An interview by Ivy Nina Valentina xx
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IN2ART. Into Art. Inter(viewing) Art(ists).
Welcome back to IN2ART – the series where I interview artists and dig into their inspirations and the things that make them tick. I want to know the journey! How these extraordinary talents got to where they are today and what it is that keeps them going.
In this fifth issue, I discuss the bridge that wearable art crosses between reality and fantasy with the phenomenal Melbourne jewellery designer and artist, Bahji (Vi) Nguyen. Vi is the astute mind and talent behind the works of MiVi3 (mivi3.com). Taking on a wondrous and almost celestial quality, Vi’s art is elegant yet dark and bringing to life a level of elevated accessory one would assume would be limited to the imaginative realm. I sat down for a coffee (and a bit of tiramisu, yum!) with Vi to dive into her myriad inspirations and the precise work of a jewellery maker…
Ivy: Let’s kick things off with your journey through art. You’re a very multifaceted artist who has experimented with numerous forms and I’d love to dig a bit into your history and to trace the path from where you started to where you are now.
Vi: Well, when I was a young child I was very into art because of my Mum and her side of the family who were all quite creative. I was specifically really into miniatures and making tiny stuff with polymer clay. I watched the movie Coraline a million times; it shaped me as a person. Then throughout high school, being the depressed angsty teen that I was, I spent a lot of time in the studio arts classroom. From there I went on to fine arts school where I moved more from drawing to painting and then eventually from painting to sculpture. The typical pipeline after sculpture is performance art, but I’m doing jewellery now! I started that at home in 2022 and after three years I started formal education for jewellery making which I am quite enjoying.
Ivy: Your art seems to draw on a multitude of inspirations. On your website you mention “anatomical form, body mod practices, fashion subcultures and online aesthetics” as broader influences for your art. Could you please elaborate on the specificities within these categories that you find particularly inspire you?
Vi: I think all of them are really strong forms of self expression that specifically respond to what is going on both out in the world and internally for a person. A lot of my inspirations focus on notions of fantasy, escapism and character building. I’m really inspired by symbiosis and the merging of these imagined or more outlandish ideas with elements of human anatomy. I’m particularly drawn to the convergence between living and mechanical forms – ideas of posthuman and the biomechanical are constantly emerging in my art.
Ivy: The motifs you have mentioned definitely apply to the broader context of the world right now. I was wondering what your take was on AI and art?
Vi: First of all, it’s evil! In the sense that it just steals without credit. A lot of people are losing their jobs because companies are just typing a prompt into a generative AI program instead of hiring real creatives. I do know a lot of people – friends and fellow artists – that use AI in their own work and others who are vehemently against it. AI in art is a very hard thing to talk about. It does make some things more accessible. For example, I use Computer Assisted Design (CAD) 3D modelling to make some of my jewellery. To make jewellery on a computer you sort of have to learn a whole new language so AI is starting to become a part of those systems to make it a bit easier. But I think figuring out your own process and solving obstacles without AI is integral. In general, I don’t think AI can match what people make themselves.
Ivy: I completely agree. The creative human spirit is what gives each artist their voice and their style. How would you describe your own artist style in three words?
Vi: Oh boy! I think fantasy world building!
Ivy: Perfect, I love it! Now I want to talk jewellery-making process! The Bloomed Orchid Necklace featured in your shop is my favourite, it’s so beautiful. I was wondering how you create a piece like that? What is the process from initial inspiration through to final product?
Vi: I usually start by looking at different reference pictures from different angles and then I will sketch out my idea so I can get an understanding of what the form looks like and how it will be built. I really like orchids because there are thousands of species to reference and they just look so alien. Anyway, if I’m working with a more complex design that has a lot of three dimensional elements I will do a mock up of it using paper and then wax. When I’ve perfected the wax version, I then use a process called lost wax casting. A plaster mould is created around the wax sculpture, the wax is melted away and then metal is poured into the negative of the design left behind in the plaster. It’s really cool. After that I polish the piece. I file to get any big marks off and sand in increasing grits to get it smooth. Pre-polish, polish and then clean. For some stuff I might add a patina. The solution for that literally smells like rotten eggs, but it oxidises your metals which can give a piece some interesting detail.
Ivy: So are most of your pieces one-of-ones then? Or do you create a mould and then produce multiples of the same piece? How does that side of things work?
Vi: Pretty much everything I’ve made is one-of-one, but there are a couple of orchid species that I’ve made multiples of. They were done by hand though, so they’re still their own unique flowers. For my shop I have the options of ready to ship, made to order and commissioned works. So I kind of do a bit of everything.
