Friday 30 October 2009

More Artists!

Only a month to go until our two day Christmas Extravaganza! Here are some more artists and designers who will be exhibiting and selling their work-

Paola McClure studied Illustration at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art in Dundee and has taught art in schools on the west coast of Scotland. She now works from her studio in Dundee’s Meadow Mill Studios. The figures Paola makes are innocent watchers, celebrations of life with all its joys and despairs. Often the inspiration is the fabric itself, not just because of its delicious texture, colour and pattern but also because of its origins. Most of the material used has had a previous life either in the form of old clothing or fabric, curtains, blankets bought at charity shops or windfall pieces passed on by friends. Precisely not knowing the full background gives an extra resonance and adds a layer of intrigue so that you can let your imagination go and invent your own histories, give them form and turn them into creatures that can take on a presence of their own.


Having no formal training in metalwork or jewellery, Dauvit Alexander - who is also known as The Justified Sinner - is largely self-taught, chance leading him from the chosen path of landscape gardening and into the world of contemporary jewellery. Dauvit grew up in the dying industrial heartland of the Central Belt of Scotland and watched the steelworks and shipyards breathe their last, the monuments to industry torn down, the cities, towns and cultures laid waste. It is from this destruction that his work grows: objects found in dereliction, bolts from rusted tractors, crushed lobster-pots, 300 sewing-machine needles from an abandoned sweatshop, a corroded spanner, the petrol cap from a 1950s truck... all of these have found their way into his recent work. Rescued, reworked, he uses these humble relics of the industrial past in conjunction with precious metals and stones and the techniques of fine jewellery to create objects which playfully evoke the idea of "nostalgia" whilst being fully up-to-date.

Kirby Textiles - Dapple Ombre Wool Collection
www.kirbytextiles.com
Louise Kirby graduated from Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art in 1999 with a BDes (Hons) in Printed Textiles and now works from her studio in Meadow Mill, Dundee. She has worked as a commercial designer producing print samples sold to fashion houses worldwide and in London and Australian design studios.Combining exciting contrasting patterns and hand printed techniques in pure silk and wool, Kirby designs luxurious reversible scarves and wall hangings with a contemporary twist. Inspiration comes from her world travels and much closer to home, from patterned Scottish tree barks to the fascinating richly coloured city of Marrakesh with its intricate wrought iron windows.Individual consideration is taken with each scarf being slightly different due to the mono-printed technique where every mark is scratched in by hand. Designs remain fresh and lively due to a spontaneous approach and continuing experimentation to create wearable art.

Jennifer is a born and bred Dundonian. She graduated with a BA (Hons) in Drawing and Painting at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art in 2004 and works from her studio at WASPS. After managing and curating Hanna's Contemporary Art Gallery in Dundee she is now a full time artist taking on various commission and exhibiting her work nationwide. Jennifer works in many mediums including oils, mixed media, collage, sculpture, construction and is particularly interested in the medium of drawing and is becoming known for her skill and her trademark ‘blue drawings’. Her work is mainly figurative and based on the ‘Self’. She is currently working on a new body of work and her subject matter has broadened to include animals, including the Horse, the Swallow, the Hare and the Elephant.

Tuesday 6 October 2009

Some of the jewellers exhibiting


Islay Spalding - Biomorph Rings

www.islayspalding.co.uk
Islay graduated from Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design in 2005, she now shares a studio in Dundee with fellow exhibitors Adrian Murray and her sister Sarah Spalding and co-ordinates ACJ Scotland alongside Genna Delaney. Islay uses silver and resin, bold designs and biomorphic shapes to create quirky, colourful and wearable one-off pieces of jewellery. She is inspired by surrealist art and nonsense stories, especially the work of Desmond Morris, Joan Miro and Lewis Carroll. Islay also specialises in bespoke Kilt Pin designs, which are contemporary and unusual compared to the traditional style. The Kilt Pins are fabricated from sterling silver and she uses techniques such as photo-etching, forging and oxidisation to achieve these unique designs.



Genna graduated in 2006 with BDes (Hons) Jewellery & Metal Design from Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design. She has been designing and making bespoke jewellery since 1999 and works from her Wasps artists studio in Dundee and works alongside Islay Spalding to co-ordinate ACJ Scotland. Architecture is the major influence in her work which inspires both geometric forms and organic sculptures. Movement is also a prominent force where rare coloured stones can be moved along the labyrinths of her work. Her pieces are tactile, playful and sculptural. Genna is passionate about designing and making jewellery and thrives to produce bespoke, superbly produced handcrafted pieces, challenging the boundaries of jewellery design by producing both one off and commercial pieces




Nicola Morrison graduated in 2003 with a First class honours degree in Jewellery and Metalwork from Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design in Dundee. After graduating she set up the collective called ‘The DD4 Workshop’ with three fellow jewellers in Glasgow and now works from her wasps aritsts studio in Dundee. Her work consists of an eclectic mix of textured components made from precious metals. Textures are created on metal through rollprinting a range of different papers including handmade paper from Japan and paper doilies and are based on a range of inspirations including the work of Japanese textile company, Nuno Coperation and Lucienne Day. To highlight and contrast the different textures, she oxidises silver and uses different carats of yellow gold. Alongside her jewellery, Nicola also produce collages, which are based on her inspirations and jewellery.