Roisin Connolly

New jewelllery.

2011-06-20T16:34:00.000-07:00

A new blog post on my other blog.

'my edinburgh street, in st.andrews'

So...what comes next.

2011-06-15T14:48:00.000-07:00

So, this is it?

In just over a weeks time I will have graduated (hopefully not tripping up the stairs, but possibly) and will be standing in my gown in front of the caird hall posing for hundreds of photos, 'for the family'. I graduated with a shiny little 2:1 of which I am generally pretty pleased with . I am a fully fledged DoJ graduate don't you know.

But errrrrr what now?..well firstly make the most of the lovely time I have left with my lovely lovely class as I notice we all seem to be going back to our normal home lives and well that is just a terrible shame.

So what did we do? Well a couple of us, of course, painted ourselves a delightful shade of blue and headed Revel Bound.

The ECA famous Degree Show After Party is held in the grounds of ECA, this years theme being Under the Sea (hence the blue paint). We partied the night away and for one night only forgot that our student youth has come to an end and that the real world beckons.

General Chit Chat.

2011-03-29T06:43:00.000-07:00

So it's all go go go in the workshop at the moment....

Final year is rapidly coming to the end which is leaving our class highly on edge at times. The time is passing more rapidly day by day, hour by hour. How do we find the time?

...my little hands are becoming tough and battered from long days in the workshop and my eyes are now feeling ever so slightly strained from long days focusing on small pieces of Jewellery.

But this is it. The end is nigh. I am going though days of pure excitement which can quickly lead to fear. I have high hopes that are suddenly dashed in an instant, however this seems a common pattern with all DoJ students at the moment. This blog has been put to one side while I begin to build up my blog which is focusing solely on my degree show work, an online Sketchbook as it were.

I think it is time to stop procrastinating and to get back to the grind.

Degree show time is looming. *ah*

Follow my other blog.

2011-02-14T09:13:00.001-08:00

http://thediaryofayoungtraveller.blogspot.com/

Come follow my blog.

Did you Snack Shack it?

2011-02-02T05:53:00.000-08:00

Did you miss out on our first ever 'Snack Shack'??

Shame on you.

Today you lost out on the chance to eat the glorious delights of home made soup and quiche You missed out on Savoury Cheese Twists, Sausage Rolls, Bola,Fritata and much much more.

Do not fret... after the success of today we are sure to have another 'Snack Shack' to help feed you up and raise funds for our ever looming Degree Show *gasp*

Handmade Bunting, made specially for the Snack Shack

Little tulips to brighten up your day as you come to feed.

Little cups of Jelly goodness.

Did someone say Snack Shack?

Don't miss out next time on our Yummy Food.

From all the Jewellers,

Happy Eating.

Playing with Fire. More pictures.

2011-01-30T12:35:00.000-08:00

Playing with Fire.

2011-01-30T12:04:00.000-08:00

So today myself and a few other fellow DoJ Jewellers experienced glass bead making which involved lots of glass, fire and a steady hand.

It is something I never truly understood the complexitys of,the process in which one must follow in order to create really exciting glass work is magical to watch and learn. Helen, who in my eyes seems a Master of this skill managed to casually show us a multitude of bead making skills in her very own little 'glasswork workshop'.

She also ever so kindly let us all have a go behind the flames (risky Helen, risky) teaching us new glass work skills, explaining how differing colours have different melting points and discussing how some glass has traces of silver and copper and therefore need to be used in a different manner from others. It was almost like the most colourful science lesson I have ever experienced.

Me trying to make tiny beads

Learning and seeing new skillls like this will always excite an aspiring jeweller....although this may mean that we may all head to Helens glass workshop more often now. Sorry Helen, we will get lost trying to find you again so you probably don't need to worry about that. haha.

Helen currently has a little etsy shop set up selling glass beads and Jewellery that shes seems to be making more of daily. Also, Helen has an exciting blog which constantly teaches us all that little bit more about the possibilities of glass. You can find her blog here.

Thanks again Helen,

....oh and the Cocktails the night before weren't too bad either.

Look at my degree show blog....

2011-01-19T15:53:00.003-08:00

http://thediaryofayoungtraveller.blogspot.com/

Sorry been busy updating over there recently. Will come back here soon enough .It is still my favourite.

Must remember to blog.

2011-01-14T16:30:00.001-08:00

Note to self. Blog misses you. Get Writing.

I will get back to blog writing asap.

New Blog.For Degree show work!

2011-01-08T16:04:00.000-08:00

Hello Hello.

It's not quite in perfect condition yet...... but but but here is the link to my 'other' blog. The one in which I will will only put degree show thoughts.

Come Look.

http://thediaryofayoungtraveller.blogspot.com/

New Blog for DJCAD Degree Show.

