Save Craft Australia

Craft Australia, the national peak body for craft and design, has been defunded by the Australia Council and after 40 years of  representing craft and design in Australia, will no longer be able to operate beyond December of this year. The Craft Australia media release states:


Craft Australia believes the decision by the VAB [Visual Arts Board of the Australia Council] is unjustified and was made without proper consultation either with Craft Australia or the craft and design sector. The decision has not followed due process or due governance and is in breach of its own documented guidelines. Craft Australia is challenging this decision and is also seeking immediate interim funding from the Australia Council.

Robert Reason the President of Craft Australia said:
“The interim funding would allow Craft Australia to restructure in a responsible manner and manage its significant heritage assets and active programs appropriately. It would also send a clear message to the craft and design sector that the Australia Council and through it the Australian Government remains committed to the preservation of our cultural heritage”. 

Craft Australia's website is filled with valuable resources for the craft and design sectors, and the Craft Australia blog is a vital source of news, research and discussion of issues in contemporary craft. This year Craft Australia has been holding an intriguing online forum on sustainability in craft and design. 

Show your support and sign the Save Craft Australia petition here. For more information on what you can do to help, visit the Craft Australia blog.

The Giving Ring

I've been given one of Chris Massey's Giving Rings! Now my task is to give the ring to someone else... This is the hard part!

Chris has made 40 sterling silver rings with porcelain "pearls" to give away. The only catch is that if you receive one from Chris, you must agree to give the ring to someone else. A blank card comes with the ring, where you write who you're giving your ring to and why you've chosen that person. The cards are sent back to Chris and posted on Facebook, where you can read about the travels of the other rings in the collection, along with photos of them and their wearers.

It will be interesting to see what journeys these rings embark on. Each ring has a slightly different handmade "pearl". Katie Jayne has posted some nice images of the rings being made on her blog.

Now, to decide who I'm giving mine to...

David Bielander Lecture

"How to Make a Rip-Snorter:Classic Old-World Skills Meet New Ideas", a public lecture by Swiss contemporary jeweller David Bielander, will be held at RMIT on Thursday 27 October from 5:30pm. The free lecture will take place at RMIT Building 10, Level 8, Lecture Theatre 3.

David Bielander is also holding a five-day Master Class of the same name at RMIT starting Friday 28 October. For more information, visit RMIT Short Courses.

To see the artist's rip-snorter of a piece, visit Gallery Funaki before 5 November.

14 Rings for 500 Rings

Mnemochronology No. 4 has just been selected for inclusion in Showcase 500 Rings, a new publication by Lark Books scheduled to come out in May 2012. The selection process was juried by Bruce Metcalf, one of my favourite American contemporary jewellers, known for his narrative jewellery and essays about the field.

Mnemochronology No. 4 is an object with 14 wearable, removable rings in enameled fine silver, felted wool and textiles. The series is based on the concept of dendrochronology, the construction of historical information gathered from the study of the rings of trees. Mnemochronology explores the possibility of the construction of personal histories taken from the study of rings for the finger. The rings can be removed from the object and worn, collecting the stories of the wearer.

Spring!

Today is a beautiful spring day, and I've been busy experimenting with new shades of bouncy balls.

Maker's Mark

My new maker's mark has arrived! I decided I needed a bent shank stamp (for marking the inside of rings) to go along with my original straight shank maker's mark. The design is the same as the original, but without the border (with thanks to Inari for the suggestion!). Both stamps came from Lonnies, Inc, a small jewellery supply business in Phoenix, Arizona (and my old employer, in my student days).