Graduation...

The end of the school year this year felt like a huge success for me. Our end of year exhibition at Northart Gallery was fantastic - everyone's work looked awesome on display and i was so relieved and happy with how our catalogue turned out! My work seems to be taking some kind of direction now, which is very exciting... but also a little bit scary for me - I'm really going to have to work hard!! I have decided to go back to study my fourth year, i feel like my work is at a very crucial developmental faze and that the structured, supportive environment of school will be a big help to me. I'm looking forward to it!

My work on display in Northart Gallery, during our end of year exhibition.

Silver Rings

Some of the silver rings which i have made - prices range from $70 - $110.

Sketch Piece

This piece is one of my favourites from a series of objects which were repeats of a simple form made in as many different materials as possible. This one is a fake flower which was dipped in plaster of paris - unfortunately it isn't durable enough for jewellery, something stronger will have to replace the plaster to make this practical.

Peter Deckers floor talk

I went to Masterworks Gallery on Ponsonby rd last week to listen to Peter Deckers, a NZ contemporary jeweller - or 'maker' as he described himself. He spoke about his current show in the Thinkspace section of the gallery and also a bit about his next show which will be happening in a few weeks (i think) in the same space. He spoke a little bit about his making process and how he generates the ideas behind his pieces, which is always something that i am interested to learn about other artists -  probably because this is something that i am still trying to find out about myself. He said that once he's got his idea, he will make without thinking. That sounds to me like a very exciting way of creating object art, because there are so many possibilities available before the mind adds its two cents and logic comes into the picture and starts to narrow things down. I don't work in this way... finding an idea which i am so passionate about that i want to make it the subject of my art seems like a very big hurdle to get over.

Motivation!!

After spending the entire year attempting to make interesting and conceptual contemporary jewellery - and feeling completely useless and uninspired the whole time - i finally feel as though i know what i'm doing! It feels fantastic!! I know what i'm making and i know that this idea can be developed much further, it's very exciting! I know what i hope to achieve in terms of the aesthetic and the appearance of the physical piece regarding basic design elements. Having a concept to give the work depth and a means of continuation in my design still hasn't quite fallen into place though... it'll come to me.

Celtic Beast Brooches.

I carved these from wax, then had them cast into copper. I then made them into two brooches. The original image comes from the Book of Kells - they are: a lion (left) and a deer (right). They were my parents' Xmas presents :)

Experimentation with colour.

Ok... So not that much colour, but you know - baby steps and all that. I think that the black spray paint captures the texture of the crochet fabric really well. I also like what happens to the other side of the doily after one side has been spray painted (the greyish mock-up pictured on the right).

In the process...

A sneak-peak at my bombsite of a work bench! The yellow things in the top left corner are more of my doily pieces, these ones are a couple of sketches i've made experimenting with colour.

Exploring durability & stability in my chosen material - crochet doilies.