2011-01-07T13:46:00.000-08:00

I am in the midst of creating a blog that I will record work solely based for/towards or on, degree show work.

Keep a look out. I'll get on it soon. I promise.

It will be called,

........................... *drumroll*..............................

'The Diary of a Young Traveller.'

(a narrative project)

Blog One of 2011. Happy New Year.

2011-01-02T16:26:00.000-08:00

Hello Cows.

  Hello, first blog of 2011.

So I have come to the conclusion, writing a blog is addictive. I used to think writing a blog seemed quite vain,risking talking on and on, and on and on all about yourself (you don't have too, but you can) but I think I'm now addicted. My mind is always thinking in Photographs and Blogs.
   For those of you who know me, will know I used to be one to slightly resent technology...I wanted to do things old school like write a letter rather than send an email, use film photogrpahy rather than digital.I claimed NEVER to want a smart phone (a phone is not a cameraaaaa!) and yet here I am failing to use the 'qwerty' touch screen keypad on my overly smart phone *gasp*. Oh how times have changed since this time last year,haha.

Now that I know that my blog is one of the blogs to be featured on Dundee University 'What they say' page...

http://www.dundee.ac.uk/admissions/tada/what_they_say.htm

...I suddenly feel all this extra pressure to be more exciting or even use correct grammar in my blogs (both of which are not my forte as since art school I can wholly admit my once acceptable english skills, have fallen by the wayside)

   However this blog is the first blog of 2011 and what better thing is there to discuss than the adventures I had celebrating NYE 2011.

   NYE adventures this year-an exciting adventure up north to the wintery depths of Ullapool and Leckmelm Wood. There, a few of us stayed in a beautiful log cabin (thankyou Merlin) drinking wine and whisky by the warm stove, sitting by the warm bonfire and venturing out in the woods to see the delights the North had brought us. We also ventured out on the 1st of January, were we went to listen to some beautiful Scottish Music,with friends.Perfect.

New Years Day, adventure through the wood.

Happy New Year one and all.

Ice by the Harbour.

2010-12-23T15:53:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I walked past the Harbour to find it fully frozen over, unfortunately I didn't have camera at hand.Today I went back to the mysterious frozen waters of Tayport Harbour.

It was extremely cold standing, taking photos, but there is something quite eerie and intriguing about the ice surrounding those stranded boats.

'Our Famous Christmas Sale.'

2010-12-19T14:38:00.000-08:00

Boxed and awaiting a sale.

So the Jewellery sale has been and gone. We tried our best to raffle, to sell and to make on demand all week, but now we wait to find out the final total.

But what a week it has been, we found great insight in watching what people are drawn to-the price range and who are customers were buying for. This sale was a great opportunity to people watch,we need to observe things like this as soon we will be graduates left to fend for ourselves. How do we sell?

Some students made pieces which may hold some similarity to their degree show work,which was exciting to see and makes me wonder what progression their work will take.However, I did not, I strangely went for Kitsch. Think tea for two and cup cakes, yes that was me. Making pieces with a lighthearted nature was both enjoyable and lead me to become slightly more playful with my work.Anyone for a ring with a tiny silver teacup perched on top? I think I am a bit of a romantic...oh wait it is apparent after this sale that I am.

I hope the sale went well for all the jewellers and for any pieces not sold (of mine) I am planning on keeping them all.A present to myself for working so hard. haha.

Hello Tiny Teacup.

I have recently been told I should try and bring flamingos back into fashion?

'It's the way they stand?'

So maybe our pink friends could be my next 'keeping it kitsch' venture. .

Merry Christmas Everyone,

(and a mulled wine fuelled New Year).

SLR in the snow.

2010-12-01T08:15:00.000-08:00

Backgarden in the Snow

Icicles

DJCAD

Dundee

Plastic Squirrel.

Lets go in search of some bird seed.

Snow Days....

2010-11-29T09:42:00.000-08:00

So apparently people have been 'panic buying' in our local shop...leaving the shop now milk-less and bread-less and basically quite empty.Oh no. Disaster. So off dad and I venture into the snow on this ever so cold snow day.

He drove. I took pictures.

p.s I never left the car to do this. It is cold outside don't you know.

Kincaple

Land Rover Days

Tayport Harbour,slightly snow covered.

Strathkinness.

DJCAD,Final Year Jewellers Present: 'Our Famous Christmas Sale.'

2010-11-28T06:09:00.000-08:00

Hello all.

Welcome to our Christmas Sale.

It has become tradition that the Final Year Jewellers annually whip up some goodies for your delights every christmas. With contemporary Jewellery made just for you at Christmas. So please come along and see if there is Jewellery that catches your eye and find that perfect christmas gift this year.

The Important Information:

14th -17th December

9.30 to 4.30 daily.

