Warwick Freeman25/08/15
How did you come to making?
Serendipitous story. I met up with an old school friend when I arrived in Australia in the early 1970s - in Perth actually – I was returning from some youthful OE in Europe and got a boat from Asia to Perth. We were both at a loose end and he said we should make jewellery. My friend knew a bit from living next door to a Danish silversmith in Nelson New Zealand where we grew up. He knew enough to get me started and I stumbled along from there. But I always thought I’d find something else to do – making art, but I wasn’t set on it being jewellery – still not that sure it was the right choice. Do you have a favourite material to work with? I’d like to say I hate them all equally but they come in and out of favour. I’m not one of those makers in love with their material. I put up with their limits as materials because of what they promise to deliver. And for some of them that can be remarkable and beautiful stuff. Just as a maker I am often dealing with their uncooperative, contrary qualities as well. How would you describe your working process? Inefficient. You know I was thinking about this when I was making the work for my current show at Gallery Funaki. Why after all these years do I have to make something before I know what it looks like? As a working process that results in a high reject rate. Apart from it being the only working process I know, I tolerate it because, you never know, it might be useful somewhere else. It might not work his time but I’ve seen enough ideas get a second wind given time or another purpose. Do you have a favourite jewellery moment? I live off small moments of rightness - that turned out right - that looks right on that person. Jewellery plays for small stakes but when it gets it ‘right’ it really can be up there with anything else we produce. As makers In the contemporary jewellery scene we talk a lot around the work’s ‘moment’ being something conceptual, technical, or about its relationship to artistic culture. But less often I hear the question - is it good jewellery? I don’t always make good jewellery but if I have a ‘favourite moment’ it’s when I get the answer to that question right. Occupy Crossley Street18/08/15
How did you come together for this event?
We first came together as a group in 2013, motivated by the offer of a free studio in a derelict city-centre shop, which we could use provided we activated the space. It had great foot traffic and huge windows, which made for easy interactions with passers-by. We were surprised how much we loved this, and over the nine months of our tenancy we held a series of open days, exhibitions and events to capitalize on it. When we moved to our permanent studio, tucked away on the 2nd floor, we missed the day-to-day contact with the public and realized that if we wanted continued engagement we had to get creative. To draw people into our space we’ve hosted exhibitions by guest artists and accommodated artists-in-residence. As a way of getting our work seen outside we’ve developed our ‘occupation’ model of exhibiting as a group, which takes advantage of jewellery’s small scale and portability to cheekily insert our pieces into existing displays in galleries and other public places (most recently, OCCUPY ANNA, where our work can be seen in the respected Anna Miles Gallery in Auckland, NZ). Radiant Pavilion is therefore a natural fit for us; a great opportunity to trial our model overseas and a way of contributing our energy and support to an exciting new jewellery initiative. Are there themes that connect the work in this event? As artists who came late to the relatively niche field of contemporary jewellery, we are all actively engaged with the challenge of transitioning into an established practice. This is a general theme that underpins all our group activities; we are inspired by the Guerilla Girls and by witty initiatives like Regan Gentry’s ongoing Foot in the Door, where he inserts 12-inch rulers into the doorways of major galleries round the world. The gravitational pull of Gallery Funaki lured us to Crossley Street; there’s definitely a strong element of “pressing one’s nose against the glass” of a prestigious gallery. Aside from that, our key theme is to respond in some way to the venue we are occupying, whether visually (using the spatial dimensions to frame our work), thematically (linking with the wares or the artisan nature of a shop) or relationally (taking the opportunity to work in partnership with a long-loved industry or establishment and its customers). How did you decide on the way the work would be presented? Being out-of-towners, we began by scoping out Crossley Street via Google Street View and the websites of individual businesses, and by coercing friends to take snaps and measurements on their trips to Melbourne. We each chose our venue for the opportunity afforded by specific attributes (type of business, availability of display space, and so on), and have then either made or selected work that has an affinity with these attributes; for instance Kelly McDonald’s Tinker, Tailor was driven by the relationship of her own work with the tool-like door handle at Charles Edward Master Shirtmakers as well as their dedication to quality, tradition and craftsmanship. The final form of each presentation won’t be determined until the time of installation, when we will each work with our host venues to create a win-win display which allows our work to be seen by their customers and also draws the attention of Radiant Pavilion visitors to their premises. What are the benefits and restrictions of showing work in these spaces? One obvious benefit of showing work in Crossley St is that we can be sure that all Radiant Pavilion participants and visitors will head for Funaki at some point, so our potential audience is huge. Showing work dispersed across several separate venues is an easy way to accommodate a number of artists with very diverse styles and interests; effectively we are staging a group of solo exhibitions, where we each have autonomy for our small part. Also, given the number of exciting RP events over the 6 days, it’s to our obvious advantage that nobody has to ‘mind the show’; using the shopkeepers’ windows gives 24/7 access to the viewing public and 100% freedom for the artists to roam and explore. We have been constrained by not actually being in the country, so there has been more guesswork than might otherwise happen, but we also see this as a benefit because collectively we are embracers of the happy accident. Having a collective of seven means there’s always someone with the perfect suggestion for how to solve the problem, and we all benefit from knowing each other’s practices so well that the suggestion proffered always seems to fit. What do you hope people's reaction will be? Our gentle invasion offers an experience for all. For passers-by: entertainment, engagement, perhaps puzzlement, a diversion, a subconscious encounter, possibly a challenge. For RP viewers: refreshment, connection, excitement. Start in a bar, end in the gutter (there are treasures to be found there too!) and enjoy everything in between. For full details, see our website Occupationartist.wordpress.com. Our work is work viewable 24/7 from 1 September til noon on 6 September. Come along any time, or join us on Crossley St for the opening: Tue 1 September, 6-8pm. Pennie Jagiello
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This exhibition presents a body of work suspended within ice revealed as the works melt. Jewellery and objects constructed entirely from man made materials found along the Australian coast investigate that which we discard but will also remain long after we are gone. |
How did you come to making?
I was always making from an early age, starting with mess. I was fascinated by anyone that could make things with their hands. Most of the women in my family were always sewing and knitting; my Dad and Uncle taught us to draw and my grandfather was a carpenter so I was always surrounded by creative people who liked to share their skills. It was an important part of our childhood to use our imaginations to make things.
How do acquire your materials?
From an early age I was always fossicking, picking up anything up that I came across with the thought that I could make something with it. I even used to pick seed beads and sequins from between the floorboards of a hall we danced in as children.
When I was studying Sculpture at VCA my father was in demolition and started to bring home scrap materials so for the next 15 years reclaimed Telecom electrical wire was my signature material. I had also spent many years from an early age picking man made debris off the beach. With this vastly growing collection I decided that I needed to work with these materials in a way that I could express my concerns with the impacts we have on the environment. With this research I am about to complete a Masters of Fine Art at RMIT.
How would you describe your working process?
What I make I is completely informed by what I find. I made a conscious decision a few years ago not to buy any new or virgin materials. There are many things I would like to do with the materials I find however I am aware that different techniques would only add to environmental impacts. Even when I carve I keep every fragment I remove and these tiny pieces also become a part of my work. We create so much waste daily I see no need to work with anything else.
What's your favourite material to work with?
Anything that I find laying around that allows me to explore different ways of working outside of my comfort zone.
How would you describe the relationship between the work and the presentation in this event?
The concept for this event has come about through my Masters research. As every piece of the work is made from materials I have collected from beaches I wanted to work with a presentation that explores the less obvious impacts anthropogenic marine debris has on the environment from shorelines to ocean depths to the frozen abyss highlighting that which remains long after we are gone.
