First Handshake3 exhibition at Objectspace Gallery, Auckland? Check! I presented twenty works representing different stages of the evolutionary process – from very early beginnings (2 polystyrene balls connected by a piece of steel wire) to the most recent iterations (black folded and connected aluminium pieces – one to be worn on the face and the…

A few weeks before Ruudt left for Japan we had a Skype chat to talk about presentation options for the Object space show. We ended the conversation having agreed a general framework for me to flesh out and test. Our starting point, suspended works over rubbish bins to represent the knife-edge of survival versus extinction…

Two days before exhibition opening and #0067 stakes a claim. #0069 is born…

…natural selection could be a little hard on this fellow. None-the-less #0064 has now adapted for his new home – giving rise to a new species. Welcome to the world #0068      

MUTATION EVENT No.2 THE INSTRUCTION (Amelia) Pick a piece and state its niche THE EVENT (Ruudt) (A) 0064 for the face (B) 0067 for the foot 0064 now searching…

Objectspace exhibition is fast looming A reader will be accompanying the show. Each exhibiting artist will have a chapter which will include some form of external reference that has influenced their work in some way. This is my contribution.            

Mutation event No.2 is still pending. In the meantime, survival instincts run strong…    

Mutation event No.1 THE INSTRUCTION (Amelia) Pick a piece, any piece and direct a mutation. THE EVENT (Ruudt) Take the aluminium shadow pieces and make them 3D THE RESULT  

The making of new work requires endless decisions, big and small, conscious and sub-conscious. Follow this thought or that? This process or that? Trust that intuition? Act on this feedback? Wood, metal, paint, or concrete? Make it big or make it small? Robust or fragile? Cut here or there? This angle or that? Rivet, solder…

I had a great Skype chat with Ruudt last night. It has been a very busy time for him recently with a lot of travel, exhibition commitments and teaching. He has just returned from time in Brazil, and on 23 May heads to Japan for three months. Lucky, lucky! In terms of our collaboration, he has…

A couple of new-to-me, albeit well-established artists I stumbled across recently – along with a couple of their projects that explore ideas I am interested in. I was also really drawn to some of their presentation choices – both contextual and aesthetic. Camille Henrot (born 1978, lives and works in New York) Grosse Fatigue (2013)…

One of the stated purposes of the Handshake blog is to give readers an insight into our creative processes. How much to divulge without killing any potential intrigue? In this entry, I thought I’d present some of the influences and thought processes that led to this series of photographs. If you would rather not know,…

UPDATE: 19 May 2016 – the original video was tooooo long, so I’ve re-shot it. It’s now 1min45secs as opposed to over 4mins! Click on the image below to activate the YouTube video (the updated short version)… I’ve also left the long version up for the record. Click on the image below to view…  

First deadline for the Objectspace exhibition in July. Submit a photo that can be used on the website to help promote the show. I mocked up this image following an earlier Skype chat with Ruudt. Discussing order and chaos, thinking and not thinking, left brain and right brain, control and letting go of control, art…

Well, I’m a jeweller. But…