New Jewellery (and it is all plastic!)

Surfing the web can often result in you be dunked repeatedly by boring, useless and "Oh GoD I don't want to see THAT!!" type information. But today I found a few gems.

MoCo Loco took me to a PingMag article (with terrific pics) on the Geometrical Plastic Jewellery of Svenja John. After reading about this awe inspiring jewellery I discovered an informative interview with Masako Ban in which she discusses her acrylic jewellery and shop (with more great pics). Finally I was led (through a comment) to Kyoko Hashimoto's jewellery blog.

I have come across all of these jewellers before, but these links have answered a few lingering questions and provided new insights and (again) revealled more fabulous images.

The surf was good today.

My New Motto?????

Found at MoB.

It spoke to me.

Plastic Is Fantastic

During the weekly grocery shop I find myself lingering far too long in the hair product isle staring at shampoo that I don't really need. I am seduced by all the pretty coloured bottles and make my choice by colour and quality of plastic and if the labels are stamped on or of the peel off variety. It seems to be irrelevant if I actually need baby shampoo.

I recently came across Rebecca Crawford's website and think that perhaps she shares my interest in the plastic (shampoo) bottle as she has turned some into jewellery (pictured above).

"Hey Tupperware Lady"

I received a lovely email from Tony Meredith this morning. He was the U.S winner of THAT Tupperware Competition. I was especially pleased to hear from him as I had been checking his work out for years. In 2003/04 I started researching Tupperware and others who had used the product in their creative lives. He has been making lamps from Vintage Tupperware for the past 10 years .He was one of the few people (as far as I could find) who was using Tupperware in this way.

His email has provided a good opportunity to highlight his work and my discussing it here has nothing to do with him saying all the right things in it,..."blown away"..."way prettier"...."your stuff rocks"...enough already, please stop!(if you must).

A Passion For Plastic

I just came across a recent article in The Age newspaper regarding the growing prices for vintage plastic pieces (particularly discusses jewellery).

Is this a good thing? I collect these pieces (on a pitiful budget) so that's not good. But could it have any flow on effect by creating a broader interest in contemporary plastic jewellery that say uses vintage plastic or at least is influened by vintage design? That is a big part of what I do, so that would be good.

Lea Stein piece. (pictured above)

Google Alert - Liana Kabel

Yesterday I made the news, well sort of. I was mentioned in a newspaper article, but I wasn't thinking about it much until I got my LIANA KABEL - GOOGLE ALERT. I had forgotten that I had set this up since this is the first time I have actually got one. I know I set up a Tupperware alert because I get those daily.

The journo. called me and caught me a bit off guard and hence I said a few goofy things (which they always quote you on), like "what inspires you" answer "ahhhh everything?", but overall I think it was O.K.

* To read the article just click on the title *

Contemporary Craft = Object

10 years ago I had a stall at the Rock's Markets (Sydney). I was there every weekend for three and a half years (pretty much). For every one of those weekends I would pop into the Object (now Collect) store at least twice. There were many more times I visited the store both before and after, but this was a regular concentrated effort.

The Object store really was where I learnt about contemporary craft. That place was an important part of my education. It was also part of my dreams. I wished that one day I would make some fabulous crafty thing (not sure what it would be) to stock it . A few years later after I moved to Brisbane and started making some plasticy jewellery, I did.

So now with the closure of it I feel like a part of my history is disappearing and that just makes me feel sad.

(I always loved to see Jenny Orchard's figurative ceramic pieces that are pictured above).

Craft Therapy

After a week of daily blogging (and upsetting news which I will discuss tomorrow) I was in much need of some craft therapy. So on Monday I made some Tupperware (thank you to Kellee's mum for the brown container) and recycled polyprop. earrings. I felt myself again.

Craft really is a great cure all. My first full time job after Uni was to run craft classes at Westmead Hospital in the Adolescent and Psychiatric Wards. I know from experience that crafting doesn't solve every problem but it sure can help.

Upsetting News - Collect (OBJECT) Store To Close

I'm just posting this email for now and I'll be discussing what it means to me shortly.