I was always making from an early age, starting with mess. I was fascinated by anyone that could make things with their hands. Most of the women in my family were always sewing and knitting; my Dad and Uncle taught us to draw and my grandfather was a carpenter so I was always surrounded by creative people who liked to share their skills. It was an important part of our childhood to use our imaginations to make things.
How do acquire your materials?
From an early age I was always fossicking, picking up anything up that I came across with the thought that I could make something with it. I even used to pick seed beads and sequins from between the floorboards of a hall we danced in as children.
When I was studying Sculpture at VCA my father was in demolition and started to bring home scrap materials so for the next 15 years reclaimed Telecom electrical wire was my signature material. I had also spent many years from an early age picking man made debris off the beach. With this vastly growing collection I decided that I needed to work with these materials in a way that I could express my concerns with the impacts we have on the environment. With this research I am about to complete a Masters of Fine Art at RMIT.
How would you describe your working process?
What I make I is completely informed by what I find. I made a conscious decision a few years ago not to buy any new or virgin materials. There are many things I would like to do with the materials I find however I am aware that different techniques would only add to environmental impacts. Even when I carve I keep every fragment I remove and these tiny pieces also become a part of my work. We create so much waste daily I see no need to work with anything else.
What's your favourite material to work with?
Anything that I find laying around that allows me to explore different ways of working outside of my comfort zone.
How would you describe the relationship between the work and the presentation in this event?
The concept for this event has come about through my Masters research. As every piece of the work is made from materials I have collected from beaches I wanted to work with a presentation that explores the less obvious impacts anthropogenic marine debris has on the environment from shorelines to ocean depths to the frozen abyss highlighting that which remains long after we are gone.
Waiting to be noticed...Gingerboy wears jewels
04/08/15
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During Radiant Pavilion, Gingerboy will be home to a collaborative project where floor staff will be dressed with jewellery pieces by recent RMIT graduates and, in effect, will become a ‘walking exhibition’. The personal interaction between diners and staff will encourage discussion about the work – who made it/why the waiter chose it/what the people at the table think about it etc. |
Sue Buchanan, new jewels #1, 2014, brooch, mild steel, vitreous fired enamel, silver, stainless steel, 85x85x8mm. Brooch worn by Jane – wait staff member at Gingerboy
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Sue Buchanan speaks about Waiting to be noticed...Gingerboy wears jewels with the help of some of her fellow artists
What brought you together for this event?
As a group we have a shared student history at RMIT and have found ‘that not only do we work well together but we also challenge each other to make great work.’ Chris Massey
And we have a long term plan of continuously putting the band back together not unlike ‘John Farnham’s never-ending comeback tours . . . . ‘ Jana Roman
How did you decide to present the work in this way?
We share an interest in performative and interactive jewellery and liked the idea of ‘exhibiting’ our jewellery in a working environment where the social engagement is quite intimate.
And associating Gingerboy - a restaurant renowned for its creative Asian-inspired dishes - with Radiant Pavilion, would seem to be a natural alignment and celebration of diversity, artisanship, and Melbourne’s culture.
And of course there is the proximity to the stellar Gallery Funaki . . . .
What do you hope people's reaction will be?
Eli Giannini: We hope that presenting contemporary jewellery in this way will stimulate a ‘questioning of the role and function of the jewellery object - its relationship to time, place and action’ Sarah Jones and encourage a shared dialogue around ‘jewellery being about ideas’ Eli Giannini
Or simply, ‘this is delicious and that’s intriguing.’ Jana Roman
Will you continue to hold events like this in the future?
‘Yes – it offers so many options to situate the jewellery object as something other than a static fixed artefact. Sarah Jones
‘Yes …or at least variations on the theme of living exhibitions of wearable work. Maybe next time it will be a silversmithing/ vessel/ flatware performance and the works themselves will be served…’ Jana Roman
We’re very lucky to have found such willing partners in Gingerboy and their staff and we owe them huge thanks. We’d love to collaborate with them again.
Do you have a dish you recommend people try at Gingerboy in September?
‘They’re famous for the delicious Son in Law Eggs, and the Whole Fried Snapper with Vegetable Jungle Curry is amazing!’ Chris Massey
gingerboy.com.au
What brought you together for this event?
As a group we have a shared student history at RMIT and have found ‘that not only do we work well together but we also challenge each other to make great work.’ Chris Massey
And we have a long term plan of continuously putting the band back together not unlike ‘John Farnham’s never-ending comeback tours . . . . ‘ Jana Roman
How did you decide to present the work in this way?
We share an interest in performative and interactive jewellery and liked the idea of ‘exhibiting’ our jewellery in a working environment where the social engagement is quite intimate.
And associating Gingerboy - a restaurant renowned for its creative Asian-inspired dishes - with Radiant Pavilion, would seem to be a natural alignment and celebration of diversity, artisanship, and Melbourne’s culture.
And of course there is the proximity to the stellar Gallery Funaki . . . .
What do you hope people's reaction will be?
Eli Giannini: We hope that presenting contemporary jewellery in this way will stimulate a ‘questioning of the role and function of the jewellery object - its relationship to time, place and action’ Sarah Jones and encourage a shared dialogue around ‘jewellery being about ideas’ Eli Giannini
Or simply, ‘this is delicious and that’s intriguing.’ Jana Roman
Will you continue to hold events like this in the future?
‘Yes – it offers so many options to situate the jewellery object as something other than a static fixed artefact. Sarah Jones
‘Yes …or at least variations on the theme of living exhibitions of wearable work. Maybe next time it will be a silversmithing/ vessel/ flatware performance and the works themselves will be served…’ Jana Roman
We’re very lucky to have found such willing partners in Gingerboy and their staff and we owe them huge thanks. We’d love to collaborate with them again.
Do you have a dish you recommend people try at Gingerboy in September?
‘They’re famous for the delicious Son in Law Eggs, and the Whole Fried Snapper with Vegetable Jungle Curry is amazing!’ Chris Massey
gingerboy.com.au
Leah Teschendorff
Bosquejo
28/07/15
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In Spanish 'bosquejo' is a sketch, or the rough outline of an idea. Shortly after the acceptance of my proposal for Radiant Pavilion I developed tendonitis in my elbow. Such bad timing, I could not work. Rather than withdraw due to injury I decided to take the opportunity to present what I think of as three-dimensional drawings or sketches. Maquettes, ideas in progress, objects and experiments using light materials that would not hurt my arm such as wood, string, ink, encaustic paint and a glue gun. Plaster, brass tube, wax cast into bronze...
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How would you describe your working process?
I love working in my studio! I put the radio on and drink lots of green tea. Music is very important to me. At times I'm erratic and distracted, at times there is discipline and routine. It's pretty well balanced with other things in my life. During the tedious bits I take a meditative approach to the work, and when those sparkles of inspiration strike I throw myself in completely. I thrive on the pleasure of creative energy. Often the things I make are inspired and informed by botany, but increasingly the work is generative, more abstract. Sometimes taking things to the point of completion is a challenge for me because I'm moving on to the next idea before the last idea is resolved.
What's your favourite material to work with?
My favourite thing is drawing. The thrill of a fresh sheet of 280 gsm BFK Arches Rives paper, pen, ink, watercolour, gouache. Charcoal. Bronze. Found materials that inspire me to do something with them. At the moment I am experimenting with sheep's appendix from Donati's with some really interesting results. And at the jeweller's bench? Sliding a needle file through 22 ct gold is surely the most sensual metal work experience.
Why did you decide to present your work in a butcher shop window?
Donati's Butchers in Carlton is a very special place. It smells great. Apart from the hand crafted produce the shop is full of books and art, and often almost deafening Italian opera that can be heard down Lygon street. Leo and Vivienne Donati are huge supporters of the arts, contemporary jewellery in particular. Seemed like a perfect fit for Radiant Pavilion to me.