In the Foyer of Duncan of Jordanstone.

Perth Road,Dundee.

'It won't cost you an arm and a leg... but will look as though it should.'

From all the Final Year Jewellers...

We look forward to seeing you at

'Our Famous Christmas Sale.'

Follow the link and click attending

http://www.facebook.com/?ref=logo#!/event.php?eid=171573426200810#wall_posts

Goldsmiths Company Precious metal Bursary 2010.

2010-11-25T04:07:00.000-08:00

...and so as a 4th year, *eeek* it is now our turn to tackle this years Precious Metal Bursary; creating a piece/range which should hopefully link in with our final degree show. We are trying to win a bursary which will allow us to use precious metals such as gold and silver(or even platinum etc) which we originally would never have been able to even contemplate using due, to high cost of precious metals.

Excuse any spelling mistakes.
I fear there shall be many as too many late nights have gone into this, that when I look I can no longer tell.

To Goldmsiths!

Christmas Card goes Live.

2010-11-20T10:35:00.000-08:00

So today I googled: 'Roisin Connolly, Christmas Card,' and found these exciting links.

So where better to save them than on the good old blog.

http://joe.dundeesnp.org/

http://shona.dundeesnp.org/?p=241

http://stewart.dundeesnp.org/

It's been a good day blog-wise methinks.

Christmas Card Win!

2010-11-09T12:54:00.000-08:00

The email:

'To create a design or image that will be printable on one side of an A5-sized card, (either portrait or landscape) to reflect 'the immense
cultural opportunities that lie ahead for Dundee' in the near future.

The designer of the card selected as the winner will receive £250 and copies of the printed card.

The card will be incorporated as the official Christmas Card for two MSPs and one MP representing the city in Scottish and UK parliaments and will be sent to around 800 organisations and individuals from their address books and may be similarly sent out by other sponsors. The costs of the card will be donated to charity.'

The Card:

'praised for its' cultural references, colour and particularly the humour of it.'

The winner: to my great surprise I have won,so I now have a little teeny weeny prize giving to go to on the 19th.

Christmas always manages to cheer me up and the penguins do looks sweet don't they?

Photoetching Possibilities.Christmas is coming.

2010-11-07T12:51:00.000-08:00

Bonfire then Bed.

2010-11-05T15:49:00.000-07:00

remember,

the 5th of November.

Trials

2010-10-22T04:27:00.000-07:00

Scaffold vs castle.

The time is?

I wonder how it would feel to be alone up there.

Camera Trials.

I should read the handbook but trial and error is much more spontaneous.

Tourist in Edinburgh.

2010-10-22T03:04:00.000-07:00

So some of the Jewellers went on a small venture to Dovecot Studios just Wednesday past, we got lost but in the end made it to our destination and wandered around the Jerwood Contemporary Makers exhibition slightly confused/really tempted to play with the tyres? (Just me?) With such a broad scope in the term 'Contemporary Makers, ' we were met with a group of objects which personally I felt didn't seem to work well together. This could have been intentional but it has not been one of my favourite exhibitions of late, but it is always good to go and investigate.

However after a yummy lunch and then stufffing ourselves with yet more food barely half an hour after having our 'yummy lunch,' the Dundee kids started venturing back home, while like the tourist that I appeared to be whipped out the new camera and got a little bit snap happy. It was difficult times doing this, it was very cold and I wanted to wear my mittens but then with the mits on I was unable to to 'click' the camera. So in the end I had to brace the cold for the sake of 'art'.

While strolling along I saw this....

Put your best food forward.

Munich CutOut

2010-10-18T08:13:00.000-07:00

little paper and masking tape collage

Pictures taken on my film Pentax. (Originally black and white.)

1410 Still Frames.

2010-10-15T16:39:00.000-07:00

So when I was a small, naive, first year, beginning the general course straight from school and right into the depths Duncan of Jordanstone I was adamant that Animation was for me.

When I was much smaller I would somehow make Mother Connolly take her little daughter to university with her every now and again (this being DoJ-her being a fine art printmaker.) She would sometimes manage to work her magic and there I would find myself in the animation studio watching little stop motion animation sets working away, in miniature. It was magic and the only thing I wanted to do from a young age. So here 10-14years on from those days,I am a 4th year jeweller? Huh? I absolutely love my degree and was instantly sold into becoming a jeweller after seeing the jewellery workshop but the longing for animation/illustration still beckons. In a lecture recently we were asked to explain what our perfect day would be, say in 10 years-where do I expect/want to be? Truthfully if all went to plan I would be an illustrator of children books, stories which would then become adorable little childrens TV shows in Stop Motion Animation.I would make jewellery in my workshop by day and go out and take photographs by night, I would have an AGA cooker in a little cottage just out of town with a dog( a springer) and I would be happy happy happy. I want to be able to see programmes on the TV like The Clangers or Parsley the Lion and the Herbs?

