Tuesday 29 May 2012

Stuff to see

The second years are all getting busy organising their spaces for their final assessment and exhibition. This sample of work really intrigued me as im curios to see what happens next!

Wednesday 23 May 2012

Beth has been very busy

Beth Terzza is weeks away from her final show and today she was in the workshop again, quietly working away, assembling pine cones, tiny pods and leaves.

Jessica Turell

What a workshop!! Jessica came into our jewellery workshop to give a demonstration to our students. Of course Bron and I couldn't miss out!!

There was a massive collection of samples and we were all blown away by how open Jessica was about her processes. The demonstration was amazing, we all took loads of notes, tried out the techniques and many of our students work has been transformed!

Please see a link to Jessica's work. Her work is so inspiring, we all look forward to seeing her again in the future!!

Lynne's fold formed flowers

Lynne is a first year jeweller and it has take a while to really get into this project, but after a really good tutorial and agreeing on a way forward, Lynne has been in the workshop every day!

She has been working on moving metal. Fold forming sheet copper to create these beautiful forms that will later be turned into a head piece.

Im very excited to see where these go!!

Trouble shooting in the workshop

I have been spending a lot of time in the workshop, pretty much every day, helping students with their work, seeing some really fantastic work come together.

I spent some time with Laura and Elle, second year CAA students, with some technical issues with their pieces. I showed Elle how to solder wire properly to her lovey press formed keys, an laura with her beautiful enamelled doors!

Laura has some issues with the enamel cracking as se was putting in the rivets to allow these little hand pierced doors swing. We sorted it out, with a bit of re firing and a gentle touch with the rivets they looked fab!! Problem solved!!

Del has been very busy organising all the plinths and show spaces so we are at full steam ahead!!



Tuesday 22 May 2012

Off to Australia !

Great news Lee Pickard one of our third year Blacksmiths is off to Australia as soon as he graduates to work with Blacksmith Glenn Moon at Ironvil in the Southern Highlands as a journeyman ... I've checked out his website and it looks like Lee will have an amazing time . Glenn is passionate about hammers and power hammers and his website is full of pictures of his extensive collection of power hammers
..including a 7 cwt Massey




Salt firing - Number two

Following Chris and Laura's first salt firing over the Easter Holidays at Garden Cottage in Abergavenny curtesy of Mel and Pete , this weekend was salt firing number two with lots of thrown vessels that Chris is hoping will be included in his forthcoming degree show and tonight the kiln was unpacked ... My daughters Millie and Megan also had some animals they'd modelled in the kiln so it was real excitement and anticipation as the kiln was unpacked . There were some great results and Chris will definitely have some of these in his forthcoming degree show ..


Work in progress from the first years

All our students are flat out making there are first , second and third year assessments coming up its the most busy time of the year and equally the most exciting and rewarding as you see students in all years complete final objects it's also the busiest time of year for us as staff , last week the first years had a formative assessment and it was great to see the progress they have made so far there is some excellent work being made here are some pictures of students work spaces ...

Thursday 17 May 2012

Anodised Aluminium jewellery

Anodised Aluminium is what Charlotte in our second year is passionate about! I have been in and out of the workshop checking on the progress.

She has been working on jewellery designs but by working in a component based method there is a possibility that these could become vessels also.

The prints have bern developed from images collected from flowers. Charlotte is all about the colour, i really enjoy this work.