I have made a bunch of new jewellery for my Etsy shop. It has been ready for a while, but I have not been ready to photograph it!
I have been looking at different ways of photographing my work, different backgrounds, different layouts, and I think I might be finally ready to take all of the photographs needed to get my work listed.
Wish me luck!
I moved to Mount Gambier from Adelaide last year, and it’s been a bit of an adjustment. I didn’t realise how settled I was in Adelaide until we moved away! All of the things I had taken for granted, such as my hairdresser, were no longer surrounding me. My family, my friends, my children’s friends!
It made me wonder how on earth I was going to adjust to being in a new, smaller town. Forming new friendships/relationships. Finding a new hairdresser!
I think the one thing that always makes sense to me is making glass beads and jewellery, and so whenever I am feeling uncertain about myself I immerse myself in this. I plan exhibitions or new pieces of jewellery. I think about what I want my art to say to the world.
When the South East Art Society announced their annual award exhibition I started thinking about how I could contribute to that. I started thinking about my sense of community, and how that has been challenged in the past year. I thought about how we are all part of many communities really. I’m part of the “art” community in Mount Gambier, and I’m also part of the “school” community now that my daughter has started school. I’m part of a community of “mums” too.
Well, there has been a lot of thinking about my exhibition piece, and here is the finished version.
I have been doing some custom orders lately, and really enjoying the process, and the end results.
If you have ever seen any of my jewellery, and thought you might like it if it were slightly different, please feel free to get in touch with me to find out if it’s possible!
Custom Order:
I have been thinking a lot lately about the idea of being part of a community. Well, not just part of one community, but lots of different communities. I decided to make a necklace that reflects my feelings about communities.
Thanks for stopping by, it’s been a great week filled with lots of gratitude and giveaways!
Congratulations to everyone who has managed to win something.
Today’s post is a little different. I have so many businesses/organisations that I am grateful for, so I am going to add 6 of them to my final post, and that will make a nice list of 10.
So, recapping:
1. T’Arts Collective – being part of a collective has helped me to grow as an artist, and also to understand more about being in business.
2. Urban Cow – selling my work in a very successful gift shop/gallery has generated a lot of constructive feedback on my work, helping me to improve.
3. Jam Factory – ensuring my work is of the highest quality.
4. SALA – allowing me to have a solo exhibition every year!
Now, for the new entries:
5. International Society of Glass Beadmakers – being able to attend their annual conference was an amazing experience.
6. Selonj – an awesome bead shop in Adelaide who have always gone out of their way to help me.
7. Rundle Street Markets – gave me an opportunity to get my work in front of lots of people every weekend for several years.
8. Etsy – a trusted platform for selling online, it has enabled me to open my own store.
9. Regional Art Galleries – thank you for stocking my work in your galleries.
10. My family! I know, not a business or an organisation, but without them supporting me the way they do, I would definitely not be able to do what I do!
Question: I am thinking of a letter this time, what do you think it is?
Answer: S
S is for SALA. SALA stands for South Australian Living Artists. According to their website: “SALA is an innovative open access visual arts festival presenting thousands of artists through unique collaborations and exhibitions in hundreds of exhibition spaces throughout metropolitan and regional South Australia.”
When I first heard about SALA I thought….oh, I don’t think so, no, not for me….
And then I visited a bunch of exhibitions that were held that year, and I started thinking…maybe next year!
The following year (2008) I just went for it. Organised a venue, made a lot of beads and a ton of jewellery, and exhibited my work at the Mitcham Civic Centre. It was my first solo exhibition!
What I love about SALA is that absolutely anyone can have an exhibition. You can have it in a proper gallery, in a cafe, or anywhere else your heart desires! I have absolutely loved being part of SALA and have participated every year since my first one.
I am so grateful to SALA for being invented. Without them I honestly couldn’t tell you where my work would be, as each year the festival pushes me to make new things, push new boundaries, exhibit my work in places I would not normally be able to.
I am already thinking about my 2014 SALA exhibition!
Thanks SALA!
Question: I’ve picked a number between 1 and 100, guess it correctly to win, and then I’ll tell you why I’ve picked that number.
Answer: 41. The Jam Factory has been operating for 41 years now!
The Jam Factory is an iconic art destination in Adelaide. It opened in 1973 in a different location, but now you can find it in Morphett Street in the city. They also have a retail outlet in Rundle Plaza in the Mall.
In 2009 I entered my SALA exhibition into the Jam Factory Contemporary Craft and Design Awards. The exhibition was “Anti-Depression Glass” and explored the use of recycled glass to make beads, and jewellery.
I was shortlisted as a finalist, and was so ridiculously nervous on the night of the award ceremony, wondering if I had possibly won the award! Well, I didn’t win the award, but I did win a meeting with the retail manager who invited me to stock my work in their retail outlet!
I am so very grateful to the Jam Factory for recognising something in my work, and for working with me to ensure my work is of the highest standards for the shop.
Question: What was the first collection of AussieJules jewellery that was stocked in Urban Cow Studio?
Answer: My Kandinsky collection!
There’s a great story behind this question. And it really highlights my gratitude to Urban Cow and the great people who work there.
Urban Cow are a gift shop on Frome Street in Adelaide. It’s a beautiful gift shop, and again a place where I had dreamed about having my work stocked! I remember putting it on my wish list one year, and after seeing their call for artists I decided to email them to see if I was suitable.
Georgia invited me in for a “chat” and to look at my work up close. I took in about 10 assorted “Kandinsky” pieces (necklaces, pendants, earrings), and she agreed to take them all, and straight away. I was thrilled! I wrote up an invoice and handed it all over to them.
A week later I saw my work in there, displayed beautifully and I was so proud. But it didn’t sell. Georgia assured me that people needed to see it a few times before they would buy it, but it seriously took a couple of months before I sold anything in the shop. I was disheartened by it all to be honest.
I did sell a few pieces eventually, and I listened to what the team had to say about my work. What things their customers were suggesting. Some of it I took on board, and some of it I didn’t, but after a while my jewellery started selling there more regularly.
I am so very grateful to Urban Cow for believing in my work, for giving me honest feedback so I could improve my work, and for continuing to work with me in order to make sure I have my best work in there, and it is displayed beautifully.
Thank you!
Question: What is the name of the Adelaide-based business that is run by the artists?
Answer: T’Arts – Textile and Arts Collective
I first met a few T’Arts at the Rundle Street Markets. They looked at my work, and encouraged me to apply to become a member of the collective. I had walked past T’Arts many times, been inside on several occasions too, and absolutely loved the gallery/shop. Secretly I wanted to be part of this! But I didn’t know that they also wanted me to be a part of it!
Being an artist-run collective it came with some financial and work responsibilities, and I wasn’t sure that I was going to be able to make it work.
Luckily, my “real job” at the time was fairly flexible, so I negotiated a day off every 2 weeks so that I could do my shift at T’Arts. Working in there gave me a great insight into what people liked about my work, and the other members too.
This collective has allowed me to grow as an artist in so many ways. Being an active member of the gallery, and helping with the running of it has also taught me a lot about being in business.
Thank you T’Arts!
Would you like to win this pair of earrings?
At 10.00am today I will be asking a simple question on my Facebook page, and the first person to guess the correct answer will win!