...and this is why I am am going to try and attempt to use some stop motion animation as a way of both exploring and explaining my Degree show work. A digital sketchbook, but a piece of art/narrative in its' own right...almost.................................................... Travels

So here I am practising away on different stop motion sites playing about having a jolly good time, using my own personal tiny clanger as a prop (knitted by Audrey).

Fun Stuff.

Hello Tiny Clanger

I am almost sure I will have blogs in the future talking of the disasterous time I am having and I admit now it may work or it may not but I am sure going to give a go.

Christening the Camera.

2010-10-01T13:56:00.000-07:00

New Camera.

First Photo

Yes,it is a flower...but it was the first thing I saw to photograph.

Many pictures for years to come.

Must learn what all the settings do.

Picture no.1-The start of good things to come.

Jewellers are not the only Magpies around.

2010-09-21T13:51:00.000-07:00

advertising some products

Magpie-rs

Magpie poster-Collectables of the future I'd say.

...and so within a week of 4th year, the Jewellers did an incredible job of organising the first Magpie Sale of the year, hopefully not to be the last.

Scrounging in our attics, our garden sheds, our bedrooms or even our mothers house we somehow managed to bring together a rather awesome collection of goods to sell to the Students of DoJ.

Was it the bottle stall that tempted you? You won the Tizer didn't you?

So the Magpie sale commenced, realising that I was the most terrible person at asking people for money I set my sights on selling raffle tickets for the Bottle stall. It was a set price and so I wouldn't be faced with people trying to haggle and therefore find myself giving in to their 1p offer for 23 tubes of acrylic paint. (I didn't actually do that audrey but you get the idea)

'Wine for the weekend, 6 for a £1, or 20p each!!!'

With Audrey manning the desk and all the DoJ Students putting in a valiant effort hitting the cantina getting the students back to the sale and the rest handling the haggling students, we sold throughout the day.

A few of us Jewellers gave the bottle stall a go in hopes of winning our own goods back? I didn't win, I tried with 12 tickets aswell.

Me-not with a winning ticket

But Elspeth got gold with some 'wine for the weekend.'

All the final year jewellery kids did a grand job and I think it looks as though the Magpie sale will be on the cards again for all you students who missed out first time.

From the Jewellers. over and out.

We have a winnner!!!!

Time Flies when you're having fun.

2010-09-12T08:20:00.000-07:00

So here it is,

Tomorrow is the first day of what could be (possibly) be my final year as an art student at Duncan of Jordanstone.

Time has really flown by, I still vividly remember the day I found my unconditional acceptance on UCAS and here we are, the big guns. We are those students that the first years can never imagine being, so 'old' and 'mature.'

Apart form the daunting task of dissertationing, I can only imagine this year to be GREAT in every way!

Hello 4th year.

Kamba Tribe.

2010-08-21T05:33:00.000-07:00

Joseph and Moses

Kenya in Film.

2010-08-20T09:30:00.000-07:00

Kidong Mud huts

Lake Chala

The hammocks in Mkwiro, they can be quite lethal and fling you right off.

Daniel making rope from Sisal.

Hello, our home in Kidong.

Land based Watch, looking for Dolphins on the Channel.

Old pictures of poaching times.

When you go to Kenya...

2010-08-13T00:19:00.000-07:00

Hamjambo.

(REPLY -Hatujambo)

Kenya has been and gone… I now write this as a penniless student in the midst of dissertation writing and just general life. But but but what an inspiration the Kenya adventure was huh? I was out of the country for a whole 6 weeks and 1 day, that one day being the bane of my life in terms of acquiring travel insurance. However it’s all worth it in the end.

I still have multiple films requiring some development, some clothes that still seem to smell just a little like ‘wet dog’, but now that I have used the wondrous hot shower I can begin to blog the adventures of my brief life in Kenya.

Life began in Mkwiro, Wasini Island and this is the place were I felt most at home. This island manages to works its magic on you even with the lack of power, the ridiculously high multitude of sand flies,the drop toilets that seem to require some skill, the daily water run and our favourite…the cold cold sea water,bucket ‘showers.’ However what it is ‘lacking,’ (if one were to think of it that way) it makes up for it in the early morning swims watching the sun rise, the stars in the sky;the Milky way, the hammocks were you can hide away and read a book or ‘Paradise,’ which always strived to supply GVI kids with a Tusker or three, sometimes even served cold. Mkwiro is were I enjoyed my marine and community work where the beginning of all adventures Kenya style began.

