Gifts to support local artisans this holiday season

Craft Victoria offers a range of jewellery, serving ware, drinkware and textiles by Australian artists and makers, which will add a handcrafted touch to your gift-giving this year.

This not-for-profit organisation champions designers and craftspeople from across Victoria, hosts regularly rotating exhibitions, and offers a range of handmade pieces from more than 150 Australian makers on its online store.

Here are our picks for one-of-a-kind pieces to delight your loved ones this holiday season.

Six-oyster plate by Christopher Plumridge, $85

This porcelain plate in a matte black crystal glaze holds six oysters and a garnish or slice of lemon in the middle. These meticulously crafted plates are made by Christopher Plumridge of Claystone Pottery in Highett, Victoria.

Christopher’s work is known for its outstanding use of glazing – his techniques imbue the glaze with incredible depth and texture.

Yumemiru in purple by Amanda Dziedzic, $360

Inspired by her travels to Japan, Amanda Dziedzic’s blown glass Yumemiru have been described as her visualisation of a Japanese daydream.

The word “yumemiru” loosely translates to “to dream of” – it’s fitting then that this series of pieces is available in a range of dreamy colours, this one in violet.

Waxed Japanese paper cap in purple by DNJ, $249

This unique cap is made from handmade Japanese paper, which has been finished with beeswax and painted with a lavender gouache. The cap is lined with fabric from a vintage silk kimono.

The cap was made by DNJ, an experimental paper studio that uses exclusively handmade Japanese paper to make limited-edition runs of caps at their Melbourne studio. The cap moulds to the wearer over time and can be worn in any kind of weather. 

The Vase in apricot by Elizabeth Masters, $120

This stoneware vase is glazed in a comforting orange hue. As part of a larger series which also features a single stem vase, a jug and a lidded container, this piece is reflective of Masters’s artist mission to find “quiet beauty within everyday objects”.

Cheese tools in stainless steel by Ferro Forma, $285

These tools come in a set of three, including a hard cheese knife, a soft cheese knife and a spreading knife, all presented in a gift box. Each knife is formed from a single flat sheet of metal which has been folded to create both style and function.

Ferro Forma is a metalsmithing workshop based in the NSW town of Wigwigly/Braidwood and is run by Alison Jackson and Dan Lorrimer.

Bamboo whisky glass by Katie-Ann Houghton, $121

This whisky glass has been hand blown and then carved cold to produce its bamboo-like texture.

Katie-Ann’s work is in part inspired by her love for traditional Venetian glassmaking techniques. Her designs are made to be equal parts contemporary design pieces and functional everyday objects. •