Susan died today.
She was born in 2015. The sole survivor after her entire family was torn to pieces by rogue dogs that entered a friend's backyard in Canberra. While unsurprisingly she was severely traumatised by that experience, yet always the top of the pecking order in our flocks.
She lived a highly strung life outliving 9 other hens over as many years. However her last 2 years as a lone free range hen, she'd been more subdued & relaxed than I knew she was capable of. Indeed a lucky bird to live so long and so well for almost 11 years.
Will miss her crowing like a gentle rooster almost every morning.
Very pleased that my work 'Faceted Tubes Tagged' 2006 is included in the exhibition 'REFLEXION' in Munich, Germany, as part of the @dieneuesammlung 100th anniversary. Of course my work is not physically reflective, but the growth of form within my works innately involves the conscious & subconscious reflections, on the context & circumstances within the action of thinking through making. My work is made to physically map out the intangible nature of how reflection informs direction within the action of creative progression.
This brooch was owned by Mari Funaki, until she gifted it back to me shortly before her passing. It was then donated to the permanent collection of the @pinakothekdermoderne in 2016 on behalf of Mari's high personal regard for that museum's exemplary collection.
Photographer: @mark_ashkanasy
Happy to hear that this piece 'Six loose form, dense' 2004 has been acquired for the permanent collection of the Museum of Art & Design in New York City, as part of a significant gift from the private collection of Susan Beech.
Made at a frantic time 21 years ago, when pieces were selling faster than I could make them. Long before I even had my own digital camera. Many pieces of that time I have no photographic record of... It was only recently that I was sent THIS photo of this piece regarding the publicarion of the book 'Feast; Contemporary Jewellery from the Susan Beech Collection' an expansive feast of a book AND a collection indeed.
THIS old piece was the 1st of a group of 7 pieces over 9 years that were successional iterations on one simple idea; to make more carefully & more slowly. Allowing each new piece to grow iteratively, within itself, and then reflectively making new repeating/rhyming pieces with only slight variances each time. An action of slow learning, watching over my own shoulder, while intuitively making, while consciously reflecting on subconscious developments within and between past works. Like a conscious physical mapping of slow subconscious creative process/growth/progress.
These 4 are the only ones I have pics of...
1. 'Six loose forms, dense' 2004 now in the @madmuseum collection.
2. 'Six loose forms, loose' 2005 private collection USA
3. 'Six loose forms' 2005 private collection in New Zealand.
4. 'Six loose forms focussing' 2013 private collection in Australia.
I've posted these together here for the sake of context; because life always makes more sense when looking at it in reverse, but unfortunately we have to live it forward.
The upside of the downside.
Still can't work, still can't make, cant really go anywhere much. Can't really do anything that I really want to do. I can only really go anywhere on the way to medical appointments. The last 2 months I've seen 3 emergency departments, 2 ambulance resuscitations and countless so called "medical professionals" with their eyes glued shut, whose greatest skills are a strong commitment to refusing to listen to me. When I explain to them exactly what is going on, and exactly what I know I need, and the recent research papers that precisely define my situation and the required treatment; their only response is confused blank stares and suggestions to see other specialists I've already seen who gave the same vacant response they gave.
..but I can recompose & alter, in response to pictures other people send me of wherever they go.
Supposedly won't be long now...
On the 10 July I finally found an unbroken chain of 1 nurse, 1 GP, 1 more specialist all of whom saw the urgency, after listening, understanding AND AGREEING with exactly what I've been saying for the last 3 years!!
Now I Just have to wait one more time, one more week, while my body again absorbs, adjusts, and responds to yet another new treatment plan. ...This exemplary new specialist Dr. says "I honestly cannot see what your previous Drs were thinking, using 70 year old technology in ways that defy reasoning".
This NEW treatment is finally the one I've been fighting to receive for the last three fucking years!
Why are there so many foolish medical professionals who simply refuse to listen, refuse to work with this patient who clearly knows more about their co-morbidities than they do, and yet instead they choose to work against this patient by hurling egotistical stubborn arrogant righteousness for three years!!
I only just realised THIS is the FIFTH time since I was 16 where I've diagnosed myself and presented my diagnosis for serious chronic health conditions, to my doctors while I had to wait for them to stop floundering about. I've been right every time.
No surprise I diagnosed myself as autistic 20 years ago, but finally officially confirmed that one last month too.
