Miracles happen

I have not been blogging for a few weeks - busy with 'wabi sabi' and 'Bazola' jewellery, making a 'blurb' book, teaching Digital Design at Maleny Arts Retreat, local Art4place admin stuff, helping my neice who is 8 months pregnant with twins, and getting things in place for my upcoming trip to China - yes, I'm off again - a VERY unusual year.
A couple of days ago I came home after my morning of teaching and found a box by the back door. Miracles of miracles.
Nearly 4 years ago, I sent over $2000 worth of MY BEST wabi sabi jewellery to a gallery in Perth, Western Australia,  which subsequently disapperaed off the face of the earth. I tried for months to chase them up through other arts bodies in Perth, even the police, all to no avail.
Yes, the whole lot was in the box from the 'owner' of the mysterious gallery [which by the way had a brilliant looking web site]. All in good condition - just needing to be repacked in my new custom boxes. No word of explanation, receipt, invoice or 'how's your father' - but hey - I'm not arguing. - just one of life's little mysteries.
This is one of my favourite neckpieces of all time - not often I find a yummy piece of wire like this on the road!! - think I'll keep it.

...the stack of jewellery back from the disappearing gallery,

...and this is my stack of 'Wabi sabi' jewellery ready for 'Art on Cairncross'.

Some of the finished neck pieces made with the unwound stainless steel wire...

...and lastly a fun piece made with recycled 'silver' chains - there are lots of ways to wear this piece.

more wabi sabi jewellery

New Wabi Sabi Jewellery

Not sure if I am coming or going at the moment - so many little projects to finish. Time to prioritise - I need to make a body of new work for Art on Cairncross - 'wabi sabi jewellery'. I am really loving getting back into this work - allows me to use my individual sense of design and to play around with all sorts of unusual materials. This is what I have come up with so far:

...the stainless steel wire ones are bunched up on the left.

These are my favourites:

...silver bits at the top, and twisty stainless steel fanned out,

...an old favourite design - love this - I will make some more of these,

...fun new design with crystals from an old chandelier [courtesy of Christine, her mum, via Barry]

New work

What is this you may ask?
I am thrilled with this little curly scribble of stainless steel wire. It is the start of my new range of 'wabisabi jewellery' -time to get a body of work together for my local gallery 'Art on Caircross' in time for the Christmas rush [ positive thinking].
I have heaps of s.s. wire offcuts [10 - 15cm] from when I had my deck rails upgraded a few weeks ago. Not being one to throw anything out, I kept these shiny linear treasures, and have unwound the wire, and curled the ends to create a fabulous feature for jewellery.
A neck piece and earrings are just awaiting the findings to finish them off.

I have been 'working' on a commission for a few months now - a client wanted me to make a piece of jewellery from two old Chinese brass medallion segments - one a pendant, one part of a bracelet. They have sentimental value for her.

I have been really struggling - the arched pendant piece obviously needed to go on top, but the visual weight was wrong. Everything I tried was too 'kitch' for my liking, and if I went 'way over the top' with the design, the client may not have liked it. I settled for this compromise - still too conservative for my tastes, but hopefully it will fit the bill,

... and remember the commissioned red teabag tissue earrings I did many months ago?  - I thought they were too OTT so I did 2 more pairs, a little less 'out there,' - well the client liked the OTT ones - here they are again.

...and if you are hanging out to see more of Morocco, I am posting heaps of pics on my facebook page, for public viewing. Make a coffee before you go to the albums!!  

"Small Gestures"

I've had a few good days with my Art work - more Bazola, a commission for a wedding present painting based on my 'Beautiful Spirit' design, orders for new 'Wabi Sabi' jewellery from a local gallery 'Art on Cairncross', and 3 small completed paintings on canvas which I have titled 'Small Gestures'. I am very happy with these 3 and I hope to create many more of this genre - launching them in  the Main Street Gallery [Montville] Christmas show.

These latest paintings are created from the 20 metres of fabric which was exhibited last June at the Lucas Parklands sculptural show. They are only 200mm square on stretched canvas. Many more to come!