Silent Auction.....go crazy for the Box Hill Institute 2nd year jewellery students!

Yes it is that time of year again, time to bask in glory of beautiful jewels and retail therapy on a crispy autumn eve to help the 2nd years raise money for their graduate show.  The jewellery donations for this silent auction have been rolling in thick and fast by some extremely talented and generous makers. I must say it is shaping up to be an exciting event and from me personally I'd like to thank everyone that has donated, I teach the second years and I along with all the students really appreciate your support.

So peeps for a great night and a fund raising extravaganza we would like to invite you to...  

The Box Hill Institute

Jewellery Silent Auction 

 16th of May

from 6pm at

New Guernica

322 Little Collins st 

For a sneak peek of these beautiful and generous jewellery donations made by the  jewellery students and artists visit...

http://whitehorsejewellery.tumblr.com

or

Whitehorsejewellery Facebook

I have donated this...

“Field Trip” Bangle by Jessica Morrison 

Fine Silver, Sterling Silver, 24ct Gold and Glass Enamel

20 x 80 x90mm

Reserve Price $150.00

...and this.

“Treasure” Bangle by Jessica Morrison

Sterling Silver

7 x 75 x 80mm

Reserve Price $100.00

Matthew Bracken is a rock star!!!!

If you thought I had been quite you would be wrong. Amongst gripping tightly to ones roller coaster life  at times, we have been building a new studio for me!!!!!! When I say 'we' I mean Matthew designed and built the above new jewellery workshop (to keep us both sane, the shed wasn't working out).  And I love it!  I have learn't over this last year since moving out of my city studio that you have to create a professional space which works for you rather than just fitting your bench in somewhere!

(yes you are correct that is some seriously exciting 70's copper extraction fan!)

Whilst it was very tempting to leave this beautiful space just like this and bask in the woohoo-ness of having such a great studio....it was time to put it to work!

Phew!

And a special thanks to dad for building my shelves and being extra hands when needed!

Now finally i think it's time to get those jewellery cogs moving again.

The all new SCHTIK

Introducing Schtik,

the new shop and gallery of contemporary design, objects and jewellery found at

133B Lygon St, East Brunswick. Woooooohooo!

Where I have just dropped off one of my favourite works '...very Emily Dickinson',

and I have to say it feels great to have a space to release this beast once again!

Schtik is an interesting mix of experimental and conceptual works from beautifully designed lights

...to the more whimsically crafted jewels such as the talented Matthew Bracken's 'Sunken Head'.

Schtik, go get them tigers!

Open studio....

Discover the making of art.

Saturday 26 – Sunday 27 November

www.openstudiosinthewest.net

Open Studios is a fun and mostly free weekend. Discover, see, be inspired, learn, partake and purchase art from artists, creators and makers in their studios across Melbourne’s west.

Participating Artists welcome visitors to view their art practice in the friendly environment of their private studios. Catch a glimpse of the stories behind the scenes of where art is created, from traditional and contemporary painting, photography, jewellery, sculpture, textile craft, and print making to live music, spoken word and puppetry.

Take a self-guided tour in and around the multiple venues. Pop into one of the Pop Up Studios; which are temporary studio spaces housing an array of artists to be discovered.

Open Studios began with a group of inner west artists wanting to showcase their work. The first Open Studios took place as a part of the 2005 Big West Festival. In 2007, Maribyrnong City Council agreed to manage the program, which now occurs annually and continues to be a part of Big West Festival bi-annually. The program continues to grow each year, and in 2009 extended its borders to neighbouring western regions councils. In 2011 the program is presented by Maribyrnong, Hobsons Bay and Wyndham City.

This year over 50 artists (SUCH AS DIANNE BEEVERS, MATTHEW BRACKEN AND JESSICA MORRISON) and studios will be involved, including MREAM, Post Industrial Design, Red Girl Mosaics, John Howard, Sue Manski, Janet Knight, Trocadero Art Space, Footscray Community Arts Centre, Louis Joel Community Centre, Iramoo Community Centre and Kindred Studios...AND DIANNE BEEVERS, MATTHEW BRACKEN AND JESSICA MORRISON.

The program consists of a number of activities to see and do, including artist talks, demonstrations, workshops, puppet shows, live music performances AND A VISIT WITH DIANNE BEEVERS, MATTHEW BRACKEN AND JESSICA MORRISON.

Artists' studios in Melbourne’s west will be open to the public on Saturday 26th to Sunday27thNovember 2011.

(SORRY I MAY HAVE DODGIED THE MEDIA RELEASE...I'M SURE YOU CAN GUESS WHERE!)