Community- after going through TEFL training and struggling to find a teacher face, that wasn’t laughable we were sent into the school. This felt like a daunting task but never will you find so many young adults and children striving so hard to learn. It was amazing, the young children would work so hard to come to the right answer and hear praise from their teacher when succeeding. The youngest children just enjoyed the company and would dance and sing and play. Warning: Children are like camera magnets, the smallest children have the strongest sense, it must fade as they age. They love to see their smiling faces replayed to them on the screen Always smiling.

Marine was fantastic. After more lectures and tests making sure we were both fit and prepared to handle the Marine Bardon and fully understood the workings behind the Research process we hit the boat. With the help of Shaffi our eagle eyed Captain we always found ourselves with wonderful Dolphin sightings and all this magic was happening in the middle of the Indian Ocean. Little Bardan (our ever efficient little research boat) would daily tread the waters further and further out and day after day we found ourselves jumping into the waters and snorkelling in the middle of the best coral reef and marine life in the world. Tourists travel from all over the world to go on tourist dhows off Wasini Island in hope of seeing Humpback whales, bottlenose and Humpback Dolphins. But one thing they don’t have on tap is Shaffi, and the small boat that can barely make a ripple in the water/move at any kind of speed other than slow and steady, but we wouldn’t have Bardan any other way.

What came next? Tsavo West. How can I explain this? Truthfully I can’t with a 3 hour drive from Shimoni to Mombasa and then a further 6 hour bus ride to Tsavo,one can find we made it to Kidong Village. This week entailed in a project using a eco -tourism approach. Kidong Village used to be one of the main villages linked to illegal poaching within the Tsavo National park quickly transporting goods quickly to Tanzania,were once it crosses the border it is out of Kenya’ hands. GVI are working with now ex poachers in finding an alternative income for their families. We worked on final preparations with their restaurant, The Kidong Hill tour in which you can learn many exciting new things such as the Story of Kidong,……’Kidong means Witchcraft, this is due to the Massai….’ All the locals in the village were extremely hardworking and honest, no longer using poaching as a source of income. Tsavo is the epitome of how Africa is portrayed and it even came with elephants and Zebras and all that jazz, strolling about in the wild (sometimes too close for our Escaris (night/day guards) comfort.)

Forest came last. With a certain Shling Cat (Hello sister) talking us through a rather extensive forest lecture, all day. After the surprisingly difficult forest test and lectures we hit the land of the trees and not an easy task is that . Following us accidentally coming across a swarm of Safari ants (they do bite) falling over coral rag, walking into the hundredth spider web you eventually begin to get acclimatise yourself to the forest surroundings. We worked on analysing canopy cover looking into at what rate deforestation is taking hold of Shimoni Forest, which is currently known to hold the largest troop of Angolan black and white Colobus Monkey. However at the rate of deforestation due to building and burning charcoal, their habitat is severely at risk and in turn the Colobus. We also look into butterfly species as these are key in helping analyse the health of a forest and the plants within it. I am not the best at catching butterflies nor am I the best at picking up butterflies by the thorax- I had the fear I would kill them.

But there you have the it the most brief insight into the 5 week community and conservation volunteer programme. If I had more money and more time I would most certainly go back.

Kwaheri

(Goodbye)

I have just realised I am still in 3 times zones, my watch tells me the time in Amsterdam, my phone tells me Kenya time and good old lap top tells me of the Scottish hour. I think if I have only realised this a day after returning, bed is calling for me.

Lala Salama

(good night/sleep peaceful)

links to look at http://gvikenya.blogspot.com/2010/08/beach-olympics-part-2-forest-champions.html

Craft Festival Scotland

2010-06-14T02:22:00.001-07:00

Craft Festival Scotland.

2010-06-03T09:39:00.000-07:00

Myself and fellow class member Audrey Reid, won a competition in our class with our design for a 'popoutring'. A Pop Out Ring being a ring design, that can pop out from thin card, or plastic (quite a few interesting materials really,but always initially flat) but can be made into something aesthetically pleasing and 3D. Thus the idea being you will be popping out a lasered shape from a flat material- a bit of folding, twisting and playing about and there you have it, you're done.One pop out ring for you. I find it difficult to actually describe what a pop out ring is, if anyone has any other definitions please correct me.

Our 'popoutring' postcards will be given to those attending this years 'Prototype' Symposium, held in Dundee later in June.

It took many hours- both myself and Audrey can honestly and wholeheartedly admit that CAD is not our forte, but with the help of Dougie and Kerrianne our ring designs were soon transformed into wondrous laser cutting templates. Voila, just like that you say?

....and so we waited....

....laser engraving one postcard, after another, after another, only 199 to go Audrey. It was a time consuming job, but one can learn many things about how to outwit the laser machine...

We did it!!!

Here is a sneak peak at the postcard, I wouldn't want to give too much away,but once the symposium is in full swing I will put up some pictures and videos on the lasering process.
Smoke everywhere!

