Old Reed Bed:Open Studio

Open Studio at the Old Reed Bed Saturday 2nd and Sunday 3rd July between 12 noon – 6pm

Tea and cakes will be served in the garden (weather allowing) on both days.

The restored Thames Barge, The Edith May, will be in dock at Lower
Halstow - directly opposite the studios - on Sunday 3 July and open to
the public for visits and cream teas from 10.30am.

Alison Swan is one of the artists showing her work. Above you can see examples of her ceramic works.

Machteld van Joolingen: It's only temporary

‘It’s only temporary’ An exhibition of work by Machteld van Joolingen

"What we experience as time is nothing more than the conception that most events are not reversible. G. Krol

What remains and what disappears? The image, form, material and meaning - everything is subject to a change. Most of it vanishes in the end.

My discovery of plastic bags as a material is rather recent.

The colour, the shine and the many kinds of plastic contained in the plastic bags have seduced me to do several series of melting experiments. I started with cutting the plastic bags into small pieces, melting them in the oven and then taking them out to press them into a mould.
At a later stage I have realised that for the ultimate result, it is much better to work without a mould, and concentrate on the pure material – the melted plastic.
Currently, I sometimes stitch the pieces together before putting them in the oven. I try to influence the outcome during the melting process. For this I take the piece out of the oven, rearrange the plastic and put it back again. This may happen several times during the baking process. I also try to influence the colour palette of the plastic although this may not lead to the indented result. The key moment is when to take the piece out of the oven; a difference of few seconds could result in totally different outcome. The experience of unpredictability and chance excites me.

I also value the fact that many friends collected the plastic bags for me and jointly we are aiding a recycling process. Ugly bags may lead to beautiful results and vice versa.

From the melted material I select those pieces that have expressiveness and shape the story into my jewellery pieces. These pieces might carry reference to traditional jewelery, for it is tradition that delicately balances between temporary and eternal."

Place: Galerie Louise Smit
(Amsterdam, Netherlands)
19-Jun-2011 - 23-Jul-2011

Thanks for sending the images Machteld.

Mudlarking

Some images I took in Greenwich on Monday while I was mudlarking. I was pleased with the pipe find.

I also found two pipe bowls, some slipware and a mystery copper object....more on that soon...

SW1 Gallery: Student Show

The Students at WAES are showing their work at the SW1 Gallery. My BTEC Level 3 group are showing some of their jewellery...

Images are from Ashia Thompson, who won a commendation for creative achievement, congratulations Ashia!

103 Years...

"Central saint martins College of Art and Design moves from Holborn to its new home in Kings Cross this summer. On the 24th June The Central School shuts its doors at Lethaby house to students for the final time."

This was my bench peg in my final year...ten years ago now! It was great to say goodbye to the building on Monday evening and see so many students and teachers to celebrate 103 years. Very strange to think of the course being somewhere else.

Solution Found...

It's fixed! You can now post comments again, sorry everyone who tried and had their words disappear.

The Olive Tree a Rooster Called Home

Below is the catalogue for Loukia Richard's recent project "The Olive Tree a Rooster Called Home". It includes works from the show, background information and related essays.

Just click the link to see it full size.

The Olive Tree a Rooster Called Home.catalogue

Newt

Was cleaning out the duck weed and met this Newt...I made sure he found his way back.

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.

The Olive Tree A Rooster Called Home: The Highlights

Visual highlights of Loukia Richards latest project.

The Internet is such a good tool for sharing what we do and for being able to see what is happening within our specilaism at home and overseas...it makes the world much smaller and the possibilities wider.

I hope you have enjoyed seeing the development and outcomes of Loukia's project and I hope to share the e-catalogue with you soon.

'The Olive Tree A Rooster Called Home'

The show concluded on May 28th at Coco-mat Rotterdam. An extra workshop had to be organised at Coco-mat Amsterdam as they had so many people wanting to take part in the embroidery sessions.

Loukia Richards in now in the process of planning for Part 2...