Ipswich Excursion

Patricia Harper, Beaded Vessel

As Brisbanians often like to smugly remember, Ipswich was once in fierce competition with Brisbane to be the state capital. With its rich mineral deposits and churning river, Ipswich may well have been chosen. To think we might have been MoI Workspace instead of MoB Workspace! However it was not to be, and Brisbane was chosen for its deeper river/bay port, its IKEA outlet and some might say, more moderate climate.

Last week we took time out of the studio for a long train trip out to Ipswich to see if a terrible mistake had been made all those years ago. Well not really - we went to see Quadrant, an exhibition in the Ipswich Art Gallery as Friend of MoB (FoM) , Patricia Harper was exhibiting her gorgeous beaded vessels, bracelet (pictured) and wall works with 3 other artist/teachers: Lorraine Kitching, Marcelle Little and Dennis Magee. Patricia's stunning vessels enchanted us with their intricate and fantastical construction and brilliant colour. They contrasted with several upscaled works in the show including a neon necklace wall piece that lit up the space with an eerie glow.

We rather liked the gallery which incorporated the old town hall into a modern very spacious new gallery. I was attracted by the walls which were made out of coal from the local mines sandwiched in between glass. Very environmentally sound.

Another FoM , the blue-headed art critic, Florence Forrest, came along for the ride and we lingered over a leisurely brunch before hitting the thrift stores, Liana mining a rich vein of her own: plastic knitting needles. Believe me she has quite the needle fetish as she dragged us from one store to the next. When we eventually made it back to Brisbane we were a bit wilted after our outback adventure but full of tales to tell .

Quadrant ends 23 March 2007 and is at Ipswich Art Gallery d'Arcy Doyle Place, Nicholas st, Ipswich CBD.

Looking for a Graduate Jeweller

Bibi Locke, now an associate was our grad jeweller in 2006

MoB Workspace is looking for a Graduate Jeweller for 2007.
The applicant should be a self-motivated graduate of the past 2 yrs from a tertiary jewellery program and the position is for 1 day a week studio access for a 6 month period between 1 April and 31 October (start/end date must fall between these dates).

Ph 3403 5518
mobworkspace@yahoo.com.au

Current residents: Liana Kabel, Jesika Hanford, Rebecca Ward.
Current associate: Bibi Locke.

1. Term: 6mths term for a recent graduate of a tertiary jewellery program
- reviewed after 2 months, then confirmed. The term is for 6months total falling between 1 April and 31 October – starting and end date can be negotiated.

2. Fee: There is a daily access fee ($10) due in cash on the day of access.

3. Access: 1 day per week in consultation with residents. A regular day each week (a Monday or a Friday) when a bench is available. There will be certain weeks during the year (eg school holidays) when benches are available for more days in the week and the graduate may be asked if they would like to come in for these extra days. As a casual, graduates will not be able to be in the workshop alone- a supervising resident must also be present.

4. Space: Workspace is small with 3 jewellers benches and basic equipment – mini torches, polisher, flexi drives, rolling mill, tumbler, ultrasonic, drill press. Casuals must bring their own handtools and ‘hot desk’.

5. Opportunities: As the graduate jeweller, you will be working with established practitioners in a supportive, friendly and motivated environment with good public exposure. You may be invited to take part in workspace activities- exhibitions, sales, training, promotions etc and at the end of the period a presentation of your work will be organised by MoB Workspace and MoB Store.

We are looking for someone who:

· can fit in with our schedule of available benchspace
· is self motivated and can work on their own individual projects
· has competency with workshop equipment and knowledge of health and safety procedures
· has good organisational skills and is tidy and considerate when using studio equipment
· is reliable, has good interpersonal skills - able to communicate well with the other workshop members and follow the reasonable instructions of the resident on duty in relation to health and safety and other workshop rules
· does not mind being on public view
· intends to do work that is compatible with the limited space, equipment and noise, chemical and fume restrictions – ie no etching, pitch burning, heavy forging etc.
· wants to build their practice to a profession (ie not a hobbyist)


To apply:

1. Contact MoB Workspace 3403 5518 mobworkspace@yahoo.com

Firstly, if you are unfamiliar with the MoBWorkspace, please make an appointment and come in and meet us and see the space. Then you will know if it might be suitable for your needs or not.

