Author: Melissa Cameron

If you’re heading to Chicago for SNAG, or you’re already there, I invite you to check out this exhibition, sensitively curated by Catherine Bowyer and Kiff Slemmons. Of all the things at SNAG this year, this is the one that I’d most liked to have seen in person.

Bilk gallery in Canberra is having another earring show and as you can see I’m in it. As are a bunch of far more frequent makers of earrings than I, so if you have ears and you’re in the area I hope you’ll get along.

Opening Friday 3 May 6pm – 8pm
It’s been three years since the last ‘WHAT IS IT WITH EARRINGS?!’ exhibition at Bilk Gallery! In fact it has been six years since the original title grew from a conversation about this wonderful form of adornment and the frustrated response to the lover of earrings with the exclamation – What is it with earrings?
This year we have an exceptional collection of outstanding earrings and ear ornamentations – one off and unique from; Peta Kruger, Johannes Kuhnen, Carlier Makigawa, Kath Inglis, Taweesak Molsawat, Melissa Cameron, Larah Nott, Marian Hosking, Bin Dixon Ward, Helen Aitken-Kuhnen, Wen-Miao Yeh, David Walker, Chris Bahng, Mio Kuhnen, Jane Bowden, Sim Luttin, Jane Reilly, Phillipa Gee, Simon Williams, Angela Giuliani, Julie Blyfield, Anna Daveron, Jill Hermans, Dan DiCaprio, Nellie Peoples, Godwin Baum, and Samantha Chester.

Also opening next Friday is the Wanneroo Gallery 2019 Community Art Awards & Exhibition.

Saturday 4 May – Friday 14 June 2019 // Monday to Saturday 10am – 4pm, at The Gallery, Wanneroo Library and Cultural Centre, 3 Rocca Way, Wanneroo WA 6065

I have a new small sculptural work in the show, and I’ll be at the opening next Friday night, so if you’re a fellow-artist or invited guest please come say hi!

More details on their website

Finally, the new workshop is in use! This is the beginnings of a new exhibition, titled Marfa, TX, that will take place at Bilk in September of this year. It’s been a long time in the making – I opened my ‘time capsule’ from my 2017 trip to the adopted home of Donald Judd a couple of weeks ago, and I’m just about finished mapping my ‘finds’ from it both online, and, as you can see, on my bench. I plan to share my google map here soon!

(I’m willing to accept that my last sentence might only excite its author…)

Thanks to those who alerted me to the fact that I made it to the Klimt02 email this week! It’s publicity for the Joya fair this year, as I will be one of the judges. To see the full text of what I wrote to Carolin Denter check it out on Klimt02’s site.

We had a great time at the official opening last night where Bethamy Linton received a whopping great pearl from Haddy’s Gemological Services in recognition of her stunning works (above).

Now I look forward to the the Driven to Adorn Forum TOMORROW! This will be my first opportunity to share what I’ve been up to in the USA for the last 6.5 years with my home-town crew. Please come along and say hi!

From the Maker&Smith email circular (Carola from M&S has organised this extravaganza and will be hosting the event on Sunday):

This is a quick note to remind you about the ‘Driven to Adorn’ forum of conversations about contemporary jewellery taking place at the Joondalup Reception Centre on Sunday 24 March from 2pm. (Registration is required. Tickets are $30 each to cover artist fees and catering.)

We cannot wait to hear what Katherine Kalaf has to impart – a wealth of knowledge not only about her extensive archive of makers and hands-on experience as a founder of the contemporary jewellery movement in Australia, but also her best tips for creative entrepreneurs.

Also, how amazing to hear from six of our contemporary jewellers who are making waves in WA:
Melissa Cameron, Sarah Elson, Susannah Kings-Lynne, Bethamy Linton, Claire Townsend and Alister Yiap will show us what they’ve been working on and lead us in discussion about contemporary craft matters in WA.

