Ribs & Dust
Simon Goodburn
Gold Smith
Currumbin Valley, QLD
Shorts | 3 minute Read | Slowraft Editions #06
Make us like you like we do...
I'm Si, a peculiar purveyor of precious pieces and overly enthusiastic.
What founded this path?
I started goldsmithing in secret with an audacious goal: to craft my pièce de résistance, an engagement ring for my wife Jade.
I had been on the hunt for a ring and couldn't find anything particularly inspiring until I noticed a goldsmithing course and thought, "Why not!?" I might as well learn how to build it myself. Over the next nine months, I took weekend and night classes as part of the covert operation, acquiring the skills I needed to construct the design I had in mind. Then, voila, the ring was done!
Once we got engaged, I kept making things for friends and family and fell more in love with the craft with each creation. I started weaning off my day job one day at a time and dedicated myself to honing my skills. Nowadays, we send bespoke pieces worldwide and have a unique little studio space in Currumbin Valley. I've been on the tools for around 12 years.
Tell us about a time in your life that stands out as a time when you made a decision that shaped your journey.
I attribute the shaping of my creative journey so far to three main things: enthusiasm, patience and persistence. I've said "yes" to the small ideas of the night and chipped away at a path to bring them to fruition. I've always believed that good things take time and have enjoyed the process of learning despite plenty of frustration at times. It's equally important to have the right people encouraging, critiquing and upskilling you along the way, which I've had in abundance, so I feel really blessed.
What does the creative process look like in your world?
My creative process is not as regimented as for some but usually starts with an idea and subsequent scribbles on napkins, notebooks, loose leaflets, iPads or otherwise. I have an eclectic taste and love many different makers and mediums, so our collection pieces are usually spontaneous "one-offs" when I've noticed a gem, pattern or concept I've found interesting or a muse I've chosen to obsess over. Our primary work is custom fine jewellery, so we usually meet with clients and extrapolate their ideas before amalgamating them with our own to land on the final concept. We always leave some "wiggle-room" with each creation, as I love having the freedom to tweak a design as I'm working on it, depending on what "feels" right. Naturally, you run into different technical challenges when you go from pad and paper to precious stones and metals; problem-solving these on the fly can be equally exciting and maddening.
If you could choose a song to soundtrack your current week… what would it be?
It's been a busy week on the tools, building some technical engagement rings, so the soundtrack for the week has been Martyn and friends. There's a nice blend of cruisy melodies and atmospheric sound with plenty of drive from the drum and bass, which is perfect for getting in the concentration zone without feeling too "peaky." There's a track called "Vancouver." Enjoy.
