Caz Guiney

Here is a link to my latest blog Charming Front documenting a new project! It has been a while coming and you have to excuse my pathetic attempt at using Blogger for the first time.  I will spend some time over the next few days getting some tutorial advice from the feel of steel guy and spruce it up a bit.

I spent last week doing a rigourous workshop at RMIT with French historian/designer/5 day jeweller Benjamin Lignel… ‘The thrills and pangs of participation’. The above is a the result on the home front of being incredibly busy during the week and unable to attend to the domestics.

Although I have worked in an interventionist way in the past this workshop pushed me to think more seriously about participatory work and how it may or may not function as part of my practice.  I am still recovering so can’t elaborate at present but note I have had busy brain and trouble sleeping whilst participatory project ideas madly filter in and out!  I will post some pics or link you to some soon.

I just got off the bus after attending the “Practice as a Site for Enquiry II: Hybridity” seminar at RMIT and found the above piece of cardboard on the ground.  Maybe it is a sign… what does it mean… perhaps I am in danger of cutting off my arm??? I preferred to view it as a sign to continue making work related to the body.  Aside from disgracing myself at the following exhibition opening I had a stimulating time.  Too tired to elaborate.

This is an image of the new Post Graduate studio workshop at RMIT that was also officially launched tonight… apologies for the cynicism but  I can’t imagine much hybrid action taking place in this tiny, sterile highly customised jewellery cubicle.

Many weeks ago I promised Karen from Melbourne Jeweller that I would supply an image of my Makers Mark for an archive that she decided to compile of Melbourne jewellers stamps.  Karen kept her end of the bargain and me … well it took a bit longer than planned.  Anyway I eventually got around to it and encourage other Melbourne jewellers to do the same.  Here it is!

I encourage all jewellers to get along to the above.  Unfortunately the jpg is a little blurry so if you are interested please check out Anna’s blog for sharper details

… Roseanne Bartley’s workshops being run as part of the Craft Cubed Festival sounded so ace I just had to book in.  As far as contemporary jewellery goes in Australia I think Roseanne’s work really explores fresh territory.  The contemporary jewellery movement might be dead but contemporary jewellery lives on…  the rise of participatory design and making excites me.  I still have a love for static jewellery and objects but am motivated by the chance to be involved in someone elses process and collaborate.  I encourage others to join in and do the same. Roseanne has a blog detailing the project… check it out here!

I recently posted off a brooch made for an exhibition to be held at Artisan in Bris Vegas. Previously mentioned here.  It is a group exhibition totalling 100 brooches from 100 makers for 100 women. The woman I was allocated-Bea Miles, was difficult to design for.  I chose to make a piece out of tickets in response to her refusal to pay for public transport and consequently bought someone’s entire ticket collection off eBay (over 800 tickets).

A beautiful range of colours and designs. I love the stains, tears and used condition of each ticket

I can’t reveal what I made until the exhibition opens on September 29th but I will keep you posted. Below are some more pages from the collection.

… and here is dear Bea, often referred to as a ‘colourful Sydney identity’.  If this is anything akin to  a ‘colourful racing identity’ then I can only assume it has connotations of seediness.  Bea was anything but seedy.  She was outrageous, eccentric and intelligent… she sported a visor… what more can I say.

As a teacher I am constantly in competition with Facebook… today however I was up against something entirely unprecedented.  The student above (who agreed to allow me to post this image) put the webcam on and proceeded to freshen up her makeup!

Finally with blog working here is the follow up to the Hands on Heads workshop at Craft Victoria last weekend.  My journey in there was a pain in the A… bus, another bus (to replace train), train then taxi… hence the nickname Hobo. 10kms from the city never seemed so far. I dismantled my chair to get it in there and it made for a much more comfortable ride.

The workshop was quite mental, not really what I was expecting.  I laughed alot, was thrown right out of my comfort zone and made the ugliest thing I have ever laid eyes on.

There she is… Jumperdusa. Part chair, part pillow and much jumper (left over from previous workshop).

The first half of the workshop was full of activities including an obstacle race (timed and yes I won), musical chairs (and yes I won that as well… it was easy to see who had kids at home), hair dressing salon where we got to style wigs…

… and my favourite was the prosthetic… I only have video footage of this and I am reluctant to expose it as it was just too ridiculous.

… Stephen’s head

…Liam’s head.

It really was a mental afternoon.  I am not sure I quite understood the intention of some of the activities however it did make me aware of how uptight I am and how difficult I find it to let go in a public setting with strangers (even though I knew the participants).  I did suggest that next time a Champagne on arrival would be most beneficial.