Why do you think presenting work in unusual spaces is important?
Outside of the gallery space what is an unusual space? This question really brings into play the consideration of placement of things. Jewellery on and off the body, public art, galleries, private collections... the list goes on. Presenting work in public spaces has an egalitarian aspect that I really like. I believe it is important and breathes life, interest and vibrancy to what are potentially dull places. Chapter House Lane in Melbourne is a great example of this: a window art gallery in a public space viewable 24/7 in a formerly dark and at times unsafe-feeling lane. Collaborations between artists and designers interest and inspire me, the windows of Isabel Marant and Dries Von Noten stores are always wonderful. Prada Marfa Texas by Elmgreen & Dragset is a favourite example of presenting work in an unusual environment. Increasingly there are interesting things happening online too.
Do you think there is a strong connection between jewellery & objects and food in Melbourne?
I'm not sure about jewelIery and food but there is certainly a connection between objects and food here. I ate at Lûmé in South Melbourne recently and the chefs there have discovered silicon putty. They are making some delightful objects from food that are admired and then eaten. Delicious. Many restaurants are using handmade, locally designed objects and tableware, particularly ceramics. It is great to see a resurgence of interest in the handmade and local makers supported.
leahteschendorff.com
I love working in my studio! I put the radio on and drink lots of green tea. Music is very important to me. At times I'm erratic and distracted, at times there is discipline and routine. It's pretty well balanced with other things in my life. During the tedious bits I take a meditative approach to the work, and when those sparkles of inspiration strike I throw myself in completely. I thrive on the pleasure of creative energy. Often the things I make are inspired and informed by botany, but increasingly the work is generative, more abstract. Sometimes taking things to the point of completion is a challenge for me because I'm moving on to the next idea before the last idea is resolved.
What's your favourite material to work with?
My favourite thing is drawing. The thrill of a fresh sheet of 280 gsm BFK Arches Rives paper, pen, ink, watercolour, gouache. Charcoal. Bronze. Found materials that inspire me to do something with them. At the moment I am experimenting with sheep's appendix from Donati's with some really interesting results. And at the jeweller's bench? Sliding a needle file through 22 ct gold is surely the most sensual metal work experience.
Why did you decide to present your work in a butcher shop window?
Donati's Butchers in Carlton is a very special place. It smells great. Apart from the hand crafted produce the shop is full of books and art, and often almost deafening Italian opera that can be heard down Lygon street. Leo and Vivienne Donati are huge supporters of the arts, contemporary jewellery in particular. Seemed like a perfect fit for Radiant Pavilion to me.
Why do you think presenting work in unusual spaces is important?
Outside of the gallery space what is an unusual space? This question really brings into play the consideration of placement of things. Jewellery on and off the body, public art, galleries, private collections... the list goes on. Presenting work in public spaces has an egalitarian aspect that I really like. I believe it is important and breathes life, interest and vibrancy to what are potentially dull places. Chapter House Lane in Melbourne is a great example of this: a window art gallery in a public space viewable 24/7 in a formerly dark and at times unsafe-feeling lane. Collaborations between artists and designers interest and inspire me, the windows of Isabel Marant and Dries Von Noten stores are always wonderful. Prada Marfa Texas by Elmgreen & Dragset is a favourite example of presenting work in an unusual environment. Increasingly there are interesting things happening online too.
Do you think there is a strong connection between jewellery & objects and food in Melbourne?
I'm not sure about jewelIery and food but there is certainly a connection between objects and food here. I ate at Lûmé in South Melbourne recently and the chefs there have discovered silicon putty. They are making some delightful objects from food that are admired and then eaten. Delicious. Many restaurants are using handmade, locally designed objects and tableware, particularly ceramics. It is great to see a resurgence of interest in the handmade and local makers supported.
leahteschendorff.com
Anna Davern
The Golden Land of the Sunny South
22/07/15
Anna Davern, Expedition Leader. object, articulated carriage, copper, printed steel, re-worked biscuit tin, silver chain, 300x120x45mm
Anna Davern brings contemporary jewellery to life, creating a mechanised diorama manipulated by handles, cranks and pulleys to play out a fantastical narrative. The diorama features a fictional retelling of colonial exploration in a strange, altered landscape - fused with the pomp and ceremony of Elizabethan tradition. Characters and props can be removed and worn as individual jewellery pieces or displayed as objects. Using images of kitsch Australiana found on old biscuit tins and historical imagery printed on to metal, Anna examines the idea of “Australian-ness”. Rearranging and reconstructing the images, Anna creates hybrid creatures and alternative tableaux: both as cultural commentary and as humorous acknowledgement of the hybrid nature of contemporary Australian society.
How did you come to making?
In my early 20’s I was attempting to pursue a career in film and television and doing some short courses in life drawing and jewellery making in my spare time. I pretty soon worked out that my desire to make ‘things’ outweighed my desire to make films, although an element of story telling still informs my practice. I started at Sydney College of the Arts when I was 24 and haven't looked back.
What difficulties do you face in your practice?
Finding time to make all of the things I want to make. Finding a balance between the different aspects of my practice. Being organised enough to get that grant application/exhibition application in on time.
How would you describe your working process?
Haphazard! I don’t draw very much and tend to make models rather than sketches. My brain is much more suited to constructing forms from building blocks, rather than carving forms from building blocks.
What is the evolution of this exhibition?
It has been an enormous learning curve as I am working on a much bigger scale than I am used to. I love making objects that encourage physical engagement with them by the incorporation of movement or having removable pieces. With the diorama it is the same but the engineering involved with having interactive elements on this scale has been very challenging.
Who's work do you find inspiring right now?
Lucien Shapiro. So free and prolific.
In my early 20’s I was attempting to pursue a career in film and television and doing some short courses in life drawing and jewellery making in my spare time. I pretty soon worked out that my desire to make ‘things’ outweighed my desire to make films, although an element of story telling still informs my practice. I started at Sydney College of the Arts when I was 24 and haven't looked back.
What difficulties do you face in your practice?
Finding time to make all of the things I want to make. Finding a balance between the different aspects of my practice. Being organised enough to get that grant application/exhibition application in on time.
How would you describe your working process?
Haphazard! I don’t draw very much and tend to make models rather than sketches. My brain is much more suited to constructing forms from building blocks, rather than carving forms from building blocks.
What is the evolution of this exhibition?
It has been an enormous learning curve as I am working on a much bigger scale than I am used to. I love making objects that encourage physical engagement with them by the incorporation of movement or having removable pieces. With the diorama it is the same but the engineering involved with having interactive elements on this scale has been very challenging.
Who's work do you find inspiring right now?
Lucien Shapiro. So free and prolific.
14/07/15
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With Vito Bila Fixing the unbroken is an exciting exhibition of contemporary vessels by David Clarke, Peter Bauhuis and Vito Bila. The practice of silversmithing isn’t broken but that doesn’t mean that some fixing isn’t called for. The three artists in this exhibition push at the boundaries of practice with a healthy dose of irreverence creating work that challenges convention often with humour and poetry. |
Vito Bila, Cups 1 & 2 2014, bronze, brass, silver
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How did you come to making?
Making came to me when I made the space for it. After studying engineering in Sydney I moved to Darwin where I had my ‘gap years’. It was there that I began to explore making stuff with a variety of found objects and materials. On moving to Melbourne in 1992 I decided it was time to engage in formal study. I completed my undergrad in Jewellery and Metals at Monash in 1995 and more recently (2012) I completed an MFA also at Monash. Since around 2000 my work has focused primarily on vessels.
What draws you to the vessel?