So...this weekend if you haven't got something to do come and visit us at Dianne's studio at:

Unit 26, Docklands Cotton Mills, 91 Moreland Road, Footscary.

Saturday and Sunday, 10am-4pm!

Dianne Beevers

Matthew Bracken

and me!

Silverspun makes me spin!!!!!!

Over the past two years I have had the pleasure of teaching the 2011 Box Hill Jewellery Graduates and now it is their time to shine in their impending exhibition Silverspun.

See details below to to make sure you catch their show as I am anticipating it is going to be great!

Silverspun

2011 Box Hill Jewellery Graduate Exhibition

Opening: Friday 25th November, 6-8pm

Venue: 1000 £ Bend

Address: 361 Little Lonsdale St, Melbourne 3000

Gallery Hours: Mon - Fri: 10am-6pm, Sat - Sun: 11am-5pm

Guest Speaker: David Neale

Dates: Friday 25th November - Sunday 4th December, 2011

You can also keep up with these 16 clever kids on their blog and Facebook

woooohooo go get them tigers!

Bling Nation!!!!

Get out the jimmy bar, crack open those piggy banks, activate all credit cards and get online to Edition X as Bling Nation has landed! Those clever pirates at Pieces of Eight have many pieces to tickle your X spot.... With a 24 hour, 7 days a week online store, plus a showroom in Fitzroy. It's time to shine..... and we mean that literally... Swarovski's, 22ct gold and pure animal essense await your creditcard details... no free steak knives or ab toners though....

So, you are asking what is Bling Nation?
Well....

A body of *Bajishered Beasts that have crawled from the creative loins of Princess C and Lady J.

Jessica Morrison and Coconut Lu have taken Bling Nation to a level that resembles the love child of Indiana Jones and Temple of Doom meets Ravi Shanker (and it was humid).
These 22ct gold leafed godly creatures are detailed with the finest Swarovski’s sourced from a planet far far away… Like Queensland or somewhere…

These magnificent beasts are set to redefined the fashion world as we know it… As they put the Coo in Couture.

*bajishhering: a completely made up word by us meaning the
collective noun for Swarovski crystals, gathering
i.e; school of fish, mob of kangaroos, bajishering of Swarovskis.



As Edition X opens on the 5th November, we thought we would introduce some of our limited edition friends.. So limited in fact that there are only 3 of each ever ever ever made....... Whoa....


Princess C and Lady J would like to present:

Maude Vicious

This ageing punk rocker's "natural" beauty doesn't come cheap.... Thousands of years of tanning in beachside Florida will give you that antique golden glow. This outrageous lady is not just a pretty face she has some health and beauty advice for you youngsters.... Smoking does give you crows feet, eating paper does give you worms and tattoos are for LIFE.... Get it right the first time. Cos, bloody hell, translations are not guaranteed and those chinese tattoos, while they look cool, who wants people ordering dim sims from a menu off your upper thigh??? Wearing animal prints are slimming... rrreeeoow ra pur lick lick muuuaa
Oh yea and dancing in the dark is an acceptable form of exercise.

Stay tuned for more party people on a runway somewhere near you....

Tinker Tailor Soldier Sailor....Quinton Bryce

TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SAILOR

100 WOMEN 100 BROOCHES 100 STORIES

The exhibition Tinker Tailor Soldier Sailor celebrates 100 years of International Women's Day and features 100 stories of great Australian women, with 100 brooches made in response to these stories by 100 of Australia's most talented women jewellers.

And yes I was one of the lucky ones invited to be apart of this exciting show.....My great Australian was Quinton Bryce...and yes I did feel the pressure she is very gutsy!!

Fine silver, sterling silver, 24ct gold and glass enamel, 2011.

When researching Quinton Bryce I was overwhelmed by her countless personal academic and political achievements. From lecturing at T.C. Beirne School of Law at the University of Queensland to becoming the Governor General of Australia. Her 43year career to date has been full of many challenging and powerful roles. All of which at a closer inspection have been to better the conditions for others and in particular women and children. It is this focus that I found my inspiration to make the brooch.

I chose the form of a flower to represent the fragility and beauty of those she strives for. Each fine silver petal in this form represents a year in her career.

To depict her journey I have used the colours of International Women’s Day, through the use of glass enamel I have applied these colours with a painterly approach.

Through white, purple and green, I have told her story.

I usually don't include many making shots but when I found myself in this situation I thought it should be documented. For a piece that looks so organic i planned every detail. You can see Quinton's career timeline and my colour coding. Phew....

Artisan 381 Brunswick Street, Fortitude Valley, QLD until the 12 November 2011

and then it tours nationally from 2012 to 2013.

Woooooooo!!