MONTHLY MISSIVE

RADIO ROUND UP

So once again we've been off the radar for a few weeks, but this month we've actually been out and about learning more about making ceramics, seeing new exhibitions, launching new creative endevours and putting the finishing touches (at last) on the Craft Companion. We hope you're all looking forward to August which as usual promises to be THE BIG ONE for the Craft community in Melbourne with the launch of Craft Victoria's annual Craft Cubed festival. We're on The Grapevine RRR again this morning around 10:15 and we'll be bringing you a choice selection of what's happening in the craftiverse.

SoCa THE SCHOOL OF CLAY AND ART

Theres a new school in town. Shane Kent, one of Melbourne's premier ceramicists is quickly becoming the poster boy (man) for modern artisans - regularly collaborating with chefs on large commercial commissions, maintaing a vibrant personal artistic practice and encouraging and inspiring aspiring clay mavens through both formal educational settings and short courses in specialist clay centres and continually showcasing the kind of life that can be sustained through creative endeavour. The latest string to his bow is the new School of Clay and Art which is offering up a unique mix of wheel thrown and hand building classes as well as career advice and perceptual skill building. We're excited and we will be signing up.

MEREDITH TURNBULL

One of Melbourne's finest (the lovely Ms Meredith Turnbull) has curated a new show called Form and Flex which we are really looking forward to. Makers who create interactive wearables that examine the physical connection of body, ornament and environment really push our buttons, often literally, playing with notions of performance, functionality and adornment. In this exhibition the spotlight will be on the conceptual artistry and manual skill of Bridie Lunney, Sanne Mestom, Anna Varendorff and Benjamin Woods as they take centre stage. We can't wait.
Opens Tuesday July 28, 6-8pm
Pieces of Eight Gallery

DOMESTIC FRONTIER

This August will see the second iteration of this wonderfully curated temporary retail space that focuses on a select range of works that skilfully embody the skill and inherent beauty of purpose built functional objects. Baskets, ceramics, metal, wood and textiles come to life as hand dyed, hand sewn and hand wrought tableware, napery, aprons and utensils. This year sees the original collective of Sophie Moran, Bridget Bodenham, Sandra Bowkett, Adriana Christianson and Vic Pemberton expand to include a new list of makers joining the team presenting a selection of modern classics that will be seriously hard to resist. We highly recommend getting in early.

Opening night Wed August 5 6-8pm
466 Smith St. Collingwood
Runs from 5-16 August, Wednesday to Sunay 11-6pm.

POP CRAFT CAKE SALE

Northsiders with a liking for fibre arts and baking can combine their activities for a good cause this month. Pop Craft are hosting a cake sale to both raise money for their Craft Cubed chunky weaving public access project. The results from which will be auctioned off once complete to raise money for both The Lighthouse Foundation and the ASRC. Sign up your support here and get your apron on! We should also mention that the fabulous monthly feast has a Caribbean flavour this month and takes place THIS FRIDAY the 31st of July. We'll be there enjoying the festivities and no doubt drooling stoop idly at the deliciousness NOM NOM NOM.

AND NOW FOR THE BIGGEST SHOW IN TOWN...

CRAFT CUBED (the festivus for the restofus)

Make no mistake this festival is a big deal for anyone involved in the craft sector. This is sixth year Craft Victoria has presented Craft Cubed and it will bring together over 150 events all over Victoria during an extended 7 week schedule that starts on August 1 and finishes up on September 22. For a small arts organisation that literally runs on the smell of an oily rag, the scope of the festival is enormous and its impact profound. All media, all skill levels and all makers are celebrated and encouraged to participate in a program rich with exhibitions, open studios, public events, skill sharing, markets, open access activities, a curated window walk, Koori Showcase at Fed Square, collaborations with Radiant Pavilion and the inaugural Victorian Craft Award.

This year the festival finally has its own mobile friendly website making it even easier to work out your own program of must sees, which we advise doing in advance because the program is HUGE. It has been incredible to see the development of this event into one that is completely unique and that attracts an audience of over 150,000 visitors! It would be even more fantastic to see it receive a whopping great lump of cash (are you listening Mr. Brandis) to take it Australia wide in the future. But enough of our grandstanding… whats on!

THE VICTORIAN CRAFT AWARD
What can we say - this will be amazing. A selection of over 100 of Victoria's top craft works running at 4 different venues and featuring some of the most skilled craftspeople across all media. This is a unique event showcasing the best craft our state has to offer and is the first of what will become a biennial event. The prizes are big and the stakes are high. Unmissable. More information on the craft website here 1-15 August

WINDOW WALK

Fellow window shoppers rejoice! This years festival will feature a series of collaborations between leading artists and retailers to present site specific exhibitions and in-store events that showcase some of our favourite makers in some of our favourite spaces. Like The Golden Opportunity Shop (pictured above) which includes live gilding of op shop finds at Alpha 60, Volcanic Landscapes by the incredible Megan Nicholson at Print City (pictured below) and Dear Plastic's Peace Bunnies Victory Land  at new docklands book hub Library at the Dock.

