Bricolage Enviromental Design Awards

Industrial waste reused to create chic, new products

11/06/2010

Exquisite jewellery created from recycled silver has won this year’s Bricolage Design Prize.

Hobart jeweller Shauna Mayben combined 100 per cent recycled silver with perspex offcuts and old magazines to produce a range of stunning necklaces and earrings.

The annual Bricolage competition challenges Tasmanian designers to transform industrial waste destined for landfill into useful, marketable products.

Environment Protection Authority board representative Wayne Petrass said the entries in this year’s competition showed great innovation and helped throw the sustainability spotlight on industrial waste streams.

“Mining precious metals has a very high environmental impact and it is essential that every effort be made to recover and reuse these finite resources,” he said.

“Shauna Mayben’s jewellery not only gives these valued commodities a second life, but lends industrial waste a chic new perspective.”

The $4000 Bricolage Major Prize was complemented by the $500 Bright Ideas Prize which encourages designers to think laterally and produce an object that could potentially be developed over time.

Mr Petrass said Ellen Rae’s winning entry featured a range of baby clothes created from woollen jumpers.

He said the 'repurposed' clothing was original and durable, and reduced demand for resources required to manufacture new material.

“This year’s Bricolage entries highlighted the use of a combination of materials to produce great designs, often with interesting results,” Mr Petrass said.

“One entry combined medium density fibreboard with used envelopes to produce fun magnets. Another used offcuts of beautiful kimono fabric with wood waste to make stylish neckpieces and another combined waste plywood with coreflute to produce contemporary lamps.

“Bricolage also attracted larger scale entries including extremely practical worm farms and compost bins submitted by a team from Kingborough Council’s yspace youth project.”

Bricolage entries are on display at the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens until 16 June. Visitors are encouraged to vote for their favourite exhibit in the People's Choice competition.

Bricolage is sponsored by the Environment Protection Authority (EPA), Cadbury, Replas and Futago.

Terrariums!!

Little Gardens.
Terrariums are great for people on the go because they are so easy to maintain. They are self-contained, and they require very little care.

A terrarium can be very hardy and only needs moderate amounts of water and sunlight. The water will pull up from the rocks and form a mist on the top of the terrarium then drip back down and water the plants. This closed loop system is very similar to what happens in the real world. Maintaining a terrarium is simple since neglect is the best care you can give. A finished terrarium will not need additional watering for a few weeks.

Check them at on THE MARKET website

http://themarkethobart.com.au/profiles/shauna-mayben/

New work in Handmark Gallery in Evandale!!!

Precious Pendants at Object Gallery

If your in Sydney go and check the exhibition Precious Pendants at Object Gallery.

http://preciouspendantsatobject.blogspot.com

www.object.com.au

What Is Your Story

We all wear little stories about the people we love, the moments we have had. Jewellery is powerful and emotive, and is much more than decoration for the body. On Saturday the 3^rd of January 2009

I spoke to 25 people about there Jewellery, and these are their stories.

Aquamarine Pendant

My great uncle sent this pendant back from Egypt during the Second World War, he never returned. It was the last gift sent back, it's an early 40’s design. My Grandma gave it to me, and it has become a family heirloom.

We Three Kings

There are three bracelets all together, each one of us friends has one. It was an 18th birthday present. All our initials together, all of them the same. But they came from three different stores, we went to great lengths to get them.

Wedding Band

The wedding band was my great grandma’s sisters. They lived in Hungry, my family came out during the war, it was there to begin with and has been passed down gradually, it was to her first marriage, she actually got married twice, but terry and myself got married 13 days ago, I’m hoping it will bring us more luck, I haven’t had it for long.

Rose Gold Heart

I bought my rose gold heart when my mum was diagnosed with lung cancer and I became her full time carer. I had her name inscribed on one side Bev , and my name on the other side Reb, so she is always close to my heart.

Three Rings

The first I acquired that only five days ago, it was a ring that belonged to my grandmother, who recently passed away, along with the ring I obtained a hole lot of other costume Jewellery. Its just fun, glitzy glass as far as I am concerned, very Rococo glitzy glass, I really like it.

The next ring, I got from a market place, I have just been at the falls festival I was staying at the art village, it was suggested that it was a ring of power, that I could have super powers with it, he felt, so its now my new super power ring,

The one of my little finger is a claddagh ring, my father was Irish, the heart you have facing inwards when your heart is given to someone, and outward when you’re looking for love……and I’m out there looken for love honey :)

Star and Starfish

I bought this ring from the Salamanca markets, and it reminds me of a starfish I saw in the bay, I have never seen a star fish before. It will remind me of Tasmania.

My engagement ring is also like a star, antique in style, I like the star style it suits me.

Earing

This earring is a serpent/ dragon, it is a representation of the cycle of life, it consumes itself, shedding then starts again. It’s a symbol of death, depression, and birth, starting again.