2. Then we will ask you to provide some more details about yourself –
· 1 page cv
· 1 page (or less) artist statement and description of what you would like to do with a MoBWorkspace placement, what you plan to make in the space, what projects you might have in mind, what your available days would be, when you are able to start doing the residency.
· 3 references (just names and contact details)

Deadline: 28 February. The selection will be made in consultation with MoB Store management in early March 2007.

Swapalicious 2006

Photo: Mel Robson

MoB Workspace ended the year with our annual xmas art & craft swap. This year we had a great line-up and lots of fun though there were a few tense moments with certain highly desirable items!!

The plan was to get lots of Xmas presents for our friends and families but it did not really work out that way. I think we are all finding it hard to part with ANYTHING much from our wonderful hauls!!
The Swapalicious lineup:

shannon garson (ceramics, strange fragments)

liana kabel (jewellery, plastic girl )
mel robson (ceramics)
simon degroot (painting)
darren o'brien (ceramics)
marisa molin (jewellery/cards)
florence forrest (fabric, toys)
deb mansfield (photography)
jesika hanford (jewellery)
justine austen (jewellery)
tracey milne (jewellery, cool stuff)
ky curran (ceramics, cool stuff)
rebecca ward (jewellery, rebecca-the-wrecker)

Here is my haul (minus deb's gorgeous photo from anticipating the islands series):

Thanks Guys

Thank you to resident MoB members Rebecca Ward and Jesika Hanford for designing our Xmas sale invite. They did a top job!

All of us at MoB Workspace would also like to especially thank Rebecca for all the extra work she put into MoB this year. She spent many long hours designing invites, organising events, writing press releases and countless other things that helped make this year such a success.

pictured above Tracey Milne, Jesika Hanford and Rebecca Ward at Glam-r-Us

Studio Sale!!!

come along to the
2006 mobworkspace jewellery sale
buy direct from the makers- cash or cheque only

Thurs 14th Dec 11:00 - 4:00
Fri 15th Dec 11:00 - 4:00
Sat 16th Dec 10.00-12.00

MoBWorkspace (via MoB Store)
Museum of Brisbane
Ground Floor, City Hall
King George Square, Brisbane
Ph 3403 5518

Glam-r-Us Press Release

Glam-r-Us Opens 30 November 2006– download images here
Museum of Brisbane Store launches the exquisite jewellery of Jesika Hanford and Bibi Locke in an exhibition entitled Glam-r-Us on 30 November 2006. Also showcased is jewellery from MoB Workspace residents past and present: Liana Kabel, Tracey Milne, Marisa Molin and Rebecca Ward. The six jewellers from the collective studio in City Hall each take a different perspective on the theme ‘Glam-r-Us’ in conversation with the current Miss Australia exhibition at the Museum of Brisbane. All jewellery is for sale and there are Christmas gifts of earrings, necklaces, bracelets and brooches catering to a diverse range of tastes and starting at $50.

Jesika Hanford, the newest resident has recently returned to Brisbane from New York where she worked as a jeweller. She has focused on the "Glam" aspect of the exhibition title drawing on the 70's era of lurex and glam-rock. Jesika says “As well as enjoying revisiting the glam rock era of my childhood, I wanted to explore the tactile and visual tension created by combining the hardness of metal with the softness of different fabrics.” To this end Jesika has used various “glam-rock” fabrics with titanium, silver, chain and lightning bolts as motifs to create street jewellery with class.

Bibi Locke, only 21 years old, is a recent graduate of Queensland College of Art and has created a stylistically glamorous body of work exploring the flowing lines that compliment the female form. Bibi says, "Working at MoB Workspace, the elegance of the new Miss Australia exhibition acts as daily stimulation. My debut range is all about timeless beauty, the designs extend from the natural contours of the body." Bibi’s intricate designs are finely saw pierced to allow light to pass through, enhancing the delicacy of the work. Her Miss Australia inspired jewellery is infused with classic feminine elegance.

Entitled Zen Glamour, Marisa Molin has created a series of randomly structured twig inspired sterling silver brooches, stickpins and pendants. Marisa has lived in Tasmania for the past 2 years completing her Masters of Fine Arts and Design. The dramatic climate change from Queensland has significantly inspired her work. This series is a reflection of the fallen deciduous branches that scatter on the forest floor.