My practice for the last fifteen or so years has almost exclusively involved making vessels in various metals. The vessel interests me as an object for various reasons; its volume and surface provides a multitude of sites for exploration with material, process and decoration. It is also an object that is at the center of what it means to be human - it is one of the earliest objects made by human hands and has since been important for human survival. It is also an object at the center of traditional silversmithing practice and it allows me to explore the traditions of this practice through traditional and non-traditional craft, industrial and digital processes, often coming together in the one piece.
What links the works in this exhibition?
The works in Fixing the Unbroken are linked by the makers’ common desire, in their own ways, to make silversmithing relevant in contemporary craft practice. Each artist, by the processes, techniques and materials that they explore, break the rules of traditional silversmithing; David combines salt or lead with silver, Peter pours two molten metals simultaneously, and my own seams result from collisions of various analogue and digital processes.
Does function have a place in this work?
Function is not a primary concern in my work but I am certainly working with a vocabulary that is rooted in a language of functionality and decoration. These are the elements, together with skill, that are primary concerns in the traditional silver object. My intention is to work with this language expressed through process and material.
How would you describe your making process?
Firstly I am interested in objects that say something about the process by which they were made. In my practice my aim is to somehow allow the process of making to exert its influence on the objects final form and appearance. This might manifest as the hammer marks and creasing from the raising process, the visible seems where components have been joined or the heavy oxidation that is a result of the material’s exposure to the high temperatures of welding or casting.
Making came to me when I made the space for it. After studying engineering in Sydney I moved to Darwin where I had my ‘gap years’. It was there that I began to explore making stuff with a variety of found objects and materials. On moving to Melbourne in 1992 I decided it was time to engage in formal study. I completed my undergrad in Jewellery and Metals at Monash in 1995 and more recently (2012) I completed an MFA also at Monash. Since around 2000 my work has focused primarily on vessels.
What draws you to the vessel?
My practice for the last fifteen or so years has almost exclusively involved making vessels in various metals. The vessel interests me as an object for various reasons; its volume and surface provides a multitude of sites for exploration with material, process and decoration. It is also an object that is at the center of what it means to be human - it is one of the earliest objects made by human hands and has since been important for human survival. It is also an object at the center of traditional silversmithing practice and it allows me to explore the traditions of this practice through traditional and non-traditional craft, industrial and digital processes, often coming together in the one piece.
What links the works in this exhibition?
The works in Fixing the Unbroken are linked by the makers’ common desire, in their own ways, to make silversmithing relevant in contemporary craft practice. Each artist, by the processes, techniques and materials that they explore, break the rules of traditional silversmithing; David combines salt or lead with silver, Peter pours two molten metals simultaneously, and my own seams result from collisions of various analogue and digital processes.
Does function have a place in this work?
Function is not a primary concern in my work but I am certainly working with a vocabulary that is rooted in a language of functionality and decoration. These are the elements, together with skill, that are primary concerns in the traditional silver object. My intention is to work with this language expressed through process and material.
How would you describe your making process?
Firstly I am interested in objects that say something about the process by which they were made. In my practice my aim is to somehow allow the process of making to exert its influence on the objects final form and appearance. This might manifest as the hammer marks and creasing from the raising process, the visible seems where components have been joined or the heavy oxidation that is a result of the material’s exposure to the high temperatures of welding or casting.
07/07/15
Tara Brady, Hang me out to dry; 100% Common,
2012, Care label, cotton, thread |
Hang me out to dry utilises the language and formality of a garment care label and applies it to a person. We live in a consumer driven society, we care for objects, and materiality - place these on a pedestal “I shop therefore I am” (Barbara Kruger). Hang me out to dry is about returning care to the self, our relationships with friends, family, the wider community. It’s a tongue in cheek look at acknowledging our flaws and vulnerabilities, a warning, an offering.
I will be doing a live performance at Radiant Pavilion: Insights at RMIT Design Hub on Friday 4 September; a coat check, hand sewing labels into the audiences’ garments, as well as an interventionist piece throughout the week, collecting garments and delivering them with labels sewn into them to op-shops around Melbourne. If you would like to be involved, please check your coat in at the Friday seminar, or drop any intended clothes for the op-shop to one of the collection venues. |
How would you describe your practice?
My work is intuitively made as an outlet to assimilate and process life. I am fascinated by individual vulnerability, and the beauty found in the imperfections of human relationships. Generally my work is quite varied, and I enjoy exploring materials and practice that best suit the idea.
How does the participatory nature of your work impact your audience?
This will be my second project that is participatory in nature. What interests here is that I’ll never know how it will impact people. If a garment with a care label in it is bought from an op-shop, it may never be noticed, or one day after some time of owning it, someone may discover it and get a little giggle out of it, or it could strike a chord and make them think. I like that the care label will be subtle in its environment, and the mysterious revelation of it will allow people to consider the work in their own personal way.
What responses have people had to your work?
Some years ago I did a project called ‘Shelf life’ which looked at the effects of packaging and consumerism and the way we view a products’ useful life. I placed this back on the individual by asking them to determine their own ‘Best Before’ and ‘Expiry’ date, and stamped them sequentially on their forehead and photographed them. It was remarkable how uncomfortable this made people feel. Superstition reared in practically and scientifically minded folk. Many young people demonstrated that they were well past their ‘Best Before’ date, whilst other people even made their ‘Expiry’ date a date long past in reference to a career or way of life that was no longer. Some felt out of place in our current time, indicating they would have been more at home as hedonistic pagans, BC, in a world without the current moralistic stance. By asking people to treat the self as we treat products, it was interesting to see the repercussions on the psychological state, leading to reflection on our own mortality, usefulness and longevity.
What difficulties do you face in your practice?
I’m very easily distracted. A whiff of a good time happening outside of the studio when I’m not heavily involved in a project and I’m out of there. I would love to blame outside sources. But I cannot. There is a general unhurriedness of pace followed by a frenetic resolution. I’m a careful but not a prolific maker, I have to wait for an idea to show up, and then I usually can’t make anything else until that one is done.
Who's work do you find inspiring right now?
I’m influenced by a range of artists. I really like work that is unafraid to show vulnerability. I think artists like David Shrigley and Elliot Collins convey a lot of humour through their work which makes the painful/embarrassing/haunting ideas relatable. Lately I’ve been influenced a lot by my friend Rick who kindly tolerates me bumbling around in his joinery workshop, and patiently teaches me some tricks of his trade.
My work is intuitively made as an outlet to assimilate and process life. I am fascinated by individual vulnerability, and the beauty found in the imperfections of human relationships. Generally my work is quite varied, and I enjoy exploring materials and practice that best suit the idea.
How does the participatory nature of your work impact your audience?
This will be my second project that is participatory in nature. What interests here is that I’ll never know how it will impact people. If a garment with a care label in it is bought from an op-shop, it may never be noticed, or one day after some time of owning it, someone may discover it and get a little giggle out of it, or it could strike a chord and make them think. I like that the care label will be subtle in its environment, and the mysterious revelation of it will allow people to consider the work in their own personal way.
What responses have people had to your work?
Some years ago I did a project called ‘Shelf life’ which looked at the effects of packaging and consumerism and the way we view a products’ useful life. I placed this back on the individual by asking them to determine their own ‘Best Before’ and ‘Expiry’ date, and stamped them sequentially on their forehead and photographed them. It was remarkable how uncomfortable this made people feel. Superstition reared in practically and scientifically minded folk. Many young people demonstrated that they were well past their ‘Best Before’ date, whilst other people even made their ‘Expiry’ date a date long past in reference to a career or way of life that was no longer. Some felt out of place in our current time, indicating they would have been more at home as hedonistic pagans, BC, in a world without the current moralistic stance. By asking people to treat the self as we treat products, it was interesting to see the repercussions on the psychological state, leading to reflection on our own mortality, usefulness and longevity.
What difficulties do you face in your practice?
