Inseparable Companion

casting new shadows with jewellery + objects

The annual end-of-year exhibition of the Design Centre Enmore’s Jewellery + Object Design students is eagerly anticipated among Australia’s arts and design community. Each year, the work produced by the students proves to be innovative, unique and of the highest standard.

The 2010 exhibition is titled Inseparable Companion: Casting New Shadows with Jewellery + Objects. This title refers to the connection the students feel to their work, the connection between the jewellery and the wearer and the inseparability of the physical object and the shadow it casts.

Over 500 handmade pieces by more than 60 students will be on display and available for sale. This covetable collection includes wearable jewellery as well as larger-scale sculptural objects.

The Jewellery + Object Design department at the Design Centre Enmore consistently graduates independently recognised talented designers, and this exhibition offers the opportunity to see and own examples from the next generation of designer/makers.

Inseparable Companion will be held at the Danks St Galleries, Depots I & II; located at the rapidly rising design hub Danks St, Waterloo, and will run from the 1st to the 5th of December.

This exhibition strongly focuses on achieving the smallest carbon footprint possible using everything from soybean based ink for printing materials, to biodegradable materials to build display units.

It’s your chance to meet the artists as they launch their future careers and pave the way for this growing industry. Every year the quality of design and workmanship displayed breaks new ground and challenges the boundaries of contemporary Jewellery + Object Design.

Inseparable Companion, Depot Galleries I + II, 2 Danks Street Waterloo, 1-5 December 2010, Gallery Hours 11am – 6pm

Made By Hand

Posted by Doris Jurzak, Sienna

As emerging designer/makers we’re taught to use many tools and machines to transform our design ideas into physical objects. All of these processes require our hands; undoubtedly our most important tools.

While our hands have become more important during the last three years, they’ve also become far less attractive. We often comment about how awful they’re looking and minor cuts and scrapes usually don’t even rate an ‘ouch’ anymore…though we might stop for a bandaid if we’re working with a material that we don’t want to bleed on. Manicures don’t rate a mention at all.

There are plenty of things in the workshop which contribute to the mistreatment of our phalanges ... emery paper, sawblades, burs, polishing wheels, scotchbrite, pumice, hammers, vices, torches, metal, acetone, diluted acids, the incessant hand-washing with gritty solvol soap…not to mention the more perilous bandsaws, guillotines and lathes; a whole new level of phalanges mistreatment which we avoid with extreme OH&S vigilance.

So while our hands may not be the most beautiful in the world, we’ve certainly been doing our best to make beautiful things with them. Here are some of our hands…to see what they’ve made, our end-of-year exhibition runs from 1 December to 5 December at Depot Galleries I and II, Danks Street Waterloo. Please come and take a look.

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SOLD TO THE CHIC

posted by Catherine Büman, sienna

On arrival to the Jewellery and Object design annual fundraising auction 2010, my friend asked me “who do you know here?” It took me a while to glance around the room and recognise my fellow students without their knee length aprons, old jeans and goggles. This was everyone’s opportunity to ditch the workshop slum for something more glamorous and people did not disappoint. Amongst my favorite outfits were Ian Koker’s black feather shoulder pads, Joao Vaz’s all-in-one with shiny red shoes and the little black dresses, heels and token white gloves donned by the lady students hosting the evening.

I really like this annual auction. Every year I count my (small) budget, sip a few glasses of wine and launch into bidding for a collector piece by some of my most revered mentors. So far, I have purchased a little glass pod by Jane Morrisey and a set of rings by Melinda Young, for this event I really wanted one of the beautifully streamlined brooches by Ragnar Hansen. Well, competition was tough…really tough. Something about this evening had everyone particularly excited and the bidding was head to head. I lost out several times to the very chic Marina, but had a lot of fun.

It was really nice to see the entire department, teachers and all, having such a good time. Thank you very much to all the stage two students, the gorgeous auctioneer and others who put on this fundraising event. It was one of the best auctions and our exhibitions will profit greatly from your efforts.

