Sisterhood of the travelling sketchbook

In sync: Jewellery artists Lauren Simeoni and Melinda Young. Photo / Supplied

Putting a unique creative spin on the idea of collaboration, artists Lauren Simeoni and Melinda Young sent a sketchbook back and forth between cities to pull together an exhibition of jewellery that is on at Masterworks Gallery. Kind of like the movie Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants, except the pair shared materials and a book instead of a shape-shifting pair of jeans.

The Australian-based jewellers - Simeoni lives in Adelaide and Young is in Sydney - first met through friends 12 years ago, and have been working on ideas behind the exhibition for the past three. They say the key to successfully working on such a long project so far apart is communication. "It's been pretty easy really, thanks to Australia post and the internet," says Simeoni. "We talk on the phone lots. Since we are now touring our project around galleries, I think we are getting quite efficient at sharing jobs. It's fun, although I dread our phone bills!" As well as emails and phone calls, the pair source materials in their own cities and send a selection to the other - "It's a bit like receiving a 'brief' in the mail."

"Sometimes it is frustrating when technology lets us down," says Young, who enjoys the element of surprise with the parcels Simeoni sends. "My favourite was the single fake lettuce leaf that appeared at my work one day. I also like that we don't show each other everything that we are working on - we share the materials, but don't know exactly what the other is doing with them. This allows us to keep our individuality. "Receiving unexpected things in the post that you would not usually be attracted to is great as it not only challenges but inspires as well."

Featuring "a littering of frippery and fakery, jewellery and objects", the exhibition brings together ideas of the natural and unnatural - think found objects like fake flowers combined with precious stones or wood - hence the name Unnatural Naturally. "We are both inspired by the curiosity of the 'faux' plant, and what makes it beautiful," explains Simeoni.

The idea for the project first came up after Young saw Simeoni's work that was part of a group exhibition and the pair discussed how they were using the similar found object of fake plant foliage. A discussion about having a show together followed, but it wasn't until a year later at a jewellery conference that the idea of collaborating really took off. "We caught up, discussed ideas, were excited about a similar aesthetic and sense of humour, and after several Champagnes we said 'let's do it, let's work out a show together' - so we did - it has all rolled out pretty easily after that," says Simeoni.

The travelling sketchbook began, in which the pair would draw ideas for work and installations as well as making "sometimes very silly" collages. "We often draw over or add to each others' contributions as well," says Young. The results are playful pieces of jewellery that the pair describe as "beautiful and sometimes creepy". "We shred materials and reconstruct them so they look almost nothing like the original object. Mel might use petals to make a scaly flesh-like brooch and I might use the stems creating a stalky, long, layered neckpiece."

Following the exhibition at Masterworks, the project will tour around various galleries for the next two years - with new pieces being added along the way as the pair continue to find inspiration. "This is an ongoing project for both of us ... as we are continually finding new materials and ideas.

"It's exciting meeting at the gallery to install a show as we are desperately dying to see the creations each other have made - we don't really show each other as we go apart from sketches and discussion and the occasional image. It is like Christmas when we unpack our work at a gallery together!"

* Unnatural Naturally, Feb 17 to March 10, Masterworks Gallery, 77 Ponsonby Rd.