(...and yes that is me, with my little pigtails leaning over the laser machine.)

Lightning need only strike once.

2010-05-29T06:06:00.000-07:00

I have been quite stresssed lately. To say the least, so father Connolly took me to the church in Broughty Ferry that had been unfortunate enough to be struck by lightning, I brought both my film slr and a trusted compact digital to capture the damage.

Here are some quick compact pictures.

Thousands of pounds worth of damage was caused in a instant and the irony being that the insurance on the church, does not cover 'an act of God,' So it is still unknown were the funds may come from to fix it back up again.

Lightning is a phenomenon that always intrigues me.

3rd year,coming to a close.

2010-05-03T08:46:00.000-07:00

Well it's almost the end of 3rd year, all we have left is grading and grading and more ...grading.But what a year it has been.

None of our work at this point has been officially assessed yet, so as assessment day is looming here we find all the lovely 3rd years in superdrive mode, well most of us anyway(haha). One of our presentations will be based in the corridor, this work will be assessed on both use of presentation skills and the actual work we have created;this can be any project of our choice. The rest of our work is meant to be presented, simply, but effectively with all our work accessible for our tutors to look through, with ease inside our studio space. As space is limited within the studio this can still be quite a task.

Dissertation feedback and my assessment both fall on Wednesday the 5th of May. Stressful times, but one must keep on going.

Thankfully my presentation work is almost finished...*breathe a sigh of relief* but there can never be enough sketchbook work so onwards with sketch booking. That is a never ending task, therefore never will I be able to say I am finished when it comes to the work within these little artist booklets.

The project I chose to put out in the corridor space, is the narrative project.

'tea for two.'

Always a woman.

2010-04-26T14:34:00.000-07:00

I do not know how i have never heard this song before. Beautiful lyrics.

Copy and paste this link. and listen.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHcm1ec7CcY

Munich by film...continued.

2010-04-04T05:11:00.000-07:00

Munich by film.

2010-04-03T06:52:00.000-07:00

As I am currently attempting to save pennies for my Kenya trip this summer,it has taken me a while to get around to getting my ilford black and white film developed. However I do quite like the results and there is still yet another film to be developed from my Munich adventure in February. I will always like the essence of surprise you find with photos when you leave it a while to get them developed.

'To remember, we must first forget. '

Hello the year of the 21st.

2010-03-26T09:20:00.000-07:00

Class Charm Bracelet 2010

2010-03-25T12:49:00.000-07:00

Our 3rd year class produced a charm bracelet for another class member.We all just took a day or two and made an individual charm,not knowing how the final bracelet would turn out with all the other members of our class' charms. Luckily enough for us it all seemed to fit together pretty well and all our 'little individualisms' shone through.

Go class!!!!

p.s i made the tea cup and saucer.

Munich 2010.

2010-02-23T14:32:00.000-08:00

So I returned from my long weekend in Munich last night and I now find the word exhaustion has never been so fitting.Yet i still find myself compelled to blog my thoughts before the magical Munich days begin to blur into one.

Apart from the plane delays (in both directions) everything else was perfect, our hostel suited our needs perfectly being fitted with a cheap bar and constant flows of german beer with also their nightly extended happy hours.Being only metres away from an s-bann and u-bann we were always fit to travel to wherever germany would like to take us. (I must admit i know almost no german, only danke, which i always forgot to say anyway, so reading directions did leave me a little lost)But mainly we walked, got a little lost, found our bearings and moved on. The weather was cold and the sky seemed quite bright yet grey all at the same time. I came across beautiful old archititecture, cathedrals and much much more.The food was exquisite and Inhorgenta was highly overwhelming. The Jewellery fair was mamoth in size and the wealth that surrounded me was phenonomenal-it was dripping in gold some may say....we were just mere tadpoles trying to find our way in a great big ocean.There was contemporary jewellery, diamond encrusted pieces( not so much to my taste) there was recycled jewellery and tools, there were pearls by the tonne and gold by the nuggets.I cannot explain in words what Inhorgenta is like to a jeweller,it was great to learn so much just a tad initimidating?I don't personally want to be THAT jeweller that pays too much money for a stall, in years to come and then only have minimum spend of over 1000 euro-hats off to those who can i guess. I want to be able to make jewellery that is afffordable to all, I want to make students in metalwork think and understand were life may be just about to take them.Craft is coming back stronger and stronger and i just can't wait fro when the craftmens are going to be called upon.

With Love Vanity Fades.