I’m very easily distracted. A whiff of a good time happening outside of the studio when I’m not heavily involved in a project and I’m out of there. I would love to blame outside sources. But I cannot. There is a general unhurriedness of pace followed by a frenetic resolution. I’m a careful but not a prolific maker, I have to wait for an idea to show up, and then I usually can’t make anything else until that one is done.
Who's work do you find inspiring right now?
I’m influenced by a range of artists. I really like work that is unafraid to show vulnerability. I think artists like David Shrigley and Elliot Collins convey a lot of humour through their work which makes the painful/embarrassing/haunting ideas relatable. Lately I’ve been influenced a lot by my friend Rick who kindly tolerates me bumbling around in his joinery workshop, and patiently teaches me some tricks of his trade.
Site 3065 South East Corner
30/06/15
Manon van Kouswijk, Fitzroy Findings no.14
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Site 3065 South East Corner is a public Jewellery project by Manon van Kouswijk & Roseanne Bartley, situated amongst the streets, lanes and shop fronts of Fitzroy. It draws together a diverse range of works - spatial, participatory, intervention, performance, text, image and object based. The individual artists’ projects elaborate on methodologies and strategies that have their origins in fine art but are interpreted through a ‘Jewellers’ process, history and or discourse. Their works reflect on jewellery in response to site or situation, or activate public / social spaces. They consider how jewellery as an object, idea or process can form, perform or inform in this public context. |
How did this event come about?
Roseanne and I had been discussing the idea of curating an exhibition together at some stage, so when we heard about the plans for Radiant Pavilion it just made sense to use this as an opportunity for a first collaborative project.
Are there themes that run through these artists’ work?
The artists we have invited to participate in Site 3065 share a multidisciplinary approach to jewellery practice.
In their practices jewellery is a subject that is explored through a range of different media resulting in diverse outcomes that can be object based, spatial, printed matter, photographic, participatory.
How did you decide on the way the work would be presented?
Because our project is based on working in a public space, we have to make individual decisions for each artist’s work as to where and how it will be presented or take place. These decisions are directed by the nature of the works. Some of them will be installed outdoors along part of Smith Street and Gertrude Street, other works will be programmed in a specific place at a particular day and time during the first week of September: watch this space!
What are the benefits and restrictions of showing work in unusual spaces?
I don’t think this is about benefits and restrictions: we have asked the artists to develop a work that considers a site or a situation in a public space, so the space where the work is shown follows the content of the work. It is just a very different starting point and process from showing work in a regular exhibition space where you can control the circumstances a lot more.
In this project the work or the way the work is presented has a connection to the site where it is shown, which is not necessarily the case in a gallery exhibition.
How has your own practice informed this exhibition?
I think for Roseanne as well as myself this project is a logical extension of our own practices. We are both interested in exploring different formats for jewellery works, and in incorporating other media, i.e. choosing the medium that suits the idea rather than working from a fixed premise.
What do you hope people's reaction will be?
We hope this is an active engaging viewing experience, seeing jewellery based works in a public context that activate ideas about jewellery differently. It would also be great if the works are noticed by passers-by, an audience that is not familiar with contemporary jewellery practice.
Alyra Bartasek
23/06/15
No breath breathed is ever the same. To examine the limitless potential of the fundamental, unconscious process of breathing, liquids that can transform into a solid, physical, representation of a single breath have been used to create a series of hand, ear, chest and body forms. Through limiting the influence over the forms, the pieces embody a unique moment that cannot be repeated. This moment is then made permanent through solidification processes. 100 Breaths reflects the infinite potential of the body in a moment and the unique temporality and pace of the individual when the objects are worn. Through the symbiotic relationship between worn objects and the human form, the site that the objects inhabit may be critically examined.
Alyra Bartasek, 9 Brass Breaths, 2015, brass
How did you come to making?
A close family friend in Austria gave me a short, crash course in silver-smithing and stone setting when I was in Klagenfurt in 2008. He instilled in me a respect for precious metals, whilst encouraging me to push the boundaries of what metals could achieve. This potential of material inspired me to consider an undergraduate degree majoring in metals and jewellery at Monash University and the rest is history.
Are there themes that run through your work?
My working methodology aims to examine how man-made objects have performed the role of extensions of the body, facilitating ways of knowing the world. Consequently a theme that runs throughout my work is an intense focus on the reciprocal relationship between the body and worn objects.
How would you describe your working process?
Very open and free flowing allowing both concept and material to fluctuate and inform one another. To date, my practice has incorporated sculpture, metal smiting, contemporary jewellery, video, sound, digital interactive and installation art forms.
What's your favourite material to work with?
Materials that can be used in conjunction with the intention of the work- generally to be worn. Materials that work with human form not against it whilst making a unique comment about the body and the body about the piece. In the past I have enjoyed working with metals and I believe that I will continue to use them as I feel that there are boundaries that can still be pushed and should be pushed in commenting on the body, object relationship.
If you could be wearing any piece of jewellery today what would it be?
A luscious, liquidise piece by Julia Maria Künnap. A solidified state of flux reflecting years of stone cutting mastery, to remind me of the importance of each ephemeral moment. These experiences may not seem meaningful now however perhaps someday they will.
A close family friend in Austria gave me a short, crash course in silver-smithing and stone setting when I was in Klagenfurt in 2008. He instilled in me a respect for precious metals, whilst encouraging me to push the boundaries of what metals could achieve. This potential of material inspired me to consider an undergraduate degree majoring in metals and jewellery at Monash University and the rest is history.
Are there themes that run through your work?
My working methodology aims to examine how man-made objects have performed the role of extensions of the body, facilitating ways of knowing the world. Consequently a theme that runs throughout my work is an intense focus on the reciprocal relationship between the body and worn objects.
How would you describe your working process?
Very open and free flowing allowing both concept and material to fluctuate and inform one another. To date, my practice has incorporated sculpture, metal smiting, contemporary jewellery, video, sound, digital interactive and installation art forms.
What's your favourite material to work with?
Materials that can be used in conjunction with the intention of the work- generally to be worn. Materials that work with human form not against it whilst making a unique comment about the body and the body about the piece. In the past I have enjoyed working with metals and I believe that I will continue to use them as I feel that there are boundaries that can still be pushed and should be pushed in commenting on the body, object relationship.
If you could be wearing any piece of jewellery today what would it be?
A luscious, liquidise piece by Julia Maria Künnap. A solidified state of flux reflecting years of stone cutting mastery, to remind me of the importance of each ephemeral moment. These experiences may not seem meaningful now however perhaps someday they will.
Blacksmith Doris
16/06/15
Through skill sharing Blacksmith Doris, a group run by and for women, teach and learn the craft of blacksmithing. Together we acknowledge, and are guided by, the historical weight of the craft of blacksmithing without being burdened by it.
Blacksmith Doris meets at the Australian Blacksmiths Association (Vic), and has done so for five years. We gather on the first Saturday of every month, between 10 am and 4 pm, in the blacksmithing venue affectionately known as the ‘Barn’, at Cooper’s Settlement,
Bundoora, which is the most diverse park in Melbourne.
Amongst the Doris’ are established blacksmiths, who measure their work against drawings in chalk on the floor of the ‘Barn’. Others are artists looking for a new form of expression. Some of the women come to seriously hone their skills, while for some it is a chance to socialise, draw, play with clay or scrounge in the scrap box.
Blacksmith Doris meets at the Australian Blacksmiths Association (Vic), and has done so for five years. We gather on the first Saturday of every month, between 10 am and 4 pm, in the blacksmithing venue affectionately known as the ‘Barn’, at Cooper’s Settlement,
Bundoora, which is the most diverse park in Melbourne.
