I have held this position for four years now, becoming a favourite in the hand-craft markets of my home town, Perth, with my range of fine jewellery and unique objects. And while I will always value this local trade, with your help Dark Nouveau is on the cusp of expansion.

The time is right.

Weaving together the visions scattered about my dreams with the more sombre reflection and refinement found under the high-noon sun, I have planned a beautiful range of jewellery and items in brass, silver and gold, at a price which is appealing to discerning individuals all over the world.

Everything is in place. I have identified a distant (but not too distant) workshop with an array of state-of-the-art machines. I have sourced fine suppliers of precious materials. I have sketched and consulted with my local valued clients, refining my designs. The fine aesthetic of Steampunk is globally on the rise.

I need your help to make it happen.

I want to develop 28 jewellery and object designs through an intensive prototyping process over three months - from the end of March, when this Pozible campaign is finalised, to the end of June.

Ambitious? Yes, but eminently possible, with your help!

These designs are already at the concept sketch stage. I need only the time and materials to start prototyping them.

As a demonstration of my capacity, a selected folio of prior works is available via the “Updates” tab above, and a selection of key works below.

This period of making is intensive. With your support I can undertake it on a full time basis, seeing through a process over a three month period that otherwise would take me years to complete around my everyday employment and continued management of Dark Nouveau. Some of these designs have already been on the drawing board for two years - you can help bring these designs into the world. I would love your help – and I would love to thank you with rewards!

You have the capacity to influence a pivotal moment in Dark Nouveau’s development as an enterprise. These prototypes will enable us to take a place on a national or even world stage. To reach distant audiences – perhaps we should have to travel by dirigible to get there! Oh, my! Or better yet, just imagine an airborne artifactory that circles the globe...

Aside from a heartfelt sense of gratitude you will feel emanating from my direction, prizes await as a thank-you for whatever help you choose to give. Any contribution is appreciated and gets me closer to my dream. And if this project isn’t to your fancy, perhaps you know someone who’ll giggle in delight when you pass this link onto them? A share is as good as a direct-contribution in so many ways!

Here is the breakdown of the costing for the project. Basically, about 14% goes to your rewards and the Pozible fee, and the rest goes to making this project happen!

I have included everything in here so you can see how much is going on the prototyping process (including design, casting, admin and post-manufacture work) and how much is going to your well earned thank you rewards (the packaging as well). I’ve included percentages too, so you can quickly see the relationships of the parts.

The total minimum required to run the project and make sure you all get your lovely rewards is $15000. Anything above that will go towards making the process more awesome for everyone. 

Since 2008 I have been working hard, making beautiful steampunk resin-works. In this time I have earned a reputation for high quality hand crafted jewellery and objects.

After I graduated from the Jewellery and Object design Advanced Diploma I invested a considerable sum in establishing a jewellery and resin workshop. I only wish I could spend more time in it.

Over the last four years I have been collecting watch parts, blanks, stones. Sometimes I get lost in the ocean of clockwork parts on my worktable. I always find inspiration in the intricate work of watchmakers.

The workshop is kit out with all the tools I need to shape metals into beautiful items. I have had the opportunity to use them in the last couple of years primarily for one-off commissioned items.

For the last two years in tiny spare moments I have been dreaming of and drawing a new range of steampunk jewellery. One that can make use of the grand benefits of industry, enabling small runs of each design in fine metals.

This “Grand Machined” range which you can help me develop returns to jewellery’s traditional materials – gold, silver, precious stones – but brings along the aesthetic I have spent the last four years immersed in. I hope we can take this adventure together.

These are a handful of special works in Dark Nouveau's development. They demonstrate the range of my skills and capacity in jewellery making and steampunk design. Please also see my selected folio of works, via the “Updates” tab above.

"It gives me great pleasure to support Helen in her campaign to take Dark Nouveau to another level. I run Karen Frankel Art Studio and Helen worked for me in the capacity of bookkeeper and office administrator for just over a year. Being a creative teaching studio the duties were varied and numerous. Helen brought some sanity to my days by taking care of money matters through MYOB as well as keeping control of student enrolments and the admin associated with that. Her diligent, calm and methodical approach meant that I did not have to worry and was able to work on my own art work.

"Helen helped me to set up and improve my own business processes and I am very impressed by her clear view on where she wants to take her own business and the steps she has taken towards that. I wish her much success in the future."

Esteam'ed Ladies and Gentlepeeps, I must ensure that you know
Of Perth 'pon Swan's Foremost Atelier: she will leave you sighing "Oh!"
Encaptured: fine machinery, one is
Enraptured: by metallurgy! For his
Or hers exquisite Amuse Yuex: Dark Nouveau.

SKoT McDonald

The Great Steampunk Affaire / Perth Artifactory

"I never fail to include one of D.Nouveau's mechanical jewellery marvels when going adventuring on my Steam Ostrich. When surrounded by marauding Polar Bears trying to make off with one's Darjeeling, one peep at my bejewelled clockwork locket and one's faith in Civilisation is restored. That and a quick brandy, of course. Huzzah!"

“How long have I known Helen? You know, that's a hard question to answer, and an important one. I have certainly known her for a fair number of years, and watched her chase her dream like no other. I watched her run her store at the Steampunk convention I'd organised in '08. I watched her run a bigger store at Worldcon in 2010 that was smoothly run and did an excellent trade. I have seen her every year at Swancon and at the Natcons. Every year a little bit more, and a little better.

"This is her dream and she's chasing it with vigour and style. Her contribution to the Perth Steampunk scene cannot be overestimated...”

Cheshire Noir

Steampunk About Perth

Convener "Wastlands Age of Iron"

PRESTIGIOUS PAST CUSTOMERS

Phil and Kaja Foglio of Girl Genius – Bought things and were happy!

Cory Doctorow – Bought things and signed a poster for me!

Marianne de Pierres - Highly complimentary of my work!

Angela Slater – Bought things and blogged about it! http://www.angelaslatter.com/tag/worldcon/

I thank you all in advance for your help in supporting me in my endeavours and spreading the word so that this can become a reality.

This is really the first big step towards the vision that I have for Dark Nouveau's future and I am honoured that you are here to share it with me.