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!!

ring, ring...

'Together' Treasure range, 18ct Yellow Gold Ring, 2011

'Impression' Treasure range, 18ct Yellow Gold Ring, 2011

Treasure range, 18ct Yellow Gold and Sterling Silver Rings, 2011

'Disco' Treasure range, 18ct Yellow Gold and Sterling Silver Ring, 2011

Earrings

Treasure drop earrings,

18ct yellow gold.

Treasure studs, 2011

Sterling silver and 18ct gold with oxidised finish.

Treasure drop earrings, 2011

Sterling silver and 18ct gold with bleached finish.

Treasure drop earrings, 2011

Sterling silver and 18ct gold with bleached finish.

Various earrings and rings, 2011

Treasure...necklaces

Complete form Necklace

Sterling silver and 24ct gold with bleached finish.

Finally, images of my treasure range. Woohoo! It has only taken me a few years, hopefully they have been worth the wait.

In this work I am bringing two very basic elements together. Put a hole in an object, thread it and it becomes a bead, decorative, portable, beautiful no matter the material, and cuttlefish casting. The simplest of casting, one of the most immediate and organic mediums a jeweller could use.

Pieces that are designed to keep evolving with their wearer.

Three twist necklace

Sterling silver and 18ct gold with bleached finish.

Various Treasure necklaces with bleached finish

Various Treasure necklaces with oxidised finish

Lend me your ear.....

Quick, quick this fun show is coming down on the 1st of April.........(i'm on time with this announcement woo!). Don't be deceived by the size of the display cabinet as this show has been huge with 38 maker exploring lending ears!?

I don't know if i had more fun thinking of and making the postcard or the earring either way I totally enjoyed creating with Part B.

Dear Jessica,

When hearing about this opportunity to lend an ear(s) I knew you would have a stream of hot contenders and i would just like to say thank you so much for choosing my lobes. I feel very privileged to be the one to exhibit such amazing artworks. My ensemble is now complete.

Love hearts,

King Otumfuo Opoku-Ware II

Figment...(whoops 2010)

Hmmm, so I have some catching up to do.... anyhow....

Figment was an exhibition developed and launched by e.g.etal about this time last year. E.g.etal transformed into a city of bright lights and shadows. They pushed the normal displaying traditions and displayed the artworks on projectors which beamed beautiful silhouettes onto the gallery walls. Interesting and hot (in temperature not in a Paris Hilton way)!

Above are the silhouettes of my drawings and pieces (but not the two silhouettes furthest to the right). It felt a little revealing to see your sketches not only on display but huge and on the wall. Although i must say i did cringe when i saw my drawings so there naked on the wall to share with everyone, i did like the connection of the projected images and my concept for the body of work, 'Day Dreaming'. Yes very dreamy.

Although i haven't included any clear images of the work stay tuned as i am continuing to develop this body of work so i will save them up for another time not so far from now.