Natalia Milosz-Piekarska, a 29-year-old contemporary jeweller from St Kilda, has been named one of Australia’s top five emerging creatives in the British Council’s 2010 Realise Your Dream award – and will now travel to the UK to meet leading jewellers.
Milosz-Piekarska and the other four award winners (writer and independent publisher Alice Gage, theatre maker Samara Hersch, artisan designers Maricor Marica and theatre director Geordie Brookman), were selected from more than 600 entrants across Australia.
They will each receive a return flight to the UK, $8000 spending money and “a tailored professional development program” including meetings, placements and mentoring.
British Council director Nick Marchand said the British Council would “tap into its network in the UK creative industries to help open the doors winners need most to further their careers”.
Milosz-Piekarska, who gained a Bachelor of Fine Arts (gold and silversmithing) degree at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology where she currently teaches, runs her own jewellery studio.
She said her jewellery is made from “anything and everything” including precious metals, timber, beads, resin, stones and an assortment of “found materials”.
“I don’t discriminate,” she said. “My main objective is to tell a story, so whatever materials, colours, textures help me do that are the ones I gravitate towards.”
In the UK, she plans to undergo a mentorship with renowned British jeweller Scott Wilson.
Marchand said the winners were those who displayed innovation and leadership in their chosen fields, and who have a clear vision of how they’ll benefit from connecting with the UK’s best.
“This year’s winners showed impressive talent, passion and commitment to their crafts,” he said.
“I highly commend each on their outstanding work and ongoing contribution to the
creative industries.”
The 2010 Realise Your Dream entries were open to candidates in fields as varied as arts, fashion, design, advertising, architecture, music, animation, digital media, performing arts, publishing and computer games.