Amongst the Doris’ are established blacksmiths, who measure their work against drawings in chalk on the floor of the ‘Barn’. Others are artists looking for a new form of expression. Some of the women come to seriously hone their skills, while for some it is a chance to socialise, draw, play with clay or scrounge in the scrap box.
Blacksmith Doris, 2014
How did you get into blacksmithing?
Mary Hackett: I have been a metalsmith for almost thirty years. My husband, Nick, who studied to be a metalsmith, became a member of Australian Blacksmiths Association (Vic). He would show me some of the techniques of blacksmithing and I began using them within silversmithing. I became hooked, working more and more at the forge. It has a lot to do with the fire.
Debbie Harman: I got into blacksmithing by being friends with the Hacketts. The first women’s forge day was held at Footscray on Dynon Rd and I attended this day and had a go. I decided to continue going as a social outlet, as it was a way of learning new skills and spending a day with some very interesting like-minded women.
Dianne Beevers: Mary Hackett and I met through our involvement with Part b, a Melbourne based Research Jewellers’ collective. Discovering Mary was a blacksmith resulted in an invitation to join Blacksmith Doris, which seemed astounding as I had always been attracted to forged metal, yet never believed it was possible for me to access the field, given it is traditionally a male domain.
What was the impetus for establishing Blacksmith Doris?
Mary Hackett: Doris began as a way of bringing gender balance to blacksmithing within Australia. The catalyst was a blacksmithing function, which included an exhibition, that celebrated 20 years of the association. The only woman within the exhibition was myself. The demonstrations at the weekend long meeting were all men. It was very clear that woman were not actively involved in blacksmithing as a craft.
Dianne Beevers: Generally accepted as a traditionally male trade, blacksmithing has increasingly opened to include women, expanding the repertoire of outcomes for the arena. Women have sometimes found the traditional culture of blacksmithing daunting, in respect of explorations of new types of work, as in
contemporary art works.
What are the aims of the group?
Mary Hackett: We aim to create gender balance within Australian blacksmithing and for blacksmithing to be seen, not just as an ancient and ‘dying’ craft, but as something that is alive and relevant. Skills that have a place within the contemporary making scene.
Debbie Harman: The aim is to provide a place and time where women can blacksmith in a different social
space and context to the traditional setting.
Dianne Beevers: Blacksmith Doris was conceived to foster a supportive and inclusive environment for women to learn and practice blacksmithing, while pursuing traditional and contemporary outcomes.
Can anyone become a member?
Mary Hackett: Any woman can become a member of Blacksmith Doris although to work at the ‘Barn’ you need to be a paid up member of the Australian Blacksmiths Association (Vic). There is also an age restriction for the association. The minimum age for working at the forge is 16.
Dianne Beevers: A diverse membership includes artists and metalsmiths, teachers and even a skin specialist. There are no prerequisites as to prior training since new members receive an induction, and further skilling if they desire.
What has been a highlight of Blacksmith Doris?
Mary Hackett: For me there have been a few highlights. One of them was when the ABA Vic committee allowed the special women’s only day, at that time it was once every two months, for Blacksmith Doris where men were told that they were not allowed to come at all on that day.
The very first Doris Day was also pretty special. The event was hosted by Brendan Hackett at Blueprint Sculpture Studio on Saturday 21st of November 2009. Four men volunteered to teach twenty-one women and three children simple blacksmithing skills. We hadn’t advertised. Those who came had heard through friends. There were so many women at the anvils that any wrong move with a hot piece of iron meant branding a fellow maker without their consent.
I have to mention another a couple of highlights which were both opportunities to talk about Doris. One of these was at the Queensland JMGA conference in 2013, and on an American podcast dedicated to women blacksmiths called BlacksmitHer.
Debbie Harman: For me, it has been a wonderful space to practice an area of my art with no pressures at all. I often don’t even use the forge. I prefer to sit in the lunch room and make work that mixes clay with metal. The other women are very encouraging and interested in what I do. I have conversations with the other women as they come in for their breaks from forging.
Dianne Beevers: Every Doris Day is a highlight for me, when I enter the extraordinary environment of the
Barn, an historic portable, iron building manufactured in Scotland in the 19th century and shipped to Melbourne where it served at Queen Victoria Market. In essence a “Radiant Pavilion” itself, the Barn contains six forges and a wonderful collection of dedicated tools and equipment. It is an inspiring place to work in a physical sense, together with the convivial activity of the members, who work hard, share knowledge and skills, and extend a generous welcome to new comers. Each piece of work attempted is also a highlight, regardless of the success or otherwise of the outcome, for you have progressed your experience.
What do you see in the future for the group?
Mary Hackett: In the future I would like Doris to be a more national concern. There is already Blacksmith Doris in South Australia which is organised by Kirstie Stewart who, along with Nick and myself, was a founder of the original Blacksmith Doris.
I hope that Doris can open the way for blacksmithing to be less of a closed men’s group and more inclusive of other minority groups.
I would like more Doris’ becoming confident blacksmiths, maybe some even earning a living from smithing, either traditionally or in a contemporary practice. What I want is for blacksmithing techniques to be used more extensively within contemporary metalsmithing.
Having said all of that, Doris has always been directed by those who participate and it is them who are in charge of the future. Without them Doris is nothing.
Debbie Harman: I am really happy with how it is at the moment. It provides a very interesting forum for women to learn in a very wide context that ranges from acquiring traditional blacksmiths skills to an art-centred approach.
Dianne Beevers: The extraordinary facility and diversity of its members, indicates a fulsome future for Blacksmith Doris, particularly in view of Melbournes notable community of metalsmiths who recognise a valuable resource. Blacksmith Doris is forging a stronger metal community and culture. Individuals are free to pursue their own directions.
Mary Hackett: I have been a metalsmith for almost thirty years. My husband, Nick, who studied to be a metalsmith, became a member of Australian Blacksmiths Association (Vic). He would show me some of the techniques of blacksmithing and I began using them within silversmithing. I became hooked, working more and more at the forge. It has a lot to do with the fire.
Debbie Harman: I got into blacksmithing by being friends with the Hacketts. The first women’s forge day was held at Footscray on Dynon Rd and I attended this day and had a go. I decided to continue going as a social outlet, as it was a way of learning new skills and spending a day with some very interesting like-minded women.
Dianne Beevers: Mary Hackett and I met through our involvement with Part b, a Melbourne based Research Jewellers’ collective. Discovering Mary was a blacksmith resulted in an invitation to join Blacksmith Doris, which seemed astounding as I had always been attracted to forged metal, yet never believed it was possible for me to access the field, given it is traditionally a male domain.
What was the impetus for establishing Blacksmith Doris?
Mary Hackett: Doris began as a way of bringing gender balance to blacksmithing within Australia. The catalyst was a blacksmithing function, which included an exhibition, that celebrated 20 years of the association. The only woman within the exhibition was myself. The demonstrations at the weekend long meeting were all men. It was very clear that woman were not actively involved in blacksmithing as a craft.
Dianne Beevers: Generally accepted as a traditionally male trade, blacksmithing has increasingly opened to include women, expanding the repertoire of outcomes for the arena. Women have sometimes found the traditional culture of blacksmithing daunting, in respect of explorations of new types of work, as in
contemporary art works.
What are the aims of the group?
Mary Hackett: We aim to create gender balance within Australian blacksmithing and for blacksmithing to be seen, not just as an ancient and ‘dying’ craft, but as something that is alive and relevant. Skills that have a place within the contemporary making scene.
Debbie Harman: The aim is to provide a place and time where women can blacksmith in a different social
space and context to the traditional setting.
Dianne Beevers: Blacksmith Doris was conceived to foster a supportive and inclusive environment for women to learn and practice blacksmithing, while pursuing traditional and contemporary outcomes.
Can anyone become a member?
