For over 30 years Marian Hosking has made jewellery and small objects in silver. For most of this time, she has made all the cast or pierced components herself.

Recently, however, Melbourne-based Hosking has started to contract out the tiny forms that she has prototyped to be cast in multiples by specialist local industries. Lost-wax casting is used by the jewellery industry to reduce the time taken on hand working processes. This technique is also used in the dentistry industry where it has become highly sophisticated and accurate.

For the painstaking piercing process and for assembly, Hosking employs silversmiths to work with her at times. Her solutions are not just to save labour. She likes placing many similar items together in one piece, extending the possibilities that industry offers.

You can see Hosking's work in the new exhibition Smart works: design and the handmade, until 4 November 2007 at the Powerhouse Museum.

Smart works: design and the handmade
Search Marian Hosking in the Powerhouse Museum collection

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+ Smart works: design and the handmade
+ Handmade
+ Mass-production
+ Studio production