artisan - idea:skill:product: Barbara Heath

Showing posts with label Barbara Heath. Show all posts

07 December 2012

Artisan's Cherish Christmas Showcase: Day 5

For that friend who loves to stand out in a crowd, you can't go past a gift of jewellery by Niels van Amsterdam. Barbara Heath agrees!

"It's simple but striking - I love the lightweight, wearable feel plus its recycled material status"
- Barbara Heath, jeweller

Jewellery by Niels van Amsterdam is currently on display in our Fortitude Valley store.

12 June 2012

Thomas Mann masterclass: artist talks

On Saturday 16 June, Fio will host an evening of talks by Brisbane-based contemporary jewellers as a part of the Thomas Mann masterclass.

Barbara Heath, Madeleine Brown, and Eleisha Nylund will each speak about their practice, inspirations, and experiences in the jewellery industry.

More information about the night is available here. Wine and nibblies will be provided and attendees are asked to bring a $10 donation, which will go to the guest speakers.

As places are limited, those planning to attend should RSVP to Fio's Matt Dwyer at matt@fio-contemporary.com.

21 March 2011

Elizabeth Lada Gray and Barbara Heath Exhibition at Handmark Gallery in Tasmania

If you are in Hobart from 26th March - 20th April, make sure you pop past Handmark Gallery and take a look at Barbara Heath's fabulous jewels on display alongside mixed media works by Elizabeth Lada Gray in the exhibition Mapping the Consequences of Colonisation: Two Southern Latitude Islands. Visit the Handmark Gallery here for more information.

17 November 2010

Tinsmith finishes….or does it ?

Barbara Heath’s fabulous exhibition Tinsmith: An Ordinary Romance was an outstanding success with excellent sales, and two great articles extending the media coverage into the Australian and Inside Out magazine. The exhibition has now been packed up but Museum and Gallery Services (MAGS) are keen to tour the show and have sent out Expressions of Interest to regional galleries. Fingers crossed it appears again so more people can experience this thought provoking and well crafted show. Well done Barbie and MalE!

09 November 2010

In it's last days - Tinsmith: An Ordinary Romance

This Saturday will be your last chance to view artisan's current exhibition Tinsmith: An Ordinary Romance (pictures of the exhibition above). This stunning exhibition by Brisbane designer, Barbara Heath, reveals the fascinating forgotten history of tinsmithing in Southeast Queensland and launches her collection of extraordinary new objects, inspired by the lost craft of the tinsmith.

Rediscovering the simple skills of tinsmithing, of bending, folding and tinning, Barbara Heath has made striking candlesticks. She has also created Hausgeisters and Hanging Crowns - magical protective objects for the home or garden – as well as a Japanese-inspired rain chain, a downpipe substitute that creates a water feature from roof run-off.
With their sophisticated rusticity, and redolent with history, these beautiful objects will enhance the interior or exterior of any home.

‘New tricks from old trades’ is how Barbara describes this new work. Best known for her superb precious jewellery, this is an exciting new direction for her.

This exhibition also gave Barbara an opportunity to research in-depth the history of the trade. “I had no idea tinsmithing had such a colorful local history,” says Heath. “Tin was once as common in our everyday lives as plastic is today. There were many tinsmiths in Brisbane and the R.C. Verney & Sons factory in Fortitude Valley even combined tinsmithing with jam making.”

Early tinsmiths used a few simple tools to produce utilitarian wares such as downspouts, kettles and bath tubs. Later they produced architectural detailing including window-hoods and delicate roof finials. Tinsmith : An Ordinary Romance exhibits a collection of old tinwares from private collectors, and even the tin patterns of Graeme Gillespie, one of Brisbane’s last working tinsmiths, alongside Barbara’s new objects. This reveals the link between her work and the techniques, shapes and forms of the early Queensland metalworkers.

“The very word ‘tinsmith’ evokes nostalgic, romantic connotations; nomadic fixers of things, outsiders, tricky, silver-tongued salesmen who charmed the farmers wives with their glinting wares” comments Barbara, and she cleverly captures this mystique in her work.

Tinsmith: An Ordinary Romance offers an opportunity to rediscover our past and see how it has inspired an artist to take a new direction.

Don't miss out on this fantastic exhibition - gallery artisan is open Tuesday - Friday from 10:30am - 5:30pm and Saturday 10am- 4pm. The exhibition will end on Saturday the 13th November.

15 October 2010

Barbara Heath's House Geisters from Tinsmith: An Ordinary Romance

Featured above are some of Barbara Heath's beautifully tinsmithed House Geisters that form part of the magnificent body of work in our current exhibition of Tinsmith: An Ordinary Romance. The show reveals the fascinating forgotten history of tinsmithing in South East Queensland and launches her collection of extraordinary new objects such as the House Geisters pictured above. Tinsmith: An Ordinary Romance is on display at artisan until the 13th November. Work is available for sale from the gallery and will soon be available for sale from our online store. A catalogue designed by Mal Enright that details the lost craft of tinsmithing in South East Queensland is also available for sale at the exhibition.

14 October 2010

Audio Design Museum Launch

The streets of Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane are being transformed into giant gallery spaces with the launch of a new project by Object: Australian Centre for Craft and Design.

Object, based in Sydney, has worked with independent curators, local designers and Queensland’s design organisation artisan – idea:skill:product to create two Brisbane guided audio tours that lead listeners on a trail of the best design and creativity.

The tours take in the Fortitude Valley, West End & South Brisbane areas. You can download the tours to your MP3 player at the Audio Design website to discover all the other wonderful places featured on the tours.

The Brisbane tours are presented in partnership with artisan through Creative Sparks, a joint initiative of Brisbane City Council and the Queensland Government through Arts Queensland.

On Thursday 7 Oct as part of a huge week of design related events around Brisbane, artisan launched the Audio Design Museum. Formally launched by Councilor Geraldine Knapp, Chair of Creative Communities, a dedicated group of Queensland design supporters attended the launch event at the artisan gallery and were delighted to be immersed in the beautiful Barbara Heath exhibition.

After a glass of champagne and some really good conversation a small group of design devotees did the short walk down to James Street to the first venue on our tour, the Francis Leon shop. Thanks to Jo and Cat for a lovely talk about fashion and business in their beautiful retail studio. Tinh was pattern cutting in the studio and Thuong was machining which exposed us to a serious fashion studio in action.

It was then a couple steps to the next venue FIO, a stunning new jewellery gallery recently setup and run by Matt Dwyer. He invited us to access the back of house work space that he teaches his gold and silversmithing classes from. This was a truly unique experience and one that will not be forgotten.

We then walked around the corner to Chester Street which is the location of Jason Bird’s Objx shop. Jason and his team often collaborate with other Queensland designers with the resulting works being celebrations of both savvy contemporary design and wild colours. Jason also showed us a new chair design that he and his team where working on.

The tour then returned to Brunswick Street and the last stop on our list the fabulous Fallow store. After finding our way up and into Cameron House we approached the black door with a deer horn handle and just knew that we were in for a treat. After being welcomed by the lovely Khatra we discovered a treasure trove of a shop. At Fallow you will find the most desirable of fashion, jewellery and collectable objects all in shades of white, black or gray!

We then headed back to artisan for the launch of Barbara Heath’s new exhibition Tinsmith: An Ordinary Romance, which was the perfect way to end an afternoon of design discovery around the Fortitude Valley precinct.