Solstice

Winter solstice is today, 21st June 2012 at 9:09am AEST.

It’s one of my favourite dates, as it signals that the daylight hours will be increasing. Though it is the longest night of the year.

There are so many fascinating rituals attached to this astronomical event – see the wiki page.

It is noticeable that most of these are relating to the Northern Hemisphere (the older pagan/celtic ones considered to have been ‘appropriated’ by Christianity to tell the story of the birth of Jesus); with only New Zealand and South American cultures featuring from the Southern Hemisphere.

I went searching for information about whether there is a dreaming story about the Winter solstice from the Aboriginal culture. I found a very interesting blog post on Australian Aboriginal Astronomy about a stone circle in Victoria that indicates a possible link to tracking the equinoxes and solstices; it has some great images, so check it out here; this story from the same blog is fabulous too. It is evident that accurate observations were made by many Aboriginal groups; though I haven’t been able to find any stories or rituals attached to it … does anyone know more?

I wanted to a cool picture to add to this post … but couldn’t find one I liked … except the below one from BOM, it’s rare to find one with Australia as the focus!

from the BOM; click on link for original source

Makings

So, I’ve been thinking …

A jeweller (usually) makes jewellery.
A ceramicist makes ceramics.
A weaver makes weavings.
A painter (usually) makes paintings.

I prefer to call myself a “maker” … if I’m pressed to identify with some kind of label.

What does that mean the things I make are called?
Makings?
Makelets?
Stuff?

“Hello my name is Karen and I am a maker. This is (arm sweep) one of my makings.”
… Not bad; I don’t mind it at all.

My piece for ‘The Year was 2006’

How could I not get involved in the ‘The Year was 2006’ exhibition – the concept was fabulous and all I had to do was select a piece from my third year at university to send.

The piece I sent is ‘Exhibit #2: Quilted Fragment, Brooch, White‘

Exhibit #2; not to be reproduced without permission

Materials: fine silver, sterling silver, stainless steel, paint
Measurements: 80 x 55 x 10mm
Year: 2006

This was part of the collection I made in my final project for Year 3, Semester 2. There is a pretty long back-story, which I’ll share when I write about this work (in time!).

‘The Year was 2006‘ is at Studio 20/17 from 19th-30th June 2012.

‘The Year was 2006’ @ Studio 20/17

If flights were free, and taxis were also free, I’d absolutely be on my way to Sydney for this exhibition.

‘The Year was 2006‘ is at Studio 20/17. The concept is fabulous. Exhibition media: “2006. It was a common year that started on a Sunday. John Howard was PM and Pluto was no longer classified as a planet. It is often bandied about that art is a reflection of our society; intrigued, we set out to find what 2006 might have looked like in terms of contemporary jewellery. 100 jewellers from across the globe have been invited to present one piece of jewellery they made 6 years ago. Presented as a salon hang, this exhibition will showcase an incredibly diverse array of jewellery and will give an overall snapshot of what these jewellers were thinking, making and the materials they were using all those years ago in 2006.”

exhibition media

There are … wait for it …. 100 jewellers involved. One hundred. Can you imagine how extraordinary this will look in a gallery?!?

Jewellers involved are (alphabetical by first name; usually I link any jeweller I mention in my stories, but you’ll forgive me that this will take many many hours to do so in this case!!):

• Alice Potter, Alice Whish, Alida Cappelletta, Amy Renshaw, Andrew Welch
• Barbara Cotter, Bernadette Trainor, Beatriz Ruiz, Birgit Laken, Bridget Kennedy
• Claire McArdle, Coconut Lu
• Danielle Butters, Danielle Sweeney, Deborah Rudolph, Diane Beevers
• Elfrun Lach, Elfi Spiewack, Emma Fielden, Erin Timony
• Francine Haywood
• Heidemarie Herb, Helen Mok
• Ilse-Marie Erl, InSync Design
• Jacomien Labuschagne, Jandy Pannell, Jane Millard, Jane Pollard, Jane Reynolds, Jasmine Matus, Jennifer Gehbauer, Jessica McMullen, Jessica Morrison, Jessica Page, Judy McCaig, Julie Usel, Julie Kiefel, Justine Austine
• Karen Thompson, Karin Jakobsson, Karina Hunnerup, Karola Torkos, Kate Barton, Kath Inglis, Katrina Freene, Kelly McCallum, Kim Ebbeck
• Linda Blair, Linda Van Niekerk, Lisa Furno, Luke-John Matthew Arnold
• Madeleine Clark, Manuela Gandini, Mark Vaarwerk, Melanie Ihnen, Melinda Young, Melissa Cameron, Mervi Kurvinen, Michelle Kelly, Michelle Taylor, Minnette Michael, Mirca Maffi, Miriam Andraus Pappalardo
• Nadine Smith, Naomi Schwartz
• Paula Rodrigues, Phoebe Porter
• Rachel Bell, Radka Passianova, Renee Damiani, Robi Szalay, Rudee Tancharoen
• Sandy Marker, Shan Shan Mok, Sharon Fitness, Sharon Massey, Shauna Mayben, Shimara Carlow, Sian Edwards, Simon Cottrell, Sonya Scott, Stefanie Koelbel, Stephen Gallagher, Susan Frisch, Susanna Dwyer, Suzanne Esser, Szilvia Gyorgy
• Tatjana Panyoczki, Teresa Faris
• Vernon Bowden, Vicki Mason
• Ximena Natanya Briceño
• Zoe Brand

I have been thinking about how precious this exhibition is – such an amazing snap-shot of a year in time. I wonder how the gallery may be able to document this so it isn’t lost? Perhaps an online slide-show of each piece? I look forward to seeing what can be done….

‘The Year was 2006‘ is at Studio 20/17 from 19th- 30th June 2012.

The eagle-eyed among you will see my name there … I’ll write about my piece tomorrow.