Finger Ring

I have had this ring since 1993. It’s a Silver and rose gold, but is has changed, and with an amethyst, it’s been hit allot, well worn. I got this from the Gordon River, were I went on a pilgrimage, I got blessed under the water, and it was very appropriate to get this ring, it called me.

So it’s my holy and sacred ring, it keeps me safe. It’s like my Blue Sword. I wear it all the time, my holy ring.

Close The Gap

http://www.closethegap.com.au/

I made these from a woven knitting bee, I am a knitter, and this was my first knitting attempt, so I kept, and always wear it.

The middle piece was a present from my girlfriend, and she has a matching one.

African Bangles and Australian Ring

These bangles are part of a large collection of bangles I have from North Africa, I used to drive trucks in the Sahara, and when I used to go through the tribal areas and meet all the different tribes, I used to swap things with them or buy bangles from the women. So I have a big collection of old North African Jewellery.

My ring was made for me by an Australian designer called Rebecca Aims, I think she makes gorgeous things, what I like about this ring is at first glance you would think , it’s maybe turquoise or jade, it is simply resin set in acrylic and silver. The reason I like it because it is using contemporary materials, and exploring what you can do with contemporary materials, I love it because It’s very chunky, and I go this one specially because I love the colour.

Opal and Jade Necklace

When I was a young girl I was given a perfume bottle, made from cut glass. Twenty five years latter, the woman who gave me the perfume bottle called me and asked for it back. Apparently it was worth a bit of money, and she has a small collection of them. So I gave it back, in return she gave me this hand made in Tasmania, opal and jade necklace, even the chain is hand made. At first I didn’t like it. It has a very 70’s feel, but I have grown to like it.

Chinese bracelet

In 1992, my partner and I bought this in Hong Kong. It has different Chinese Jade, each colour represent different type of luck.

Heart Rings and Bracelet

Well, we decided to have a simple ring with a heart on it, we drew up a design and then took it to a jeweler here in Hobart and he reproduced it. It is white gold on the edge, and I yellow gold, with a white gold heart. We have been wearing it for eleven and a half years.

And we bought these bracelets both around the same time, we got this in India.

Ceramic Necklace

I got it when I was quite young, about 7 or so, I like wearing it because it looks good with my clothing. I got it from my god mother who is very very very nice, she likes to see me wearing it, I wear it pretty much every day.

Blue Bracelet

I like the colour, It was a gift from my daughter, it is meant to help with creativity.

Pip the Pipsqueak Pup

I started making these just for myself from pipe cleaners and thread I choose. I thought I would make a dog broach, after my dog Pip. Someone said why don’t you sell them, I didn’t think that people would buy them, but they do.

www.pipthepipsqueakpup.blogspot.com

Button Necklace

It hasn’t a title, but it is Creative piece, because I like to see things that have been discarded, unmentioned, unnoticed like Van Gogh himself till after he died, and actually giving it some space and some recognition, so allot of these buttons are relics and have been found in unusual places, as so giving them permission to be noticed.

Fork and Ring

I got the ring about an hour ago at the market, here in Hobart its big bling, I really like it. I got my bracelet at the falls festival, in Tasmania, all they use in spoons and forks, the design is simple, so yer I like it.…….. I love my Jewellery.

Watch

I bought this watch in Italy, I walk around every were, looked at allot of clothes, but I didn’t buy allot of things. This caught my eye, and it reminds me of my trip… and I wear it every day.

Earings

This was a birthday present.

BIG THANKS

Thank you for all That participated today (Saturday the 3rd of Jan) at the taste of Tasmania, i will be loading all the story's and photos over the next week. So keep checking till then.

Thanks again this would not have been possible without your help.

Shauna Mayben

Whats Your Story?

Do you have a piece of jewellery that has a story behind it?

An heirloom, a well worn wedding ring or anything sentimental?

Well i want to hear your story!

Please join me at the taste of Tasmania,

On Saturday the 3rd of January between 3 and 7pm

Just look for the shipping containers.

You and your story will be published online.

Elizabeth's Locket

My husband gave me this locket for my birthday, which was nine days before the birth of our son. Because he was not born yet, my husband put the best image of Kostas we had at the time in the locket - a printout from our first ultrasound. On the other side, he put a photo of our first baby - our dog Crash. I love this locket for so many reasons! It is visually stunning, and in pristine condition for its age, but it is also layered with meaning. It was originally a Victorian mourning locket, which is why it is covered with black enamel. The diamond set fly is symbolic of the fascination with nature and science at the time. In the interior, under the original glass, are two panels of plaited hair, each side featuring a different pattern of weave. The frames are hand engraved - one with the name and date Marie Louise August 4th 1866, and the other with Helene Catherine April 28th 1868. It is amazing to me that this locket has lived through so many years and seen so much, and that now it will live though my life with me and hopefully future generations of my family.