Opening Night October 1, running until October 29

unnatural, naturally – Lauren Simeoni and Melinda Young
With a delight in finding expressions of the ‘natural’ in the ‘unnatural’ (and vice versa), Simeoni and Young exploit the potential of found objects in their work, playing with colour and materiality. The conceptual ideas for this exhibition have been developed using a shared sketchbook, which migrates back and forth between their studios. The exhibition features work with a focus on botany and the body – re-presenting and re-configuring natural forms via artificial conduits. Creating, utilising and manipulating non-specific artificial objects: changing the unnatural to the natural, the artists have developed playful bodies of new work which speak to each other through an excited engagement of ideas and material sensibility.

Lauren Simeoni (Adelaide) and Melinda Young (Sydney) create work that is a homage to the senses – a wearable passport to a whimsical ‘other’ reality. Exploring the potential for unexpected narrative, their works often have a sly subversive humour. Finding the beautiful and seductive in what is otherwise thought of as mundane, toying with mass-production processes and reconfiguring mass-produced objects to create wearables of seductive beauty. Simeoni has a Bachelor of Arts (Gold and Silversmithing) from Canberra School of Art and undertook a Design Associateship at the JamFactory in Adelaide. Young has a Master of Visual Arts from Sydney College of the Arts. Both artists exhibit widely in Australia and overseas.

100s of Rings, by forty artists

Opens Friday 2 October 2009

Studio Ingot

The ring is a symbol universally interpreted as a marker of an emotional or spiritual bond. This simple object has always reflected the wearer and communicated a social context. As a symbol, the ring has always generated mystery, power, magic and desire.

Since its earliest appearance in archaeological finds, the ring has always been a subject of historical reflection. Design and materials have communicated both the artist’s voice and the wearer’s desires. One of the few items worn that is worn daily, a ring serves as both a talisman and reminder.

As a poignant gift the ring communicates: Affection, Love, Betrothal, Commitment, Engagement, Mourning, Celebration, Congratulations, Friendship, Luck or Thank you.

In a contemporary context, rings approach the definition of sculpture. They may please or provoke, sending a powerful communication from the wearer about their personal style or beliefs.

Platinum, white gold , silver, corian, recycled plastic, diamond, ruby, pearl, titanium, yellow gold, green sapphire, black diamond.

Artists:

Studio Ingot represents over 60 Australian jewellery and silversmithing artisans.

Sharon Fitness
8th September – 3rd October 2009
Inform Contemporary Jewellery, Christchurch

www.informjewellery.co.nz

a series of nine new brooches:

“My practice evolves around play, fun and random happenings. I work with silicone because it offers the flexibility, changeability and tactility I need to produce playful wobbly wearable beings. These brooches have a life of their own, often prompting the wearer to jiggle wiggle wobble and bounce along with them. They attract smiles and encourage interaction with others”.

26th of September, 11am – 6pm

“A Little Bazaar” is all about out-of-the-ordinary hand-made jewellery and objects.
The focus of this event is to celebrate you – the designer, your concepts and
your creations. A little market that’s a little… bizarre.

The market will take place in The Beresford Hotel’s courtyard, 354 Bourke
Street, Darlinghurst NSW, opposite from the Object Gallery on the 26th of
September, the last Saturday of the month. The bazaar will get bustling from
11am – 6pm.

blank space gallery

Ten female graduates/staff from the Design Centre Enmore have united for a second year running to exhibit on a theme, this year being girls against gold.

In 2009 the artists are questioning the preciousness of traditional materials commonly used in jewellery. Stimulated by both a contemporary viewpoint on material value as well as a reaction to inflated gold prices they will be exploring materials and ideas not conventionally applied to jewellery.

The ten female artists have created an exhibition of quirky, unique and handmade contemporary jewellery and objects aimed to inspire, provoke thoughts, capture the imagination, while exploring the question ‘what makes something precious’.

The participants 2009 are: Majella Beck, Jenny Daskalakis, Lisa Furno, A Mi Kim, Nikki Majajas,
Jasmine Matus, Radka Passianova, Natasha Marcus-Taylor, Bernadette Trainor, Janis Valdivia

An added bonus for gallery visitors will be ‘ten girls in ten days’. Each day that the show is running will see one the ten participants staffing the space and available to answer any questions about the works. All are welcome to attend this event, much of the work will be available to purchase and 5% of all sales will be donated to Breast Cancer Australia.

For all enquiries please visit tenmoregirls blog

Opening night is Thursday 15th October from 6pm til 8pm, at blank space The exhibition will be running daily until Wednesday the 28th of October.

blank space is located on 374 Crown St Surry Hills and Opening hours is Mon – Sun 11am – 6pm

This project has been assisted by the Australian Government through the Australia Council for
the Arts, its arts funding and advisory body.blank_space

Tues 15th Sept – Sat 10th Oct , 2009
Artist floor talk Sat 3rd Oct at Pieces of Eight Gallery, 4pm.

