SPOTLIGHT ON ... DESIGNER
November 2006

Our featured designer for this month is Candy Spender Jewels.

I was born in Venezuela, into a family of artists, writers and designers. I was lucky to experience a culturally exotic beginning in life. As a small child I travelled extensively with my family to places such as Iran, Holland, UK, Spain and the West Indies. At the age of 13, we immigrated to Australia.

From a background in graphic design, printmaking, photography, fashion illustration and painting, I started making jewellery in the early eighties.

After a few years of regarding my jewellery making as a recreational activity, a small one person operation grew into a spirited fashion and special occasions jewellery design, and production studio which stocked over thirty stores in Australia, as well as several high end galleries and boutiques in the US, Hong Kong and UK.

After my parents died within four months of each other in 1998, I attended a Buddhist retreat and discovered that I didn't want to go on managing a business in which I rarely got to work on the bench with my jewellery tools and just experiment and 'play'. (which is how I'd started out!). Life is too precious and short to be spending time postponing what I loved doing best. In 2002, I closed down the wholesale side of my operation so that I could have more creative freedom and get back to working with one-off pieces for individuals.

I am currently based in Melbourne, Australia where a melange of cultures from Asian, to European makes for an exotic and stylish culture.

I have recently started a new small business with a partner, in which we are developing jewellery-making patterns. (not unlike dress patterns) for the burgeoning DIY jewellery market. This is ostensibly to teach and expand people's own creativity.

Candy Spender Jewels http://www.candyspender.com.au/