Welcome to HandShake 8, 2023-24
HS8 is a two-year programme designed to encourage experimentation, feedback, development, and exhibiting for emerging artists. The HS8 development program aims to challenge and support each artist in their creative development, helping them to grow their capability, excitement, and endeavour through a range of masterclasses, professional support, and feedback.
The programme is comprised of eleven artists selected by Estela Saez Vilanova from Barcelona, who began with a series of masterclasses that delved deep into the content and depth of the artist’s work practice.
Estela Saez Vilanova’s masterclass is a source of inspiration and support for each HS8 artist, providing them with various design options and ideas opportunities. Her passion, succession of briefs, and direct feedback stimulate the development process in terms of ideas, material exploration, and art-making.
A special face-to-face masterclass gathering was held during the Nelson Jewellery Week in mid-April 2023, featuring the successful Push-Pull workshop of Renee Bevan (12-16 April 2023).
In the second half of 2023, the HS8 artists refined and developed their ideas from explorations and discoveries from the two masterclasses and a series of feedback sessions by three international mentor coaches who helped them refine their ‘process‘ explorations.
Another masterclass with writing expert May-Jane Duffy focuses on blog writing, content writing, and artist statements.
From 4 – 20 December 2023, HS8 artists exhibited their 2023 ‘process’ work (including some finished artwork) at DEPOT Art Space, Auckland. See their exhibition.
In the second year (2024), the HS8 mentees are matched with their mentors. The mentees develop their ideas and materials in a body of work with the assistance of their mentor.
Andrea Daly and Neke Moa’s online masterclass on ‘theory and history’ integrates art and design theory with the depth of the HS8 artist’s work through experimentation and exploration. Neke Moa introduces how connections to the art practices of tangata whenua are explored within her own artworks and those of others.
In 2024, the final masterclass will focus on innovative presentation methods. This includes using images and videos to explore different ways of presenting artworks for the HS exhibition online programme and social media platforms. The masterclass will also concentrate on producing a collaborative video expressing the unique group dynamics of HS8 alongside their artworks at their Pah Homestead exhibition.
HS8’s second and end-of-project exhibition MATERIALISE: 8 Nov 2024 – 16 Feb 2025 will take place at Pah Homestead, Auckland, opening on Thursday, 7 November 2024, from 6-8 pm.
HS8 blog posts:
my flexible quasi-process
A few years ago I felt the necessity and had the privilege of time to study and to develop a framework for my practice. With many thanks, especially to Johanna Zellmer, my MFA supervisor, the Dunedin Art School community and my family, clarity around my practice...
A handful of pebbles
The work I made for our mid point exhibition, Proof of Concept, was predominantly driven by material exploration. Since I started making jewellery I’ve been interested in working with stone. I love the materiality of it and it’s connection to the natural world. I love...
ways to make a talisman
barefoot in the twilight, sunlight lingers between bones. a circle drawn in the dirt, i collect sticks to make a fire. dusk gathers, as does the quiet. stillness. i become a starlit sky, become woodsmoke, river flow, mossy rocks and hard sharp edges. flowers wilt at...
Tick Tick tock…Time, Dust, Memories
A few weeks ago while preparing for a landlord inspection I was on a cleaning binge, and thought I would be clever and polish up a couple of brass candle stick holders in the workshop with my polishing machine. Part way through the first one, after an initial wow at...
Reflecting on the Proof
Kia ora, It has been a few weeks now since we Handshakers opened our debut show Proof of Concept at Depot Artspace in Devonport, Tamaki Makaurau/Auckland. It feels something of a feat in a way to be able to reflect on it in this early stage and feel at peace with the...
Material Matters
Like many of us, I grew up being conditioned to covet pretty bling things. Diamonds are a girls best friend. Gold is good. What ever you have, you need more….. Now days, I’m trying to find a way to be an artist, working with body, using materials that sit well with...
Welcome to HandShake 8, 2023-24
HS8 is a two-year programme designed to encourage experimentation, feedback, development, and exhibiting for emerging artists. The HS8 development program aims to challenge and support each artist in their creative development, helping them to grow their capability, excitement, and endeavour through a range of masterclasses, professional support, and feedback.
The programme is comprised of eleven artists selected by Estela Saez Vilanova from Barcelona, who began with a series of masterclasses that delved deep into the content and depth of the artist’s work practice.
Estela Saez Vilanova’s masterclass is a source of inspiration and support for each HS8 artist, providing them with various design options and ideas opportunities. Her passion, succession of briefs, and direct feedback stimulate the development process in terms of ideas, material exploration, and art-making.
A special face-to-face masterclass gathering was held during the Nelson Jewellery Week in mid-April 2023, featuring the successful Push-Pull workshop of Renee Bevan (12-16 April 2023).
In the second half of 2023, the HS8 artists refined and developed their ideas from explorations and discoveries from the two masterclasses and a series of feedback sessions by three international mentor coaches who helped them refine their ‘process‘ explorations.
Another masterclass with writing expert May-Jane Duffy focuses on blog writing, content writing, and artist statements.
From 4 – 20 December 2023, HS8 artists exhibit their 2023 ‘process’ work (including some finished artwork) at DEPOT Art Space, Auckland.
In the second year (2024), the HS8 mentees are matched with their mentors. The mentees develop their ideas and materials in a body of work with the assistance of their mentor.
Andrea Daly and Neke Moa’s online masterclass on ‘theory and history’ integrates art and design theory with the depth of the HS8 artist’s work through experimentation and exploration. Neke Moa introduces how connections to the art practices of tangata whenua are explored within her own artworks and those of others.
In 2024, the final masterclass will focus on innovative presentation methods. This includes the use of images and videos to explore different ways of presenting artworks for the HS exhibition online programme and social media platforms. The masterclass will also concentrate on producing a collaborative video expressing the unique group dynamics of HS8 alongside their artworks at their Pah Homestead exhibition.
HS8’s second and end-of-project exhibition MATERIALISE: 8 Nov 2024 – 16 Feb 2025 will take place at Pah Homestead, Auckland, opening on Thursday, 7 November 2024, from 6-8 pm.
Books, books, books
In the Handshake 8 journey we have recently begun our Contemporary Jewellery History and Theory classes with the incredible Andrea Daly. It has been wonderful to stretch my brain in the theory space in a much more focused way. One of our first projects for the class...
Tick tock… you don’t stop,
I’ve read that as an artist, you should just never stop making. Then you don’t have to start again. An art practice needs to be practiced. …but I stopped for summer. Life happens, school holidays happen and here we are, end of February, getting started again. When I...
The Irrelevance of Truth in Times Like These
In this post-truth era of intentional misinformation ….I’ve been having a little ponder over ‘memory truth’, and how each persons memory of a situation or object is filtered through the lens of personal experience. Therefore, the truth of a situation is arbitrary,...
Northward bound
I have had such a spectacular beginning to the year. There have been adventuring through Northland over a 10 day period. It was a time full of exploring, hiking and, when I could, collecting. On the trip I took almost 2000 images of everything and anything that caught...
Starting the Year off on a Musical Note
Cor blimey what a roller coaster this one has been. Song writing: These words come to mind… Cathartic Intense Exposing Vulnerable Enriching Expelling An owning of fears An evolving discussion I’ve finally had the guts to add music to my practice. It such a big part...