Nik Hanton
About mentee Nik Hanton / About mentor Vincent Pontillo-Verrastro
Completion…
The series that I developed for HandShake 7 revolved around concepts that has long interested me.That of "lexical semantics," "the analysis of word meanings and relations between them" (Oxford Dictionary) and the use of typefaces for communicating ideas and evoking...
Masterclasses- further reflections
As I look back on the experience, I further appreciate that there is nothing quite like hearing how others approach their work to inspire and make you question your own approach to your own work. Because of the way the masterclasses were structured, you had access to...
Growth
I landed on the path that I wanted to take for the Handshake Masterclass (HS7) quite early in the process, thanks to the tasks that Estella set. While I had an initial vision of the direction I wanted to go in, having the fresh eyes of Estella and the team of...
Layer Upon Layer
Creating the work for the Stanley St Show has been a steep learning curve as I’d never worked with 3D printing much before this year. That was only part of the problem though as the options are endless. Trying to consolidate your ideas, while at the same time wanting...
The nature of what is jewellery is forever changing
Jewellery pieces that had previously been seen as novel and innovative are now dated and iterative. This is the joy of the craft. It *IS* ever-changing. And should be ever-changing. Potentially, drawing on history and making it "now". There are so many jewellery...
Ancient materials
There is sand on the floor, Sand in my hair, Under my finger-nails, Sand everywhere. Following the making of my pieces for Te Uru Contemporary Gallery, I'm still cleaning up sand from my studio. I suspect I will be for some time. Made through the erosion of rock...
The end
And so we reach the end of the Handshake 4 journey... A journey that's involved emails, messages and video conversations sent over a distance of more than 13,463 kms. It's involved time a difference of 19 hours with one rising for the day and the other concluding...
Dual Process
When we’re making decisions we approach the process using two different systems of thinking. In Psychology, the name for this process is called "Dual Process Theory". The first system is our intuition. It's swift, automatic, subconscious and emotional. The second...
Intersection / Polarity
A different kind of Polarity... It's not news that there's a considerable overlap and intersection between different art practices. Maybe one of the least expected intersections could be the relationship between hip-hop and traditional art movements such as the...
Polarities
The magic in life's about polarities- without light there's no shadow. I've been thinking about our up-coming show Polarity and the kind of work I want to make given the nature of the space, the installation plan and the title of the group show. The idea of...
Community
There is nothing like the coming together of like-minded people who are supportive, engaged and passionate about the same thing you are. The Contemporary Jewellery community in NZ is just such a community.
Greatness & smallness
There are some inspirations and admirations that stand the test of time. In fact, centuries of time already. I’ve been looking at the work of one of the most impressive creators, inventors, scientists and artists of all time- Leonardo Da Vinci. Such intellect,...
Nocebo Effect
I haven't been well recently and the idea of a placebo has taken on a new dimension for me while I try and self-heal. As I've been doing further research into the placebo effect I've discovered another effect, the nocebo effect. The nocebo effect is a "detrimental...
Placebo Effect
For the Handshake 4 'Leanings' show at Pah Homestead, I made a series of work entitled 'Placebo Effect' with the following artist's statement: "The placebo effect is a beneficial outcome from an inert treatment. The individual believes it is functional but it is, in...
Process is messy
Not everything works. Not everything gets resolved.
Charm
Hardened leather, textile, wood, paint.
Spells
A collection of three spells. Material play with wood, latex, rubber, mild steel, paint.
Healing
Is the might of the mind an underestimated resource for healing?
Metamorphosis & Transformation
Metamorphosis and Transformation are concepts that are frequently explored in art, and the chrysalis is a popular motif used to signify it. While this is a well-trodden road, there is something so appealing about the magic of the process and its visual drama. The...
BOX
I’ve been thinking about the nature of identity and its connection to the experience of our gender and sexuality. The female genitalia has been represented in art since the dawn of humankind. It’s been responded to in a myriad of ways by various cultures and ‘stages’...
MATERIAL READS: HONESTY & SUBVERSION
In my first conversation with Vincent, he questioned me about my approach to materials. My answer was unintentionally somewhat disingenuous, largely because I had never truly articulated it properly. I said at the time that I used leather because of its aesthetic...
PLEASED TO MEET YOU
Following a series of online conversations, Vincent and I had our first “meeting” via Skype. I'd been delaying this interaction because of my intense (and entirely irrational) fear of video calls. It was a great example of why you should 'feel the fear and do...
Handshake 3- Munich
I was lucky enough to be part of the set-up and manning team of Handshake 3 at Handwerkmesse, Munich, and spent 10 days with inspirational artists, gallery owners, and collectors. Being at the 'Oscars' of Contemporary Jewellery and seeing the work of the international...