Going once, going twice, going three times...

Just one last message for Danielle Butters… next year!

Thank you to auctioneer, Nadya.

Open Day 2010

Saturday 11th was a beautiful Spring day, the Design Centre Enmore had it's annual Open Day, and it was the most successful open day yet!

We had many visitors interested in the course coming through the workshop, and the Designers' Market was an enormous success. Thanks to the hardworking students and staff who helped make it a great day!

the display: finished student projects, with all the tools, equipment and processes that it took to create them.

Jane Morrissey running a glass fusing workshop for students.

Andrea Iglesias and Jasmine Matus at the Jewellery Design Market Stall.

Jessica Muscat, Ian Koker and Miriam Mouahbi setting up their "Preloved" fundraising stall.

Award, Grant and Scholarship Achievement from 2001 to 2010

2010
Jewellery and Object Design Award Recipient 2010
Carol Faulkner (2009)

National Contemporary Jewellery Award 2010
Finalist - Bernadette Trainor (2007), Amy Robson (2010), Marina Antoniou (2010)

New Traditional Jewellery 2010 - True Colours
Selected works - Catherine buman, Belinda Koopman, Joao Vaz

Woman at Work – Study Award 2010, Manufacturing Skills Australia
Audrey Toth (trade 2010)

Australasian Student Design Awards 2010
Jewellery design categories.First Prize – Minh Tran (2009)Third Prize – Michelle Miller (2009)
Fashion Design First Prize – Carol Faulkner (2009 + 2010 JOD award recipient)

Graduate Metal 12 (Graduating students survey exhibition held in conjunction with the 14th Jewellers and Metalsmiths Group of Australia (JMGA) Biennial Conference taking place in Perth, April 2010.)
First Prize - Nadeem Sahabun
17 JOD current & previous students are accepted and they are; Kristen Eacott, Carol Faulkner, Sarah Green, Natalie Lehrer, Angie Lou, Jacquie Starr, Jasmine Matus, Michelle Miller, Radka Passianova, Joanne Piper, John Proudlove, Nikola Steggles, Naomi Stewart, Emily Thomas, Minh Tran, Andrea Iglesias’ Nadeem Sahabun, Mitsuru Soeda

Profile 2010 – JMGA Award
Highly Commended - Danae Natsis (2010)

Pearl Essence International Jewellery Competition
Second Prize - Catherine Buman (2010)
Third Prize - Belinda Koopman (2010)
Finalist - Joanne Piper (2009)

Nava Marketing & Janet Homes a Court Grant
Majella Beck (2004), Jenny Daskalakis (2010), Andrea Iglesias (2006), A Mi Kim (2004), Nikki Majajas (2007), Jasmine Matus (2008), Radka Passianova (2008), Natasha Marcus Taylor (2006), Bernadette Trainor (2007), Janis Valdivia (2008).

Australian council, artstart grant
Nikki Majajas (2007)

Pearl Design Award, JAA
Finalist - George Plionis (trade 2009)

National World Skill 2010
Bronze Medal List – Erin Londish (trade 2010)

Opal Awards 2010
Drawing Section
Winner - Sarah Jayne Taylor (trade stage 2)
Highly commended – Katrina McNaught (trade stage 2)
Commended - Claudia Schnell (trade stage 2)
Student/Apprentice Section
Winner – Louise Dews (trade stage 2)

“Jewellery $1501+” 2010 Yowah Opal Festival
Jade Hodgson won the jewellery category

2009
Jewellery and Object Design Award Recipient 2009
Radka Passianova (2008)
Queensland Boulder Opal Association, Queen of Gems Competition 2009First Place - Nadine Binder (trade Stage 2)
The 2009 Design NSW: Travelling Scholarship
The winner - Liesl Hazelton (2006)

The 10th Biennial Leviny Commemoratives Exhibition of Contemporary Australian Silver & Metalwork at BUDA in Castlemaine, Victoria.
First prize - Emma Fielden (2006 JOD Graduates + 2007 JOD award recipient)

