Fix It is a volunteer, community and free public event.  Our hope is for people to return home from this event inspired to host their own skills exchanges, big or small.  We imagine Fix It events could fit many forms: work drinks, a BBQ, a school club, workshops, a skills auction, a stall at the farmer’s market.  

Info for Volunteer Fixers

The Fix It Sustainable Living Fest event needs Fixers (that’s you) 10:45 am-4:15 pm on Sunday 19 Feb.  We’ll hold one orientation meeting beforehand around 1 Feb. We are looking for Fixers in the areas of “Stitches” (textiles), “Switches” (lamp repair & rejuvenation), and “Splinters” (woodworking with hand tools). We hope you can bring along tools to use, but will try to help with a small amount of materials to fix/upcycle & common tools. We’re also hoping to provide you lunch…

Interested Fixers, please email April the following info:

a. 1-3 sentences of bio for the public. Who are you? What is your passion?

b. What skills would you like to share?

c. What are your favourite fixing/making resources in Melbourne?

d. Would you like an A4 pin board space to display your business/contact info or project of choice?  You can also hand out business cards while you’re fixing if you like.  

e. What extras would you like us to provide for your work? Electricity, scrap fabric/wood, sockets, batteries, etc?

Look forward to seeing you there!

Melbourne's most influential, inspirational, provocative and creative people for 2011

Sustainable, social and ethical change makers made up a big part of this year’s Top 100. Among them, the lovely Nerida Lennon is making a documentary on sustainable fashion and the future of the fashion industry, the talented Anisha Bhoyro is a slow fashion advocate, who’s approach to fashion involves using zero-waste design principles when designing her garments, and the forward thinking Juliette Anich, co-founder of The Clothing Exchange and creator of Urban Food Maps. 

'From these hands'

I’ve had a few enquiries about the quartz-crystal necklace I’m wearing in this shot. While this particular piece is a one-off, I will be making more. But as I have decided to only use second-hand crystals (that which I can pick up at op-shops, garage sales and through trusted sellers online), you may have to be patient. If you would like one of these necklaces and have a crystal you’d like me to use I’d be happy to make one to order. Otherwise email me and I’ll pop you’re name on the waiting list.

Speaking of my jewellery, I have new pieces in e.g.etal and they have a gorgeous new online store – yum-o!

And last but not least – check out my new-look website designed by the uber-talented Jacqui Lau. And my modest little BigCartel store selling Gift Certificates for The Treasury and my Little Wonder earrings made out of Sterling Silver and recycled plastic.

Enjoy!

Click to view slideshow.
The lovely miss Lara McPherson from Sustainable Fashion Australia was in attendance, along with the equally dashing Verity McLucas of Future Fashion Now fame.

Apart from the usual fixing and re-imagining of our old jewellery, we also made pompoms out of vintage fabric to put on the Christmas tree!
Its very easy and looks wonderful – you’re welcome to use the idea for yourself. Happy making!

Well yesterday an answer came to me in the form of an email from a bright young thing named April Seymore – she’s enthusiastic about getting this old Repair thing moving and has asked me to get involved and put the call out for interested parties to get in contact with us. So here’s a little bit more on what she’s up to… Basically, she’s working as part of a group across several organisations setting up a project called Fix It. Here’s what she has to say:

“Our idea is to divert waste, build skills, and model systems-thinking by having skilled volunteers guide the public through their own repair tasks in a social atmosphere. We imagine Fix It events could be in many forms: work drinks, a BBQ, a school club, workshops, a skills auction, a stall at the farmer’s market. We envision free, fun events that create as well as repair.

Our hope is to collect some core principles, possibly create a resource library or web space, and invite the public to create their own Fix Its. There is an opportunity to launch this concept for the public at the upcoming Sustainable Living Festival, in February 2012.

To get things started, we need an array of skilled volunteers, funding, and Critical Friends. All are cordially invited to contribute, ask questions, and help us whip a viable plan together at an open meeting this Monday, 5 December, 6 pm @ ACMI Lounge in Federation Square.”

If you’re interested in coming please let me know so we have an idea of numbers. Alternatively, if you’re interested but can’t make it along on Monday, then let me know and we’ll keep you in the loop.

You can check out the full story from our lovely friends at DQ mag here.

