Live From Dublin: Generosity Abounds

Thank you to everyone for their generosity and support! Patrons have been sending love and well wishes...A big shout out to my latest corporate sponsor- TEW Galleries of Peachtree Hills.

I would also like to say thank you to the Pilots' Group of Gainesville and their fabulous Wives. Helen and Walter Schneider- big hug and kisses- y'all are the most terrific hosts who threw a hell-of-a-send-off! I'm so fortunate to be part of such a community.

Live From Dublin: Pennies From Heaven

Who ever said luck falls into one’s lap? Pish. We Irish make our own luck! While deciding not to postpone this research trip another year to complete another round of grants, I’ve geared up to use private funds to fulfill this pursuit. I’ve been working hard, saving my pennies. But I’ve also delved into the world of fundraising. Over these summer months, I’ve pursued corporate sponsorships, both on a local and national level. I’ve hand-made a limited edition of Celtic knot charms to reward individual patrons. And I’ve applied to post my project on Kickstarter.com.

Thank you to my first corporate sponsor (but hopefully not my last)— The Society of American Silversmiths! And a big thank you to my many individual patrons. You can find their names listed on the Patrons page of my website.

If you would like to support this pursuit (and get your “name in lights” as a Patron, hehe), please check out the Donation page on the website (www.atabacchi.com), my Facebook page, or contact me in person.

Live From Dublin: The Masters

So just who are some of these artists I’ll be working with? Some of the most respected and distinguished metalsmiths Ireland has to offer.

Aidan Breen

A native of Dublin, his early fascination with Celtic design came from frequent visits to the National Museum as a child, to see such pieces as the Tara Brooch and Ardagh Chalice. He apprenticed at the firm M.H. Gill & Sons working on ecclesiastical vessels. After other positions with a variety of firms, he started working on his own in 1978 and was out in front when Celtic-designed work made a resurgence in popular culture. He considers himself a silversmith who specializes in repoussé and chasing and has been commissioned by the Dublin Assay, Government Ministers, and the National Museum of Ireland among others. His work will reside in the permanent collection along side the very masterpieces he gazed upon, awestruck as a child.

Watch an interview of him from Irish Craft.tv:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0YJjt6JWcwQ

And view some of his current original designs available for purchase at:

http://www.celtarts.com/Breen.htm

Brian Clarke

Having worked closely with the National Museum in Kildare Street, Dublin for the past ten years, Brian has researched ancient Celtic metalwork and the techniques used to create them. Techniques that were thought lost, he rediscovered. He has discovered how the ancient metalsmiths formed the famous Ribbon Torcs and has recreated exact 22K gold replicas of the Lunulae that now reside in the National Museum. These torcs were forged from a single ingot without any cutting or filing and thus without any waste of materials. He and his wife run workshops from their studio in County Wicklow as well as the south of France.

Discover some of the great works he’s created by visiting his website’s gallery:

www.silversmithingworkshop.com

Additionally, I will visit several metalsmiths who, while unable to sponsor me in my research, have invited me to visit their studios and speak about their work. These include but are not limited to:

o        Seliena Coyle: independent jeweler, former Professor of Metals at the Savannah College of Art and Design, current resident of Dublin and lecturer at the National College of Art and Design.

o        Kevin O’Dwyer: silversmith, specializing in the design and creation of contemporary silverware (no, this doesn’t mean just flatware!). www.millennium2000silver.com

o        Breda Haugh: after working for several jewelry industry businesses, she set up shop for herself in Dublin where she designs and sells her own work as well as creates commissioned pieces. www.bredahaugh.com

o        Seamus Gill: silversmith and jeweler creating work from his own studio in Dublin. http://www.seamusgill.com

Live From Dublin: Luck of the Irish

After two years of grant applications, coming close, but ultimately- no go, I decided to prepare my research trip to Dublin, Ireland using private funds. Who says luck falls in one’s lap? We Irish make our own luck! So I will be hopping the pond to the green isle in September and will conduct my research to study the iconography and techniques of medieval Celtic metalwork over the course of about three months.