Australasian Student Design Awards 2009
Jewellery design categories.
First Prize – Danielle Butters (2008)Second Prize – Joanne Piper (2008)

Design Centre Enmore College Achievement Award for 2008
Danielle Butters (2008) Residency and Achievement Award

Explorations 09, A&E Annual Exhibition
Christopher Gollin (2010) – winner of Holloware and Objects

Australian Council Visual Art Grant
Majella Beck (2004), Jenny Daskalakis (trade stage 3), Lisa Furno (2006), A Mi Kim (2004), Nikki Majajas (2007), Jasmine Matus (2008), Radka Passianova (2008), Natasha Marcus Taylor (2006), Bernadette Trainor (2007), Janis Valdivia (2008).

Regional World Skill 2009
Sydney West
First Prize - Tiffany McHenry (trade stage 3)
Third Prize - Alain Brock (trade stage 3)

Sydney
First Prize - Erin Londish (trade stage 3)

Opal Awards 2009
Drawing section
The winner – Nadine Binder (trade stage 3)

2008
Jewellery and Object Design Award Recipient 2008
Sonya Scott (2007)
Sculpture by the Sea 2008
Mark McClelland (2010) - First Prize (NAB Sculpture Prize) of Sculpture by the Sea 2008.

AGR Matthey 2008 NEXT GENERATION Awards
Finalists - Jonathon Calleija (2008), Kyung Sook (Joy) Lee (2009), Brendan O’Connor (trade stage 3), and Alison Wheeldon (trade stage 3).

Graduate Metal XI
First Prize - Sandra Marker (2006)

Nava Marketing Grant 2008
Majella Beck (2004), Nikki Majajas (2007), Radka Passianova (2008), Natasha Marcus Taylor (2006), Pamela Suares (2006), Natalie Klave (2007), Tamahra Prowse (2007), Sonya Scott (2007), Georgina Pattison (2006), Lisa Furno (2006)

JMGA Profile 2008
First Prize (Emerging Artist Category)– Bridget Kennedy (2005)


2007
Jewellery and Object Design Award Recipient 2007
Emma Fielden (2006)
Japan sturdy scholarship- Master by Research & Japan Travel Grant
Shirley Cho (2004)

QBOA Jewellery Design Competition
First Prize – Bridget Kennedy (2005)

2006
Jewellery and Object Design Award Recipient 2006
Bridget Kennedy (2005)

Australia Council for the Arts- Grant Recipient (Mentorship with Robert Foster (Fink & Co)
Marcello Zavala- Baeza (2004)

Hobart Art Prize
Finalist – Bridget Kennedy (2005)

Sydney Institute Awards Design Centre Enmore
College Achievement Award – Bridget Kennedy (2005)

Graduate Metal X
First Prize – Bridget Kennedy (2005)

The 34th Alice Contemporary Art Prize
Selected – Bridget Kennedy (2005)

2005
State Medal for outstanding performance, TAFE NSW
The Winner - Marcello Zavala- Baeza (2004)
Drew Brown

College Achievement Award, Design Centre Enmore, TAFE NSW
The Winner - Marcello Zavala- Baeza (2004)

“Junk Love”, Sustainable Design, Reverse Garbage
Second Prize - Marcello Zavala- Baeza (2004)

Australia Council for the Arts- Grant Recipient (Mentorship with Robin Blau)
Shirley Cho (2004)

BUDA Exhibition –Graduate Category by ‘Gold & Metalsmiths Guild of Australia’
First Place - Rik Juod (2004)

Medallion of Excellence Worldskill inter Switzerland
Finalist – Con Diavatiotis

2004
TAFE NSW Art and Design Prize
Finalist – Bridget Kennedy (2005)

2003
Australian Council Grant
Sean O’Connell and Vanessa Samuel

TAFE NSW Art and Design Prize
Semi Finalist – Bridget Kennedy (2005)

Focus 2003 – TAFE NSW
Semi Finalist - Rik Juod (2004)

2001
Contemporary Wearable 2001
Winner – Sean O’Connell

The End is Near ...

posted by Marina Antoniou, Sienna

With only a couple of months remaining, the nervousness in the Sienna studio is really starting to set in.

