ACJ, Diamond Jubilee Exhibition

On Monday the ACJ Diamond Jubilee Exhibition opened in Birmingham. I was very fortunate to be one of the chosen Jewellers for this exhibition, along with others, including, Maria Hanson, Zoe Robertson, Stephen Bottomley, Kelvin J Birk, Terry Hunt and Lynne Bartlett.

"Thirty two makers have created pieces especially for the event, resulting in a wide variety of individual interpretations in precious and non-precious materials. All the participating designers have embraced the theme of Jubilee celebration with style, irreverence, humour and panache. Crushed gemstones, sweets and jellies, ribbon, graphite powder, flocked and sublimated materials, rub shoulders with diamonds, silver and 18ct gold, in a glorious celebration of Queen Elizabeth II’s sixty years reign.

All the pieces were selected by a distinguished judging panel chaired by
Professor Jack Cunningham, which included Corinne Julius, Jacqueline Gestetner, Joanna Hardy, Kath Libbert and Karen Dell’Armi."

"The exhibition opens at the School of Jewellery, Birmingham City University, and then starts its tri-nation tour to Llantrisant, South Wales before showing at the newly opened Goldsmiths’ Centre, London – the first exhibition to be held there after its’ own opening Royal exhibition. This is a testament to the Association’s high profile, and to the Centre’s commitment to showing work in non-traditional as well as traditional materials, and used in non-traditional ways."

ACJ Diamond Jubilee Exhibition, will be showing at...
Birmingham School of Jewellery, Birmingham, 12th to 30th March 2012
Llantrisant Gallery, Wales, 1st to 31th May 2012
Goldsmiths’ Centre, London,11th to 16th June
SH Gallery, Edinburgh, 2nd to 28th July
North Glasgow College, 27th to 31st August

Images from top to bottom: Terry Hunt, Lynne Bartlett, Zoe Robertson.

More to follow soon...

WHAT IS JEWELLERY NOW? Graduate show @ School of Jewellery, Birmingham

"Jewellery created from sumptuous clusters of polystyrene balls, architectonic vessels that house upside down plants, eating devices that prevent you from eating?! Prepare to be amazed at the possibilities of Jewellery and Silversmithing, as 29 final year students on the BA Jewellery and Silversmithing degree course showcase their fantastic work at the world famous School of Jewellery, Vittoria Street, Birmingham. The show kicks off on Monday 13th June and continues until Saturday 18th June, with an exclusive Industry Evening event on Tuesday 14th June from 17:00, with guest speaker Peter Taylor- the director of technology and training at Goldsmiths’ Company."

Sally Collins, a lecturer on the BA course at the school, had this to say about the show- ‘This year’s exhibition promises to be full of innovative, exciting and beautifully crafted pieces that will really demonstrate the students working at the forefront of the discipline. New materials, new functions, new forms, new concepts- a show you’ll be sorry to miss!’

For more information visit The School of Jewellery Website

Images from the top: Samantha Hesford Brooch, Fiona Hau-Woody Bracelet, Clara Jackson Blue Mesh Bangle, Bobo Tsang 'Growth' Ring, Andrew Markou Air Plant Vessel.

Ramon Puig: Paradigma‏

I got this invite today from Ramon Puig. It looks like a great exhibition and a nice idea to link two Jewellery schools together, Colleagues from two different countries, I like it.

"The exhibition Paradigma, a hybrid of paradigm and paradigmas, is the work of 8 members of staff from the School of Jewellery at Birmingham City University and 7 staff from the School of Jewellery at Escola Massana in Barcelona.

The aim of Paradigma is in its’ title, to showcase examples and present diversity of; ideas and concepts, of materiality and technology, of form and function, from these two institutions, demonstrating the current range of research interests in Birmingham and Barcelona. There may well be identifiable cultural paradigms, aesthetic similarity and difference in this exhibition. However, these factors need to be viewed within a wider context, as neither the staff at Escola Massana, nor Birmingham, are exclusively Spanish, or British. As a core value, this exhibition demonstrates a commitment to the transformative power of continual communication and exchange with others worldwide and a belief in the growing internationalisation of both the School of Jewellery within Birmingham, the UK and beyond, and our friends and colleagues at Escola Massana in Barcelona.

Dates: 14 November – 11 December 2009. Monday – Friday 10:00am – 5:00pm.
Paradigma is curated by Professor Jack Cunningham

Participants: 8 staff from the Birmingham School of Jewellery and 7 staff from Escola Massana, Barcelona. Including;
UK – Jack Cunningham, Jivan Astfalck, Jo Pond, Zoe Robertson, Terry Hunt, Anna Lorenz, Karen Bartlett & Bridie Lander.
Spain – Ramon Puig Cuyas, Silvia Walz, Judy McCaig, Carmen Amador, Ursula Vinolas, Carles Codina & Elisabet Puig. "

Text taken from BIAD website http://www.schoolofjewellery.com/