SATELLITE EVENTS and OPEN STUDIOS
The list is long and pretty much everyone in the community has something on or is opening their doors. If you've ever had even the slightest interest in finding out more about anything about local craft nows your chance.

Some of our top pics include Wild Weaving at Pop Craft and Twilight Textiles at the Handspinners and Weavers Guild and the welcome-home weaving project at Home Work in brunswick.

Newcomers Handmakers Factory  are putting on some Mini Workshops  that have us hooked as well as the Upcycling jewellery class with the Ethical Makers Movement at Radiant Pavillion.

For clay lovers the best known learning centres Northcote Potters, Carlton Ceramics and Slow Clay Centre but a raft of smaller studios as well as the new School of Clay and Art in Brunswick are also opening up for public viewing.

EXHIBITIONS

Too many to mention. Just go on the website and look - we're not kidding we couldn't possibly fit them all in. Collage, books, photography, jewellery, ornaments, glass, ceramics, jewellery, wood, mixed media, jewellery, ceramics and textiles, textiles textiles. Emerging makers to the most revered masters of their craft offer up works showing the diversity of concerns and skills present in todays contemporary craft landscape.

Our short list already includes Electric, Elise Sheehan, Anna Varendorf and Meredith Turnbull, Roseanne Bartley, Surface and Structure, Illuminate, Multiple Signatures and Hothouse. The list is sure to grow as our families become festival orphans once again.

TALKS

As part of the festival there is also a flurry of discussion groups from small highly specific round tables to key note day long seminars (our top pick - Craft and Design as a Career), and Craft The Australian Story presented by the World Crafts Council at which our very own Ramona will be speaking. Scan the festival guide and find your topic or people and get on board. Nothing like being among like minded people discussing the intricacies of your favourite hobby or profession. There is also the super expensive and highly contentious Parallells gab fest at NGV timed to coincide with Craft Cubed but presented by the NGV and the National Craft Initiative that is causing conversation ripples (make that tidal waves) of its own... But that's a whole other story we'll get to next month!

Don't take our word for it though, head over to the website and see for yourself.
BECK and RAMONA

BROADCAST OF THE MONTH

ITS OFFICIAL - WE'RE BACK!

After another long month in the writing, editing and finally photo shoot bunker we are now officially climbing out of the publication abyss and hitting the gallery, workshop, workbench circuit again.
Ramona's been off in Adelaide opening jeweller Sim Luttin's fab new show (which we'll more about) while I've been recovering in bed from the post photo shoot flu (which we shall never speak of again). But enough about us. What you really want is to hear all about the incredible adventures happening in the craftiverse's during the next month.

EXHIBITIONS TO SEE
Impressa

Anna Davern's new exhibition of contemporary jewellery is one worth making time for. Continuting her own practice of riffing on royalty, politicians, colonialism and the 'cultured' elite this new exhibition of works references the traditions of portrait miniatures skewered brilliantly with wit and design nous. Davern manually manipulates the highly regulated imagery of the British monarchy and upper classes by slicing and dicing in a way that distorts and dissects the traditional depictions of empire and social position. Clever clever collage.

May 11- 23 at E.g.etal
opens Friday 15th May from 5-7pm.

Exquisite Threads

Seriously important for anyone interested in needlework, feminism, history and culture (isn't that all of us!) This collection of english pieces from the 1600's to 1900's is a testament to the skill of the domestic crafter throughout English history. Over 60 works are displayed, each representing the integral place handwork held as both an educational tool and creative outlet.  Ramona hit this one up on the weekend and tells me its gobsmacking. Recommendation enough I think!

NGV International ground level, until July 15.

Numurkah 

Somewhere between Old Gregg and Aphrodite lies the under sea neo-psychedelia of local jeweller Milly Savage. Her approach is unique, raw and mystical, simultaneously reverent of the culturally attributed 'magic' attached to precious metals and stones as well as playfully recontextualising their traditional vaulted placement into new bubblegum-hued underworlds complete with magic foam and iridescent foil. Her use of lost wax casting adds weight in both physical and metaphysical ways, adding an alchemical touch to works already brimming with vitality. Seriously cool stuff we can't get enough of. 

24/7 in the Craft Victoria window until June 2.


WORKSHOPS/LECTURES

Tea x Zen and Chawan Fetish

Its fair to say that melbourne has developed a strong taste for all things Japanese and craft related, and while our reputation says 'coffee drinkers' we're also pretty serious about our tea. Slow Clay has come up with the goods again, marrying all three together in a pair of unique events presented by 'globe trotting contemporary tea master' and interventionist Adam Wojcinski. Tea x Zen is an authentic, hands on experiential workshop option while Chawan Festish will allow the enthusiastic and knowledgable Wojinski to regale you with rare and fascinating insights into the ancient art of the Japanese Tea ceremony. Interested? Find out more here 

Slow Clay
May 24 and Friday June 12

IMPORTANT EVENTS
Clay for Nepal

Vipoo Srivalasa and Lynda Draper

This brilliant fundraising idea has been conceived and orchestrated Vipoo Srivalasa with assistance from Vicki Grima and Adriana Christiansen. All money generated will go to Oxfam Australia's Earthquake relief appeal.  This is an incredibly important event for the huge group of makers who have donated their works, but more importantly for the people of Nepal who's lives have been devastated by this tragic event.

vessel by wingnut and co

There is a strong connection between ceramicists the world over and in particular there are a number of local potters who have spent time working with their Nepalese counterparts. The list of participating artists is long and includes the creme of contemporary ceramics. Having both an Auction and buy now online shop, has allowed them to showcase works at all price points, so there is really no reason not to get on board.

