Lunare Values
I feel immense gratitude and love for the land that I am so fortunate to live and create on. My deepest inspiration and healing comes from the maternal energy of the trees, water, animals and soil around me. This is a gift I appreciate and aim to reciprocate every day.
I acknowledge and pay my deepest respects to the Traditional Caretakers and Custodians of the stolen lands from which Lunare operates; the Wurundjeri Woiwurrung lands of the Kulin Nations. I extend my deepest gratitudes to elders past, present and emerging for the opportunity to create and learn in this sacred place. These are the voices and languages of the land, which we need to listen to in order to heal the wounds of separation created over the recent centuries.
Sovereignty was never ceded, and this always was and always will be Aboriginal Land.
~~~
Before I began studying Gold & Silversmithing at RMIT, I attended a crystal wrapping workshop run by a magical human, Milla Reid (the Chrysalis Affect) in Albury, NSW. At the time, I was in a very dark place with my mental health - finishing high school and trying to figure out what to do with the next few years of my life didn't exactly help the stress and uncertainty. She taught me how to connect with crystals through my hands and heart, particularly a raw green variscite that I chose to create into a necklace. Since then, I attended many workshops and discovered that creating jewellery was the art practice I'd been searching for throughout years of trying every craft imaginable. Then, after 9 months in my G&S course at uni, I decided to bite the bullet, drop out and create a business - Lunare Creations was born.
My upcycled bench in my garden shed Wunderkammer/studio, in North Warrandyte
After learning the consequences that the mining & manufacture of silver & crystals has on the earth, I decided to make every effort to use recycled or sustainably sourced materials in every possible aspect of my creating. For around 2/3 of my work, I use sustainably sourced sterling silver from Palloys in Sydney (you can read about their commitments to sustainability here), and the rest of my silver is recycled from old jewellery and scraps. Every piece of metal is melted down and used in future projects. My crystals are either naturally sourced from North-East Victoria, found second-hand, or bought from small local businesses.
The art of silversmithing can use many harmful and toxic chemicals, so I aim to use as many household items to replace these as possible - such as a vinegar/salt solution for pickling, or boiled eggs for patina.
The earth has given me so much and is the primary source of my creative inspiration, and I feel it's my responsibility as a human to take care of her in return.
Jewellery has helped me feel comfortable and truly present in myself - I believe that wearable art goes far beyond being just external decoration. Connection; this is the fundamental value that I see in jewellery. It's a physical embodiment of the energies that exist between the self, our loved ones, and the earth & its elements. I see myself reflected in my creations, and the energy put into each piece is intentional, slow, filled with love and creativity. At this stage in Lunare, all creations are made entirely with and from silver, with zero casting processes involved.
My creative energy flows from my heart to my hands and into each and every piece.
I aim to create jewellery that brings you back to the knowing that we are all connected. That humans are not separate from nature. Our power and our strength comes from community - not just that of humans. The water, mosses, trees, grasses, insects and everything around us is part of that.
I hope that my creations provoke a sense of connection in you, and that I can provide you with a consciously-made, unique companion that will last you generations.
- Loz
Lunare Creations is currently based in North Warrandyte. A range is stocked at Thornbury Apothecary.
Everything is handcrafted in my home studio.
All photographs are either taken by myself, or the very gifted and magical Gemma Raso (@gemrasophotography)