Not Speed Dating, or Speed Crafting but Speed Collaboration

This week saw me attend the Design Factory Speed Collaboration meeting in readiness for the second Synchronise exhibition.

In 2105 the Design Factory will celebrate its 10th Birthday and what better way than to launch another collaboration opportunity and encourage as many of our members as possible to take part in it. The second Synchronise exhibition will take place in the Roof Gallery at the National Centre for Craft & Design at Sleaford during July-August of next year.

In addition to this year-long collaborative project  there will be the opportunity for a number of 'mini collaborations' running for about 4 weeks, where members names will be picked out of a hat.

Synchronise was an initiative launched by Design Factory and the National Centre for Craft & Design in 2012. The project challenged members of the Design Factory to team up and produce a new collabor-ative body of work which was exhibited at the NCCD. Synchronise was more than an exhibition; it acted as a catalyst for new
ways of working and skill sharing. I certainly gained
an insight into how other artists work.  My collaboration was with mixed media ceramacist Samantha Robinson and Paper Lighting Specialist Sharyn Dunn.

Those that took part approached collaboration in a variety of different ways, including 'swapping' materials or influences, learning skills from a partner, producing work of a different scale or making work that was more commercial/conceptual than the work normally produced 
For myself, I was finally able to produce a large scale piece of work.  This trio of panels is currently being exhibited at Walford Mill Gallery in Wimbourne until 18th May 2014.

Last year I feel in some ways I took the easy option by choosing two makers that I have worked with before either in collaboration or organizing group exhibitions. This time with the "Speed Collaboration" meeting organized I was able to chat to other Design Factory makers which will give me the opportunity to choose someone I haven't worked with before.

It's all coming together!

I met up with my collaberative partners, Samantha Robinson and Sharyn Dunn today to make the final adjustments to our work in readiness for the "Synchronise" Exhibition which will begin on the 9th March at the National Centre of Craft and Design at Sleaford. 

Here's a complete list of who will be exhibiting and their medium:-

Jan Garside- Weave
Clare Gage - Ceramics
Gillian Lee Smith (as seen on "Show me the Monet") Sculptural Characters
Pete Moss - Ceramacist and Sculptor
Sharyn Dunn - Installation and Lighting, Paper Sculptor
Ruth Singer - Textiles
Alys Power - Reclaimed Jewellery
J C Middlebrook - Lace Jewellery
Nicola Lidstone - Ceramic Sculptures
Bruce Aitkin - Clock Maker
Kate McBride - Quirky porcelain figures and tea services
Anna Collette Hunt - Ceramics
Phiona Richards - Book Sculptor and Paper Jewellery
Samantha Robinson - Mixed Media Ceramics
Milly Moore - Eclectic Jewellery Treasures
Suet Yi Yip - Ceramics
Katie Almond - Handpainted Ceramics

If you would like to view their work, most of the makers can be found on the Design Factory website.

Finally, back into the swing of things

It isn't until you become ill that you realise how hard being self-employed can be.  If you don't do the normal everyday admin chores, you don't get paid.  There seems to be a lot of flu or nasty viruses that are currently doing the rounds, fortunately they seem to be missing children which I'm makes a change.

It's took me nearly 2 weeks to get over the virus I contracted, then another week to get back to full strength.  Constantly feeling exhausted and no enthusiasm for creativity is not something that I am familiar with. This has been a difficult time for me as I haven't been able to fulfil deadlines, make applications or make work.  Included amongst these deadlines is a collaboration I am currently working on with two other Designer/Makers for an upcoming exhibition at the National Centre for Craft and Design in Sleaford entitled "Synchronise".

Today, I have been trying to catch up with some administration, a solid 2 hours.  Time flew by and I didn't seem to make a dent.  Them to get myself back into a creative mode I did a little research.  Following on from a simple flower I created for the recent Festival at Words in Nottingham I wanted to continue to explore the notion of erosion of the mind that is often the result of a stroke.

So for about half an hour, I've been looking at jewellery that incorporates seaglass.  I feel the seaglass symbolises erosion from clarity to erasure. I didn't realise that seaglass came in so many colours click on the link, I was surprised Rarity of Seaglass Colours I looked at various ways in which the glass can be encapsulated with wire, crochet and even tatting; all produce stunning results.  The hardest part is to design something that is contemporary, feminine and quite delicate to look at.  My husband worked down in Devon for a couple of seasons many years ago, so I have a good supply of seaglass, but not sure of the sizes. Note to self - dig out seaglass and start sketching and jotting down initial designs.

For the rest of the day I spent folding and machining, not necessarily in that order to move my piece nearer to the "Synchronise" deadline which is 6th March.  Another 250 squares to fold tonight.