JSO 4
Practice Journal
WEEK 1
Over the break I developed the posters and web page for my Gender and Jewellery Project and have already had a number of expressions of interest.
I used today's class to work on pieces I started over the break including enameled pieces and a miniature mirror to be cast in silver. I will be making it into a pin for the friend who helped with my presentation at the end of last trimester.
Liz mentioned that due to the nature of my project that I should be aware of and draft up a Human Research Ethics Statement.
WEEK 2
I spent time this week researching what is required of a Human Research Ethics Statement and Felt a bit in over my head. Liz sent me a template for one and I'm feel better about the process. It's still taking a lot of time and effort to work through as I want to produce a clear statement and treat my participants with dignity and respect.
A number of JSO students and I participated in a short term internship at Artisan this week. They were full days of physical work. I was very sore after the first day as I wanted to show I am capable and hard working. I managed my medications and breaks better the second day and was in less pain by the time we were sent away.
In class I worked on a commission I'd taken in the break. It's a miniature printing brayer for Ruth Cho, a print post-grad student. I also worked on a set of pieces for the upcoming Home exhibition. I attempted to patina the failed etched "welcome mat" pieces and clean out the letters. It didn't work. I have had to shift to a new idea.
WEEK 3
We were in lock down for what was meant to be week 3. Liz has told us that we will be running a week behind the rest of QCA and what QCA considers week 4 will be our week 3 until the end of trimester.
I spent whatever time I could get in the studio over the break (which was after week 3) working on pieces for the Home show.
I worked with the aesthetics of children's drawings and the uncomplicated safety of home in a child's life. I started with the pendant, which was the most complex. I gradually worked down the form to the simplest components, a triangle on top of a rectangle. I used this shape for the other pieces.
WEEK 4
It turns out that the QR code I used on my G&J project posters was only free for a 'trial period' and now the code won't redirect scans to my page. I have stopped taking new participants until I have completed the consent form and project information sheet. I'm finding these very tedious to put together.
I have decided to supplement the G&J research with a sculptural work about my own gender struggle. It will be a ball and chain. The ball, a shiny, brass, bejeweled orb on one end, a blackened shackle on the other.
WEEK 5
This week I designed the pieces that would make up the setting for the crystal ball I'm using as the ball part of the ball and chain. I made a file in Adobe Illustrator and asked Brad, who very kindly used the laser cutter to print them for me onto thick watercolour paper.
After a couple of successful embosses with the rolling mill I found that the copper was starting to curve, warping the design. I was informed that I would have to replace the brass sandwich plate regularly as it thinned irregularly during the rolling process.
I finally finished my Participant Information Sheet and Consent form and am able to start interviewing people, though I will have to update my posters with a new QR code.
WEEK 6
This week was mid-semester crit. I had been on a excursion all morning with many kilometers of walking from gallery to gallery before rushing back to uni for crit. I was exhausted and in a lot of pain so likely wasn't my best self during critique.
I'd realised over the week that the embossing process had elongated my design, making it too large to set the crystal ball, making all of my previously embossed and sawn out pieces redundant. I resized my illustrator design and designed the embossing pattern for the cross to sit at the top of the ball.
The new posters are printed and I have been replacing the outdated ones.
WEEK 7
I spent this week embossing, sawing, sanding and filing all 12 pieces of the setting. I decided to use tape to affix the paper designs to the copper while rolling it through the mill. This caused fewer incidence of slipping.
I also started working on the copper chain that will connect the ball and shackle but forgot to get pictures.
I have my first interview with a participant tomorrow. I'm nervous and excited to get started.
WEEK 8
Having received my mid-semester crit feedback, it's clear that I can't continue both the research and sculpture project with hopes of completing either. As suggested ,I will continue with the sculpture but will put the G&J project on hold to be continued at a future time. I think that research is important to understanding the trans community as well as understanding myself.
I interviewed my first and for the moment, only, participant. She articulated her perspective well and I felt it paralleled some of my own experiences. Unfortunately, she wasn't interested in any of the pieces from the donated collection and didn't want anything custom made for her. I feel like I failed her in that.
My sculpture work continues. I attempted to forge weld my copper chain links, but upon further research have discovered that copper is poorly suited to this technique. I have revered back to soldering the links closed.
I have also been slowly working on soldering the 12 pieces of the ball setting together. Unfortunately, the connected pieces have become too large to pickle in the pickle pot. I will have to get a larger pickle pot and make up my own batch to keep pickling.
WEEK 9
This week I participated in the deinstall internship at Artisan. I only went one day as I was installing my solo exhibition in the Webb Gallery early this week. I found the things I learned about installing art Artisan very helpful when installing my own show.
I bought a large glass casserole tray and made up a large batch of pickle. I had planned on covering the tray with foil and heating it in the oven at 60 degrees c to speed up the pickling process. Unfortunately, my oven is too small for the casserole tray. I have brought it to uni so I can continue pickling my piece in the studio. Soldering the ball setting is going slowly, but while it pickles, I have been working on the chain. I am worried about my stones. They should have arrived by now and I can't start my settings until I have them.
WEEK 10
I finally got all of the ball setting into one piece and started working on the cross for the top of the ball. My stones still haven't arrived, so I've ordered more. This time from Australian sellers. Cross fingers they arrive in time. If they don't, Eve suggested I set enameled discs in their place and I think that's a good idea.
