Contemporary Wearables '23
The 2023 Award exhibition was juried by:
- Cassandra Lehman, Co-Director: Creative at Artisan
- Christian Hall, Contemporary artist in object art and design, Non- Executive Director Guildhouse, South Australia and former Creative Director - Metal Design Studio Jam Factory Contemporary Craft & Design
- Emily McCulloch Childs, Gallerist, curator, writer, art historian, researcher, publisher and fundraiser, Co-director of McCulloch & McCulloch and Everywhen Artspace, Founder The Indigenous Jewellery Project.
The appointed judge for 2023 was Chloë Powell, Co-Founder and Director of Radiant Pavilion, Melbourne Contemporary Jewellery and Object Biennial.
Award winners:

- Award winner: Zoë Veness / Wreath 2023 (neckpiece) - Acquired
- Runner-up: Kirsten Haydon / Ice holds 2023 (9 neckpieces & 36 pendants) - Acquired
- Student award: Beth Sanderson / Grating 2022 (4 brooches)
Two awarded works have been acquired for the Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery - Toowoomba City Collection.
The following works were also acquired for the Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery - Toowoomba City Collection:
- Sarah Elson / Fuck cluster brooch 2021
- Kath Inglis / Caulerpa with Epiphytes neckpiece 2023
- Katheryn Leopoldseder / Vic’s Rosary 2022
- Jason Moss / YES 2023
- Melinda Young / The Intruders (Brickface & Coalface) 2022
Image: 2023 Award Winner / Zoë VENESS / Wreath 2023 / Neckpiece: archival paper, stainless-steel cable, sterling-silver tubing / 42 x 42 x 4cm / © Zoe Veness
Contemporary Wearables '21

The 2021 Award exhibition was juried by:
- Dr Elizabeth Shaw, Contemporary Jeweller and Senior Lecturer, Head of Jewellery and Small Objects Department, Queensland College of Art, Griffith University
- Marian Hosking, Contemporary Jeweller and former Head of Gold and Silversmithing Departments at both RMIT and Monash University
- Dr Nicholas Bastin, Contemporary Jeweller and Lecturer Gold and Silversmithing, School of Art, RMIT University.
The appointed judge for 2021 was Barbara Heath, one of Australia’s leading contemporary jewellers.
Award winners:

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Award winner: Sarah Rayner & Sophie Carnell / Florilegium… traversing the poetry of plants 2020 (42 brooches - details shown above and right) - Acquired
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Runner-up: Kyoko Hashimoto / Coal necklace 2020 (neckpiece) - Acquired
- Student award: Kierra-Jay Power / Museum drawer series (Meloys rubicola) 2020
Two awarded works have been acquired for the Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery - Toowoomba City Collection.
The following works were also acquired for the Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery - Toowoomba City Collection:
- Maddison Bygrave - Ngarra brooch 1 and Ngarra brooch 2
- Gretal Ferguson - Long Stitch (1 brooch)
- Mari Hirata - Tidal (series of 3 brooches)
- Anke Kindle - Order of the Kratzbürste (1 brooch)
- Elfrun Lach - Superspreaders series (6 brooches)
Images: 2021 Award Winner Sarah RAYNER and Sophie CARNELL / Florilegium… traversing the poetry of plants 2020 (detail) / 42 brooches: hand carved porcelain with terra sigillata, sterling and fine silver / 26 x 375 x 8cm / Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery - Toowoomba City Collection 2387 / Purchased from Contemporary Wearables ’21 with funds donated by Toowoomba Gallery Society 2018 / © Sarah Rayner and Sophie Carnell
Contemporary Wearables '19
The 2019 award exhibition was juried by:
- Simon Cottrell - Lecturer / Researcher, Gold and Silversmithing Workshop, ANU School of Art & Design
- Claire Sourgnes - CEO Artisan
- Chloë Powell - Curator and Exhibitions Manager, Craft Victoria, Co-founder and Director, Radiant Pavilion: Melbourne Contemporary Jewellery and Object Biennial
The appointed judge for 2019 was Marian Hosking, Silversmith.
Award winners:
- Award winner: Melissa Cameron Corporate entity / corporeal entity 2017 (neckpiece)
- Runner-up: Jennifer Fahey Uncanny encounters 2017 (26 pins)
- Student award: Kristina Neuman Sill in Cylinder 2019 (neckpiece)
Two awarded works have been acquired for the Toowoomba City Collection.
The following works were also acquired for the Toowoomba City Collection:

