Saturday, December 17, 2011

Art Deco, smithing, embroidery and gradients

Some current inspirations...

I would love to learn blacksmithing so I could make spectacular gates, fences and chandeliers. Saw this magnificent gate attached to a grand Art Deco building the other day. Epic.

There is a blacksmith living in the Dandeong Ranges (where I live) he has a beautiful works in Belgrave, called Braumuller's Decorative Wrought Iron it's located at the Belgrave Art Stockade, nestled on the edge of Sherbrooke Forest near the Belgrave Puffing Billy train station. A while ago I went there numerous times to visit but it was always closed and the only person there was a man selling chestnuts out the front who told me he was sick so hopefully he is better by now and the Art Stockage is up and running again. Even when it's shut you can see through all the giant windows all the gorgeous pieces.
http://braumuller.com/index.html
It's in a really magical mountainous spot too, across the road is a gnome sized wooden house right out of a fairy tale with a trickling creek, a little hydro power water wheel all surrounded by lush green mosses,vines ,ferns, wild plants and giant trees YUM. So Definitely worth a sticky beak.

Other current inspirations...

1930's embroidery on satin.

I've always had a fixation with colour gradients and various visual effects involving colours blending, mixing and over lapping. So now that I've learnt this neat trick using a cosmetic sponge to gently stipple colours fading one into the other this obsession can now spread to other areas of bodily decoration.

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Exhibition, travels and studio plans

Our grad show is now over, but here is a few pics of my work for those that missed it....









So now my Box Hill jewellery Advanced Diploma is completed and it's time to start working on building my home studio. I've already compiled lists of items to get and tasks to do... currently I'm planning, so soon will be time to start doing. I'll be jetting off to Sri Lanka and India for a 2 and a half week summer holiday very soon but when I return all my studio plans will become actions. I've had an art studio at home for sometime but now it needs to be converted into a jewellery workshop. It's a huge task which will take years to fully complete and will be an ongoing work in progress but it's all very exciting~! Wish me luck!