RMIT Masters Fine Art exhibition

It’s only on for a very short time … the RMIT Masters of Fine Art (MFA) exhibition [link].

image taken with gallery permission

Gold and Silversmithing artists are:

• Mary Hackett [site, MFA page]
  

  image taken with permission

• Claire O’Halloran [site, MFA page]
  
  

  image taken with permission

  

  image taken with permission

• Leah Teschendorff [MFA page]
  

  image taken with permission

Other participating artists are:

• Emily Boyle [MFA page]
• Michael Carolan [site, MFA page]
• Leonie Connellan [MFA page]
• Nicholas Dallwitz [MFA page]
• Paul Dew [MFA page]
• Maryla Elmahdy [MFA page]
• Mary Gray [MFA page]
• Beka Hannah [blog, MFA page]
• Samantha Harris [tumblr, MFA page]
• Clinton Hayden [site, MFA page]
• Ben Howe [blog, MFA page]
• Paul Keller [MFA page]
• Aaron McMurray [MFA page]
• Harry Metcalf [MFA page]
• Robert Mihajlovski [MFA page]
• Marisa Ramos [MFA page]
• Hayley Scilini [site, MFA page]
• Mateja Simenko [MFA page]
• Agnes So [MFA page]
• Wan Su [MFA page]
• Tul Suwannakit [MFA page]
• Helen Taylor [MFA page]
  

  image taken with permission

• Kate Walsh [MFA page]

The RMIT MFA Exhibition is at Gossard Project Space until 8th December 2011.

Artist profiles

I’ve been thinking it may be time to write another post in my ‘Artist Profile’ series … though who to ask? … while I consider that question, I’ve very much enjoyed reading my previous artists profile posts:

• Nicole Polentas (13th May 2009)
  

  Nicole Polentas; Exile: The Blackest Night necklace 2008; silver, gold, copper, plastic, epoxy, image, glass powder, paint, pearls; 420 x 180 x 60 mm

• Katherine Wheeler (10th June 2009)
  

  Mini Teapots; image by the artist

• Claire O’Halloran (1st October 2009)
  

  Necklace for The Grande; image used with artist permission; copyright belongs to the artist

• Lucy Hearn (26th March 2010)
  

  e. g. etal pendants, 2008, Sterling silver, copper, enamel and plastic - photo by Terence Bogue

• Michelle Taylor (24th November 2010)
  

  Drifting Ranges, Michelle Taylor; photograph by Tom Roschi; courtesy of the artist; not to be reproduced without permission

images published with permission of artists, not to be reproduced without permission

My jewellery collection #16

This is the latest addition to my jewellery collection – a gentle enamelled brooch by Claire O’Halloran.

[photograph published with artist permission; amended copyright notice: image not to be reproduced without permission]

Claire O'Halloran brooch; amended copyright notice as above

In late last year I asked Claire to make this for me, after missing out on a brooch of hers at the 2009 RMIT G&S jewellery auction. I went back to the original site that had an image of the auction brooch, however it has since been cleared of images – sad. My story about that auction is here.

The colours were a collaboration – I’ve always had a love of dark blue enamel, and the brooch Claire wore on the night of the auction had the same pink (I think?!) and I had in mind they’d look lovely together. I am so happy with this piece – it’s about 40mm in diameter, it feels beautiful and smooth and satisfyingly weighty in the hand (not too much though), and it’s just lovely to wear.  Actually, I’m particularly fond of wearing it on a blue knit cardigan over a lovely black and white print retro-style wrap dress.

Previously I’ve written about Claire in an artist profile and when she had her first solo exhibition last year; also, her own website has some very lovely images of her work.

As this piece is the most recently aquired, I’m sad to say that this series of posts on ‘my jewellery collection’ will be a little quiet for a now … at least until I add to my collection again (which I do hope will be this year!).

… last post on my jewellery collection #15 …

Claire O’Halloran ‘Keepsakes’ @ Hand Held Gallery

As mentioned in the artist profile I wrote about Claire O’Halloran recently, she opened her solo exhibition ‘Keepsakes‘ at Hand Held Gallery on 1st October to a fantastic turnout of friends and supporters.

photograph taken with artist permission

The small gallery space is hidden away in a shopping centre on Bourke Street (between Russell and Exhibition) still decked out in its eighties best! I have never been inside this centre despite walking past it thousands of times; the walk-by traffic would be negligible, but it has a collection of lovely handmade items and is worth seeking out.

inside the gallery space

Claire’s exhibition has a shelf (below) of her small bowls and plates, and brooches, commemorating the unremarkable tourist destinations of Victoria [see her site]. And a second shelf (above) of her most recent work – gorgeous necklaces, rings and brooches. One of the brooches on display is the one that won Claire the Diana Morgan postgraduate award recently [see here].

photograph taken with artist permission

The new work is beautiful and delicately handled; and reflects her interest in traces left of memory. My favourite piece is a white enamel brooch with tiny onyx beads set on little posts around the perimeter; a feat of soldering and deft-handed hammering of the rivet-settings.

‘Keepsakes‘ is at Hand Held Gallery until 31st October 2009.