Tracey Milne is coy about her Glam-r-Us jewellery, stating, “I am glamour.” She has an established history of creating works from recycled items or reinvigorating existing pieces. She has a reputation for producing unusual and imaginative pieces with a superior finish that are not only very wearable but also become cherished items – the new ‘heirloom’.

Liana Kabel’s recycled plastic jewellery is fully tuned into the 1950’s - when glamour was plastic. Liana says, “If it looks like a lolly, I like it” and this certainly holds true for her Glam-r-Us work. A recipient of a Brisbane City Council/Arts Queensland Creative Sparks Grant and noted blogger, Liana cuts her own creative pathways.

The Lucy Goes to Manhattan series of necklaces, earrings and bracelets by Rebecca Ward imagines the dreams of a small town girl as she astral travels to the other-worldly metropolis of New York City. The sparkling lights and art deco skyscrapers of New York are evoked in sterling silver and Swarovski crystal. Rebecca recently won an acquisitive award from the Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery for her use of recycled materials in a range of jewellery based on the records of Nana Mouskouri.

Glam-r-Us will be opened by Jeweller, Patricia Harper
6pm – 8pmThursday 30 November 2006

Glam-r-Us continues until 31 January 2007
King George Square Foyer and MoB Store
Museum of Brisbane, Ground Floor, City HallKing George Square, Brisbane
RSVP Wednesday 22 November 2006
Phone 3403 4355 Email mob@brisbane.qld.gov.au

MoB Workspace – further information

MoB Workspace is an artist-run collaborative jewellery studio in the heart of Brisbane’s historic City Hall. Nestled inside the Museum of Brisbane’s MoBStore, it gives the public a glimpse into the dynamic world of contemporary jewellery design and production. The current jewellers in residence are Jesika Hanford, Liana Kabel and Rebecca Ward with Bibi Locke an associate resident.

MoB Workspace was established in October, 2003, by Tracey Milne, Marisa Molin and Rebecca Ward with the support of Museum of Brisbane and the Brilliant Brisbane Jewellery Cluster, Brisbane City Council. MoBWorkspace artists showcase their cutting edge designs in MoBStore as well as other galleries and venues locally, nationally and internationally.

For more information, drop in to MoB Workspace 10am-5pm weekdays or contact:Jesika, Rebecca, Liana or Bibi
Tel: 3403 5518
Email: mobworkspace@yahoo.com.au

Jesika's Cherish

The annual Christmas Show at Craft Queensland has kept Jesika Hanford very busy in the studio creating a gorgeous new range of jewels in luscious red fabrics, gold and oxidised silver. They bring to mind the warmth and celebration of the season.
Cherish opens this Thursday 16 November 6-8pm at Craft QLD, 381 Brunswick st. MoB Workspace will be there to support Jesika and Liana who are in the show- all are welcome.

Glam-r-Us

Coming soon to MoB! Click image to enlarge.

Please join Museum of Brisbane Store to celebrate the launch of:

Glam-r-Us
MoB Workspace Jewellers

to be opened by Jeweller, Patricia Harper

Thursday 30 November 2006
6pm - 8pm
Exhibition continues until 31 January 2007
King George Square Foyer and MoB Store
Museum of Brisbane, Ground Floor, City Hall
King George Square, Brisbane

RSVP Wednesday 22 November 2006
Phone 3403 4355 Email mob@brisbane.qld.gov.au

Glisten

Bibi
Rebecca
Jesika

To kick off the exhibiting season MoB members, Rebecca, Bibi and Jesika put some work in the JMGQ end of year show, "Glisten". There was a great turnout for the opening but then, it was hard to resist an afternoon at the lovely Marks & Gardner Gallery at Mt Tamborine. Gallery owners Mary Marks and Janene Gardner did a wonderful job of displaying the multitude of work received. And about that work.... such a variety of styles and techniques and all highly executed. Definitely worth the trip! The exhibition is running until 26th November. You can call 07 5545 4992 for gallery details.

Ky Curran - Briz-Vegas

We are all terribly excited here at MoB due to next week's special event. The MoB store will be hosting Briz-Vegas ceramics - a fabulous product launch by local artist and friend of MoB Ky Curran. Ky is just about the most diversely talented and energetic artist around. So it should be one very special event. Just to top it off another friend of MoB and amazingly talented artist Mel Robson will be opening the event.