The last year of my studies at the University of Georgia focused on learning traditional techniques and historical styles. This was reflected in my undergraduate thesis work, a collection entitled inVulnerable. This exhibit visually portrayed aspects of invulnerability using figures found throughout the world’s mythology and folklore. Five heroes were chosen, who’s stories best exemplified this universal need to protect one’s self. As told through their story, a protective piece of adornment for the one body part left vulnerable was created for each hero. Each piece reflected the historical style and metalsmithing techniques unique to each hero’s culture and time. A sixth piece was in response to my research and was an exploration of my own invulnerability.

While my proposed body of work for my research in Ireland will not be a direct extension of my thesis topic, it will still reside in the vein of exploring historical and narrative styles and traditional craft in a contemporary context. I find the Celtic style compelling for it’s focus on complex, intricate patterns—every surface encrusted in decorative and symbolic features—and each element of the composition adds to the narrative.

During my three month stay in Dublin, I will research the historical metalsmithing skills and iconography unique to Irish metalwork, particularly those developed during the Golden Age between the 6th and 9th centuries. Irish work focused on a range of techniques which included repoussé, fabrication, filigree, enameling, and casting. Repoussé is the ornamental shaping of metal sheet into low and high-relief shapes and patterns using hammers and small hand tools. Building on my knowledge of these processes, I will explore the traditional methods employed.

I’ll be working on a new body of work in a rented studio space and will have the great opportunity to work with some of the finest Irish metalsmiths. I will meet with Aidan Breen regularly in his studio to discuss his background, techniques, style, and influences, and hopefully receive some critique for my newly created pieces. I will also join Brian Clarke in his studio in County Wicklow, just south of Dublin, for a short time and participate in Celtic chasing and repoussé workshops. In between, I’ve been invited to visit several other artists in their studios and I look forward to the many conversations about their work and our craft in general.

Additionally, I will attend an Irish art history course offered by Trinity College as well as making regular visits to the many museums, but in particular, the National Museum of Ireland, which houses the Ardagh Chalice among other prized pieces. No, there will be no rest for the wicked! I intend for this to be a fun-filled and jam-packed trip.

Upon my return state-side, I plan to exhibit the work generated during my stay in Ireland at a variety of local venues and present a series of demonstrations and speeches discussing my research. I will also self-publish a book about the craft processes, contemporary Irish metalsmiths and the work I produced.

These techniques piqued my interest and passion early in my degree and I feel that they will feature prominently in my work through the rest of my career. I’m very excited at the opportunity to meet and work with these Irish artists. I’m looking forward to sharing this information and experience with friends, family, and my community of American metalsmiths. Please visit the Notebook again soon to read all about my adventures on the Emerald Isle.

Miscellany: Thinking About Arts Grants?

Spring 2011

I’ve now gone through two years of grants cycles. I’ve come close—I was selected as the Fulbright Scholar alternate to Ireland and nominated for the Windgate Fellowship sponsored by The Center for Craft Creativity and Design. While in the end, I decided to pursue my research into medieval Celtic metalwork using private funds, rather than completing another cycle of grants, I would consider reapplying for the Fulbright and other grants for future projects and would recommend the process to others. Some tips I would offer from the trenches:

o        Start well in advance. (Easier said than done…) It will take twice as long as you think it will to research and prepare your proposal, fill out all the applications, track down recommendations, etc.

o        Find friends and family to read drafts of your proposal/application. If it’s a substantial grant, consider enlisting the help of a professional (writer, editor, etc).

o        I know- this sounds like a no-brainer- but you’d be surprised what details get missed when you’re in a hurry or take on too many things at once- make sure you follow all the sponsoring organization’s directions when filling out the application and obtaining the required elements.

o        Also, don’t get ahead of yourself- sometimes including extra information that was not requested by the organization can get your application declined. Many organizations receive a flood of applications and might be looking for any reason to narrow the selection.

