Exhibition 'theme'...

...I seem to have unknowingly developed a theme for my exhibition pieces - all the things I come up with seem to be aquatic or oceanic in nature - sketches below...





The pearl cluster ones are based on oyster shells, concave silver domes with pearls attached...

Using the techniques I learnt at the smithing course, and the bursary money equipping me with the tools I need, I cna now start in earnest.

SPEED scheme business mentor

To complement Jo mentoring me on the practice side, I now have Peter Wyer (Head of Centre for Entrepreneurial Management at Uni) as my business mentor for the bursary scheme. Met today for our first session, and it was really reassuring for someone of his experience to sound so confident in my propsals for going forward. Also nice to know that I'm not talking/thinking complete nonsense when it comes to any business know-how I've picked up, whether it's from my CIPD qualifications, trying to get Ruby Rose off the ground or resource gained from the Connect programme.

Even more motivation to get things going - there's so much support available!

To follow up:
Monthly updates to Peter re. progress (email, brief)

Sound investments!

Have now taken delivery of the smithing kit I need, thanks to the first SPEED bursary instalment - £600 worth of workshop gear, excluding materials. Can feel the momentum building now, just can't wait to get going once Christmas is out of the way.

Big things to get done:
1. Beyond the Gallery proposal submission - 17th
2. Meeting business mentor Peter Wyer - 18th, and submit progress report to him by end of Jan
3. Order silver & copper to start work on 'prototypes'
4. Early Jan, contact Fashion Studies PLs again to re-establish intentions for Degree Show
5. Get three pieces made and ready for (a) Connect brochure photos on 21st Jan and (b) pitching to Fashion Studies students as per BTG proposal.

Silversmithing

Just got back from silversmithing course with Jes Marshall and Fran Barker at flux'n'flame in Dorset. Images of my first silver pieces...







This was exactly what I needed and managed to cram loads of techniques onto my very steep learning curve. The courses are so flexible, you just go and learn what you need to learn, no set agenda and LOADS of support - can't recommend enough. So for someone with no smithing expertise at all, not bad! Has also spurred me on for my designs for the exhibition, now have the know-how to realise my imaginings for the Connemara beach stuff, as well as other techniques to follow the 'oceanic' theme...

Mentor Meeting

Met Jo Pond, my mentor, for our first session on Sunday 2nd. Jo's about 20 mins drive away, so we met here in Derby at The Broadway for a lounge about on the sofas. Was a bit daunted at the prospect of meeting her having checked out the website and seen the HUGE list of fairs and exhibitions she's done... was soon set at ease, we chatted really easily and I think we're going to get on great. She started in much the same position as me, making very commercial pieces but wanting to add value and be more design-led in her practice.

We had a good two hours, could have been much longer, we've got quite a lot in common in the way we approach things, taking loads of photos and using those rather than sketching and honing, which doesn't really suit me. She passed on loads of info re. suppliers and websites for materials - FAB! ..already checked most of them out and I can no doubt use them in future. Also gave me loads of info on organisations I may want to join or get involved with - ACJ Midlands; School of Jewellery, Birmingham etc. Great stuff, looking forward to next meeting :)

To follow up:
Invesitgate remainder of link, compare suppliers' prices etc.

Testing, testing...

Just seeing if I can embed my calendar into the blog posts...and to see what it does once it's embedded - I'll then be able to keep my monthly calendar as an integral part of it....