The Repair Workshops turned out even more amazing than I could have possibly wished. Two whole days of constant repairing with people streaming in the door to look, engage and be inspired. I was prepared for a good response (I’ve come to expect it after a couple of years of running The Treasury) and I was prepared for surprise, wonder and the wonderful warm fuzzies of mateship (for want of a less ‘year 12 Aus History’ term) that come along with spontaneous positive social interaction. But what really struck me silly was how much more my capacity for inspiration could stretch. After spending a week in a basement with such mind-blowing and creatively intelligent people such as the ones we had on board for The Repair Workshops, well, that’s just another level all together. I guess all of you who’ve FELT this before will know what I am referring to – COLLABORATION really is the key to greatness (not just a hipster fad).

A blur of inspiration

The Treasury is an on-going initiative I set up in 2009 in an effort to bridge the gap between my contemporary jewellery practice, and my beliefs in the need for a sustainable future. It manifests itself mainly in the form of jewellery fixing workshops which I hold once a month at my studio in Melbourne, Australia.

The Repair Workshops is a one-off sustainability/art project I set up to take the idea of ‘repair’ and ‘repurposing’ to a wider audience - namely anyone and everyone! The project (part of the State of Design festival) will culminate in a two day, all-out fixing festival of ideas and good ol’ fashioned inspiration. Come and visit us this weekend!

Of course the first Craft Cubed event I have to mention is The Treasury – we’re doing TWO very special classes with guest  designers Anna Davern and Dylan Martorell. Anna is one of Melbourne’s most famous and talented jewellers, and Dylan is an illustrator, sculpter, musician and all-round creative master. I’ll let you know more about this later but bookings are already open so check it out and book it quick!

Apart from being involved in The Treasury, Anna Davern (along with Cass Partington aand Nicky Hepburn) is also presenting her studio to the public as part of the Open Studios program. If you’re not familiar with Anna’s work check out her website and blog, it’s lovely.

The Nicholas building is again having Open Studios. Unfortunately I won’t be involved this year as The Repair Workshops is taking priority, but check out the work of my very talented studio mates Jessica (illustration), Min (eco fashion), Eva (creative stuff) and Jake (jewellery).

The Social Studio will be stationed in the Atrium at Federation Square from the 5th to the 24th of August. On the 20th there’ll be a special performance from RISE – these people are amazing, don’t miss it!

If you haven’t been before then I suggest you leave your desk, or couch, or wherever it is you are reading this right now and head for the closest form of PT (or a bike, even better) that will get you to the basement of 167 Flinders Lane. There you will find the lovely Lil, Tess, or Liv who will happily show you around and make you feel at home amongst the sparkles and blings. The jewellery is so amazing and so unlike anything you see anywhere else that you’ll probably want to shed a little tear, or laugh manically while peering into the glistening cabinets – but don’t worry, I’m sure they’re used to it by now

While you’re there, make sure you take a little peek and see my latest designs. Here’s a detail of a neckpiece made out of Sterling Silver and oxidised for my Facets collection:

Facets Neckpiece by Emma Grace. Photo: Jo Duck

If you can’t  make it in to the store then you can check out their blog. This month’s artist interview is with the very talented David Parker.

e.g.etal is also going to be part of the State of Design festival’s Look.Stop.Shop this year with an exhibition entitled ‘Covert Jewels’ by Cinnamon Lee.

A piece from Cinnamon Lee's Covert Jewels exhibition. Photo: e.g.etal

Repair by Roland Roos

Roland Roos embarked on a two-year long project (2008-2010) where he fixed things in the public sphere.

“Each repair is intended to restore a particular detail to its pre-damaged state. Before and after the repair a photograph is taken of the unsolicited assignment. The photo taken before the repair is the only existing document of the damaged objects and thus becomes a unicum. All of these unicum photos are on sale for 320CHF each which is the average amount of money that is spent for one repair.”

Jan Vormann is another artist worthy of my ‘smile and sigh’ award for awesomeness – he spent three years travelling the world fixing crumbling walls and monuments with Lego.

Jan Vormann's repair work

Jan says “My work draws attention to the smallest parts of our cities that are falling apart because of the brightness of the Lego.”

I also came across Juliana Santacruz Herrera who has taken it upon herself to fix the sidewalks of Paris with brightly coloured coiled fabric – these are so beautiful and so exciting, I think the blog I found it on sums it up quite nicely; I’m Jealous of Juliana Santacruz Herrera!

Juliana Santacruz Herrera's Repaired Sidewalks of Paris

On a more practical level (though far less beautiful) are these free bike repair stations set up in Cambridge as part of a program to encourage more people to ride bikes. I’d like to see the City of Melbourne set some of these up next to the Melbourne Bike Share stations around Melbourne – anyone agree?!

Free Bike Repair Stations in Cambridge