Caz Guiney

The Rice Brooch – The ultimate in democratic, temporal, performance based, recycled, handcrafted, found object, foody, crafted jewellery!  Perhaps I am overstating this piece just a little.  It’s really just a slip of the chop sticks on a hot sticky Melbourne evening.

Perhaps if I was into astrology I might be able to match the configuration of rice with a particular constellation.

Kentucky Gold #2 & 3

Close up Kentucky Gold #2

18ct yellow gold bone brooch (cast from chicken bone scavenged from floor of Bell St, Preston, KFC,  Melbourne, Australia, 2009), plastic KFC Colonel Sanders money box.

Close up Kentucky Gold #3

18ct yellow gold bone brooch (cast from chicken bone scavenged from floor of Crown Casino, Southbank KFC,  Melbourne, Australia, 2009), plastic KFC Colonel Sanders money box.

Apologies for the crap photos but took in a hurry before I posted off.

Below is one of the pieces that I will be sending to MAC, Itami, Japan for the upcoming exhibition titled ‘By Example’, curated by Karin Findeis and Bridie Lander (at time of post Bridies’ site was still under construction).

As stated in the artist guidelines By Example is ‘an exhibtion of contemporary jewellery, highlighting the relationship between mentor and the mentored in the process of learning. Fourteen artists have been selected to participate in By Example.  They in turn have been asked to nominate two ‘younger artists who show the potential to make a siginificant contribution in their field in years to come.  These people have been chosen for their individuality and the quality and integrity of their work’.

Thanks to Roseanne Bartley I am one of the chosen!There will be 2 more to complete a series of 3.

'Kentucky Gold 1'

'Kentucky Gold 1' - Close up

‘Kentucky Gold’ – 18ct yellow gold bone brooch (cast from chicken bone scavenged from floor of Swanston St KFC, Melb, 2008), plastic KFC Colonel Sanders money box.  If it looks familiar it was exhibited at the Craft Victoria 2008 members exhibition.

The MAC, Itami, Japan, has recently held  The Itami International Craft Exhibition “Jewellery”.  The themes alternate annually between jewellery on the odd years and Shuki & shuhaidai (sake vessels and trays) on the even. The 2009  exhibition had 445 applicants of which 86 were from 14 foreign countries.  Sean O’Connell won the Itami Award with the piece below.

'Profile' by Sean O'Connell

Click here to link to above image of Sean’s piece and others in the Itami exhibition.

So contemporary jewellers out there start thinking about 2011!

I have been accepted into the Precious Pendants exhibition to be held at Object opening on Friday 20th Nov. Below is the pendant from Precious Nothing that I submitted.

Crossed Wires: 18ct yellow gold.  Pendant cast from a piece of wire found in the

grounds of St Patrick’s Cathedral, Melbourne, 2008

My gorgeous model!

My grumpy model!

Swarovski Gorilla brooch

Bevilles ” Off Gold” bangle

Another view of Bevilles  “Off Gold” bangle.

Various trashy brochures “Commit No Nuisance”

Paper chain from above neckpiece made using a standard 5mm hole punch for the outside and a leather puch for the inside.  Every second link was glued together with a tiny paper patch.

This is a selection of jewellery I installed today as part of the Interventionist Guide to Melbourne.  It is all made from trashy jewellery brochures collected from the CBD.    Each piece is site specific.

The fabulous 3D craft of Paper Tole was explored for this brooch from a Zamel’s brochure.

The fabulous art of making paper balls was employed for this brooch from a Beville’s brochure.

Brooch from Selangor and Zamel’s catalogue.

The pigeon pair to the fella above!

I am involved in a great project curated by Lynda Roberts of Public Assembly titled  ‘The Interventionist Guide to Melbourne’. I am one of ten makers/artists .

Project launch is Friday 2nd October at Platform (Degraves, Flinders St underpass).
A preview below of locations I have identified as public gallery spaces for small interventionist craft works. I will  be making work for these over the next month, installing mid October ‘09.

More to come soon!