Blog roundup

A quick whirl around the internets:

• Chloe Smith shares details of her laser cutting experience – this is one for the resource list! [link]
• Coconut Lu [link]and Jessica Morrison [link] tell the exciting news of the opening of their ‘Artifice’ gallery in Williamstown
• love love love David Neale’s procrastination [link]
• I really enjoy reading Elise Sheehan’s blog [link]
• very much liking the new work from Emma Jane Donald [link]
• also, check out the project on Pozzible of Emma Grace and NC4 [link]
• [update] Vetti shares a lovely take on Susan Ewington’s ‘transference‘ exhibition (sad I didn’t get to see it) [link]

So much more good reading out there – get amongst it!

There’s been a blow-out

Pants. I was looking forward to finishing these earrings.

Just as I was nearly done, I noticed that the bezel solder join had busted out.

magnificent blow-out; image not to be reproduced without permission

No. It was not planned.

Well, it’s a chance to reconsider the scale and colouring.

RMIT Year 3, Semester 1, Jewellery #2

Third year, first semester, Jewellery #2: Ring for a Grandmother

The second piece in this group is: ‘Ring for Grandmother, Barbara, 1612′.

Made for: Barbara Schwarz, nee Mangold  (1507 – unknown). This is the same person as ‘Ring for Mother, Barbara, 1542‘.

“Matthäus married Barbara in 1538.  They had a son Veit Conrad Schwartz.

Premise:  Veit’s son has commissioned a design for a ring in honour of his Grandmother, in the style of the day.  The late 1500s and early 1600s is the height of the Elizabethan fashion, dominated by extravagance, pearls and lace.  The lace ruff signifies the wealth of the individual, with only the richest owning more than one.”

The portrait below was the key image of this work and shows a lace collar from the period.

image from: Earnshaw, Pat. Lace in Fashion – from the Sixteenth to Twentieth Centuries, BT Batsford, London, 1985

I started to play with craft mesh to get a feel for the construction of the folds, and decided to stay with the material. This was a departure from my usual approach to making; this time I was making with a light touch and in response to the material. This wasn’t meant to be a ‘serious’ collection.

Finished collection:

Grandmother rings; image not to be reproduced without permission

Grandmother rings; image not to be reproduced without permission

Then I got a bit carried away and made a brooch too!

Grandmother collection; image not to be reproduced without permission

… last post in this series: RMIT Year 3, Semester 1, Jewellery #1 …
… see more projects from RMIT Year 3 here …

Again?

Oh right, so Victoria’s Secret do this every year. For sure.

media image; click on image for original source

Apparently US$2.5m of “over 5200 precious gems, including amethysts, sapphires, rubies, white, pink and yellow diamonds, all set in 18 karat rose and yellow gold” with “two removable diamond flower pins and the drop centerpiece has a 12.5 carat and 20 carat white diamond“. [news story]

Such a good use of materials and resources … yup … totes …