Instead of focusing on the nerves for this post though, I have decided to dedicate it to the committed and hard working Sienna students who (most of the time) have kept their cool since day one.

In the surrounds of the workshop, the work of third year always seems quite mysterious. It can always be seen in the midst of making, but is never actually displayed for the rest of department to see until selection day at the end of the year. November 22nd is just around the corner, and for third year we will be submitting three bodies of work for selection into our exhibition, Inseparable Companion.

First off is an exhibition piece/s as part of the subject Concept Realisation Three. Following this is a collection of pieces for the subject Designer/Maker, which is more focused on a small "production range." These two subjects are related, with inspiration drawn from a chosen novel we each had to read at the start of the year.

For the subject Traditional Processes, we have each selected a traditional technique; researched it, experimented with it and used what we have learnt to create wearables or objects that transform the chosen technique into a more contemporary context. Examples of these techniques include stone setting, mokume gane, fold forming and chain making.

Finally, we have all been very busy with our Exhibition Design subject. Its been tough at times, but the energy at this very moment is positive and exciting! Clean and flawless shapes are starting to appear in our build, our invitations and flyers are in our hot little hands, and our catalogue is almost ready to be sent away to print!

The end is near ...

This Is Our Art

posted by Felix Gill, sienna

The light in the crack of the door,
grows more imminent.
As is the light from the dawn
of that day we all work for.

I’ve raised from my desk
and looked around the room.
At thoughtful eyes and nimble fingers
adept to their task.

Slow has been our start
Great thought, great care,
A chain is drawn, anchors raise,
And now we fly as if a dart.

Successes grow, the smiles follow
Skills are proved and others found,
Works are bourn of practice and of thought
Our marks are made in mount and furrow.

For us choices are as black or white.
We stay our doubt to trust our minds,
Aesthetics grown from tendered beds
Flowers looking to the light.

Soon it is that time it is the night
Our souls are pinned and visions hung,
The doors are cracked and flung apart,
Braced are our nerves, for we are naked in the lime light

Egos stayed by the smile on that face,
of a viewer of a lover, watcher of a watcher
it is not our art till its shown,
for I am not a liar it is that smile that will be my fleece

For this is our art.

Out With the Old, In With the New

posted by Amy Robson, Sienna

Sometimes it takes the eyes of an outsider to show you something that has been right in front of you all along. This has been the case with this year’s exhibition design and lucky for us it was brought to our attention before we were too far gone.

A little nudge in the right direction has seen sienna revisit some of the fundamental principles of the design including the utilisation of our material choice, cardboard. There has been a noticeable shift in our attitude towards the environmentally friendly material. We have become fond of its’ raw appeal, colour, strength and structure and have highlighted these qualities with a simplified design.

Gone are the circles and curves. In its place strong, bold, straight lines and blocks of material. Tessellated ‘slabs’ now alter the rectangular defines of the gallery space and large, simply constructed tables dominate the centre of the rooms. It is raw, bold and communicates our exhibition values in an honest voice.

So it’s out with the old and in with the new as we move forward with a cohesive and happy bounce in our stride.

The Etching of the Year!

posted by Joao Vaz, Sienna

For Catherine Buman’s exhibition work, the talented student has proposed a wonderful enormous etched platter. Such an extravagant piece would never be possible without an equally enormous amount of assistance from other students and staff, technical knowledge and excitement!

As Catherine prepared the copper sheet to be etched the crowd gathered round. The process requires precision and careful attention. The pattern is prepared on the surface of the copper and the protective paint needs to dry before the etching begins.

The metal has to be then submersed in the acidic solution and the air bubbles that form on the surface of the metal, resulting from the etching process, need to be removed continuously for as long as the metal is in contact with the acid.

