Julia’s work is informed by a fascination with the acceptance of death expressed in Memento Mori jewellery of the 15th to 18th centuries and Victorian Mourning jewellery. Julia studied at Northern Melbourne Institute of TAFE and has also completed a taxidermy mentorship. Her work is characterised by the elegant combination of these fields and ideas and has been extensively exhibited in Australia as well as in the USA and Europe. Julia employs taxidermy as a celebration of life and sees it as the preservation of something beautiful.
Julia’s work is designed to serve as contemporary Memento Mori—a reminder of mortality. Her contemporary jewellery is characterised by the use of symbols of death from past eras. Julia uses traditional precious and semi-precious metals and gems and occasionally materials that were once living, such as jet, human hair and taxidermy. In examining mortality, her work incorporates motifs that encourage viewers and wearers to identify with their own fate and challenge a prevalent culture that obsessively plans the future: forget an unknowable tomorrow and instead embrace the present.
Oyster Boy ring
Lily ring
Lily ring
Bow ring
Sparrow ring
Elizabeth Royal ring
Elizabeth Royal earrings
Rose earrings
My Three Engagements ring
Deco ring
Medieval Engagement ring
Diamond Rook pendant
Lily Claw brooch
Onyx and Hair single ea...
Death and Lilies ring
Alex Louise Royal ring
Lily earrings
We recently commissioned seven artists to make a piece of jewellery. Their brief was simple: take an item once belonging to an e.g.etal staff member and recycle, recreate, re-imagine it. These items came with their own story, were given a new one by each artist and now they wait for their new owners. We’ll be handing these pieces onto new owners via our Facebook page.
e.g.etal recently hosted an evening in which we presented a collection of over 100 precious gems from all over the world. The gallery became a studio in which Katherine Bowman, Julia deVille and Emma Goodsir explored ideas, designs and stories with clients who chose a stone (or stones) to form the basis for pieces of jewellery.
