
Raven Cufflinks A more Gothic style of fitting of a piece reminiscent of Memento Mori jewelry, these cufflinks were made from the combination of wax and small Doilies in order to create a more organic, flesh like texture that resembles a cathedral window, with more connotations towards decay.
Raven Cufflinks A more Gothic style of fitting of a piece reminiscent of Memento Mori jewelry, these cufflinks were made from the combination of wax and small Doilies in order to create a more organic, flesh like texture that resembles a cathedral window, with more connotations towards decay.
Vanitas Zippo A custom made zippo case, made of sterling silver depicting a raven skull and roses, in reference to the vanitas still life. A fitting motif for a habit that can eventually be the death of you.
Vanitas Zippo A custom made zippo case, made of sterling silver depicting a raven skull and roses, in reference to the vanitas still life. A fitting motif for a habit that can eventually be the death of you.

Wear and Ruin

Pieces created with a more gothic, aged look in mind, reflecting ideas of memento mori and the wearing down of objects over time

Wear and Ruin AUArts Grad Show 004.Winterhalt_Luke_Raven_Cufflinks
Raven Cufflinks A more Gothic style of fitting of a piece reminiscent of Memento Mori jewelry, these cufflinks were made from the combination of wax and small Doilies in order to create a more organic, flesh like texture that resembles a cathedral window, with more connotations towards decay.
Wear and Ruin AUArts Grad Show 004.Winterhalt_Luke_Raven_Cufflinks_Sideview
Raven Cufflinks A more Gothic style of fitting of a piece reminiscent of Memento Mori jewelry, these cufflinks were made from the combination of wax and small Doilies in order to create a more organic, flesh like texture that resembles a cathedral window, with more connotations towards decay.
Wear and Ruin AUArts Grad Show Zippo Closed2
Vanitas Zippo A custom made zippo case, made of sterling silver depicting a raven skull and roses, in reference to the vanitas still life. A fitting motif for a habit that can eventually be the death of you.
Wear and Ruin AUArts Grad Show Zippo open 1
Vanitas Zippo A custom made zippo case, made of sterling silver depicting a raven skull and roses, in reference to the vanitas still life. A fitting motif for a habit that can eventually be the death of you.
Hack silver cufflinks Designed to resemble the hacked off ends of a larger piece of a bangle, twisting patterns resembling well worn Nordic Knotwork.
Hack silver cufflinks Designed to resemble the hacked off ends of a larger piece of a bangle, twisting patterns resembling well worn Nordic Knotwork.
Hack silver cufflinks Designed to resemble the hacked off ends of a larger piece of a bangle, twisting patterns resembling well worn Nordic Knotwork.
Hacksilver Ring Made from and old broken casting this ring was reshanked and rebuilt to give a partially worn and decayed appearance, while still having a part of it shiny and new.
Hacksilver Pendant This particular pieces construction consists of a single link form of the Foxtail link chain, one of the oldest forms of chain that we are aware of historically, going as far back as the bronze age, finding its way north during Roman expansions to the Germanic regions of Europe and spreading further since. The pendant itself appears to be a repurposed piece of Hacksilver that is heavily worn to the point the original design has faded into the surface.
Hacksilver Pendant This particular pieces construction consists of a single link form of the Foxtail link chain, one of the oldest forms of chain that we are aware of historically, going as far back as the bronze age, finding its way north during Roman expansions to the Germanic regions of Europe and spreading further since. The pendant itself appears to be a repurposed piece of Hacksilver that is heavily worn to the point the original design has faded into the surface.

Hacksilver

These pieces were inspired from my research on Norse artifacts, on of the most common finds for silver items was Hacksilver, a form of currency made from loot they acquired from raids and trading. Do to this the form of hacksilver fluctuates from anything from broken off pieces of wire, chunks taken from bracelets and rings. Essentially if it was made of silver and could be hacked apart it could be used as currency. As such I wished to convey this broken and aged look in the pieces I've made by repurposing the look of these items and bringing them into a more modern context as jewelry. The idea being frame them as though they still are the artifacts that they in part resemble, a sort of artifice to create yet another connection to the past.

Hacksilver AUArts Grad Show WinterhaltHackSilver03
Hack silver cufflinks Designed to resemble the hacked off ends of a larger piece of a bangle, twisting patterns resembling well worn Nordic Knotwork.
Hacksilver AUArts Grad Show 001.Winterhalt_Hacksilver_Cufflinks
Hack silver cufflinks Designed to resemble the hacked off ends of a larger piece of a bangle, twisting patterns resembling well worn Nordic Knotwork.
Hacksilver AUArts Grad Show 001.Winterhalt_Luke_Hacksilver_Cufflinks_Sideview
Hack silver cufflinks Designed to resemble the hacked off ends of a larger piece of a bangle, twisting patterns resembling well worn Nordic Knotwork.
Hacksilver AUArts Grad Show 002.Winterhalt_Luke_Hacksilver_RIng
Hacksilver Ring Made from and old broken casting this ring was reshanked and rebuilt to give a partially worn and decayed appearance, while still having a part of it shiny and new.
Hacksilver AUArts Grad Show IMG_4490
Hacksilver Pendant This particular pieces construction consists of a single link form of the Foxtail link chain, one of the oldest forms of chain that we are aware of historically, going as far back as the bronze age, finding its way north during Roman expansions to the Germanic regions of Europe and spreading further since. The pendant itself appears to be a repurposed piece of Hacksilver that is heavily worn to the point the original design has faded into the surface.
Hacksilver AUArts Grad Show 003.Winterhalt_Luke_Hacksilver_Pendant
Hacksilver Pendant This particular pieces construction consists of a single link form of the Foxtail link chain, one of the oldest forms of chain that we are aware of historically, going as far back as the bronze age, finding its way north during Roman expansions to the Germanic regions of Europe and spreading further since. The pendant itself appears to be a repurposed piece of Hacksilver that is heavily worn to the point the original design has faded into the surface.

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