- Sue Buchanan Urban Garland (neckpiece)
- Kayannie Denigan Ngathu Bubu (2 x brooch)
- Pennie Jagiello The crown-of-thorns has nothing over the Anthropocene (neckpiece)
- Cara Johnson Unearth (neckpiece)
- Sultana Shamshi The Phoenix Tree (brooch)
- Bic Tieu Kangaroo Paws (brooches)
- Nina van Duijnhoven A Collaboration (neckpieces)
- Leonie Westbrook Yellow Rectangle Pendant (neckpiece)
- Melinda Young Future Relic Neckpiece (neckpiece)
Image: 2019 Award Winner Melissa CAMERON / Corporate entity / corporeal entity 2017 / Neckpiece: stainless steel, vitreous enamel titanium / 10.5 x 10.5 x 1.0cm; 76.0cm chain / Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery - City Collection 2339 / Acquired from Contemporary Wearables 2019 Biennial Jewellery Award & Exhibition / © Melissa Cameron
Contemporary Wearables '17
Contemporary Wearables '17 was juried by:
- Dr Sabine Pagan - contemporary jeweller and interdisciplinary practitioner
- Mr Kevin Murray - independent writer, curator and managing editor for Garland Magazine.
The appointed judge for 2017 was Mr Phill Mason, Gem-Cutter, Goldsmith and Studio-Jeweller.
Award winners:
- Award winner: Luke Abbot Mandible Setting 2017 (articulated ring)
- Runner-up: Anja Jagsch Symbiosis 2017 (four rings)
- Student award: Michaela Pegum Quale II 2016 (neckpiece)
The three awarded works were acquired for the Toowoomba City Collection.
The following works were also acquired for the Toowoomba City Collection:

- Leonie Westbrook Yellow Rectangle (bangle)
- Inari Kiuru Night falls over Brunswick (two brooches)
- Sandie Lee For Love (two neckpieces)
- Sophie Carnell Papers for thoughtful girls (neckpiece)
- Bin Dixon-Ward Red Squares #1 (neckpiece)
- Katheryn Leopoldseder Household Idols (three rings)
- Tatjana Panyockzi In the picture (neckpiece)
- Bic Tieu Connected Landscapes (brooch)
- Blanche Tilden Flow 03 (neckpiece)
- Nina Van Duynhoven "What is to give light must endure burning." - Viktor Frankl (five brooches)
Image: 2017 Award Winner Luke ABBOT / Mandible setting 2017 / articulated ring: titanium, 925 silver, gem / 2.8 x 2.1 x 0.7cm / Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery - Toowoomba City Collection 2207 / Acquired from Contemporary Wearables 2017 Biennial Jewellery Award & Exhibition / Reproduced by kind permission.
Contemporary Wearables '15
Contemporary Wearables '15 was juried by:
- Dr Dorothy Erickson - historian and artist-jeweller
- Melanie Pitkin - Assistant Curator, Museum of Applied Arts & Sciences
- 48 jewellers were selected from Australia and New Zealand.
Sabine Pagan, contemporary jeweller and former Head of BA (Jewellery) at Charles Sturt University judged the award.
Award winners:
- Award winner: Christel Van Der Laan Eureka 2014 (brooch)
- Runner-up: Kate Wischusen Manhole #1 2014 (brooch)
The following works were acquired for the Gallery’s Collection:

- Catrine Berlatier Double Link (necklace)
- Susan Buchanan The new jewels – Safety Pin, I See You #1 & #2 (three brooches)
- Michelle Cangiano The Healer (neckpiece)
- Elfrun Lach Frangia (necklace)
- Carly Lay Oppression | Suppression (two neckpieces)
- Larah Nott Flight #10 (brooch)
- Christel Van Der Laan Eureka (brooch)
- Janice Vitkovsky Frequency & Transparent threads (two brooches)
- Kate Wischusen Manhole #1 (brooch)
- Alister Yiap Fault-Line (ring)
No student award was presented.
Image: 2015 Award Winner Christel VAN DER LAAN / Eureka 2014 / brooch – ceramic honeycomb, oxidised silver, gold, onyx, mirror, paint / 9.0 x 10.0 x 2.5cm / Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery - Toowoomba City Collection 2121 / Acquired from Contemporary Wearables 2015 Biennial Jewellery Award & Exhibition / Reproduced by kind permission.