Dear Collect Store Supplier

It is with regret that I am writing to let you know that Object's store Collect in The Rocks has been forced to close in September this year.

Despite Object's long history of successful operation in The Rocks, the Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority have decided not to renew our lease, or the leases of other tenants in the building, which is due to expire on 30 September 2006. The building will be redeveloped into a cafe / restaurant in line with their new strategy for The Rocks precinct. Object has negotiated for many months to continue our presence in the area, however no viable alternatives have been offered.

This news will be very disappointing for many of Object's friends, colleagues and supporters, and especially for you, our valued suppliers. Our various premises in The Rocks have been the location of many significant events for the NSW crafts community over the past 4 decades.

Object is committed to continuing our support of Australia's many talented makers through retail activity, and we are currently researching and planning other alternatives for the future. I look forward to being in touch again to let you know how Object can continue its work in supporting the livelihoods of our makers, and encouraging people to collect contemporary craft and design.

Geek Week (7) - Uber Cool

I really have reached my geek limit for now. So as an antidote I went in search for something cool, and not just cool but uber cool. I did a Google image search for "uber cool" and to my surprise I came across more geek than chic. Sorry Nick but your pic. was one of those first stand-out images!

It is not that I am sick of geek but that I have some trouble with defining myself. In fact I have a problem with definitions in general. I ditched the Psych. degree early on, as it seemed to be all about putting people in their little boxes (O.K and statistics didn't help). As you can see I have used broad terms to describe myself and my work - Art Design Jewellery (craft).

So for the next week and beyond I'll just try to be myself and you can decide where I fit or don't. If I had to, I'd say I am a German-Italian-Australian, geeky-cool, jewellery making, Sydney born-Brisbane based-Melbourne loving-wished I could live in Europe, wife-mother-individual, happy-sad, dreamer and many more definitions that may or may not be so.

Geek Week (6) - I Don't Even Like Musicals

Movies that I have watched over 100 times:

- The Rocky Horror Picture Show
- Grease
- The Sound Of Music

I am sure these films have greatly influenced the jewellery I create.
I shall now go away and ponder this.....

Geek Week (5) - Little Glittery Spots Of Heaven

It may not come as a surprise to many of you but I love all glittery sparkly things, and sequins are number one. In a former life I was a belly dancer. I started off with ballet and then Flamenco but it wasn't until I found belly dancing that I was truly happy. Yes I loved the movement and female bonding but it really was the costumes that got me. I made many sequin covered costumes and wore them proudly.

Now I'm no longer a belly dancing aficionado and I expect wearing sequined numbers in the MoB studio would lead to much mockery and ridicule. So I deal with my sequin fetish through my jewellery. Have you noticed how much of it is made up of little plastic disks? The disks are really a sequin in disguise.

I was recently lucky enough to have received a wonderful parcel from my favourite ceramic jeweller Irene Grishin-Selzer of Iggy & Lou Lou fame. She sent me all sort of wonderful ceramic goodness (her work, Craft Victoria and ceramic jewellery will be discussed in more length next week!). I loved all of it but this sequined brooch was extra special. As she made the selection and I had not mentioned sequins I wondered how she had picked so wisely? Perhaps my little plastic disks are not as in disguise as I had thought.

Geek Week (4) - The Vampire Slayer And Me

Watching T.V and making things. What could be better than that? As far back as I can remember I always made things. There was the pink velvet aeroplane, the revamped vintage clothes and the jewellery. T.V was always there with me. T.V addicted? Answer is yes.

My favourite T.V show of all time is Buffy (Twilight Zone comes second). I am a huge Vampire Slayer fan and I am not ashamed. There is more subtext, truth, humanity, intelligence and humour in Buffy than I have seen in many white walled rooms. Art is art and it can be where you don't expect it and not where you do.

Anyone up for a game of Buffy (boardgame)? I bags Spike.

**Picture of Xan named after Xander Harris and child named after a princess (Amaya not Leia).

Geek Week (3) - Computers Are Geeky??

Are computers geeky? I really don't think so, in fact I think if your not online you practically don't exist. Harsh? Not at all, I know that I don't take a business seriously if it doesn't have a website.

