My jewellery collection #4

I’m having fun going through my collection in detail and remembering how each came to me and what was going on in my life at the time.

Another piece I collected through the RMIT jewellery auctions, is the below pin from one of my most favourite jewellers Joung-Mee Do. I’m pretty sure this was in second year, so that makes it 2005. I recall I lost out to Kirsten Haydon for the other piece, a pendant I think, Joung-Mee donated that year!

It’s a little piece of mild steel (approx 3cm long) which shows three of Joung-Mee’s signatures: etched floral iconography (though it’s difficult to see in this image; it is more clear on the reverse), a beautiful dark-blue ground effected through heat-colouring, and the use of the traditional Korean technique of metal inlay Choum Iybsa. I participated in a workshop with Joung-Mee in early 2006 to learn more about this technique; it’s incredibly labour intensive, but by now we all know that’s something I love!

The metal is ridged with a fine-edged tool (less than 10mm long and a sharp edge), kind of like chiselling but only hammering directly down into the metal. Depending on the intended pattern, this is usually done in columns down the metal and then at right-angles and then diagonally in both directions – so much work, and in my experience about half of the time was spent sharpening the tool. Then small-gauge wire is hammered into the ridged metal.

There are a number of places to read more about Joung-Mee and see some more images: here, here, here, Workshop Bilk, e.g.etal, fotograf, RMIT, Studio 20/17, Buda 2009, among others. I’m glad to own a piece by her, even if it’s a wee little one.

… last post on my jewellery collection #3 …

Toowoomba Contemporary Wearables 2009

Congratulations to [link]:

• first place: Vicki Mason [site]; ‘Tinkering‘ series
• second place: Nicole Polentas [post]; ‘My black night‘
  

  image used on previous post with artist permission; all rights belong to the artist

images also here…

Yay for Melbourne-based jewellers!

‘Proud’ @ VCA Margaret Laurence Gallery

This exhibition was only on for three days (11-13th September 2009) at the Margaret Laurence Gallery in the Victoria College of Arts (VCA), so I’m pretty impressed that I could organise myself enough to visit it.

‘Proud‘ was advertised in the Art Almanac as ‘art students exhibition and prizes‘; sadly though, an internet search shows no other references, so I have no links and don’t know who won what prizes.

installation view; photograph taken with permission

The more of these group shows I visit, the more obvious it seems to me that I am gravitating towards photography and drawing, at least when there is no jewellery to distract me. There was a lot of work here, but I found I didn’t respond or connect to many of the pieces – though there was a great large-scale pen/ink drawing [sadly I didn’t take note of the artist; centre in the below photograph.

However I did find a piece I like very much, a photograph by Sarah Mote, which I’ll hopefully be bringing home shortly [you can see some of her work on the VCA Photo blog].

installation view; photograph taken with permission

This visit also brought into perspective the campaign to Save the VCA. I have been hearing about this in the press, but life has been so busy the last few months that I must admit I don’t know enough of the detail of the fight, but am now inspired to do some more reading about it…

In the press…

The Australian Financial Review Magazine, a glossy monthly that comes with the weighty business tome, often has items of luxury exposed in its pages.

The September 2009 issue doesn’t disappoint, with the below two items:

(1) pg 57, a magnificent ring by Phil Mason represented by e.g.etal; text (not shown) states: “Goldsmith Phil Mason recently became the first Australian selected as a finalist in the Saul Bell Award (Las Vegas) and the Passion Award Design Competition (St Louis). His passion ring features a faceted black spinel stone set onto gold hinges that open to reveal a secret compartment. 18ct yellow and white gold, black spinel, rubies, diamonds” (image is not attributed, but is also on the e.g.etal site here).

Spectacular! [though I imagine I would snag it on all manner of garments and soft furnishings]

The Australian Financial Review Magazine, September 2009, pg 57

(2) pg 14; an article on the unusual jewellery of Patrick Jelk; interesting but not really to my taste; however, the incorporation of historic references is something most art does, though usually more implicitly

The Australian Financial Review Magazine, September 2009, pg 14