other projects
I have been very lucky to be involved in a wonderful mentorship project called HandShake. I chose Judy Darragh to be my mentor.
I chose Judy because she is not a jeweller. She does not live overseas. She is not averse to meeting for a cup of coffee and talking about books. Judy is a successful artist, writer, speaker, teacher, mother and instigator. I was drawn to her practice because she continually bucks trends and works to her own terms. Every meeting is a thrill.
Jewellery on the Brink of a Relationship
thank you notes in the form of contemporary jewellery
The works instigate relationships with my heroes. The forms are ambiguous and odd, hailing from the idea of objects with idiosyncratic, funky appeal as exemplified by the sculpture of Franz West and Sharon Fitness’ idea that fun work attracts interaction.
A thank you note implies a relationship. In my circumstance the relationship up to this point has often been one sided (jewellery hero to viewer). This project attempts to scramble the current paradigm where one person makes and the other observes. In this case, both parties function as giver and receiver and as maker and viewer. It is an experiment in interchange and initiating relationships.
- photo by Jon Pack
This project explores the ideas of value added by travel and the relationships involved in commerce and exchange. It is a project based on audience participation. Objects will be auctioned off, sold, shipped overseas, curated by strangers, and touched by the hands of postal workers.
The brooches will be auctioned off for co-ownership in NZ, and then transported to the Northern hemisphere where the same process will occur at a New York gallery space. The details of both owners exchanged. It’s like pen pals with brooches.
A blog has been created to encourage interactive participation between the owners as well as documenting the process for interested parties. It is hoped that this forum will provide additional insights into the notions of art, exchange, commerce, and private ownership.