Read about the presenters and opportunities on our website.

Register via the City of Joondalup.

Carola & Mary Ellen

These resist series neckpieces and earrings are being sold to raise money for Islamic Relief Australia “Islamic Relief Australia is an international aid and development charity working to end poverty, illiteracy and disease.”

Thanks to the powers of Instagram the neckpieces have been snapped up, but the two pairs of earrings (above) are still available.

You will have seen these before around these parts, but they are from my long-running Resist series,so each neckpiece spells ‘resist’ in ascii/binary, while the earrings spell ‘no’. These jewel messages are each hand-enamelled on stainless steel, with titanium ear hooks.

The full purchase price of AUD $130 for a chain or $215 for each pair of earrings will go to them in honour of those Muslims who lost their lives to a white supremacist terrorist last Friday in beautiful Christchurch.

Currencies

USA – USD (same dollar amount) over PayPal with shipping inclusive
Australia – AUD bank transfer with added $10 for shipping
NZ – ships free
UK – Shipping is AUD $21.50, so for the earrings that makes it £128 all up

If you live elsewhere, please get in contact

I usually give 5% of the price of this series to Islamic Relief USA but owing to my relocation this will now be going to the Australian arm. This series is still available atBilk Gallery and Bini Gallery in AUS and Fancy, Bellevue Arts Museum and Danaca Design Gallery in Seattle.

Last Friday’s murder of 50 Muslim people at prayer in New Zealand has shocked and saddened the world, and seen an outpouring of empathy and generosity towards those who were attacked. For those looking for a tangible way to show your support, you’ll probably have seen the multiple funding pages which go directly to the families involved:

United for Christchurch Mosque Shootings: Support the victims and families of shootings in 2 mosques in New Zealand

Victim Support Official Page: Christchurch Shooting Victims’ Fund

Al Manar Trust: Emergency Appeal Christchurch Victims

And then there is Know Their Name, set up to share the names and stories of those who died.

There are good signs that the New Zealand Parliament will ban semi-automatic firearms, but it is the usual tragedy – that it takes a terrorist act of this magnitude for citizens and lawmakers to come to a consensus about the place of these guns in our society.

And for us Australians who see a federal election looming, it’s time to think hard about who our representatives will be, and what they say about this, and future, horrific acts of violence perpetrated by white terrorists. As to future white-perpetrated violence – our past aggression in holding up our unearned privilege is provenance enough. Of course I’m not willing future acts to happen; rather I’m fearing the worst of the entitlement we’ve all seen on display in people of my colour, across all strata of society, compounded by politically troubling times.

A brief but informative take on Australia’s history as a nation built on white nationalism is by Jason Wilson on The Guardian. As per Wilson, we live in an “environment that has nurtured white supremacist terror.”

It’s on white people to undo white supremacy. We’ve got a lot of work to do. On that note, of late I’ve been doing the Me and White Supremacy Workbook by Layla F. Saad. It’s one more prong in the setting of accountability and true equality, a gem I truly prize.

Three-phase is plugged into this baby on Thursday. Now to finish rewiring the kiln. All I’m missing is a drill press. I’m having tool-envy flashbacks to the one that was at Monash – now that was a good bench drill.

While I was in Pittsburgh last year, as a part of the Elizabeth R Raphael Founders Prize, I worked with Di-ay Battad and Michael Pisano of Pisano Films on this short documentary about the piece 1.1.2017.

I’m really grateful to Michael and Di-ay for their sensitivity in making this piece and for being so amazing to work with. Michael asked really probing questions and listened carefully, and went off and and did a great job editing the piece. I think they’ve done a beautiful job. Thank you again to everyone at Contemporary Craft – Kate Lydon and Janet McCall especially – for making this happen.

And if you’re in the Pittsburgh area be sure to support Contemporary Craft as they move to their new home in Upper Lawrenceville. The plans look amazing – good luck to you all for the transition!