Mary Hackett: Any woman can become a member of Blacksmith Doris although to work at the ‘Barn’ you need to be a paid up member of the Australian Blacksmiths Association (Vic). There is also an age restriction for the association. The minimum age for working at the forge is 16.
Dianne Beevers: A diverse membership includes artists and metalsmiths, teachers and even a skin specialist. There are no prerequisites as to prior training since new members receive an induction, and further skilling if they desire.
What has been a highlight of Blacksmith Doris?
Mary Hackett: For me there have been a few highlights. One of them was when the ABA Vic committee allowed the special women’s only day, at that time it was once every two months, for Blacksmith Doris where men were told that they were not allowed to come at all on that day.
The very first Doris Day was also pretty special. The event was hosted by Brendan Hackett at Blueprint Sculpture Studio on Saturday 21st of November 2009. Four men volunteered to teach twenty-one women and three children simple blacksmithing skills. We hadn’t advertised. Those who came had heard through friends. There were so many women at the anvils that any wrong move with a hot piece of iron meant branding a fellow maker without their consent.
I have to mention another a couple of highlights which were both opportunities to talk about Doris. One of these was at the Queensland JMGA conference in 2013, and on an American podcast dedicated to women blacksmiths called BlacksmitHer.
Debbie Harman: For me, it has been a wonderful space to practice an area of my art with no pressures at all. I often don’t even use the forge. I prefer to sit in the lunch room and make work that mixes clay with metal. The other women are very encouraging and interested in what I do. I have conversations with the other women as they come in for their breaks from forging.
Dianne Beevers: Every Doris Day is a highlight for me, when I enter the extraordinary environment of the
Barn, an historic portable, iron building manufactured in Scotland in the 19th century and shipped to Melbourne where it served at Queen Victoria Market. In essence a “Radiant Pavilion” itself, the Barn contains six forges and a wonderful collection of dedicated tools and equipment. It is an inspiring place to work in a physical sense, together with the convivial activity of the members, who work hard, share knowledge and skills, and extend a generous welcome to new comers. Each piece of work attempted is also a highlight, regardless of the success or otherwise of the outcome, for you have progressed your experience.
What do you see in the future for the group?
Mary Hackett: In the future I would like Doris to be a more national concern. There is already Blacksmith Doris in South Australia which is organised by Kirstie Stewart who, along with Nick and myself, was a founder of the original Blacksmith Doris.
I hope that Doris can open the way for blacksmithing to be less of a closed men’s group and more inclusive of other minority groups.
I would like more Doris’ becoming confident blacksmiths, maybe some even earning a living from smithing, either traditionally or in a contemporary practice. What I want is for blacksmithing techniques to be used more extensively within contemporary metalsmithing.
Having said all of that, Doris has always been directed by those who participate and it is them who are in charge of the future. Without them Doris is nothing.
Debbie Harman: I am really happy with how it is at the moment. It provides a very interesting forum for women to learn in a very wide context that ranges from acquiring traditional blacksmiths skills to an art-centred approach.
Dianne Beevers: The extraordinary facility and diversity of its members, indicates a fulsome future for Blacksmith Doris, particularly in view of Melbournes notable community of metalsmiths who recognise a valuable resource. Blacksmith Doris is forging a stronger metal community and culture. Individuals are free to pursue their own directions.
Gray Street Workshop
09/06/15
Catherine Truman, Cell Culture Glove, cotton glove, glass, steel, light pad. 2015. Photo: Grant Hancock
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Gray Street Workshop Celebrates 30 Years in 2015!
In 2015 Gray Street Workshop celebrates 30 years as an artist run space. Over the three decades we have been dedicated to providing support, opportunities, promotion, mentoring and studio space to emerging, mid career and established artists working in the field of contemporary jewellery and object making. Our philosophy is to encourage a rich and thought-provoking range of professional experiences and exchanges. Our access bench facility has provided a bridge between formal education, training and professional development to over 90 jewellers from around Australia and overseas. Our uncompromising commitment to our work and to a studio-based practice has enabled Gray Street to evolve into one of Australia's most exciting and respected workshops. |
How did Gray Street Workshop begin?
Catherine Truman: In the early 80s I shared a studio with Anne Brennan and in 1984 we toured our exhibition Thoughts into Flesh, an exhibition that expressed feminist politics, to Melbourne and met Sue…who happened to be preparing her exhibition that had a distinctly anti-nuclear flavour. In 1985, deciding we had a lot in common, we decided, with the valuable support of state and federal government funding, to combine our resources and the workshop was born in Gray Street in Norwood, South Australia.
Hail The Australia Council!!!!!! (unashamed plug)
Have the objectives of Gray St Workshop changed over the years?
Catherine Truman: Originally we got together to explore making work that expressed ideas beyond the tradition of adornment. Our mission statement then went along the lines of….”Gray Street Workshop provides a sustainable work environment for its members in an atmosphere which encourages practical development alongside theory and research.” Right from the beginning there was a shared belief amongst us that jewellery has the potential to express personal, social, political and economic issues.
The work enthusiastically reflected the politics of the day…so that hasn't changed. We shared tools, space and ideas and our principle objective was to invite others to work along side us.
The philosophy of the workshop now is to encourage a rich exchange between jewellers with a wide range of professional experience, from students and those just emerging in their careers through to mid-career and established contemporary practitioners. I would say that my personal objective under the umbrella of Gray Street is to encourage tenants to learn about their own unique processes and to build on that foundation. Then what they express and how they express it comes from the heart. We’ve had around 100 tenants pass through our doors over 30 years. Change is inevitable and welcome. The philosophy evolves with the people and their needs, but the basic tenets are constant.
What do you see in the future for Gray Street Workshop?
Catherine Truman: The word ‘legacy’ comes to mind. We are constantly exchanging what we’ve learned and what we know. We’re like a slipstream for artists at the beginning of their practices in a way. We learn how to learn and how to mentor each other… hard to see that ever ending.
Sue Lorraine: I would like to think that we have...and will continue to provide support and encouragement for others to stick with their passion.
Tell us about the title of your exhibition Theatre of Detail.
Sue Lorraine: It just seemed like the perfect combination of words… a stage on which to show off ideas, concept and skill, to look at something closely, to bring together the real and the imagined…presented as an enchanting spectacle… a Theatre of Detail.
What draws you to making jewellery and objects?
Catherine Truman: The boundless potential with form and scale and the intimate associations with the human body … the relationships it facilitates between people.
Jess Dare: I make because it gives me joy, its part of who I am. It’s alchemy I suppose, from gardening to cooking to flame-working to jewellery making, mixing parts/materials together to create/grow something that didn’t exist before. I am drawn to the intimate scale of jewellery and objects, drawing people into my world, my sense of wonder and intrigue. I love the problem solving and challenge of working with different materials and working out how they will fit on to the body. On another level it’s my way of processing the things I see, my way of dealing with the things that I have experienced.
Sue Lorraine: I enjoy the challenge of saying more with less, of paring back the detail, of making the complicated look simple, so spend a lot of time refining the design and perfecting the process.
I like to consider scale, the relationship to the body, the narrative in the materials, the positive and negative space of the work and its function.
Really I just love to problem solve and make things with my hands.
Have you ever had “artists-block”? What helped you to move through it?
Catherine Truman: I’ve learned how to literally move through frustrating moments. When in doubt just get up and walk…simple. I think ‘artist block’ can just as easily occur when you’re so absorbed in the making and you cant see the forest for the trees. Stopping then, taking a breath and walking away will give you insight… never fails.