2010-02-13T07:00:00.000-08:00

Prep for photo etching my two silver brooches. This narrative project keeps on changing and evolving, it's been great yet stressful, as there are so many ideas floating about but I guess this is just the nature of the beast with narrative work... always leading us in many directions.Narrative and I are going to be good friends nonetheless. I just hope the finish of these brooches is as perfect as it seems to be in my head.I am hoping to photo etch these images onto two separate brooches, but so that they can be worn side by side or individually. The lighting in the UV light box is going to be most critical part, in the perfect execution of this project. To try and pick up as much detail as possible, without leaving it in for too many seconds so that the light floods the images and the detail is lost, is not an easy task.I have set myself a difficult challenge, but exciting nonetheless!!With only a few days left of this project before the jewelllers head to inhorgenta, it's busy times all round. Hopefully the Munich scenery will also set me up for some more promising source project work. I have the upmost and honest intentions to get more source done but it's just the other projects keep on stealing away my attention. I'll fix that soon I promise.

...With Love Vanity Fades...

the narrative continues.

2010-02-10T14:49:00.000-08:00

Vanity fades once we fall in Love.

Tea for two?

2010-01-29T15:01:00.001-08:00

tea for two?

......and so the narrative project continues...and I am thoroughly enjoying it.

I have been having a few weee brainwaves with this, although not ready yet to fully disclose all yet...incase they fail. But I did feel I was due a blog, it had been a while.

'til death do us part.

2010-01-20T10:19:00.000-08:00

Mmmmmm. until death do us part? immediately are you thinking weddings, old couples sitting on a bench together holding hands, are you thinking of lovely romantic scenes in the rain and all things 'love,'??? I know I do,I am right now... I am such hopeless romantic its unreal. But this is the phrase I have chosen for this semesters narrative project. I think there are quite a few angles I could take this, I don't want to fall into what could be a bit if a stereotypical route for this project. I think narrative and I are going to have alot of fun this year....something i shall indeeed continue in the future i believe.

ok what do I think when I say... 'until death do us part,'????

GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Best friends. Love. Excitement.Companionship. Irony. Fate. Beauty. Black and White photography. The Rain. A lone Bench. Holding Hands. Money. Bling. Smiles. Broken Heart. Reading the Newspaper.Together. Apart.Breakfast in Bed. Shoulder to cry on. Someone to shout at. Hand on your shoulder. Holding you back. Tip toes. Side kick.Partner in crime. Tears.......Love at first sight? Love at last sight.

..............

................................

...........................................

p.s just a friend in the photo. I just liked it.

where are all the blogs?

2010-01-05T13:55:00.000-08:00

where be the blogs of 2010?

Source Project. Going old school with film.

2009-12-28T11:08:00.000-08:00

So the time has come for me to get some of my film photography developed.I took them to Boots this time as Jessops took forever to process my film last time and now one of my films is MIA as the ilford films need to be sent away.This is not so great, but Boots are on it apparently.I'm awaiting a call to hear them say ''oh we have your photos here miss, come get them for free.'' (i do think this is highly unlikely but heres hoping).Must crack on with the source project.

more pictures of colour project ring one.

2009-12-11T06:36:00.000-08:00

colour project. the grapefruit. ring 1 of 3 done.

2009-12-09T15:34:00.001-08:00

Ring one of three done. woooopah.

p.s yes it is photographed with a knife and spoon. It's taking the literal idea of a grapefruit being eaten for breakfast. kinda cool non?

The Colour project.

2009-11-25T06:25:00.000-08:00

So, it is time for the last project of semester one, of 3rd year. oh my how time flies by. This project is the colour project, which hopefully in turn should leave us with a colourful outcome. We are to pick a fruit, that were laid in front of us in our studio. I have found myself with a white grapefruit, a toughy some may say. But but but i am beginning to quite enjoy this project it will be a challenge to create a piece that isn't too literal compared to fruit. I like it. The grapefruit was once known as the forbidden fruit? interesting. The colour yellow is know to symbolise cowardice and deceit...all these little things are factors I am going to take in and amalgamate together to create something good. This projct we are also focusing on using resins and acyrilics something I have yet to tackle so this could be interesting. Time to do some further sketch booking and get my watercolours out.

Research talks are done.

2009-11-23T10:53:00.000-08:00

So today was presentation day, its been and gone. I don't think I have ever felt more stresssed over a project than I have throughout this one. There have been tears, moments were I had to just take a time out before I would end up melting my brass into a mess.I had to research someone who initially baffled me and daunted me a little...But now, we have come to the end, can it really be over?My presentation was....truthfully I don't know actually, words came out my mouth and the powerpoint went through the slides but other than that it's a slight blur to me. I felt extrememly nervous about this presentation so there is such a sigh of relief to have come to the end.it challenged me greatly and even though it also stressed me I wouldnt have had it any other way. I feel the memory box is just a first draft of something that may be firther developed in the future.

wordpress and me= huh?

