Interviews
Interview with Savage Thrills
Byron Based Jewellery label, Pirates Dreaming, creates sharp and exhilarating pieces for the exiled and the outsiders in all of us. We caught up with founder/creative director, Adelaide Friday, to talk about work, play and the inspiration that drives this incredible brand.
First things first, who is Adelaide Friday and what do you do?
She likes texture and tequila and she likes to dream. She is the hands and mind behind Pirates Dreaming. She designs and creates jewellery for the rule breakers and the style makers, the dreamers and the adventurous spirits.
With the magnificent Byron Bay at the heart of the action, what do you find to be the highlights of living and working at the easternmost point of the Australian mainland? And, what or how does Byron lend itself to your artistic process?
This land lends itself so damn well to creativity. The ocean is an integral part of this area and the constant flow of people makes it an ever-changing creative landscape.
My studio is located in the Arts and Industrial Estate of Byron Bay. This unassuming corner of Byron is a melting pot of amazing artists and creators. There is a really sweet alternative community here, social and creative circles are intertwined and it thrives on collaboration and spontaneity. Something as simple as popping down to the supermarket can turn into a creative conversation or the beginning of a new project. I love that it works like this. I love the feeling of endless possibilities in this community.
I find that the pieces are more personal than mere jewellery, becoming part of the person, an extension of the wearer, not just accessories being worn on a whim. There is a ‘timelessness’ to Pirates Dreaming, almost like each creation- an heirloom. How much of yourself do you find immerses itself into each individually crafted piece and in what way?
Because I am working with my hands, so much of me goes into each piece that I create. I have a lovely collection of old hammers that I use daily and a beautiful antique silver roller, so there is an element of history in what I do. Through these tools from times past, a character that is beyond my own is embedded in each piece that I make. They become pieces with a story, which the wearer then carries with them as they create their own history.
Do you ever find that looking at some of the earlier items; they hold outgrown parts of you like a vessel into the past? How has time refined what you do?
Oh definitely. I love each piece that I make, but as time passes, the designs change as do I. It is always interesting to see old pieces that I have made, it brings back a memory of the time when I created it and a reflection of the growth since.
What is the typical day of Adelaide Friday? What do you do when you are not creating?
She wakes in the rainforest. She makes a smoothie. She drives through the hills and gazes upon the delightful view of the ocean. She swims in the sea, then lands in the studio where she begins creating. On the days away from the studio, she finds beauty. In nature, in the moments of each day. This area in which I live fills my cup completely, there are endless possibilities for adventure on so many levels.
There is a great little Anaïs Nin quote on the Pirates Dreaming website, a Henry Miller quote in with the images, and also a nice poem of your own too! How much has literature been part of your work and how or who has it inspired you?
Ah, thank you. I do have a love of quotes, I have been collecting and compiling them for a long time now. I find that everyday there is a quote that speaks to my heart, whatever space it may be in. My studio has words all over the walls, I am always looking at them and reflecting upon them. The poem from the website was written one rainy winter afternoon by the fire, with whiskey in hand. It has become a strong part of the story of Pirates Dreaming.
Do you ever suffer from a kind of writer’s block, where you just look at your work and don’t know where to go with it? How do you get a start on the next one? What drives you to the next level?
For sure I do. Often! When that happens I like to change it up, change the location, the mindset. Often I’ll go and jump in the ocean. Sometimes I just leave the studio and take my work to a different location with a new outlook. I like to go to a bar or café by myself, notebook in hand. In this time of solitary reflection, I find that ideas flow best. Then I can return to the studio with a fresh perspective and get back in the creative flow.
On the Pirates Dreaming blog, ‘A Song for Friday’ seems to be a regular. Is there a certain song or album that you listen to while working or to get the creative juices flowing?
It is a little thing that I like to do. I am always listening to music in the studio. I’ll often get into a flow of a particular style of music, depending on what I am doing in the studio and my mood. I will have days where I just listen to hip-hop, the next day could be blues. I like to mix it up and keep it fresh. At the moment it’s all about rainy days and psychedelic rock.
Your newest collection, Lutriwita, has involved a collaboration with Motorcitybreakdown and a trip for some of your work to Tasmania. How did this come about and what has it been like to work together with other artists in multi-mediums?
This was a great collaboration, it happened spontaneously and smoothly, which is the best kind. Jack Bailey from Motorcitybreakdown approached me with this idea to go deep into the heart of Tasmania with his camera and document his journey. We decided to make a range of jewellery especially for the trip. Each piece was inspired by the rugged landscapes of ‘Lutriwita’ (Tasmania). It was the first multi-medium collaboration I had done, it was really amazing to work with someone with a different skill set, to bring together the best parts of what you do and combine them. We were super happy with the results of the jewellery we created. The images he captured on his journey were incredible. He documents nature in such a compelling way. It was the perfect culmination of this creative collaboration.
Aside from silver, you also work with brass. Shaping awesome pieces like the Granite ring and cuff, that bode perfectly with the silver, looking totally amazing!? For what reason do seem to you favour silver as your workhorse of choice?
I love to work with silver. I like how malleable it is, it really is a beautiful metal to work with. I find there are no mistakes with silver, often if something doesn’t turn out as I had imagined, I will recreate it into something else that often turns out better than the original idea. I love the flow of working with silver. From melting it to forming and forging, I never tire of the medium.
What is up next for Pirates dreaming? What should we be keeping an eye out for?
Fresh new designs and some exciting new collaborations…. stay tuned!