reasons to be cheerful - a morning spent baking

My good friend Snaily celebrated a birthday recently, and what better way to make merry than with some sweet treats!

I came across the recipe for biscuits, by Sarah Hobbs, it can be found here. The snail cutter came from Ikea, in the Drömmar pastry cutter set. When I first bought them, I can't describe how excited I was at the prospect of making moose-shaped biscuits...

emerging sydney jewellers showcase, jamfactory atrium space

After months of thinking about it, I finally got my act together, and finished my neckpiece for the Emerging Sydney jewellers showcase at the JamFactory, in Adelaide.

There ended up being about 170 anodised aluminium flowers in the three strand neckpiece, dotted with silver skulls. 3 offrenda dishes complete the Dia de los Muertos series. Thanks to Madeleine for the donation of the aluminium, and to Christina for her help saw piercing flowers.

It was great to be able to get down to Adelaide for the opening, the JamFactory is an amazing place. I'll try to post some pictures of fun times in Adelaide soon.


Opening at the JamFactory, 21st May,
Gallery One - Liz Williamson,
Gallery Two - Brendan Scott French,
Atrium - Emerging Sydney jewellers showcase

The pieces on display, l-r: El Dia de los Muertos Offrenda dishes, Mourning Wreath

nesting place

I recently finished a project for an exhibition called Nesting Place. Oneredline and SMC3 asked 20 local artists to decorate a set of 3 Matryoshka Dolls, for an exhibition at Petty Cash Cafe. The showing artists come from a range of backgrounds, from graffiti and tattoo artists to those who make jewellery and fine arts.

Nesting Place is on for a few more weeks and Petty Cash has delicious food and fantastic coffee. Get along and check it out!

Petty Cash Cafe

68 Victoria Road, Marrickville, 2204

(opposite Enmore Park)

Opening Night at Petty Cash Cafe

My offering:

Tiki Adventures from the Rapa Nui Room,

Timber nesting dolls, Acrylic paint, Estapol, South Sea Mother of Pearl

anxiety #201 - umbrella upset

Recently, I bought an umbrella, but I usually like to take my chances in the rain.

I have an enduring memory of walking down Kent St, in the Sydney CBD, on a blustery day. It was raining lightly, and I had borrowed a bright orange, transparent umbrella. All of a sudden, a gust of wind caught me off guard and the umbrella was inside-out. We struggled against the wind, this umbrella and I, to and fro, and every time I managed to set it right, it was blown inside out again. Eventually, one of the umbrella's arms snapped and I abandoned it in a rage.

Of course, to deal with a willful umbrella is one thing, but it's another matter when surrounded by people making their morning commute. They avoid you like they avoid the guy talking to himself on the train. They have to skirt around you, lest they lose an eye. They pity you.

I bought my new umbrella out of desperation, in an unexpected downpour. I can only bring myself use it occasionally, when the wind seems calm. I still get that nauseating rush of nervous energy, when I feel the wind tugging at the umbrella. I usually prefer to leave it hanging safely in the hallway, and take my chances alone, against the elements.

shopping for oldwares

Two 4 Retro is a lovely oldwares store on Botany Rd, Redfern. It is great for furniture and we've gotten some beautiful ceramics there, including an amazing Polish coffee set and some Martin Boyd pieces.

I coveted this fantastic room divider/lamp there for so long, I had to have it...

Lame picture, but hard to photograph. It's down the length of the corridor, until we find ourselves in more expansive surrounds...

Drop in and say hi to Frank:

2/4 Botany Road, Redfern

Wednesday to Sunday, 11am - 5pm

(Saturday opening - 10am)

waiting for the bus in hurstville...

At least I think it was in Hurstville. I was on my way to Mortdale to pick up some work I had anodised, and I saw this gem out of the corner of my eye. Taking public transport seems so stylish...

floral troubles

This story starts at two separate times.
One beginning was when I was in my third and final year of study. I had an idea for a series about the Mexican Days of the Dead, and I made rings, brooches and a neckpiece from small aluminium flowers with silver skulls at their centres. I was never really happy with the resolution (the rings were popular, but it wasn’t a big year for brooches), and always wanted to revisit the concept.

The story’s other beginning was when I had one of those rare moments of extremely good fortune, and met Lisa Furno. Lisa and I worked together for a year, and not only is she very creative, and a lovely person, but she has connections. Lisa put me in touch with the JamFactory in Adelaide, and I’m going to be in an exhibition of emerging Sydney Jewellers, in the gallery’s Atrium space. It runs from May 22nd to June 20th.

I assume you’ve guessed the ending of the story. I've buckled down, desperately trying to saw pierce many aluminium flowers to create something for the exhibition. Keep your fingers crossed, and come back soon. I'll post a finished product soon.