This unusual handmade brooch, which I’ve entitled Ring of Fire, changes colour depending on your viewing angle! I made this one-of-a-kind 3x4cm art brooch from a cut square of sheet metal, a piece of reflective plastic and a squished circular metal lid with no centre, all found on the streets of Melbourne. As I created it, the flashes from the reflective plastic reminded me of Johnny Cash’s song ‘Ring of Fire’; hence the name.

Working as NancyDee Sculptures, I normally create larger wall sculptures and 3D sculptures from the wood, metal and tiles I find. Recently, however, I had a chance to think smaller. Through Instagram I met handmade jewellery designer Lynn Allison from New Orleans. She regularly encouraged me to try something ‘jewellery sized’, but I never had.

Then I saw that the Contemporary Art Society of Victoria was holding its annual brooch exhibition, and I entered. Making brooches has been great fun. Five of my pieces were on display in the 2019 Australian National Brooch Show, and now my brooches are available in-store and online through Incube8r Gallery as well.

I am committed to sustainability in designing and creating my brooches. I hope that you enjoy wearing this Ring of Fire as much as I enjoyed making it – especially if you’re a Johnny Cash fan. However, I also hope that it reminds you of the 5Rs to help save our planet: refuse, reduce, reuse, repurpose and recycle.