In the ‘Nomad’ jewellery series Djurdjica Kesic delves into her ongoing interest in ideas about home, place and transportability of home in migration. For Kesic, the house becomes a symbol of something that evokes a sense of place and stability. More specifically these ideas are explored in relation to the migrant experience that is in many ways shaped by transition and movement. The two, house and migration, appear to be in a dichotomy, of something fixed and something in motion. ‘Nomad’ explores these ideas through a series of neckpieces made from an armful of preloved belongings.

About Djurdjica Kesic

Djurdjica Kesic completed a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in Interior Design at RMIT University Melbourne in 1999 and taught there for several years. A strong drive to create tangible objects has seen her develop this passion, and in 2007 she completed an Advanced Diploma of Engineering Technology and Metal-smithing (Jewellery), Box Hill Institute. The same year saw her work selected and exhibited as part of the Filippo Raphael Fresh Award at Craft Victoria where she was a finalist.

Pieces of Eight Gallery 635 Brunswick Street, North Fitzroy, Vic.
Open Tuesday to Friday 11-6pm, Saturday 11-5pm. For more information telephone
(03) 9497 8121, email info@piecesofeight.com.au or go to www.piecesofeight.com.au

Tags:

//

Graduate Metal 12 is a graduating students survey exhibition held in conjunction with the 14th Jewellers and Metalsmiths Group of Australia (JMGA) Biennial Conference taking place in Perth, April 2010.

Graduate Metal is a way in which the JMGA recognises emerging artists within the contemporary jewellery and metalsmithing fields.

Entry to Graduate Metal is available to graduates from Australia, New Zealand and from selected educational institutions in Japan, Korea, Thailand and Singapore who have completed an Associate Diploma, Advanced Diploma, Undergraduate or Honours degree in jewellery and/ or metalsmithing since the last JMGA Biennial Conference in Adelaide in 2008.

Final selection is based on contemporary jewellery and objects of the highest quality.

Students submit a completed entry form and a maximum of two digital jpeg images (in high resolution) of their graduating work. Entries will be judged by a panel including WA JMGA Committee Members and a respected contemporary practitioner in the field. Successful entrants will be notified and supplied with the terms and conditions should they intend to exhibit. They will also be required to send specific information about the work they intend to exhibit, images of the work for the catalogue (if different from the images sent for initial entry) and to pay $60 exhibition entry fee. Please note – students are not required to pay the entry fee for the initial selection process, they only need to pay if they are selected and intend to exhibit.

Important points to remember

• Top graduates from Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Singapore, Korea and Thailand are invited to participate
• Students are only eligible if they have completed an Associate Diploma, Advanced Diploma, Undergraduate degree or Honours degree in a Contemporary Jewellery or metalsmithing course since the last JMGA Biennial Conference in Adelaide, 2008
• The work must have been made in their graduating year
• A $60 entry fee is payable after students have been selected and if they intend to exhibit
• If the quality of the actual work is not consistent with the images provided the entrant may be refused the right to display the work in the exhibition
• All initial entry forms and images for selection must be post marked by October 30th 2009. Entries will not be accepted after this date

• Download Graduate Metal 12 Entry Form (pdf)

• Submit entries to the following address:Graduate Metal 12
  JMGA WA (inc)
  24 Woodbridge Drive
  GREENMOUNT WA 6056

  Contacts

  Brenda Ridgewell B.Ridgewell@curtin.edu.au
  Carrie McDowell (Vice President JMGA WA) carriemcdowell@bigpond.com

Brisbane Spring / Summer Markets Applications last 3 weeks to go!

The very first Brisbane markets is gearing up to be a great event! If you are an artist or designer that is interested in being involved don’t miss out on applying here:

Apply for the Brisbane Markets Now!

Applications close on the 11th September

Sydney Spring / Summer Markets Applications Now Open!

All designers and artists interesting in being apart of the Spring/Summer markets in December at CarriageWorks are invited to now apply! The applications are online now along with frequently asked questions and criteria.

Apply for the Sydney Markets Now!

Applications close on the 16th October.

Over two special nights residents of the Nicholas Building will be opening their studio doors to the public.
4-9pm Thursday 29th August and 4-9pm Friday 30th August
37 Swanston St
Melbourne

Includes lots of jewellers such as:
Karla Way (Floor 2, Studio 4)
Natalia Milosz-Piekarksa (Floor 2, Studio 4)
Emma Grace (Floor 4, Studio 11)
Helen Bowman (Floor 8, Studio 21)