Is it geeky that I can't start the day without being online for at least an hour (or several). I stumble out of bed, grab a cup of coffee and start her up. No one is allowed (at your own risk) to engage in conversation with me until I've drunk two cups of coffee, checked my emails, blogged and surfed through several sites. Normal right? And spending from 7 a.m to 8 p.m online on Monday, with barely an hour off the computer, may have been a tad longer than usual but I can't say I didn't enjoy it.

Geek week (2) - Pinked Haired And Clueless

Here I was at my first day of Uni with my Flamingo pink hair and requisite black uniform thinking I was looking pretty cool. Although I was a little flustered searching for Lecture Room B for my first Philosophy class, I soon found a fellow soul who was also looking for the same room. We joined forces and patiently waited in front of two foreboding doors. It seemed to take a while but eventually a man walked up and opened the doors, OK this was it all systems go, and took out a broom.

It has been a series of wrong doors (and a few right ones) ever since.

***O.K I have added a photo of pink haired Liana. Happy now Flojo!

Geek Week - My Plastic Girls

Today is the start of Geek Week. For the next seven days all my geeky laundry will be aired. This is in celebration and support of fellow geekster Rebecca Ward and her upcoming Junk-IT exhibition. This was all the idea of Florence Forrest, number one Geek (in my book anyway!)

Here is my collection of Liana Kelly Dolls.

As a child I wished for a regular name, like my classmates. Tina and Karen were my top picks. I would look hopelessly at the array of printed mugs and stationery with Liane and Leonne but alas there was never a Liana. So recently when I found a doll with my name on it I had to have it, and I have been looking for new ones ever since.

If you were going to make me pick then Pool Party Liana would have to be my favourite.

Porcelain/Plastic Hybrid

I've finished my porcelain pieces. No amount of staring at them is going to make them any better.

Subliminal Message?

Rebecca the Wrecker sent me this image the other day of my necklace poster in Brisbane's Queen St Mall.

This poster has been here for ages. It has been up so long that my excitement over it has faded and I rarely think about it. Although when Miss Rebecca sent me this image I did stop and think about it. I wondered if a rather large image of a necklace that thousands of people walked past daily was doing anything for Contemporary/Art Jewellery in Brisbane. I doubt many people stop to take a good look, but were they absorbing the image in an unconscious way and what could that really mean anyway?

Meet The Makers

Do you want to know how handmade items came in to the world? Who made them, what was the inspiration and the processes involved? Well I do, and I'm guessing many others do also. Have you seen how any craft blogs are out there!

The lovely Cate Brown, retail assistant at Craft Queensland, had the idea of holding monthly talks, where the makers would step out from the shadows and discuss their work.

The first round of talks had four of my favourite Brisbane makers so I was sorry to have missed it. There was Shannon Garson(work pictured above) who makes fine porcelain vessels with organic painterly designs. Marc Harrison, the designer of the must-have Husque bowl (such pretty colours) and fab duo Sarah Rayner (the Bag Lady) and Lee Sisson (the Jewellery Lady) of Audrey and Rose.

I'll be doing my talk in August. I'm shaking in my boots at the thought of speaking in public, but I have to support a good idea.

Score!

These fabulous vintage plastic containers were snapped up during a retro store sale. Thank goodness, as now I have somewhere far more respectable to store all my ingredients in. I expect the Tupperware containers with Glad Wrap covers (since I've cut up all my seals to make jewellery) was a bit uncool.

Porcelain Revisited

I've had a huge rummage around in my studio and pulled out all my porcelain jewellery components, and there were rather a lot. I was a bit surprised to discover how many of the pieces were white, considering how big a part colour plays in my plastic jewellery. I guess this is how work can develop and change.

It has been an interested experiment going back to ceramics and reinterpreting work that I had previously made and considering how this work could fit into my current plastic dominated interests. So after much toing and froing I decided not to make new work but rather revisit old pieces and add colour and plastics. As this was something I always intended on doing the Verge Ceramic Conference provided a great opportunity to pull my finger out and do it now.

The final results will be on display at Craft Queensland July 11th.