Gold Coast based emerging jeweler Ashleigh Hearne’s work explores the effect that consumer ideologies have on contemporary society. She creates ecologically friendly work that encourages us to reconsider the value we attribute to consumer goods and how their widespread use effects the environment.
Hearne’s Eco-consumer necklace in Greensmith seeks to educate the consumer on the reuse and recycling of everyday materials. Made from recycled sterling silver and reused glass from empty perfume bottles, Hearne’s work is still presented as a high quality consumable item. However, the work has been constructed with recycling in mind, as its elements are able to be easily separated and recycled with minimal effort. This work seeks to protect the natural environment by re-evaluating and recycling discarded items, and providing the means for future reinvention of its materials