When we first heard her crow ( circa 2016 ), she was quiet and her tone was ever rougher. But since she's had the last few months of daily practice her confidence and ability to project has improved immeasurably. Her intonation and tone is also becoming increasingly clear and controlled. Congratulations Susan (...my sincere apologies to the neighbors)
Licky Licky brings together 21 queer jewellery identified artists from Aotearoa, Australia and beyond on an ice cream date.
A diverse cluster of makers evolving and growing through word of mouth and accidental discoveries, Licky Licky is a chance for them to explore if the things they have in common are visible in the work that we make.
Fun, yum and queer - what more could you want?
@lickylickyexhibition part of @nelsonjewelleryweek
.........
Another of the rabble group of 5 typecast-cracking past works currently on show in Nelson, Aotearoa/NZ.
This piece from 11 years back:
‘Leftovers spoon’ 2014
925 Silver +10% Zinc alloy, Monel, Recycled woven nylon cord.
140 x 55 x 20 mm (cord length variable)
I do not believe in waste. Everything I've ever made utilizes predominantly industrial waste materials and/or things sourced from trash. Nothing comes from nothing. Everything exists within a cycle if we bother to pay close enough attention to our actions.
To use anything, we have to give something back if we expect to be able make anything more in the future. This applies to everything from money, to food, to jewellery and this spoon; which s made from the leftovers of my jewellery studio; scrap silver from a big commission back in 2003, scrap monel offcuts from my own bench work, and scrap zinc from the corner of an old etching plate (from my printmaking days 30 years ago) to make the silver alloy tarnish resistant and extra tough so it will last longer.
Also, I do not believe in disposable anything, especially spoons. They make more mess than we ever see.
You will never need one if you are wearing one…. and you will always be prepared for ice-cream.
This piece was originally made for 'Spoons' curated by @vipooart at @attagallerybkk Bangkok, Thailand back in 2014
Image credits:
Photo of Leftovers Spoon by me (as usual)
Spoon/Artist Selfie by Zoe Brand @zbrandbrand
Licky Licky brings together 21 queer jewellery identified artists from Aotearoa, Australia and beyond on an ice cream date at @nelsoncityframers .
A diverse cluster of makers evolving and growing through word of mouth and accidental discoveries, Licky Licky is a chance for them to explore if the things they have in common are visible in the work that we make.
Fun, yum and queer - what more could you want?
@lickylickyexhibition part of @nelsonjewelleryweek
.........
I'm thrilled to be showing a selection of confounding, even "profounding", yet endearing rabble group of 5 typecast-cracking past works in Nelson, Aotearoa/NZ.
Including this piece from 13 years back:
'Ball chain is beads' necklace 2012
A playful subversion of beaded cliches, or even an upside-down rainbow, but not quite.
Which was made through the recomposing of all manner of materials from unwanted/donated jewellery that was pulled together from the general public & distributed between a wide array of 21 amazingly diverse Australian jewelers to rework into new jewellery for the 'Once more with love' exhibition.
This visionary project was curated by @suse_sprout , one of my Monash Uni graduates, in discussion with & influenced by USA based @ethicalmetalsmiths ,to raise discussion around sustainability & jewellery making (that at the time, had barely begun in Australia).
With my involvement we expanded and toured this project to Sydney, Canberra & Melbourne between 2011-2013 with a range of community discussions & workshops.
Check out the awesome 'OnceMoreWithLoveAustralia' website that Suse put together, to see what else was born out of that project.
Licky Licky brings together 21 queer jewellery identified artists from Aotearoa, Australia and beyond on an ice cream date at @nelsoncityframers .
A diverse cluster of makers evolving and growing through word of mouth and accidental discoveries, Licky Licky is a chance for them to explore if the things they have in common are visible in the work that we make.
Fun, yum and queer - what more could you want?
@lickylickyexhibition part of @nelsonjewelleryweek
.........
I'm thrilled to be showing a selection of confounding, even "profounding", yet endearing rabble group of 5 typecast-cracking past works in Nelson, Aotearoa/NZ.
Including THIS one : 'Soft Black Light' neckpiece, 2016.
Aluminium and glass; screw thread from broken tennis court globe.
Closed cell NBR Foam; from damaged gym equipment pad.
Nylon; woven blind cord offcuts.
375/1000 Nickel White Gold; leftovers from a job way back in 1998.
All (except for the gold) was scrounged up over 6 months access to the garbage dumps of Canberra, to produce works for the brilliant 'RECLAIM' exhibition curated by Mel George for @craft_design_canberra back in the spring of 2016.