Ivy: We’ve spoken in the past about the price of silver doubling in the last year or so. How from a business side of things, do you balance the ethics of trying to be fair to both yourself and your consumers when you’re pricing your work?
Vi: It’s one of those things that’s quite a subjective scale. Most jewellery artists will tell you they’re in it for the love of the game not the money. If you take labour hours and compare it with how much you sell for, it’s not very sustainable unless you’re a well established business like Swarovski or Pandora. But if you love it, you’ll do it. It can be difficult though – you want to pay yourself fairly but that also includes the money you spend on resources as well and the consumer doesn’t always understand the increased pricing. Although the increased price of silver does also mean the value of the jewellery item is increased. I have a formula that I use to work out my prices but I always end up adjusting lower or underestimating how many hours I’m putting into a piece. It’s quite hard to use market comparisons either because a lot of the time people buy jewellery for the brand or the image it is associated with.
Ivy: Commercially, the art that you produce is jewellery, but I want to talk about dolls because I know that you’ve made a mini you! And she’s so cute! How did you get into doll making?
Vi: I love dolls and doll houses! I think that came naturally from being really into miniatures as a kid. I just think dolls and puppets are so loaded with symbolism but at the same time they’re really simple and innocent. A child starts to recognise its own image in dolls, especially young girls who are taught to take care of dolls as little people. It enforces gender stereotypes, but I also think there’s good in the security that kids find in smaller things that resemble their likeness. Then as you get older, dolls can really be anything. Like, Barbie for example. Barbie is everything and anything in the world. Dolls don’t have to adhere to real world rules which I think is really fun.
Ivy: That’s really sweet, especially because the doll you made was in your own likeness – it’s like you’re taking care of a little version of you! Do you ever plan on doing custom commissions for dolls or selling them?
Vi: I would love to! My only concern is that I think the market may be a little saturated – at least that’s what it seems like in the little bubble I look at. There’s a lot of people who specialise specifically in doll-making so I think just logistically with already having resources in stock and things like that, they would beat me to it. But if you want a doll, hit me up! I would love to do a doll commission!
Ivy: It seems like you’re following where your passion is taking you artistically! What direction do you see your artistic path taking in the future? Are there any current goals you have for yourself as an artist?
Vi: In the future I definitely want to keep making more jewellery. I love making commissions but I really want to take more time to develop my style and body of work. I have my grad exhibition coming up this year so artistically my main focus will revolve around that. I want to do a lot of doll and fantasy related stuff. The vibe will be very Alice in Wonderland and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. I want to do jewellery as well as object-art that is integrated with the body. Like masks and things that can be integrated with my piercings. I think that would be really freaky in a good way. I want to make more jewellery that is multi-functional, that can do more than just be worn.
Ivy: I want to hear about your favourite piece that you’ve ever made and why it was your favourite? Was it the process or the outcome?
Vi: I have a favourite personal piece and a favourite commissioned piece. My favourite commission is the ‘Puppyteeth Spider Ring’. It’s made with a real dog’s tooth and I love working with teeth so that was really great. It was made as a set of promise/engagement rings so it’s really layered with sentiment. I know the person too and she’s an artist and this ring just suits her style so well. Then my favourite personal piece is the bronze notebook. I just think it’s so special, it’s not really something that you would just walk into a store and find. I love how there’s movement and you can look inside the notebook, it was a very intentional and personal making process. I also love binding books, so to get to combine that with jewellery and once again bring an added layer of functionality to jewellery feels really special.
Ivy: And finally, what is the ultimate dream for you as an artist? If you had no limitations, what would you be doing?
Vi: I would just make art without restriction, because right now I have to ensure that I am making things in a cost-efficient way. Creating with restrictions can be good in its own way, but to be able to create freely without financial restraint is every artist’s dream. Ideally, I would love to get to a point where my work is recognisable and people will buy it because of the love they have for my designs and style. It’s hard to find a balance between pleasing the market and yourself when you turn your artistic practice into a business. There’s a balance that you’ve got to strike between what’s popular at the moment and what you as an artist would like to make. But ultimately, it would be great if people were like “Wow! I want that piece because it’s a MiVi3 piece!” and then I can live from my art that way.
To see more from Vi, please head to her website mivi3.com, or visit her Instagram @mi.vi.3.
The fifth IN2ART interview, done and dusted! As always, thank you for your love and support. For reading and listening and watching my Instagram stories and for cheering me on – even if your support is quiet, it always feels huge and warm to me, thank you.
Much love!!
Image sources:
Puppyteeth Spider Ring by MiVi3, images sourced from Instagram @mi.vi.3
All photographs of the artist taken by Ivy Nina Valentina (2026)
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