A birthday in the Workshop

Post by Miriam Mouahbi, Indigo 2

I’m sure there are some people looking at this picture thinking...
Who is this man?
A man who is comfortable to have his picture taken wearing an apron and a tiara.
Well, curious people, I’m here to put all that curiosity behind you and tell you that this man I am talking about is a jewellery dictionary, a jewellery master, I’m even going to go out there and say, a jewellery god!!

This person I’m talking about is Seung Ki Hong, though it’s a well known fact that he feels we cannot pronounce his name properly so in the jewellery world he is known as Ki.
Ki career started in the late 80s and early 90s he was a Sergeant, Medical Corp in the Korean Army. Though everyone who is in Indigo 2 would know that by now because he has told us many times if we get hurt he has no problem stitching us up right then and there!

Ki never fails to let us know how talented he really is by informing us that almost every part of the work shop he has built himself, from the safety switch on one machine, to the cement beam holding the whole workshop up! (Okay, I exaggerated a bit with the beam, but it wouldn’t surprise me if he really did).

If you haven’t guessed already Ki is a now a teacher at the Enmore design centre and has been since 2004. Ki is an asset to the jewellery and object design department and we are very grateful to have him as our teacher and thank him for sharing his amazing talents with us.
So Ki, thank you for not only being a great teacher but for supplying us with such fantastic photos on your birthday!!

Ki & Miriam

Proposal Pains - Method in the madness....

Post by Clair D'Arcy, Indigo 2

simon and kumiko near book case in indigo classroom

The search for inspiration and technical detail becomes heightened as we hit 'proposal week', when we cram all fantastical ideas inside creative bindings so we can dive headlong into the excitement of the making process.

I admit there is some trepidation (mine) over how long we (meaning I) will spend in the welding room cajoling wobbly bobbly weld joins into perfect seams...under Ki's supervision i am sure it can be done! Already our wearable hydraulic press samples are starting to look shiny and gorgeous as people near the final stages.

jessica at her bench

Mid week some light relief and inspiration was delivered to us via a visit to the newly located Gaffa Gallery. The new Arcade project on the ground floor allows practicing artists and designers to dip their toe into gallery ownership with 3 month leases for one of 3 units to use as conceptual/promotional or retail space. The upper floors hold Artist in residence and a treasure trove of object works in various cross platform exhibitions. Application procedure is listed on the web site...it includes a proposal, with this in mind it's less of a hardship to go home and work on that layout and tech drawings!

kaoru in front of Gaffa Gallery

colourful glass

Post by Kumiko Osato, Indigo 2

indigo 2 students at kiln area
This is a little surprise. We are looking into the kiln. We didn’t know how all the glass would turn out. We made open casting moulds last week and now break them open...
The glass is the one of the specialisation for the course. We are having fun with the range of colours because something metal doesn’t have. Now we are all experienced with fusing, open casting and pate de verre, and we will create sculptures or vessels in this project.

Starting term one - new processes

Post by Gemma Foskett, Indigo 2

Marina at her bench

Second week, and it was great to back in the workshop again. This year we are looking at some of the more industrial processes used in jewellery, starting with the hydraulic press. Our workshop teacher, Seung Ki Hong guided us through the motions of our first mechanically pressed hollow form, as well as a brush up on our bench skills after our ridiculously long holiday.

Jess and Miriam at their benches

Then came Friday and our first glass class with Jane Morrisey. We had an introduction to a few techniques, learning Pate de Verre and glass fusing, and put our first batch into the kiln for firing. It's exciting to be working with all the vivid colours, and we look forward to the results...

Bullseye glass