After being bathed for a variable amount of time, it’s removed and washed with clean water. It’s at this stage that Catherine needs to make sure the acid has removed enough metal off the surface.

The final copper sheet looks stunning, and one can only but wait for the magnificent moment when the final piece will come to full existence and it’s profound beauty, completely appreciated.

Young Blood Designers Market 2010

posted by Steve Dampsey & Hae Mi Kim, Crimson 2

Hi all,
All year Crimson 2 of Jewellery & Object Design Enmore have anticipated the day we would all man a stall for our department at the 2010 Youngblood Market, selling our JOD 2009 graduates’ work at the Powerhouse Museum. We all worked hard in each of our teams to make the day we represented JOD Enmore a successful one, one we could all walk away from with firsthand experience on preparing and running a stall, not just for our Professional Practice class’s sake, but for our own knowledge for the future. And so now we are prepared for the future after passing the three days we have worked toward with effort and eagerness. Entering a market was an exciting experience for all of us, one we have definitely benefited from and look forward to repeating when we are independent ambitious designers, or maybe when some us are third year graduates and our work is being sold at the 2012 Youngblood Market.

Pieces on Display + Young Blood Markets

This week is all go go go for the Jewellery and Object design department! Proposals have been handed in and last term pieces are available to see in the critique space. We all put in a lot of effort and the pieces are amazing, so come on up!

Don't forget we will be representing the department at the Youngblood Markets this Weekend, it's all happening at the Powerhouse Museum Friday, Saturday, Sunday.

All pieces sold are from previous year graduates.

Enjoy the pictures!

Steve Dempsey

Simon Azzopardi

Sebastien Terracher

Nina Sharman

Miriam Mouahbi

Kaoru Rogers

Jessica Muscat

Ian Koker

Anita Yingyi Zhao

Amelia Moromisato

Inseparable Companion

Finally, the cardboard has arrived!

The build team for the Jewellery and Object Annual Exhibition is beginning their first day of hard work!

This year our exhibition is called Inseparable Companion and refers to the things that we hold dear to us, such as jewellery design! This also includes the enviroment so for the design of our exhibition we are constructing all shelving out of 100% recycled cardboard!

Amy has been busy making badges for you to get your hands on at upcoming events hosted by our department, so don't miss out!

Make sure you check out this blog regularly as we will be sharing all the behind the scenes goss with you...

The end...

post by Steve Dempsey, Crimson 2

In the Second Years class of Jewellery and Object Design Enmore the project we’ve all been working on for over a term’s duration is finally coming to an end. Our ‘Physical Fact’ postcard project has been a hard one for all of us, and we all struggled with our own individual speed bumps and obstacles along the way.

There has been cursing, restlessness and migraines all around but finally, after the grunting hours in the workshop and the stressful term of our exhausting endeavour it will all be over soon. But is this a good thing? It should be, with the end of one project and the beginning of another next term, but for those who are still working hard to finish their projects the approaching deadline, first day back after our midyear break is looming over them like a lingering shadow. And even though there is doubt among them I have full faith that my fellow classmates will prevail, like we always do in JOD Enmore. I think it’s needless to say that whether some of us had loved this project to bits or hated it for our own reasons that we will all be glad to hand it in and therefore be done with it, then its all up to our incredible teachers Catherine and Ki to grade our efforts and then we shall all see if our journey was worth it. And then it all happens all over again.

Two down, two to go.

Kumiko, Crimson 2, in the hammer room, doing her thing

Alana, Crimson 2, working on her final piece

Though our workshop project had become the major concern for most of us we have also met the deadline for our JD Specialisation projects aswell. Crimson 2 have finished their work with the raising technique taught by Ragnar and Indigo 2 has finished their work in glasswork taught by Jane. As we approach the second semester of our year we say goodbye to those techniques we grew to enjoy and find ourselves swapping subjects to discover a new technique worth learning in JD Specialisation. We are all looking forward to our new specialisation classes, and we have the addition of photography to our short Mondays to look forward to as well.

