Nina Ellis

Focusing on the robust and resilient nature of the Australian environment, Nina Ellis’ work takes its inspiration from both native Australian flora and the impacts of invasive plants or ‘weeds’.

Made from mild steel and sterling silver her works are labour intensive, being cut by hand and textured using her own home-made chisel. They are further embellished using techniques such as sandblasting, oxidization, enameling and Keum-boo, an ancient Korean form of inlay gilding. Together these various processes give the work a subtlety of form, and a delicately irregular texture, that capture the unique aesthetic of the natural world.

Nina says of her inspiration and works, “I take delight in the details of botanical forms. The tiny touch of colour in the humble alfalfa sprout. The exquisite fine lines you find on close inspection of a wheat stalk. The beautiful lines and folds of pressed flower petals, or even the tough and stubborn surface on a Scotch thistle”.

Nina completed her gold and silversmithing course at RMIT in Melbourne, in 2002.

Made in Australia.