Here are the details:

Please join
Museum of Brisbane Store
to celebrate the launch of

Briz-Vegas Ceramics
by Ky Curran

to be opened by Ceramic Artist, Mel Robson

Tuesday 31 October 2006
6pm – 8pm

Space 1 and MoB Store
Museum of Brisbane, Ground Floor, City Hall
King George Square, Brisbane

RSVP
Phone 3403 4355
Email mob@brisbane.qld.gov.au

Happy 3rd Birthday MoB Workspace

We celebrated our 3rd birthday today with yummy Shingle Inn cakes (choccy and passionfruit of course) and cups of tea. We also formally welcomed Jesika Hanford and Bibi Locke into our group and look forward to working with them both more.

Celebrations continued into the afternoon and evening with the museum staff and an urgent Temperance Union meeting was called. Changes are afoot with the Museum Director, Alice-Anne Boylan taking a 1 year career break to work on the Brisbane Music Festival. We wish her all the best and thank her for all of her support to MoB Workspace these past 3 1/2 years.

Expeditions 2006

Two MoB Workspace residents are entering work in upcoming show and competition at Metalab in Sydney. The exhibition is initiated by our lovely suppliers, A & E Metal Merchants. We think it is great that they are organising a competition for their customers!

Jesika Hanford's beautiful piece is made with st silver and digitally printed fabric carrying images of 2 bridges: Brisbane's Story Bridge and New York's Williamsburg Bridge. Jesika use to live in NY before discovering the bright lights of Brissy. Rebecca Ward's Shark Shards necklace is made from fragments of old louvre glass collected from demolition yards and provides a commentary on global warming.

Expeditions 2006 Opens Thurs 2 Nov 6-8pm, the exhibition runs 3 November- 25 November. Venue details: Metalab

Coincidentally Liana Kabel is also sending new work to Metalab where she stocks her fantastic plastic. So all 3 of us will have our work down there one way or another!

Our Badgemaking Journey....

Well there you have it - a trail of images showing how the MoB girls do their thang. Bonding over badges as well as providing a great product for the MoB Store to commerate the Miss Australia exhibition. Then there's the crowning cherry on top in that we've made a little money to invest back into the MoB Workspace. It's definitely been an experience and we've learnt a lot along the way. Now we'll take a little breather and then jump back in! Right, girls!?

Oktober Fest

It is an exciting week coming up at MoB with 4 exhibitions opening Thursday 5 October including the Miss Australia Exhibition. We have made some gorgeous Beauty Packs (pocket mirror + badge) to raise money for new workspace equipment. Beauty Packs are available in the MoB Store for $8. More on our thrilling badgemaking adventure soon!

We have also made sure to have plenty of fabulous new jewellery for sale in the MoB Store like these Rivetted Earrings by Jesika Hanford (top left), Chunkyknit Bangles from Liana Kabel (top right), Threads Revisited by Rebecca Ward (bottom left)and City Hall Miander stud earrings from Tracey Milne (bottom right). All the more reason to brave the construction scene at King George Sq and drop in for a visit!

We Have A Winner!!!!!!!!!

All of us at MoB Workspace would like to congratulate our resident member Rebecca Ward for her recent win. Tracey Milne (former resident) always did say we needed a winner, and finally we have one! Yay!

Rebecca's work from the Nana Nana Nana jewellery series was chosen from the Toowoomba Biennial Emerging Artists Acquisitive Award Exhibition.

For more insight into the process behind Rebecca's Nana work check out her Rebecca-the-Wrecker blog.

Our congratulations also extend to Judith Brough who was the Exhibition Curator as well as being a Museum of Brisbane employee. Judith had this to say about the exhibition " Flash trash not only shows how recycled material can be used to produce remarkable artistic creations, the exhibition also operates as a catalyst for thought and discussion about the ways an individual can contribute to the ecological well-being of their environment."

Flash Trash remains on display until 22 October at Toowoomba Regional Gallery after which time it will go on tour.

Don't Kill Bambi

Uh oh. Someone must have dismembered the weird toothlike screw-ons with the red beads that I was supposed to preserve in order for the Bambi baby coathanger to be spared an execution at the blade of plastic girl's saw.