New exiting frontiers in Professional Practice approach with the new term as our second year assignment, either the Young Blood Markets or the Auction demand our attention in the coming weeks. We have allot to be excited about with the end of the first semester, and as the first half of our year ends a new one is beginning. It’ll be great to see how we do next time around.

only two weeks!

posted by Alana Manning, crimson 2

seb on the solder

Amazing wax sculpture, by Chris to brass casted (not silver)

As I was casually swanning about the workshop this morning, our teacher Ki raised his hand in the gesture of the peace symbol. I smiled... Apparently peace was not his intention, but reminding me we only two weeks left of this term, this semester, and therefore only TWO WEEKS LEFT on these projects. Oh sh…dear! With loads to do, and time flying by, completing this ‘physical fact’ project is currently looking tricky.

There is something about the workshop close to the end of semester, I’m not just talking about the stress levels up and the defined worry on some faces (mine included) :) But this is the time when the pieces start taking form, and you can actually see and understand what people are making. With so many different elements to some designs it can be hard to properly envisage others plan, until the very end.

Gemma’s many brooches coming together… sexy red felt to be added later

The different ideas and use of materials are always exciting, eye opening, and inspiring. You hear questions being thrown about from person to person of ‘how did you do it?’ and ‘where did you source from?’ We don’t only learn from our (fabulous) teachers, but we end up learning a great deal from each other as well- which is tops! It continues to amaze me that we all start we the same brief, and how diverse the final concepts and products are.

Anyway the true freak out will come next week… our last week. I hope everyone makes it!!

The one in the backburner...

posted by Amelia, Crimson 2

With all the stress and excitement for our major projects in Concept Realisation, we (the second year students) have unconsciously put our Raising and Glass projects in the backburner. Although I do understand that Concept Realisation is the base of our course, I believe that the Specialisation classes are relevant as well. We, Crimson 2, had the opportunity to do Raising in the first semester. Let me give you a bit of an inside of our Raising class.

Wooden stakes in the hammer room.

I remember when the year started and we had our first raising class. I don’t think any of us were THAT excited about it. After all, all we knew about it was that it was hard work. H-A-R-D W-O-R-K. People would tell us ‘Good luck with that’, ‘Get ready for the back pain’, ‘Enjoy the sore arms’, etc. And indeed it was all that. Hard work, back pain, sore arms and more. But now that we are two weeks away from the due date I can truly say that it was all worth it and that I would do it again. Call me crazy (and probably it was just me), but I did enjoy it a lot. All that raising, planishing, cleaning, filing; it was fun and at the end you develop this sense of pride about your beaker. ‘I did it from scratch! It was a flat sheet of metal!’

Different stages of our beakers. Hae Mi, Amelia, Steve and Kumiko.

I can’t count all the times that I have thought ‘I wish I took pictures of it during process’. Now I have this beaker and for a lot of people it will be just that, a ‘simple’ beaker. I wish I had pictures of the process so that I could show it to my friends and family but then again, at the end, it is just you and your piece. No one will feel what you feel about it. All the hard work, it’s all in you. And it actually feels pretty good.

And don’t think it’s just the beaker. There’s also the stirrer. I haven’t seen all of them yet but I reckon they will all be REALLY different. It’s cool because if you put the stirrers and the beakers together they get the personality that the beaker by itself may not have. And of course, they will be a reflection of us.

So if you’re in first year, or are planning on starting this course, don’t be afraid of raising. Ok, you might not like it, fair enough, but just give it go with an open mind. I can’t talk for my classmates, but I can assure you that at least one of 9 people will love it. What can I say? This semester it was me.

Another 2 weeks in the jewellery workshop have gone by.

posted by Sebastien Terracher, Crimson 2

The third years have finalised their exhibition concept and have presented it in front of the whole department. The theme this year is inseparable companion. The idea started from light and the shadow it creates, the shadow being your inseparable companion.
It is a rather sweet concept that will take everyone on a great journey. We are all looking forward to see what will be built in the workshop.