The auction kicks off May 15 and closes on May 17. The works are amazing and the cause incredibly important so please support them in any way you can. See a complete selection and find out more about it here . Tell your friends, tell your family and let's make this a cracking success.

There's loads more to see make and do this month - listen up to Ramona talking all about it with Kulja and Dylan on the RRR's this morning at around 10am.  Happy Crafting people! Beck.

BROADCAST OF THE WEEK

still breathing

We have officially become bad bloggers and we have no one else to blame but ourselves and one giganto manuscript that is so close to being finished we can almost start to breath normally again. We unchained ourselves from the computers on Friday night to attend a wonderful feast at the newly minted Popcraft Studio in Northcote. We'll be talking about that and other craft delights this morning on The Grapevine on RRR with the lovely Dylan and Kulja.

Unfolding: New Indian Textiles is another great reason to abandon work! Writer and curator Maggie Baxter has had the enviable task of exploring the textile traditions and contemporary style of India, with and extensive exhibition hosted by RMIT Gallery to coincide with her new book on the subject. Surface embellishment, colour, block printing, beading certainly make our pulse race and as we are on the precipice of booking plane tickets as our reward for a year of slog this may just be the inspiration we need in choosing our destination.

We cannot believe that this year marks the 21st anniversary of the Fresh exhibition at Craft. It has been such a pleasure to be involved with this show over the years. Both of us have served on the selection panel at different times and we've watched with interest as some of our favourites from these best of the best graduates shows have gone on to have extraordinary careers in professional craft. Still such an important exhibition on the craft calendar.

We urge you all to make a trip south side to see the new group show Fertile Ground at the Australian Tapestry Workshop . Their Artist in Residence program has grown from strength to strength and last year was a stellar line up. You can see the fruits of their collaborative labour, explore the workshop, and pick up some delicious tapestry yarn while your at it. their 2015 calendar is just as exciting. We are looking forward to hearing one of our craft favourites  Phil Ferguson aka ChiliPhilly discuss his residency on the 7th of April.

For those of you looking for a road trip we highly recommend heading north (if you are based in Melbourne) to Ararat Regional Gallery for an embroidery group show (yes embroidery!) This is a kind of craft blockbuster that is well worth getting in the car for.  Slipstitch features recent work from Mae Finlayson, David Green, Lucas Grogan, Alice Kettle, Tim Moore, Silke Raetze, Demelza Sherwood, Matt Siwerski, Jane Theau, Sera Waters, Elyse Watkins and Ilka White. It's rare to get a discipline specific textiles show so this is a must see. 

If we have time we'll also talk up Easter and school holiday craft. We'll be doing a lot of making over the next two weeks in preparation for our book photo shoot - wish us luck! 

Well be on air around 10.15 1027 on your dial or streaming at RRR.

FINAL LISTEN OF THE YEAR

It's that time of year already? Yes this morning is our last appearance on The Grapevine for 2014. We've been sharing craft goodness with Kulja and Dylan all year so we though it fitting to have a bit of a wrap up of the year that was and give you the low down on the year that will be. 

We'll tell you all about what we've made for Christmas. We not completely sure where we found the time and energy to whip this haul up, but we do know coffee and panic are great last minute motivators! We actually managed to pull together a one day craft marathon where presents were made for just about all our nearest and dearest (see above) so it just goes to show that last minute miracles are possible and it pays to keep your craft cupboard full.

We'll look back on our workshop adventures and tell you which ones have sparked new craft love and what we hope to learn in 2015.

We'll tell you our top five craft shows of the year, but seriously we could actually give you a top 20 it was that good. 2014 was one of the best years we've seen for professional makers in an exhibition context. Beck has crowned 2014 the Year of the Textile and looking at our top 5 I tend to agree. Which is not to say that our tiny minds weren't blown by other media and methods, just that there is definitely some fibre fuelled magic going on at the moment.

We'll also cast our gaze ahead with our craft forecasting antennae up and ready. What will our predictions be? Listen in to 102.7 at around 10.15 this morning to find out. On a personal note we'd also like to say sorry for the long gaps between posts. We are writing a VERY BIG BOOK and are pretty close to deadline, so you'll have to forgive us. We'll be back to full strength in the new year. RAMONA& BECK

SHOW OF THE WEEK - LORI KIRK

Apology of the week

Ok people we really owe you an apology. Blame the school holiday madness, weird illnesses, surprise parties, daylight savings and a looming deadline for our absence. The truth is we haven't had much to say, we haven't been able to see much or do much either. You get that sometimes, life just gets crazy. But we should have let you know, and for that we bow our heads down and ask for your forgiveness and patience while we get our act together. We are going to see the above show this week, looks beautiful and we promise to write you a full review. Beck and Ramona