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!