It was fun today helping for the second year to set up the cabinets at the Fitzroy Library for the Australian National Brooch Show, an annual event hosted by the Contemporary Art Society of Victoria Inc, now in it's 14th year. The pictured brooches are my 2022 contribution in situ and one has has already sold, with thanks! This is the Buddha hand fruit - a strange looking citrus I first discovered in Jenny Phillip's botanical art classes around 2010 - I had gotten through some preliminary drawings back then, however never took them through to the finished painting, as the fruits are hard to get hold of and their fruiting season is incredibly short. However I have made clay Buddha hand pendants which have sold really well over the years. This is my first brooch, which I didn't expect would sell. However the buyer is very savvy and knows her fruit! The brooch show opens formally this Saturday at the Fitzroy Library 11am - 1pm. There will be the opportunity to try, buy and take purchases home on the day! Last year there were 315 brooches and this year the number has increased to well over 400 and the quality across the range on display shows that people have put more time and effort into their creations and on the whole it is very vibrant this year! Something definitely not to be missed!