Jess Dare: Yes I have and where once I found it frustrating and debilitating, which only exacerbates the block, I can now step away and work on something different, often a repetitive task like saw piercing my production work or lampworking repeated elements for a larger plant. I find my brain works best when my hands are making so I can turn a problem over in my head whilst churning out my other work. When all else fails I hop in to my garden and pull up weeds, I find it incredible satisfying and clears my mind, focusing solely on which weed to pull out next, how can I pull it out with all its roots still intact.
Sue Lorraine: Just part of the process, good ideas come when you least expect them…the rest of the time you just have to keep those hands busy.
If you could wear any piece of contemporary jewellery or object, what would it be and why?
Catherine Truman: I form a relationship with both the work I wear and it’s maker. It’s never just about decoration.
Jess Dare: This is a hard question as it changes all the time. Sometimes what I wear differs from what I hold dear and sometimes they are inextricably linked. I tend to attach sentimentality to most things I own based on how it came in to my possession and also my relationship to the maker.
In terms of adornment I love big earrings and can’t get enough of Peta Kruger’s beautiful earrings. But sometimes I just want to wear a brooch that makes me smile, like Lisa Furno’s These trophy heads have funny accents. Or perhaps one of Panjapol Kulpapangkorn’s thoughtful 7 days a week brooches. I fell in love with this series in Thailand and met his mother who the brooches are based on. They are a touching response to the cruel disease, dementia. Or my favourite Karl Fritsch ring, it’s a simple round band with a claw set black diamond and the black diamond has a hole drilled right through the centre.
I could play this game all day, because I love these portable artworks that we make, that tell stories both about the maker and the wearer.
Sue Lorraine: I might go for one of David Bielander’s pieces…perhaps a beetle or a slug! I am building up an entomology jewellery collection.
Catherine Truman: In the early 80s I shared a studio with Anne Brennan and in 1984 we toured our exhibition Thoughts into Flesh, an exhibition that expressed feminist politics, to Melbourne and met Sue…who happened to be preparing her exhibition that had a distinctly anti-nuclear flavour. In 1985, deciding we had a lot in common, we decided, with the valuable support of state and federal government funding, to combine our resources and the workshop was born in Gray Street in Norwood, South Australia.
Hail The Australia Council!!!!!! (unashamed plug)
Have the objectives of Gray St Workshop changed over the years?
Catherine Truman: Originally we got together to explore making work that expressed ideas beyond the tradition of adornment. Our mission statement then went along the lines of….”Gray Street Workshop provides a sustainable work environment for its members in an atmosphere which encourages practical development alongside theory and research.” Right from the beginning there was a shared belief amongst us that jewellery has the potential to express personal, social, political and economic issues.
The work enthusiastically reflected the politics of the day…so that hasn't changed. We shared tools, space and ideas and our principle objective was to invite others to work along side us.
The philosophy of the workshop now is to encourage a rich exchange between jewellers with a wide range of professional experience, from students and those just emerging in their careers through to mid-career and established contemporary practitioners. I would say that my personal objective under the umbrella of Gray Street is to encourage tenants to learn about their own unique processes and to build on that foundation. Then what they express and how they express it comes from the heart. We’ve had around 100 tenants pass through our doors over 30 years. Change is inevitable and welcome. The philosophy evolves with the people and their needs, but the basic tenets are constant.
What do you see in the future for Gray Street Workshop?
Catherine Truman: The word ‘legacy’ comes to mind. We are constantly exchanging what we’ve learned and what we know. We’re like a slipstream for artists at the beginning of their practices in a way. We learn how to learn and how to mentor each other… hard to see that ever ending.
Sue Lorraine: I would like to think that we have...and will continue to provide support and encouragement for others to stick with their passion.
Tell us about the title of your exhibition Theatre of Detail.
Sue Lorraine: It just seemed like the perfect combination of words… a stage on which to show off ideas, concept and skill, to look at something closely, to bring together the real and the imagined…presented as an enchanting spectacle… a Theatre of Detail.
What draws you to making jewellery and objects?
Catherine Truman: The boundless potential with form and scale and the intimate associations with the human body … the relationships it facilitates between people.
Jess Dare: I make because it gives me joy, its part of who I am. It’s alchemy I suppose, from gardening to cooking to flame-working to jewellery making, mixing parts/materials together to create/grow something that didn’t exist before. I am drawn to the intimate scale of jewellery and objects, drawing people into my world, my sense of wonder and intrigue. I love the problem solving and challenge of working with different materials and working out how they will fit on to the body. On another level it’s my way of processing the things I see, my way of dealing with the things that I have experienced.
Sue Lorraine: I enjoy the challenge of saying more with less, of paring back the detail, of making the complicated look simple, so spend a lot of time refining the design and perfecting the process.
I like to consider scale, the relationship to the body, the narrative in the materials, the positive and negative space of the work and its function.
Really I just love to problem solve and make things with my hands.
Have you ever had “artists-block”? What helped you to move through it?
Catherine Truman: I’ve learned how to literally move through frustrating moments. When in doubt just get up and walk…simple. I think ‘artist block’ can just as easily occur when you’re so absorbed in the making and you cant see the forest for the trees. Stopping then, taking a breath and walking away will give you insight… never fails.
Jess Dare: Yes I have and where once I found it frustrating and debilitating, which only exacerbates the block, I can now step away and work on something different, often a repetitive task like saw piercing my production work or lampworking repeated elements for a larger plant. I find my brain works best when my hands are making so I can turn a problem over in my head whilst churning out my other work. When all else fails I hop in to my garden and pull up weeds, I find it incredible satisfying and clears my mind, focusing solely on which weed to pull out next, how can I pull it out with all its roots still intact.
Sue Lorraine: Just part of the process, good ideas come when you least expect them…the rest of the time you just have to keep those hands busy.
If you could wear any piece of contemporary jewellery or object, what would it be and why?
Catherine Truman: I form a relationship with both the work I wear and it’s maker. It’s never just about decoration.
Jess Dare: This is a hard question as it changes all the time. Sometimes what I wear differs from what I hold dear and sometimes they are inextricably linked. I tend to attach sentimentality to most things I own based on how it came in to my possession and also my relationship to the maker.
In terms of adornment I love big earrings and can’t get enough of Peta Kruger’s beautiful earrings. But sometimes I just want to wear a brooch that makes me smile, like Lisa Furno’s These trophy heads have funny accents. Or perhaps one of Panjapol Kulpapangkorn’s thoughtful 7 days a week brooches. I fell in love with this series in Thailand and met his mother who the brooches are based on. They are a touching response to the cruel disease, dementia. Or my favourite Karl Fritsch ring, it’s a simple round band with a claw set black diamond and the black diamond has a hole drilled right through the centre.
I could play this game all day, because I love these portable artworks that we make, that tell stories both about the maker and the wearer.
Sue Lorraine: I might go for one of David Bielander’s pieces…perhaps a beetle or a slug! I am building up an entomology jewellery collection.
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Theatre of Detail – An Exhibition of New Work by Jess Dare, Sue Lorraine and Catherine Truman, in which we unravel concepts of scale, time and material specificity. The work on exhibition consists of objects, videos and jewellery presented as a series of installations and/or vignettes. We are very pleased to be presenting this exhibition at 10 Crossley Street, Melbourne under the umbrella of Gallery Funaki especially for Radiant Pavilion during September 2015.
The Theatre of Detail exhibition opened in Adelaide in March 2015 as part of the Fringe Festival. In July it will be exhibited at AirSpace Projects, Sydney to coincide with the 16th Jewellers and Metalsmiths Group of Australia (JMGA) conference titled Edgesbordersgaps. In 2016 the show will tour to ATTA Gallery, Bangkok and The National, Christchurch. |
Jess Dare, Elementary Phuang Malai, 2015, powder coated brass, copper, cotton thread. Photo: Grant Hancock.
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Get to know more about the artists and presenters involved in Radiant Pavilion.
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