Tulliz Moriah
@tullizmoriah
Experimental Jewellery Design & Silver-Smithing
Design and Media (PR & Advertising)
Name, age and favourite song to get down to.
Tulliz. 21. Sugar Daddy from Hedwig and the Angry Inch.
How did you get your start as an artist?
Jewellery kind of found me in second year when we were forced to choose our majors, and I immediately fell in love. It was never something that occurred to me as a practice, but with every technique I learnt I found myself wanting to explore 20 different ways to use it.
Name some projects/ collaborations you’re are currently working on and how these came about.
I recently sold some pieces at my first market at the Australian Design Centre, in conjunction with Sydney Design Festival. The ADC approached my tutors, my tutors approached my friends and I, and we were so keen! It was so much fun and so rewarding, and good chunk of that is because we had all done it together (cheesy, I know). Since then we’ve been talking about collaborating on more markets together (ultimate goals: Finders Keepers SS18), and the possibility of forming a collective.
Describe some of your favourite past works, and what made them meaningful.
Without a doubt, my favourite work of mine to date has to be “WHISPER”. It was this extravagant neckpiece inspired by underground tunnels used during prohibition.
It was the first piece of jewellery I worked on where I had the most creative freedom, which also made it the most daunting. I knew I wanted to push myself with this piece and I definitely overcompensated. My process was all over the place, I opted for materials, methods and techniques that were totally unreasonable for the given timeframe. It exhausted me. It physically and mentally drained me. I don’t think I will ever put as much blood (not kidding), sweat and tears into anything, as much as I did with this piece. But as soon as I finished, all of the turmoil that I had inflicted on myself was totally worth it. I was so proud of how far I had come.
Tell us a little bit about your creative process.
My process can be very temperamental. Sometimes I’ll have a chunk of metal in front of me and make it up as I go along, other times my imagination conjures up some abstract design and my brain is left to figure out all the technical stuff.
But whenever I’m making something for someone in particular, I need to design something that’s personal or reflects their personality somehow. So, if diving 24 weeks deep into their social media history doesn’t work, I usually look back at my relationship with them until I think of something, and as this process unfolds, I find myself appreciating having these people in my life even more.
What themes do you explore in your work?
The themes I tend to explore relate to the materiality of metal and the ways it can interact with the body, rather than conceptual or social themes. For example, I’ve really been enjoy making rings that extend across the entire length of the finger without obstructing the way we use our hands. It’s fun to navigate ways to use such a restricting material in such an organic way.
Can you talk about your online presence?
My online presence isn’t that great (but I’m trying, I promise). My Instagram acts as my portfolio and I’ve got a lot planned for it this year!
How do you view the role of social media to artistic practice?
Absolutely imperative. We are a media-centric society, and we’re also a very visual one, so I like to think of Instagram as being a designer’s LinkedIn. Any ambitious creative practitioner looking to pave their own path needs social media – it’s the way we interact with the world, the way we discover new things, the way we find inspiration. That said, it can be a big commitment.
What are some other artists you love?
Maybe I’m a bit biased, but my friends are pretty damn talented - @studio.aris, @meghankelly_design, @beesleyproductions and @reannechidiac are just a few of the creatives that inspire me everyday. I also draw a lot inspiration from Cinnamon Lee, Elke Kramer and Nikita Margartia.
What does the future hold for you? Which upcoming collaborations or projects are you most excited about and how do you see your practice developing?
WELL since you mentioned it, I happen to be working as Artsweek’s Production Assistant, as I did last year. I started as a volunteer in 2016 and I’ve really grown up with the program. The energy and collaboration that goes into Artsweek has really influenced my creative process.
I’m also working as an assistant for local jeweller, Fairina Cheng and am learning so much about the industry, it’s making me love jewellery more and more. It’s a loaded year for me, there’s so much for me to be excited about! I’m just beginning to sell my works, which is a huge step for me, but I’ve got a great support system and I can’t wait to see what I throw myself into next.
