Dr Dorothy Erickson AM
Dr Dorothy Erickson is an artist-jeweller, historian, curator and author. Exhibiting since 1972, her career includes forty solo and over 350 group exhibitions worldwide. She is represented in many collections including the National Gallery of Australia, Victoria & Albert Museum, Swiss National Museum, Dallas Art Museum, Schmuckmuseum (Jewellery Museum) in Pforzheim Germany, Powerhouse Museum and the Art Galleries of Western Australia, South Australia & Queensland.
Growing up on a farm with a grandfather who had a goldmine and her mother the eminent naturalist, wildflower painter and author Rica Erickson, D.Litt., AM has influenced her career. Many pieces of jewellery are kinetic with recent work inspired by Western Australia’s unique flora. Few pieces are literal translations, instead they evoke the colour, form or habit of individual species moving with the body in a joyous twinkling movement of colour, light and dark.
Dorothy first obtained a teaching degree and then others in art and design including a doctorate in art history from the University of WA in 1992. She has developed a multi-faceted career as an independent art historian, author, critic, curator and lecturer with associated practices in interior and garden design and heritage.
She is a significant researcher, writer, editor and art critic committed particularly to documenting and promoting Western Australia’s art, craft and design history, and, Australian jewellery internationally, touring exhibitions and contributing to many journals. Her books include; Art and Design in Western Australia: Perth Technical College 1900-2000, A Joy Forever: The Story of Kings Park, Gold and Silversmithing in Western Australia: A History, Inspired by Light and Land: Designers and Makers in Western Australia 1829-1969, shortlisted for the Premier’s Book Award 2016 and in 2019 A Passion for Silversmithing: Philip Noakes gold and silversmith. She has won prizes for writing and was awarded the Western Australian Heritage Award for Individual Voluntary Contribution in 2017.