WEEK 11
My stones came! Unfortunately, they are slightly oversized. After a lot of trial and error, I've found an effective way to resize them for the stones. Rather than slowly expanding both ends of the bezel with a ring mandrel, I use a cone shaped form to flare one end wide enough for the stone to sit inside.
I also got the shackle formed and connected to the chain. The shaping of the thicker metal and chain was some of the most satisfying work in ages.
WEEK 12
Finally got all the 8mm bezels attached to the ball setting. Started sizing the 5mm settings, this was harder. Blistered and tore my fingertip before I realized if I wrap the form in leather cant protect the bench AND my hand... not a smart moment.
My cross fell apart and I melted the 12mm bezel when trying to attach it. I also fell apart at that point.
WEEK 13
This week was a lot. But I got it done. It is made I can rest now.
LIGHT-BOX SHOT
INDUSTRY ACTIVITY
JSO COLLECTIVE MEETINGS
Multiple
The collective met semi-regularly over the course of the trimester. Lorissa did an excellent job stepping in when Sam became too unwell to attend uni. We were kept abreast of upcoming market opportunities, revamping backing cards and the implementation of an Etsy store.
JSO COLLECTIVE MARKETS
I didn't get to staff the table at any of the markets this trimester but I did have some older and some newer stock sell.
Sometime...
ARTISAN INTERNSHIP
Tensions- Install and De-install
I learned a lot about the management and install of a traveling show and the importance of condition reporting and correct handling of fragile works. I also learned more about the back of house structure of the Artisan Gallery. I'm keen to continue and increasing my involvement with the organization.
ARTISAN EVENT
Tensions Opening Event
It was lovely to see the show we'd helped install all lit and alive with the crowd on opening night. Unfortunately Brisbane went into lockdown the next day, so many people didn't get to see the show.
JSO GROUP EXHIBITION
Home at Pop Gallery
I was honored to be offered a part in this show. I feel like the last year has reframed the idea of Home for many of us. While I didn't have the time to devote to a more elaborate collection, I am glad to have shown beside so many talented metalsmiths.
This also gave me install, gallery minding and deinstall experience. I put a lot of effort into washing a wall when a coat of paint would have done.
VALUE CHAINS CONFERENCE
Multiple Lectures
While I didn't get to attend many of the lectures as they aired, I did enjoy watching the recordings when I had time. I'm blown away by the practices discussed and find that whole world rather intimidating. But its also interesting to see how small, supportive and diverse the art jewellery community is.
COMMISSION
Pendant Commission
I completed a commission I'd accepted over the break. Its always stressful trying to make work to suit another's expectations when its not something you've done before.
RESEARCH
THE ORIGIN OF THE MALE AND FEMALE SYMBOLS OF BIOLOGY
William T. Stearn
This gave a rundown of the long history of the use of the alchemical symbols in Europe. From it I gained the idea of using copper, which is associated with the symbol instead of my originally planned brass.
MATERIALISM, FASHION CONSUMERS AND GENDER: A CROSS-CULTURAL STUDY
Jane E. Workman and Seung-Hee Lee
I found this paper less useful than I thought I would. It pertains to the consumer habits of men and women (cisgender) in the USA and Korea. I found their terms of assessment and conclusions drawn vague and unhelpful.
A "REAL MAN'S RING", GENDER AND THE INVENTION OF TRADITION
Viki Howard
This journal tracks the marketing efforts of the jewellery industry in America to sell wedding and engagement rings to men. It starts Post WW1 and finishes in the 1950's. It highlights how the shift in cultural attitudes towards marriage and relationships affects the ways marketing creates need in the consumer.
MIRROR EPIPHANY: TRANSPERSONS' USE OF DRESS TO CREATE AND SUSTAIN THEIR AFFIRMED GENDER IDENTITIES
Jory M. Catalpa and Jenifer K. McGuire
This was a real cracker of a study into trans youth across the United States. While it focused on fashion in general, a line can be drawn to jewellery choices as well. The authors found a range of ideas around gender presentation and how some trans people feel they have to over perform their gender to be taken seriously or to maintain their safety while in public.
They also referenced some interesting texts I will be looking into in the future.
CROSSING GENDER BOUNDARIES
Andrew Reilly and Ben Barry
This book was an amazing resource on gender non-binary fashion. The Mirror Epiphany text came from this book but I will be referring back to this resource a lot in future.
Speargrass Forge
I found this fellow's energy refreshing. He approached the task with honesty, discussing his early mistakes and showing his gradual improvement at the task.
Soham Harrison
This genuine man has a real passion for the craft that I can't help but admire. He talks about the texture the paper gives to the metal.
OnlineJewelryAcademy
This fellow shows more of the possibilities of roller embossing. His presentation style is more slick and less sincere.
Rowan Taylor
This fellow did a good job of explaining the process of scarfing and shaping. I felt prepared to work the metal. I enjoyed working different parts of the anvil. I'd like to try working with a forge in future.
Oscar Duck
After failing multiple attempts at forge welding copper chain, I watched this video. This experienced blacksmith couldn't forge weld a chain link and had trouble with other forms of welding too. I learned about the different properties of metal under forge conditions.
Grace Ebert
background info about Helena Hauss
DELFT-STYLE WEAPONRY CONTRASTS FEMALE EMPOWERMENT WITH OUTDATED SOCIETAL IDEALS
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