Jewellery exhibition inspired by stories

When Anastasia Apostolidis was in year 11, she donned a moustache and a monobrow to dress up as Frida Kahlo.

"The theme was surrealism," she says.

"But it wasn't as bad as one of my friends who had to dress up as Salvador Dali - and she's a girl."

Now the 28 year-old is going back to her roots as part of her graduate exhibition.

The showcase involves work from 21 young jewellery designers and makers, all graduating from NMIT's advanced diploma in engineering technology and jewellery.

"I've always loved Frida Kahlo," she says, explaining that her range of jewellery and handicrafts is inspired by the surrealist painter and Mexican handicrafts.

"The common theme is embroidery through the metal," she says.

"So it's got a lot of colour."

Apostolidis says her love of jewellery is also heavily influenced by her Greek heritage.

"The ancient Greeks started making the best jewellery in the world, and it still infuses a lot of jewellery today," she says, adding that their trinkets were often infused with mythology.

"I'm inspired by the gods and goddesses, all the stories you get told growing up," she says, adding that her grandmother is her biggest inspiration.

"Your imagination's already broadened by the stuff they teach you at Greek school," she says.

Apostolidis began her career in jewellery with short courses, then working for a jeweller. She started out on her own two years ago.

Having now finished the advanced diploma in jewellery, Apostolidis says her next goal is to travel, and her first stop will be New York. Not Mexico?

"I actually went to Mexico last year and got really sick," she says.

"The only good thing we did was visit Frida Kalho's house."

When we spoke on Thursday, Apostolidis said she was still trying to work out what to wear to the opening that night, but confirmed there would be no monobrows or moustaches involved.

FORGE is on at the Northcote Town Hall, rear 189 High Street Northcote, 10am - 6pm every day until 21 November.