There are an unbelievable number of grants available out there if you are willing to spend the time searching. Remember that there are grants at every level, from your local community or geographic region to national foundations. Learn more about some of the grants that I’ve applied for:

Fulbright Scholar Program

http://us.fulbrightonline.org/home.html

The largest U.S. international exchange program offering opportunities for students, scholars, and professionals to undertake international study, research, and teaching.

Windgate Fellowship

http://www.craftcreativitydesign.org/research/windgate.php

The Windgate Fellowship Award Program is administered by the Center for Craft, Creativity and Design in Hendersonville, North Carolina. A limited number of outstanding colleges/universities across the United States are invited to nominate two graduating seniors for one of ten fellowships awarded annually. This program was established to help encourage and advance the development of serious, innovative U.S. artists whose work is in some way related to, or informed by, the process, material, or idea of craft.

Miscellany: I Recommend Following These Metalsmiths and Jewelers

Not only are these folks friends of mine but they are incredibly talented to boot. They’re in no particular order, check them out-

• Courtney Poole Pendergrast, Aurum Studios, Athens, GA
• Laura Mullen, website coming soon
• Barbara Mann, www.barbaramannstudio.com
• Tadashi Koitzumi, www.pickleinthepot.com
• Wes Airgood, www.airgoodmetals.com
• Rachel Columb, www.etsy.com/people/bonedancer
• Megan Trace Tenenbaum, www.megantracetenenbaum.com
• Gabe Bratton, www.gabriellejewelry.com

In The Studio: An inVulnerable Body of Work

Fall 2010

I get so caught up in making sometimes its hard to remember to stop once in a while to take images of the process and progress. Here are a few images of me in the studio working on my undergraduate thesis body of work entitled inVulnerable. My thesis exhibition was on display at the Lamar Dodd School of Art from December 3-13, 2010. Check out images of my reception on my Facebook page.  

Heritage Series: The Sum Of One’s Parts

I have long since been captured by my genealogy. It is this chaotic mix of a big, close southern family with that of new immigrants. I grew up on stories of various memories told from different eras, locations, and perspectives. This is how I discovered the sum of my parts; my grandpa’s long legs, my granny’s love of crafts and hand-work, how my eyes squint when I smile just like on my mother’s face, or how I have my father’s hands. I wanted to know where all these parts came from and what might have influenced my interests, but it was also cautionary. I explored the past in an attempt to avoid their same mistakes and regrets.

The portrait I have selected to replicate is of my paternal grandmother, Loretta. Loretta was born at the turn of the century to immigrant parents. At a time in society when young women were expected to marry as soon as they finished secondary school, Loretta attended a “ladies business school” and became a bookkeeper. She worked through her 20s, saving her money to travel the country and even back to Ireland. Not until her 30s did she marry and try to start a family. I’ve always been told that I’m built like her- pear shaped- and that I have her hair. I feel at times that I am her echo.

The original image was taken in San Francisco between 1929-1930 and she is approximately 29-30 years old. The jewelry and clothing she wears is no longer in existence so I decided to reproduce the earrings, necklace, and watch based on information and proportions that I could see and making an educated guess on what I could not. By making the jewelry myself, I could not only control the design, materials, and proportions to gain accuracy, but it forced me to investigate my connection to and perhaps my fascination with this woman. 

 
While I have selected this particular portrait for a specific reason, generally I wish to convey the idea that I am more than the sum of my parts. I may have their eyes, their laugh, their stubbornness. I am made from them and yet I am not them. I am not her.

Andrea: image by Chrissy Reed; Athens, GA; December 2009

Loretta: image by unknown studio photographer; San Francisco, CA; circa 1929-30

In The Studio: Techniques

This 20 second clip of Andrea Tabacchi was shot in August 2009 in the UGA Jewelry and Metals Studio. On this day, she created a sample brooch in the shape of Australia. It shows the use of basic techniques such as piercing, chasing, soldering, and finishing.

Videographers: Andrea Tabacchi, Courtney Poole Pendergrast
Editors: Chris Adams, Andrea Tabacchi