2009-11-20T15:22:00.000-08:00

tell me whats so good about wordpress?i cannot begin to understand it, its just so much information , i just do not know where to start. is it just because i'm a jeweller, not really up to date with the technological world?

Deadlines and dissertation.

2009-11-16T13:22:00.000-08:00

...Thankfully it is not the deadline of the dissertation (quite yet) but with the end of this project looming- power points needed to be executed perfectly and proposals for dissertations are to be handed in, and final pieces need to be made, it's tense times right now. I found myself having a late night at uni tonight, only to come home, turn on my lap top and do some further power-pointing. There are so many things to think about, I cannot believe how quickly 3rd year seems to be passing me by. It's crazy, I don't feel old enough to in 3rd year thinking about dissertations, didnt i just leave school?(apparently not). How do we find the time to do this? I have work, Ihave hockey, I have uni...I have a life? hahah. oh well.

So this project is going....mmmm well its going anyway, I have what I would like to think should be a lovely idea for a project, however making it just seems to be not as easy as expected. But but but persevere I shall. The memory box will live on( i hope)

Dissertation wise, I think my thinking is going down a very commonly used route so i need to find a way to make it more interesting. But how?I am hoping to look at the culture and society changes through history towards religion and our attitudes towards it,focusing on jewellery and the symbolism it once held and how in todays culture it seems to have lost all symbolism. Symbolism and jewellery seeem to fall hand in hand I know, that's why I find myself drawn to this, as do many others though it seems. I think I will work on finding a more exciting angle.

If anyone knows how to pause time while I catch up, please let me know.

Project 2. The Research Project.

2009-11-08T12:05:00.000-08:00

So, it's about to become the 3rd week of our research project, I felt/know I've struggled to get into this project,I found myself in a bit of a rut but I am currently working through a surge of excitement of ideas and plans of what lies ahead. It is exciting. So, who am I researching you say? Jeweller, Jayne Wallace, I hadn't heard of her previous to this project and was initially daunted by this idea of digital jewellery?What is digital jewellery? Mmmm i find myself always being such a tradtionalist(is that a word) but on looking through her work there is one study that i am extremely interested in.The memory loss studies. Jayne Wallace looks into making pieces that 'invoke human realational richness.' she works closely with the digital side, but i am hoping to focus more on creating pieces without the digital effects that can evoke feeling. It won't be jewellery, it will be a thing. it will make you feel something,I am focusing closely on memory loss.I f i had more time and knowlege of digital processes i may begin to focus more on the digital side, but that will take more time. I am more focusing on the why, not the how, of Jaynes practice.

Halloweeeen time.

2009-11-03T03:51:00.000-08:00

DHTP.

2009-10-27T07:49:00.001-07:00

Tomorrow could be the day we present our DHTP .

I'm nervous. But it should all be fine.

Ring Exchange. First 3rd Year Project.

2009-10-27T04:18:00.000-07:00

This is the first project of 3rd year back at DoJ. The brief was to design a ring, which would then be made by another jewellery student.I based my ring on walks through Morton Lochs, looking in the Hides and going through the wooded area. I also looked at echoing black and white panoramic photography which i had used to capture my journeys through Morton Lochs.... I tried to do this by working with silver and oxidation to keep a simple but hopefully effective result. These pieces are now being displayed along our jewellery corridor fro anyone to see who comes past the jewellery department.

I am 20.

2009-09-30T06:03:00.000-07:00

I was 20 on Monday. This is a big deal. ahh.

Sustainability and Design!!

2009-09-20T05:58:00.000-07:00

Currently we have a collaborative project mixing it up with the other specialisms in the design school! I'm now working with IED, IMD, IPD and some more. We're working on an environmental project, we need briefs, brands, figures and themes.This project seems like it could be pretty intense but could be quite fun working with graphics and textile and such like. I didnt know anyone in my group, but i'm thinking we're a pretty good group. I've been ruthlessly going through copies of the environmentalist and other eco magazines and books in hopes of finding some exciting methods and thoughtd towards sustainability in design. there just sooo much information, my Jeweller brain is struggling to hold all the info.3rd year has barely started and I'm already finding theres not enough hours in the day to keep up with all the work. BUSY BUSY.

So, I've just created a Blog.

2009-09-07T07:28:00.000-07:00

Hello

My name is Roisin Connolly, I am about to begin my 3rd year at Duncan of Jordanstone, doing Jewellery and Metalwork. I'm nervous, things are beginnning to become more intense, the skills of everyone around me seem to be blossoming and people are now beginnning to aquire enough skills to make and design complicted and beautiful pieces. I Love doing jewellery and metalwork and couldn't imagine myself doing any other degree. I though now was the time to create a blog and begin broadening my horizons and looking ahead to after I graduate *touch wood.*