Celebrating Raw and Refined
Phoebe Porter in Conversation with Kevin Murray
12 November 2026
Day + Time | Thursday | 5:30pm – 7:30pm
Location | Departures Lounge, Canberra Airport, 21 Terminal Avenue, Canberra Airport 2609
Entry | Free | Registration required
Access | Wheelchair accessible, accessible parking, accessible bathroom, off street parking
Join us at Canberra Airport to celebrate Phoebe Porter: Raw and Refined, an exhibition of new work by acclaimed contemporary jeweller Phoebe Porter, presented as part of the 2026 Craft + Design Canberra Festival.
Hear Phoebe Porter in conversation with eminent craft writer and curator Dr Kevin Murray as they explore the ideas, materials and making processes behind the exhibition, surrounded by the work in the light-filled Departures Lounge designed by Guida Moseley Brown. Refreshments will be provided by Canberra Airport.
Raw and Refined explores the dualities of raw and worked, natural and cultural, material and meaning. Porter pairs native gold specimens and uncut gemstones with her signature precision-made structures, celebrating the handmade as an act of creative dissent in an age of mass production.
Please note: This event will be held within the secure area of Canberra Airport. Attendees will need to pass through airport security screening, so please allow extra time on arrival. Further access information will be provided closer to the event.
Presented by Craft + Design Canberra in partnership with Phoebe Porter and Canberra Airport.
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Phoebe Porter is an Australian contemporary jeweller whose work combines geometric abstraction, bold colour, and the careful balancing of contrasting elements, drawing inspiration from the Bauhaus and Russian Constructivism. Trained in gold and silversmithing, she skilfully combines industrial materials and processes with precious elements, employing refined hand-making skills and an innovative design language developed over 25 years of practice.
Phoebe’s work is highly collectable and held in public collections including the National Gallery of Australia, the Art Gallery of South Australia, and the Powerhouse Museum. In addition to regular exhibitions across Australia, Phoebe has been invited to show in London, Japan, Germany and Washington. Her accolades include a Victoria Premier’s Design Mark, being name DESIGN Canberra Festival Designer-in-Residence, and grants from the Australia Council, Arts Victoria and Arts ACT.
Phoebe works from her heritage studio at Gorman Arts Centre, where she continues to produce her distinctive, internationally recognised jewellery.
SEE ARTIST WEBSITE HERE -
Dr Kevin Murray is editor of Garland magazine and Secretary of Craft Australia. He was previously Vice-President of the World Crafts Council - International. He has served on the International Committee for the Cheongju International Craft Biennale and is an advisor for the Global Crafts Festival in Hanoi. He has also served as a juror for a number of World Craft Cities. He has curated 10 exhibitions featuring jewellery, four of which toured internationally. He is co-author of Place and Adornment: A History of Contemporary Jewellery in Australia and New Zealand (2014).
Proudly supported by ACT Government City of Design funding and Canberra Airport
Images | Phoebe Porter | Photography by Pew Pew Studio at Craft + Design Canberra