Bucolic

Eyes askance...

Ok Ok

Bic / Sun

Cuff / Link

Moustache / Moustache bars

Wing beat / Beat wing

Gem Dust

Brooch , David Neale 2010

Turquiose dust...

A lot of the painting Ive done for the current exhibition involves stone dusts/ making my own paint from gemstones. Here Ive used marble, turquoise and lapis lazuli.

So I crush them into dust and mix them with binders.

Many people ask me how I do this...

With a hammer of course: Bam bam bam!

The surfaces are matte, and absorb the light a little.

In a jewellery context, this is a kind of weird gemology I suppose, but then again, in a painter's context, its very traditional. I recall that Lapis Lazuli was worth its weight in gold during the renaissance- because it was highly prized as a blue pigment. Typically it was used only for the most important features in religious paintings, like Mary's robes and so on.

If you havent seen the show yet, there's still time;

its on until Sep 4th

Emma Price and David Neale

Gallery Funaki

Crossley st

Melbourne

“I spend as little time on the ground as possible"

Jesse Owens

Rocks

Amazing! sections of tourmaline crystals, opposite colour configuration...

I dont usually use gems in my own jewellery work, Ive been pursuing other kinds of preciousness and luminousity. Like gold and paint.

Until now!

My uncle, Andrew, happens to be a gem trader and general mineral man- when I was a kid he sent me a box of awesome rocks, all kinds of sparkly and geometric stuff that he had prospected. ( Tip; excellent present for kids, paired with one of these)

Andrew also specialises in Tektites; which are weird glassy blobs that no one really knows much about , except they have definitely been in space. ( meteorites? volcanic spewage that went off-world and then came back down? etc, etc)

And what's possibly even more perplexing, is that no one really knows what to do with them either, but if you want one, Andrew Neale is your go-to. He's got boxes of them.

He can be found most saturdays at the St.Andrew's market or sundays at the Camberwell market. Or just ask me for whatever rocks you're after.

Yum

Swiss rye and blood orange in the sun.

=revitalised

H-1

Forgive me for being a little boyish here, but Howard Hughes' H-1 was an impressive plane, and beautiful metalwork too.

Howard liked to keep it clean, so the landing gear was retractable, and every rivet was flush.

( Leonardo DiCaprio:

" The rivets are gonna give me drag.

Do something about that. I want her slippery.")

She ended up on her belly in a beet field, probably sabotage.

Shiny shiny reproduction H-1. Magnifico!

Pencil > lettuce

You know when t-shirts start to look like lettuce around the neck?

Yeah, that.

So, my Geoff McFetridge tee finally died.

I have stretched it for the wall...

Geoff McF himself + crazy pencil situation

pic: scott council

Neale Standard Issue

Duffel bag. I bought this one when I was 16. There wasnt really anyplace to put my name on the bottom, what with all the different soldiers names and ranks stencilled or texta'd. So I just drew a stag on the front.

Happily, since then, its been on lots of adventures, like this one, aboard the Marisa

( thanks for the pic Jesse)

Ive lost the brass D-lock that goes through the holes. Do you know where I can get one?

Otherwise I am definitely going to have to make one. Sure, rope is fine. I'm just making conversation.

In England they have the 'dustman's coat', in the States, all kinds of denim Carhartt kind of work coats, here in Oz we have The BLUEY.

The workman's coat of choice. Standard issue. Except nowadays construction workers have to wear high-viz flouro stuff, so the Bluey isnt seen so much.

Having extensively field-tested my Bluey whilst digging trenches, nailing up roof frames, enduring harsh pic-nics and other miscellaneous adventures, I can tell you its great. Lay it on the ground for your girl to sit on, or fill it up with apples you just picked, or just tuck your hands up in the sleeves and nod off while the other lads are having smoko.

I like it how the bloke on the label isnt even wearing a Bluey.

I think the Bluey is called that because it isnt blue. ( that's an Australian thing... do you have that too? Like we call a redhead 'bluey' )

Actually, it isnt black either, really, its got a crazy multi-fabre fleck to it; blue, hot pink, yellow, whatever- I think its made from recycled wool rag. Its a rugged cut, with unfinished edges. Very cool. I'm posting this because the other night my Dad wore his Bluey to the Emma Price / David Neale opening at Gallery Funaki, and that made me smile. The rugged and the refined.

Ocarina

Fabio Menaglio, contemporary Ocarina maker

kawaii fugu

Sentinals

Ocarina convention delegate with name tag

Donati, pioneer of the classical ocarina, if ever a wever whizz there was....

Ancient Peruvian

An Ocarina, if you've never knowed one, is a little wind instrument.

The shapes vary, but the simple ones are the best!

Image attribution asap...

Ponchos and Guitar Straps

Peek at Tuesday's Exhibition

Emma Price: Neckpieces

David Neale: Brooches

Alpine Procrastination

When there are exhibition deadlines looming, and many other tasks besides, why not do something completely counter-productive like going to the snow mid-week?

Esmé and I made a snow princess. I would have liked to spend more time on it...

I was just getting into shaping the torso and had taken off my gloves for some detailing, when... wham! snowballed! Counter-strike deployment sequence was initiated!

Afraid the princess was lost in the co-lateral damage...

Peeling gum-tree bark waving in the breezy snowfall....

Jewellery: Emma Price | David Neale

Exhibition:

Emma Price and David Neale

at

Gallery Funaki, Melbourne, Australia

opening night: Tuesday 10th August 6-8pm.

You are invited!

I'm looking forward to seeing Emma's beautiful necklaces, ( pictured above) they are simple and very subtly arranged... I'm calling the linear elements 'beads'- because they're strung square tubes - which are made of variously coloured metals.

As for my work, it will be only brooches this time- with a focus on colour combinations...

lots of muted tertiaries with some bright accents...

Stone dust mixed in too, mostly marble, but I've been playing with Lapis Lazuli and Turquoise as well... for that velvety, powdery texture, like on a butterfly or an old bone, or a Pompeiian fresco, you know?

If brooches arent for you...well, look out for new works from me; especially earrings and rings coming soon!

ps. sorry for the scanty posting here- I'm out of bandwidth 'til thursday...