Instead of Jewels for Christmas this year we have opened a pop up shop called The Jewellery Apothecary!
Located at 28 Torrens Tce, Wellington (off Webb st, very top of Cuba) and just open till Christmas, The Jewellery Apothecary is dispensing limited release collections from Murder of Crows, Vaune Mason, The Wild, Fledgling and of course, Buster Collins.
Come visit us!
Tues – Fri: 10am -6pm
Sat – Sun: 10am – 4pm
Mon: closed
Howling Wolf Brooch: Sterling silver and brass
Howling Wolf Brooch: Sterling silver and brass
Smoky Quartz and sterling silver
For this year’s Toi Poneke Artists group show I have decided to indulge my obsession for stones. Check out some new work on the Rings page for more…
Toi Poneke Gallery
24 May – 5 June
Red Tigers Iron and sterling silver
After the chaos last week in my hometown of Christchurch everyone up here in Wellington just wants to help out. Of course, being a bunch of poor artists,donating money can be difficult, donating jewellery- no problem!
Handmade for Christchurch is a group of awesome New Zealanders who are taking handmade items, selling them on Trade Me (www.trademe.co.nz) and donating all the money to the Christchurch earthquake relief effort. You can find them on Facebook and on Trade Me.
I’m sending them a few pieces today that will be on Trade Me in a couple of days, so check it out! You can have a beautiful new treasure and know that your dollars have gone to help people in need.
I’m back in the studio and working hard on a new range!
But in the meantime, my other label with Vaune Mason, The Wild, is realeasing this week at Pixel Ink gallery on Cuba st, Wellington.
Check it out!
Bronze Feather Ring $119 and Silver Feather Ring $185
Coming up next - Jewels for Christmas.
Once again Workspace has chosen a select few jewellers and craftspeople to sell at our boutique sale at the Paramount Theatre on Courtenay place. This year or theme is The Enchanted Garden, an ethereal glimpse of another world.
But it’s not all floaty and girly, I will be introducing Buster Collins ”Brother” a new range of men’s jewellery to solve your boyfriend/Dad/brother Christmas present problems.
Working with heavy textured silver, bronze and gold, I am producing rings, cufflinks, tie clips, bracelets and a couple of necklaces with men in mind. This is actually the kind of jewellery I like to wear too, so will also be doing women’s sizes!
We will be sending out invitations in November with all the details, email Workspace at workspacestudios@gmail.com to join the mailing list.
Hope to see you there!
Annie
The Stag - 20 handmade silver chains, stag skull, fabric, kauri. For "Head On", Toi Poneke Residents Exhibition
I seem to have gone from looking at this year and thinking I need to make some big plans, to being suddenly flat out. Don’t know how that happens!
Firstly there is our yearly Winter Sale which we are doing in a slightly different way this time, opening up the studio to showcase the space and classes as well as ourselves as jewellers. This is really cool, but I didn’t really consider how much work we would have to do to make the studio presentable! We spent the weekend painting, sanding, cleaning and decorating, but there is still more to do if we want it to be as nice a venue as The Paramount. I have’nt even thought about the state my desk is in. Plus I need to make some jewellery for the sale.
After that we have six new classes starting in the same week. Yay!
Then I’m taking part in a group exhibition at Toi Poneke Gallery which will open on the 17th of August. Just to mix things up a bit I’ve decided to make a costume, though a very jewellery focussed one. So that’s going to be another challenge, not only the work but the organisation that goes in to putting a show together. It’s actually really fun, and the artists are amazing so that will be a must see.
Then suddenly it will be Christmas (I know, it’s the first of June and I’m thinking about Christmas!), my busiest time of year.
Think I need a lie down.
xx
Annie
Cameo Necklaces $140
This year instead of Winter Jewels we have decided to host an Open Studio evening in our workshop. It will be a chance for those interested in learning to make jewellery to find out about classes, meet the tutors and see the space. I’m also hoping some of our current and past students will display a piece or two of their work.
I will also be selling my jewellery and showing my idea boards and drawings, as will Vaune and the rest of the Workspace crew.
If you would like to come along for a glass of wine and a chat, (perhaps even a little present for yourself) send me an email at bustercollins@gmail.com and I will send you an invite.
xx
Annie
Toi Poneke (used to be known as The Wellington Arts Centre) is a Wellington City Council funded enterprise. It’s home to 30 or more artist studios, heaps of offices and tenancies, rooms you can hire by the hour (including Music Studios), an art gallery and the all new Hub.
It’s also where my studio is, they sell my work in the foyer and they employ me part time too! Suckers! Hee hee just kidding.
It’s a really sweet set up, lovely community, networking kind of vibe with tons of support for artists and heaps of cool people. The new manager Katherine Field is a great example of what can be achieved by the tender age of 24 if you have an amazing work ethic. She started as a receptionist and moved up through the ranks, finishing her degree at the same time. Absolute legend, I love that girl.
Here are some of my favourite artists at Toi Poneke right now:
Stephen A’Court http://www.photoboy.co.nz/ is an incredible photographer. His exhibition last year “Body” in our gallery was beautiful and astounding.
Audrey Slater http://www.myspace.com/audrey_quattro has a funky, retro look to her work. She uses collage combined with obvious skill in painting to make cute, sweet and scary pieces.
Elisabeth Vullings http://www.elisabethvullings.co.nz/ is sadly no longer at Toi Poneke, but she was there for ages and her work is amazing
The Hub (awesome phone camera pictures below) is a new space for meetings, talks, resource and information sharing etc etc. Vaune and I use it to drink cups of tea and read the paper.
For info on Toi Poneke, if you need a studio or a room or you want to give or attend a seminar, email artscentre@wcc.govt.nz
