Two bowl plans. I’ve borrowed from the pattern on the handle to make the shapes in the two patterns above. Thanks to Camberwell Markets I bought two spoons exactly the same, so I didn’t have to choose which one I would prefer to see finished.
2 tsp
March 15th, 20101 tsp
March 14th, 2010
Exhibit A - a teaspoon.
Hand Held Gallery is having a show in April called ‘one cup’. It takes 48 teaspoons to make up a cup, says Megan at the gallery (I’m sure it’s true, Megan doesn’t seem the type to make up such a fact, or any fact, in fact). I am currently working on a pair of them, and they both started out looking like this.
curtains
March 13th, 2010Tomorrow is the last day of the Recycle show at Synergy Gallery in Northcote. I’m going to be gallery-sitting tomorrow too, from 1pm till stumps at 4pm, so if you haven’t had a sticky beak yet please come down and say hi! Synergy Gallery is located at 253 High St, Northcote.
discussion
March 8th, 2010Been doing some jewellery-exercise. A few sedate the rounds of the intertubes (there’s a public holiday in many parts of Australia today) looking at competitions that have wended their way to my inbox. Through one I found out that Damian Skinner is now writing the Art Jewelry Forum blog, for the US based AJF. And via a post by him, I landed on a documentary called Jewellery Talk made in 2006 by two Swedes, Daniela Hedman and Kajsa Lindberg. The premise is simple, and would have made for one amazing road trip. Get a bunch of formidable artist-jewellery heads on film responding to some probing questions about jewellery. At a little under 50 minutes, it does take a little time to get through, but it’s well worth wading right on in.
The whole premise reminds me a little of doing a winery tour, to the point that I’m conjuring images of James May’s latest tv series as well as the film, Sideways, from a few years back. These images are just popping into my head, as my brain rifles around the ‘ole filing system thrusting catalogue cards into the air, seeking a way to frame what I just saw.
It’s like going to see the makers and sellers of wine, on their soil, to ask them about the importance of their product. Obviously the answers vary. Makers respond on their own brand, though some seek to explain their chosen variety too. There’s talk of past vintages, cellaring and sales, and the time-line carries right on up to the current crop and how it handles, and how it might mature. Some go so far as to elucidate on what the future of their region, or even the business/craft/artform in general, may hold. It’s a very thoughtful piece, well edited, and most importantly, is underpinned by a great idea.
In the end what struck me most is how unfamiliar many interviewees seemed to be at being asked, and answering, these questions. But at the conclusion of the film I am more hopeful that these questions will continue to be asked, and answered.
making
March 5th, 2010
Finally some output from the new studio. Following the Helen Britton guide to brooch-backs, I’ve given this baby a double pin. For my work it’s a pretty heavy piece, so it needed it. It’s 86mm in diameter at the points.
The colouring was fun; I didn’t expect my gas-only torch to be up for the job, but I guess that’s the difference between a dedicated source of compressed gas and a multi-torch setup. I hadn’t planned a colour scheme before-hand and found that getting consistent colours was really easy, so I went up the steel-heating-spectrum and then had a play when I reached the end.
As for the texture, I tried sandblasting with the glass beads first. While they gave a lovely finish, they didn’t get rid of all the soldering muck and discolouration, so I had to go back to a heavier grit to clean up the joins. I stuck with the aluminium oxide it for the whole piece in the end, but I might try a two step process next time, since the more shiny finish did look appealing to me.
pumped
February 25th, 2010
My studio buddy thinks that my blast cabinet looks like something out of Dr Who. I’d like to disagree; it has an interesting colour scheme of shiny white and matte blue, which, while delectable looking on a cupcake, would never have made it onto tv (the shiny bit would have, I’m aware, given the many lens-flare moments I remember from some of the older series.) The thing does have, however, a clumsy un-ergonomic-ness, and rather 1970’s pre-aerodynamic-design bulk. Not to mention the above hose air hose is conspicuously connected to a regulator which is acting more as a pressure gauge, since the adjustment knob does not actually turn.
OK, so she seems to have a point. Of all the blast machines I auditioned, I get one that’s part tardis…
recycle
February 22nd, 2010
Next week sees the opening of Recycle, an exhibition being curated by Penny Peckham and taking place at Synergy Gallery in Northcote, from the 3rd til the 14th of March 2010. As per the title, the works for this show are made from predominantly recycled materials, and will include a small selection of my recycled objects. It looks to be an interesting group of people involved too, if you go by this article. Synergy Gallery is located at 253 High St, Northcote.
lost and found
February 19th, 2010I mentioned late last year that I was sending a piece to Texas for the Refined: Back to Basics exhibition. Today I was sent a link to a bunch of images taken of the opening, which took place on the 30th of January. I scrolled through the set looking for my work, and after my first pass I hadn’t seen it, which had me worried. Luckily a second look netted one shot with my work in.
Two things; in the picture a lovely Texan seems to be kneeling to worship my piece; and given that I have since managed to find at least one more image that has my work in, the little Staggered 8 Point Star really does seem dwarfed by the other works. Food for thought.
part b
February 14th, 2010
Here in Melbourne we have a small group of jewellers who like to get together once monthly to chat. We usually meet up at an exhibition (jewellery related, when possible) after which we head for a beverage, to continue the discussion. Nothing complicated.
If you’re interested in joining us, Sunday the 21st of Feb will be our next gathering. We’ll be at the Wisdom of the Mountain show at the NGV international from 2pm. We’ll meet outside the main entrance. If you’re not sure what we look like, look out for me in a large blue hat (with red and white stitching). I’ll be wearing the above brooch too, for ease of identification.
got gas?
February 12th, 2010
My Grandma, a Canadian born Australian, always said when you’d finally mastered something under her tuition “now you’re cookin with gas.” I’ve latterly suspected it was something to do with advertising, and it was a phrase she picked up ‘back home’. (Turns out when you google it, that’s pretty much what they say.)
So I had to send a picture to my Dad today to tell him I was finally ‘cookin with gas’ in my own studio. I’d like to think that for anyone who has set up their own studio, the moment the torch is fully operational is the one where you think you’re finally getting somewhere. Or maybe it’s just me. It’s ok, I’m used to being alone on these things… To me being able to solder today felt like an achievement.
In a similar vein, I also remember a sticker on the wall of my tech drawing classroom in high school. It said “HAND A GIRL A SPANNER”. Today I bought one, to set up my gas.
What else can I say? I’m living the dream!