Jewellery artist Rita Winkler will be bringing her exhibition Imaginary Voyage to the Collie Art Gallery this month and will be holding a workshop to coincide with her work.
Ms Winkler grew up in Pforzheim, a city of jewellers and watchmakers in West Germany.
There, she gained her first apprenticeship as a goldsmith and then studied a diploma in jewellery design. She went on to work as a jewellery designer, creating prototypes which went into limited edition production lines.
"I learned techniques in the industry I never would have learned at art school," she said.
"It is a very different approach."
After moving to WA in 1985 she taught jewellery design at Bunbury TAFE for five years, and at Albany Summer School for seven years.
Her work has been acquired by the Art Gallery of Western Australia and the City of Bunbury Art Collection.
She was first prize winner and highly commended in the Bunbury South West Survey Exhibitions for five consecutive years in the 1990's.
Ms Winkler decided to invite three other artists to exhibit alongside her, as often jewellery is difficult to exhibit due to the high volume of pieces needed to be produced.
Painters Anastasija Komarnyckyj and Jeana Castelli, and also sculptor Bob Turner were invited by Ms Winkler to also have their work displayed.
"You just need to find other artists who compliment your work," she said.
The exhibition will be held from March 23 to April 21, with the opening being held from 3 - 5pm this Saturday.
Ms Winkler will be also holding a workshop for a discussion about the processes in jewellery and metals and the ways in which you can become a self-supporting artist and promote yourself.
Her workshop will be held at the gallery on April 6 from 1- 3pm at $30. Anyone interested can contact the gallery on 9734 2921.
Ms Winkler's jewellery is available from three galleries, in Yallingup, Kings Park, and Canberra, as well as from her home in Donnybrook, and her website www.ritawinkler.com.
