Guest Curator

A Feast for the Eyes: Australian Jewelry Designer Lucy Folk Guest Curates an Exclusive Collection of Art

We’re thrilled to have Australian jewelry designer Lucy Folk guest curating an exclusive collection of art as part of our ongoing Guest Curator series. Read on to discover the role art plays in her life, the first piece of art she bought, the artist she’d most like to meet, and the last great exhibition she attended.


(Image: Courtesy of Lucy Folk)

Lucy Folk is a Melbourne-based jewelry designer whose ornamental “hors d’oeuvres” have left a sweet taste in the mouths of discerning patrons from around the world. Brought up in a household where food and creativity were equally celebrated, Lucy from an early age naturally strove to fuse these two loves and give food a new context: the body. The resultant eponymous brand is made up of a series of carefully rendered objects inspired by happy childhood memories of playing behind the scenes in her father’s café and making her very first pasta necklace in kindergarten. Reworking traditional materials with new applications and combining novel ideas with a high-street sensibility, Lucy has made a name for herself with hallmark jewelry pieces, like the world’s re-interpreted friendship band series. Lucy’s work appeals to a diverse clientele, including super celebs Erykah Badu, Snoop Dogg, Lily Allen, Yukimi Nagano, Susie Bubble, and Dave Jolicoeur. Her limited wares are currently housed across boutiques in New York, Tokyo, Europe, and elsewhere.


(Image: Courtesy of Lucy Folk)

Lucy Folk
Founder & Designer, Lucy Folk Jewellery

How would you describe your taste in art? What are you most drawn to?

I am fond of naïveté, colour, and texture, and humour is often important. I know what I like as soon as I see it. I am quite impulsive. I find I appreciate photography, as both my sister and cousin are photographers, and I also like painting and sculpture. As I am a trained jeweler, I appreciate fine details and I understand the time that goes into creating an artwork.

How would you describe your personal style?

Eclectic! I favour prints, colour, form and unique accessories. I never leave the house without at least 4 pieces of jewelry. I don’t wear black; I find it uninspiring. I love white, and there has to be an injection of color in some form whenever I get dressed.


Jewelry from Lucy’s line “Tropicalismo”. (Image: Courtesy of Lucy Folk)

What role does art play in your life?

Art makes me happy and is a form of personal expression. I fill my house and my world with pieces that I have acquired over the years and they bring me a lot of pleasure and define who I am.

What do you collect?

I collect objects, shoes, hats, books, art, and photography. I do have quite a few pieces by Melbourne artist Brendan Huntley. He is represented by Tolarno and has recently shown at Art Basel in Hong Kong.


Lucy Folk jewelry on display in Paris. (Image: Courtesy of Lucy Folk)

If you could only have one piece of art in your life, what would it be?

Wow thank god this will never happen…but hmm I would be beside myself if I got my hands on an Alexander Calder mobile. The movement, colour, material and composition would bring a sense of peace and calm to my house and me.  I do love something that engages with the elements and is always changing.

What books are by your bedside table?

Bonjour Tristesse by Francois Sagan, Shocking Life; The Autobiography of Elsa Schiaparelli, Making Ideas Happen by Scott Belsky, Grace by Grace Coddington.

How to wear Lucy Folk while in deep thought #lucyfolk #playabylucyfolk

A post shared by Lucy Folk (@lucy_folk) on

Which artist would you most like to meet?

Salvador Dalí. He was such a crazy guy and I have been to a couple of his houses in Spain and I think he would host a ripper dinner party.

What was the first piece of art you purchased?

My first purchase was a photograph by Tom Ramsay. He happens to be my cousin and he is a brilliant photographer. This particular shot was taken near Coffs Harbour, Australia. Coffs has a huge Banana plantation that is pictured in the work and perhaps that is why I was drawn to it as it relates back to food! The tree canopy is never ending and it is an image you can get lost in.

What was the last museum or gallery you visited?

Urs Fischer at MOCA in LA. Fischer transformed the space and I enjoyed the feeling of being physically immersed in the installation. The house made of bread was a highlight.

Do you have a favorite museum or gallery?

I always visit the Palais du Tokyo in Paris, the exhibitions are always unexpected and can be extreme. I was very impressed by LACMA in LA. We caught the James Turrell Retrospective which was phenomenal! The layout of the buildings and the exotic landscaping were user friendly, which is important. Plus eating at Rays was delicious and the iced tea at Intelligentsia made it more refreshing! I need pit stops after a couple of hours…to avoid an art overload.

If you could paint, draw, sculpt, photograph, etc., which skill would you most like to posses?

I need to work on my drawing skills. I would like to work on my early conceptual sketches for commissions. My style is naïve and it gets the point across, but my perspective drawings need improvement.


Scenes from Lucy’s recent travels to Paris. (Image: Courtesy of Lucy Folk)

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