Well okay, it was me - I had to make a pair of red threads revisted earrings and I only had 3 vintage red glass beads and I needed 4. It was too much of a temptation. But none of that means that bambi should die. So I beg of you Plastic Girl, your giant flowers can take over the planet but please spare the darling miniature Bambi coathanger...

Previously to Presently

It’s hard to let go of things we love. For some reason we’re told this is a good thing. Well I disagree. I attach great personal value to my bits and pieces so you can imagine how I felt when my beloved winter coat started disintegrating.

In an acknowledgement of the value of the memories embedded in the fabric, the sense of familiar comfort and the recognition of a finely crafted garment, I created “Re-Worn”.

This has been a very positive exercise in holding on.

Window of Delights

Liana and Rebecca have just installed a yummy window at Craft Queensland to mark the official launch of www.lianakabel.com and www.rebeccawardjewellery.com
Please visit our window (viewing 24/7) if you can and join us on Thurs 25 August 6pm at Craft QLD or on Friday 26 August when we will be giving a talk (eeek!).
Meet the Makers series of talks
Dates: 25 August 2006
Time: 10am – 12noon
Where: CQstore, Craft Queensland 381 Brunswick St Fortitude Valley Q 4006 T 07 3215 0808 F 07 3215 0802
CQgallery and CQstore hours: Tues-Sat 10am-4pm

Jewellers In The Know

At MoB Workspace is it undeniable that we have a jewellery advantage. We are privileged to some real insider information through members, Rebecca Ward and Bibi Locke.

If you we not aware Rebecca is the editor of Paillon, which is the Jewellers and Metalsmiths Group of Queensland JMGQ informative quarterly newsletter. This means she is not only the first to know of breaking contemporary jewellery news for Queensland, but also Australia and the world (yes THE WORLD!). Although discreet at times she lets us know what is happening. We are definitely in the national contemporary jeweller loop. Oh yes indeedy.

If that wasn't advantage enough we are extra (yes EXTRA!) lucky to have Bibi working on the ground floor of the commercial jewellery world. Bibi works weekends at Myer (large Department store chain for our International visitors). What is hot right now? - Bibi knows, and what's better is that she let US know. Apparently nautical is in right now but before you know it the tide will turn and more feminine pieces will be the go. And before I forget charms are in, in, in, with a capital I N.

Regular updates to follow. If you NEED to know what is happening bookmark this blog now!!

Nana Don't Judge Me

Liana aka Plastic Girl had a paranormal experience in the studio last week. Alone for the day, while I was at the Ekka with Miss Windbag and Mr Accordian, she had bought along her "Buffy: The musical" cd and it seems she was dancing around the studio with gay abandon until she realised she was not really alone at all. Up on the wall staring at her with her glasses enhanced Mona Lisa eyes was the Delightful Nana Mouskouri, the album cover that started it all for me on my road to Damascus: blue-tacked above my desk so that I never lost sight of the truth amid vinyl fumes. Her eyes seemed to follow Liana around the room as she whirled and twirled, compelling her to cover them up with a notice: "I can dance if I want to- Don't judge me Nana".

I should take the opportunity to remind everyone that there is no rule against dancing at MoB Workspace, but we do have a Safety Dance protocol.

No one has articulated it better than Canadian New wave band Men Without Hats

The Safety Dance, 1983

We can dance if we want to, we can leave your friends behind
'Cause your friends don't dance and if they don't dance
Well they're no friends of mine

Say, we can go where we want to, a place that they will never find
And we can act like we come from out of this world
Leave the real one far behind

And we can dance

We can go when we want to, the night is young and so am I
And we can dress real neat from our hats to our feet
And surprise them with the victory cry

Say, we can act if we want to, if we don't nobody will
And you can act real rude or totally removed
And I can act like an imbecile

Safety Dance
Say we can dance, we can dance
Everything's out of control
We can dance, we can dance
They're doing it from pole to pole
We can dance, we can dance
Everybody look at your hands
We can dance, we can dance
Everybody taken the chance

The safety dance
The safety dance
The safety dance

We can dance if we want to, we've got all your life and mine
As long as we abuse it we are never going to lose it
And everything will work out right

Say, we can dance if we want to, we can leave your friends behind
'Cause your friends don't dance and if they don't dance
well they're no friend of mine