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.

reasons to be cheerful - a bittersweet bombshell

Sometimes, after a long day at work, a girl just needs a drink. I never say no to a Tom Collins, but was inspired by its refreshing flavours to invent the following, and my resident mixologist is always happy to oblige.

bette marie

1.5 oz vodka

0.5 oz cherry brandy

0.5 oz sugar syrup

1.5 oz lemon juice

soda water

Build on ice, in a lovely glass, stir and top with the soda water.

Adjust the measures to suit whether you prefer it bitter or sweet.

PS. Maybe you'd like to try a Bombay Bette, switching gin instead of vodka...

pieces available at the Gaffa retail store

woodshed
925 silver, tiger eye, cord
necklace, 2010



remains
925 silver, stainless steel
brooch, 2010



lamb
925 silver, quartz, cord
necklace, 2010


woodshed & lamb
925 silver, stainless steel
brooch, 2010


I decided to return to the farmhouse when making work available at the Gaffa retail store. The Midwest Farmhouse series was inspired by photographs from the Great Depression and the music of Tom Waits. I was struck by the bleakness shown in the images and the sinister darkness of the characters and situations Waits creates.
The pieces are made from cast sterling silver, snapshots of things commonly seen around farmhouses. The pieces are small and innocent when seen individually, but suggest a grim narrative when seen together, a macabre twist in the tale.

new work - coming soon

Thanks to the lovely Zoe Brand at the new Gaffa retail store, I had a grand motivation to get back to my bench. I'll post some photos of what I made soon, but in the meantime, you should really go to Fidelity, opening Thursday 11th, February, 6-8pm.

Gaffa Gallery

281 Clarence St.

Sydney CBD

N.S.W. 2000

RIP J.D. Salinger

With love and squalor.

January 1, 1919 - January 27, 2010

anxiety #618 - loose threads

In my day to day work, I constantly encounter new challenges. I have recently been sewing new lemel catchers for jewellery workbenches. There are about 50 to make, and I think I became the in-house seamstress because I remember how to thread a sewing machine, from my year seven home economics class. Although I do have a sewing machine at home, it doesn't work and I keep it mostly for sentimental reasons.

My lemel catchers are slowly coming together, but I realised what's slowing me down: loose threads. Whenever I get to the end of a seam, I have an obsessive compulsive need to tie a double knot. It's as though there's a danger that without a knotted end, the entire thing would unravel, zigzagging back and forth like a knitted sweater in a cartoon.

I'm sure that people who sew on production lines aren't always stopping to tie knots, but I guess their skills, equipment and confidence are far greater than mine. Slowly, slowly, I keep sewing and tying my knots.

Coming soon: Why don't they make see through bobbin cases, so I can prepare myself for when it's about to run out?

This post dedicated to Mrs Rogers, my year 7 home ec teacher.

I can still make great library bags.