Born 1984, Sydney, Australia

Lives and works in Melbourne, VIC, Australia

Wade Taranto (b.1984) is a jeweller and painter, with formal training in both mediums. His studio practice in both areas explores the use of ‘painterly’ marks and experimentation using traditional materials and techniques, making work that lives in the present while keeping a dialogue with the history of art and objects.

Through the process of making, the ‘everyday’ becomes embedded in the meaning of each work. Moving the materials around much like moving soil in the garden or arranging flowers in a vase, to unbury a picture or object.

The hand becomes obvious in each work like footprints in soil or the discovery of fossils, the uncovering of time and process.

In 2023, along with his wife, Minta Furness, he co-founded Acanthus Studios, a jewellers and object gallery in Katoomba in the Blue Mountains NSW, showing their own handmade jewellery as well as other handcrafted objects.

In 2026 they moved to Melbourne, where they work together as Furness Taranto, a fine jewellery studio based in the Century Building on Swanston Street. Both trained as painters, and they work from an art and design background, making hand-fabricated jewellery with an eye on the history of art and objects. Nearly two decades of bench experience sit behind the studio, and each keeps an individual practice outside it that feeds back into the work. Furness Taranto takes on a small number of commissions each year, developed closely with clients through a highly detailed design process, and also makes its own one-of-a-kind hand-fabricated pieces.

2019

Bachelor of Fine Art (Painting)

National Art School, NSW, Australia

 2013

Apprenticeship in the trade of Jewellery (Manufacturing & Repairing)

New South Wales Department of Education and Training, Australia

 2012

Certificate III in Jewellery Manufacture

Tafe NSW, Australia

 2006

Bachelor of Visual Arts, Object Art & Design (Jewellery and Metal)

Sydney College of the Arts, University of Sydney