The workshop is an amazing place where boundaries between the years and classes are broken. Everyone shares their experiences and turns into a doctor Frankenstein trying to bring their creation to life.

At the moment the first years are trying to finish their Fairy Tales rings. They all had to choose a fairy tale and develop a concept around it in order to design 2 rings. It is an exciting project, which requires students’ imagination and introduces them to their first wearable objects making. All the rings will be exhibited at the beginning of next term in the critic space.

Amelia's first parts for the postcard project

As for the second years, they only just handed in their new proposals last week. This second project is using a postcard from a past era as a trigger for a concept. Talking to my fellow students I think we can expect quite a few series of brooches to be made. This interesting project is asking us to refer a past object; the postcard is the only remaining trace of someone’s fraction of a life. Some will use the visual qualities of the postcard as a trigger, others the story written at the back. In any case it is asking us to imagine a story and translate it in visual language. We will all be using embossing technics, hydraulic press or welding technics.

Alana's carving her pressing die out of perspex

Well, pressure is on one more time as we all have 3 weeks left only to figure out how and make our precious objects. No rest for the wicked!

Ps: The critic space is currently showing work from our head teacher Catherine Harrington and a few hand picked graduate students from previous years, so come on up!

Here we go again

Post be Kaoru Rogers, Indigo 2

Nina preparing her drawings and notes

We are heading back into project time. As we struggle to finish our bangles (our sample excercise for the term), we are all taking time with our head teacher Catherine Harrington to discuss our concept and ideas for our next project: an object inspired by postcards from the past. Our formal proposals and marquettes are due next week. We will be presenting our ideas as well, testing our public speaking capabilities... Yikes! Heavy emphasis is placed on proposal writing and presentation in this course and we are constantly reminded that these are as equally important as our hands-on skills to succeed as artists.We had been warned that second year will be harder than the first, but then, as first year students we thought how can that be possible? We're in the midst of it. And now we know.

So far this year has been a demanding and interesting journey. Through our sample excersices we have learnt how to use the hydraulic press to create shapes and textures we would have never dreamed of in first year. Our soldering skills have been pushed and elevated to understand and maneuver stick solder. If we ever thought we understood how to file, well, we know now what shallow knowledge we had. Ki has been sitting us at our desks for hours on end, teaching us how to flip our wrist, flex our muscles and understand the importance of our dear bench pins.

You don't really know Indigo 2 without knowing Ian

(but he refuses to be photographed)

Then we have been introduced to steel and welding. As I entered the welding room with my full Darth Vader gear on to tig weld my stainless steel cutlery, I thought, how did I end up here? Will I ever weld again in my life? As I was oxyacetylene welding samples with mild steel and sparks were hitting my face I was thinking, do I really need this? (both the skill and the experience). But everytime I am introduced to a new material and a new skill, a new world unfolds in front of my eyes. I will look at lighting fixtures, tableware, bicycles and various gadgets in a different light. Possibility of new jewellery pops in my mind with material I've never considered before. Glass specialisation class with Jane Morrisey invites us to explore yet another medium. Design computing class with Rik Juod teaches us the possibility of 3D modelling in the computer and casting our designs. There is an immense sea of combinations in materials and techniques. We are thrown out into the vast ocean. Where can we even start to explore? It feels like we are drowning in a sea of possibilities. Where should we place our focus? Then Catherine throws us a life jacket. She firmly but lovingly guides us to think conceptually and design with clarity and determination so we don't drown in the sea of possibilities. She shows us how to navigate our way through this knowledge so we can slowly but steadily understand where we stand. Hopefully, we will be proud owners of a strong ship that bears our names and owns a territory in the vast ocean that is unique and ours.

Claire discussing her ideas with Catherine Harrington,

our Head of Department

2/3 of our lovely tool station staff, A Mi and Andrea,

who guide and support us through our voyage