Artist Talk: Helen Aitken-Kuhnen ~ SquarePeg Studios - Marrickville

Artist Talk: Helen Aitken-Kuhnen

Join us at SquarePeg Studios for a special evening with acclaimed Australian jeweller and enamel artist Helen Aitken-Kuhnen, whose practice spans over four decades across metal, glass, and enamel.

Helen’s work centres on the expressive potential of enamel — exploring colour, surface, and material through both jewellery and small-scale object making. Grounded in a deep connection to the Australian landscape, her pieces draw on a lifelong engagement with bird and marine life, with recent works reflecting an ongoing ocean narrative shaped by environmental change.

In this artist talk, Helen will share insights into her evolving practice, including a recent transition from engraving to embossing techniques due to hand injury — a shift that has opened new directions within her work. She will also speak to her continued exploration of cloisonné enamelling, a meticulous and richly expressive medium at the heart of her practice.

With a career spanning over 40 years, Helen has taught extensively across Australia and is deeply committed to education — known for fostering both technical rigour and creative exploration in her students. Her work is held in every major public institution in Australia, as well as international collections including the Schmuckmuseum Pforzheim.

This is a rare opportunity to hear directly from one of Australia’s leading enamel artists, as she reflects on material, process, and the evolving nature of a long-standing creative practice.

Brooch Club is an initiative to bring our jewellery community together, supported by local Creative Spaces and JMGA NSW.