A monthly newsletter from Craft Australia - Australia's craft & design network

Issue #63 - April 2011     view on the web | subscribe to newsletter | contact us |

1 Editorial

Jewellery and metal: A treasury of light and land

This month we look at how jewellers and metal smiths are exploring innovative ways to be sustainable as part of creative mico-enterprises.  Craft Australia is exploring sustainability across the various mediums and materials that define craft and deign practice. This includes fashion, furniture, jewellery and object design. Leaders in the field have been interviewed about what sustainability means in their area of practice. Four months into the year and we have a very compelling story about sustainable craft and design enterprises.

Media Release: Future proofing:  Sustainability models for craft and design practice

2 Feature articles

dorothy erickson, kinetic jewellery - interacting with light and land, interview
Innovative multi-use or multi-placement jewellery that reacts to body movement is the hallmark of Dorothy Erickson, the first Western Australian (WA) born and trained craft jeweller to make it onto the international stage. From 1977-87, Erickson had thirteen ...
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analogue to digital, hand to machine
Jeweller and metal smith Rohan Nicol offers a salutary look at establishing a sustainable studio-based craft and design practice. Nicol explores directions for the viable manufacture of a series of products from both handmade prototypes as well as computer ai...
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robert foster, design luminary at gad, canberra
If you are looking for original lights then your search is solved with the Robert Foster exhibition Strange Planet at GAD, the Gallery of Australian Design. Foster's presentation of floating conceptual pieces, ten works reflecting on mortality and b...
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top 10 library articles this month

3 A tale of adventure -Welcome to The Treasury by Emma Grace.

Every month since 2009 Emma Grace has opened the doors of her jewellery studio to a new group of people for the afternoon. They come to participate in a workshop called The Treasury, where they fashion old or broken jewellery into something fresh and wearable. Recently Emma co-curated the exhibition WEARIT as part of the L'Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival which marked a new journey experimenting with extreme sustainable fashion. In this tale, Emma relates her journey establishing The Treasury and her realisations from WEARIT.. …

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If you have participated in a residency, exhibition, conference or event and then would like to write about your experience for Craft Australia (approx length 1500 words) please email the editor.

4 News from the sector

Professor Ian Chubb appointed as Chief Scientist
Professor Chubb was appointed to his new role by Innovation Minister Kim Carr at Parliament House. Professor Chubb has had a distinguished career in higher education and research and recently retired after a decade as Vice-chancellor of the Australian National University. A neuroscientist by training, he has co-authored some 70 full papers and co-edited one book all related to his research. Professor Chubb will work closely with the Australian Government to provide quality advice on science and technology issues that impact on Australia and the world.

The Passing of Solvig Baas Becking AM
With the death last week of Braidwood resident Solvig Baas Becking, the Australian craft and design sector lost a member who played a pivotal role in the arts community. Solvig was one of Australia's most distinguished craftspeople, her work held in numerous private and public collections in Australia and overseas. She will be remembered for this but also for her remarkable contribution to the development of a new craft ethos in Australia, her lifelong commitment to teaching and mentoring fellow artists and an environmental awareness that informed her work and her actions.

5 Calendar

Winter Neckpieces

3 May - 29 May 2011
Studio 20/17 , Waterloo, Sydney
Australian and International artists were invited to make contemporary versions of this ancient form of self expression Neck Wear. Expect to see works ranging from eye catching, oversized statement pieces, through to delicate pared back jewels. The only limitation will be that the finished work can be worn around the neck.
more exhibitions

Gray Street @ Bilk

15 April - 28 May 2011
Bilk Gallery, Canberra
Gray Street Workshop was established in 1985 in Adelaide as a collectively-run studio and access facility. The Workshop has evolved to be one of Australia's most exciting and respected workshops due to the uncompromising commitment of the artists involved. It is highly respected throughout the contemporary jewellery and object-making community, and collector as is attested to in this exhibition.
more exhibitions

Critical Craftings - Unleashed 2011

14 March - 14 May 2011
Artisan , Brisbane
Performance jewellery and chocolate sculptures are some of the extraordinary pieces in this showcase of work by promising new graduates. Curated by Beata Batorowicz the exhibition examines the strong conceptual underpinnings of exquisitely crafted works.
more exhibitions

6 Projects

Living Treasures: Masters of Australian Craft
Nominations are now open for 2012 and 2014 as part of a new format as a biennial series, held every two years.  Object Gallery will present an exhibition by the recognised Living Treasures in 2012 and 2014.  The Living Treasures exhibitions will be complemented in the alternate years with a group exhibition.

Journal - Craft + Design Enquiry

Volume 2, Cross-cultural Exchanges in Craft and Design, , edited by Dr Louise Hamby focuses on Australian Indigenous practice. Volume 3 is due out in July 2011. There is a current call for papers for Volume 4.

7 Opportunities

Contemporary Wearables '11
Entries from Australian and New Zealand artists and jewellers are currently being sought for the Contemporary Wearables '11 Jewellery Award and Exhibition, curated by the Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery .
Closing date: Friday, 6 May 2011   more opportunities

Studio 20/17 jewellery
Studio 20/17 are inviting curators or artists working in the area of contemporary jewellery, object and small scale scultpure to submit proposals for the 2012 exhibition program. Studio 20/17 is a contemporary jewellery gallery in the Dank Street complex.
Closing date: Saturday, 31 December 2011   more opportunities

Brenda May Gallery
Brenda May Gallery is seeking proposals from professional practising artists for the following group exhibition, scheduled for 2011. Body Langauge A show that explores how our bodies silently communicate through gestures, posture, expression, style and adornment to the world around us. A theme open to interpretation, this show is not limited in scale or medium and is scheduled for October.
Closing date: Friday, 22 July 2011   more opportunities

Craft Victoria Craft Culture
Craft Culture is Craft Victoria's online research portal. It houses a diverse array of writing from exhibition reviews and essays to industry research papers. To have your article considered for publication please send a 100 word summary and an indicative image to Joe Pascoe, Craft Victoria's CEO and Artistic Director. If selected, your article may be of any length, though as a guideline, many are around 1,000 words and feature five images.
Closing date: Thursday, 30 June 2011   more opportunities

8 Connect News: Craft Australia has a new blogging site

Visit:

• Craft Australia blogspot.- to follow regular updates on Craft Australia's projects
• Facebook - become part of our online community
• Twitter - follow us for short text updates and links to our activities
• Flickr site - view images of Australian craft and design online including the National Historical Collection of over 25000 slides which are part of the Craft Australia Image Bank
• RSS feeds will allow you to receive all updates to the website into your browser

9 support us

The Craft Australia Image Bank aims to represent an historic slide collection of over 25,000 colour slides. Craft Australia is preserving these slides by digitising them and making them accessible online.

Craft Australia is a not-for-profit organisation and has been an advocate for the craft and design sector for 40 years. Your donation will assist us in continuing to promote and support the sector. Tax deductible donations can be made on-line.

Darani Lewers and Helge Larsen, Pendant form , exhibition Looking at Jewellery 1978, Image Number 1026017  from the Craft Australia Image Bank Historical Collection

Craft Australia gratefully acknowledges the financial assistance it receives from the Australia Council for the Arts, the Australian government's arts funding and advisory body. Craft Australia is supported by the Visual Arts and Craft Strategy, an initiative of the Australian government and all state and territory governments.

ISSN: 1838-0433

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