BAZOLA jewellery design

Some fun stuff at last!!

Barry Smith - 'BAZ' -[ 'Rustnstuffblogspot.com] and I - 'OLA' -are collaborating on a range of jewellery - combining Barry's fold formed copper and brass forms and my found objects. We're making  recycled, wabi sabi styled pieces basically just for fun, and we'll have a go at selling them in a local gallery during the lead up to Christmas.

Here is what we have come up with so far - 3 brooch/pins and a pair of earrings- combining beaten copper and brass, driftwood, wooden beads, silver plated copper wire and a rusty washer.

Maleny Arts Factory

I have had a very left brain week or two - a group of us is trying to set up a new Arts Centre in the old butter factory here in Maleny. We have fabulous ideas and I've spent many bleary hours writing an 11 page business plan, Whew!! We need financial support for the first year or so then it should be self sustaining through rental space. We've had very encouraging talks with local and state govt. departments. Fingers crossed.

I am looking  forward to actually making stuff this weekend so hope to have something visually interesting to post by Monday.

DIGITAL DESIGN WORKSHOP

I have always taught aspects of design - often to people who have no formal design training. I now enjoy empowering people to use the computer as a creative design tool. For some months now, I have been fine tuning a workshop which I can take to various art groups and intensive residential art schools here and overseas. I want to share ways of applying computer manipulated designs to practical art outcomes. The workshop requires a basic knowledge of digital cameras and computers, then I teach easy ways to do the photo editing. A lot of people seem to have  'Photoshop' software, but it is complicated and daunting for the average person. There are many simple and free photo editing programmes available on line which offer great options for a whole range of creative effects.

In my workshop, the students create the design with the help of the computer then apply the design to an art work - be it a painting, drawing, 3D work, graphic element, fibre work, garment feature, etc. I have used the technique to create acrylic paintings, artist books, fibre works, 3D mixed media works, art cards and a multitude of graphic design/promotional projects. 

I belong to two Australia wide fibre arts groups - ATASDA [Australian Textile and Surface Design Association] and TAFTA [The Australian Forum for Textile Arts]. I have worked with both organisations teaching, exhibiting, networking and learning. ATASDA has asked me to teach my Digital Design workshop in Brisbane next February, 19th and 20th, and a new arts body, TAA [Textile and Art Academy] has asked me to teach a week in Brisbane in June 2011.

This is what I have decided to teach for the first weekend workshop. It involves simple editing skills and has a practical outcome. Advanced students will have the opportunity to take the process further.

DIGITAL DESIGN

 with Japanese Kanji Characters

Stylized character for ‘beautiful spirit’ on a skirt wrap.

"Learn how to manipulate, distort, and stylize a calligraphic character of your own choosing to use in your art work. Use the design to make a skirt wrap or wall panel and some art cards. You need only basic computer skills. You will need to bring a laptop computer and your sewing machine. An easy photo editing programme and a range of calligraphic characters will be provided on a CD or memory stick".

THE PROCESS

1. Kanji for 'beautiful',

2. Kanji for 'spirit',

3. Distortion of 'beautiful',

4. Distortion of 'spirit',

5. Vertically combining 'beautiful' and 'spirit',

6. Final design for 'beautiful spirit'

 

7. Skirt wrap using Kanji character made with reverse applique - [new chiffon and  recycled kimono panel]

8. Inkjet printed 'beautiful spirit' cards with stitched silk chiffon details. 

OPEN STUDIO

A couple of weeks ago, a group of local artists held 'open studios' on two consecutive weekends. The project was reasonably sucessful for our first attempt, but next time we will need to do more advertising and link it up with other arts activities in the area. However, I enjoyed the opportunity to tidy and sort out my studio and to re visit some of my older art works. This is some of what I unearthed:

"Chatterbox"

Ink, paint on paper, app 40cm x 60cm [frame]

Tiny Treasure

ink, dyed paper fibres, copper wire, app. 5cm x 5 cm [image]

Tiny Treasure

ink, gouache, gold foil, app 5cm x 5cm [image]

Pelican

ink, water colour pencil, app 8cm x 12cm [image]

"Patch"

recycled cotton fabric, tea dyed & stitched, gold foil, app 30cm x 30cm

detail of "Sedimentary"

recycled cotton fabrics, painted, stitched & dyed, app 80cm x 65cm

"Growing Old Gracefully"

recycled paper pulp, iron rust paint, dyed cotton & silk wrapped sticks, 95cm x 45cm

"Approaching Storm"

Acrylics, collaged paper & gold foils, 95cm x 45cm

This was my lovely tidy studio for 10 days.