For our third series, we have collaborated with the Association for Contemporary Jewellers and Silversmiths Northern Ireland to bring three exciting episodes featured around their debut exhibition PINNED.
Each episode features a range of makers participating in the exhibition, talking about their work.
This collaboration third series of Making Conversations Podcast is funded by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland.
For this final episode of our mini series, Contemporary Metalsmith Stuart Cairns takes the podcast reins to chat to close friend and Contemporary Goldsmith Eddie J Doherty about his making journey.
Eddie J Doherty 'All Work, No Play' Photography by Simon Mills
Stuart Cairns 'Shore Brooch' Photography by Simon Mills
Message from Jemma & Robyn
We have both absolutely loved working with ACJSNI on this exciting mini series, especially developing this new episode format of an interview and featured maker clips. It was reminiscent of our first ever 'pilot' episode where we both quick-fire interviewed (and slightly accosted?) graduates at the Applied Art degree show back in 2019. There is something really wonderful about hearing a maker's work being talked about and described by the maker, it's inspiring and is the biggest driving force for why we do this podcast.
While it's definitely not easy - and we understand not everyone (in fact, no-one?) enjoys hearing themselves back - every maker brings something totally new and exciting to each episode. Some may have a similar starting point, discipline or materials but each journey is completely unique and formed around a passion of their craft and making. We only regret that we didn't start our podcast sooner to capture more moments of local craft history, although would we have ever got any of our own craft work done through it all? Probably not!
So, what's next? Nothing! Well, we don't have anything exact in the pipeline, as we are both practicing makers, we are very much so building up for the biggest selling season of the year at this point. However, when we finally reach the ground again, probably in the new year, we can start to process our big plans for the future of our podcast.
We are so proud of what we have produced with the makers we have worked with across 3 series; 19 episodes; 40 maker/guests (including us!) 6 craft disciplines, 1 funding grant awarded from Arts Council Northern Ireland, 1 organisation collaboration and 1 episode re-recorded with Stuart Cairns because Jemma pressed the wrong button on the microphone that time - probably 2 full years worth of editing through it all but always worth it for those important conversations.
We like to think that with each episode we have slowly got better at talking without rambling or saying 'um', 'eh', 'amm' (we haven't) and while we never edit what the makers say (only the occasional 'um' or long pause) the editing takes the longest time, so much more than you ever think it will! We're not complaining though, it's all been a great learning opportunity, we have gained so much knowledge into the workings of each maker's practice as well as managing so many new digital skills needed for producing a podcast.
So thank-you for sticking with us, we're blown away by your support and we still can't believe so many of you tune in each episode!
Love Jemma & Robyn
About
ACJSNI are a regional branch of the Association for Contemporary Jewellery, whose members include those who make jewellery, associated designers and craftspeople, educators, students, galleries, museum curators, retailers, critics, collectors, and people who want to learn more about contemporary jewellery.
The ACJSNI mission is to showcase and support the jewellery and Silversmithing community who live and work in Northern Ireland.
PINNED - on Linen Contemporary Jewellery - Selected Works 7 August to 3 September 2021 11am - 5pm Tuesday to Saturday Free Admission Opening Reception 7 August 2021
This is a selected Jewellery Exhibition by 21 ACJSNI members and invited guest makers closely associated with the group. The Exhibition ‘Pinned’ was first shown in Craft NI, November 2020 during Lockdown no.2. For this second showing, we have some new makers with new work, while some Jewels now reside with new owners!
'PINNED - on Linen' pays tribute to the fabric associated with R-Space at the Linen Rooms by installing work on repurposed and locally sourced Linen. By adapting the exhibition sympathetically and referencing the significance of the new location and its industrial heritage, ACJSNI engages audiences with new ways to experience the approaches and languages of Contemporary Jewellery, both in material and form.
In November 2020 ACJSNI’s PINNED Exhibition received Arts Council Funding which helped to make a series of short videos giving an insight into the working processes of 4 of our makers. In addition, we were also able to fund a series of Podcasts with Making Conversations that give an insight into the ideas behind the pieces. We hope this will help to enrich the experience and understanding of the pieces presented.
'PINNED - on Linen' at R-Space will also showcase images of work produced during lockdown by Year 11 pupils from Lagan College and Antrim Grammar School. This was a Pilot project part-funded by Ulster University and intended to run alongside the November exhibition. Covid-19 meant the ‘live experience’ had to adapt to a ‘virtual’ series of workshops, using easily available tools and materials that helped pupils experience similar fine making skills to those of a jeweller. What emerged, shows fresh and engaging voices of young makers with lively minds. This comes at a time when craft-skills have never seemed so relevant, on many levels and we hope they are proud of what has been achieved!
About text kindly shared from https://www.rspacelisburn.com/exhibitions/pinned
Series Three of Making Conversations Podcast has been funded by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland.
Follow ACJSNI on Instagram or please visit https://www.rspacelisburn.com/exhibitions/pinned for more information about PINNED - On Linen Exhibition at R-Space, Lisburn.