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:
Ring, ring, ring!
In this class with Estela we were all excited to be moving into making something wearable, a ring. Although in our previous classes we were not directly making wearable objects, we each had times where the objects we created moved into that space. It seemed we could...
An explosion of ideas!
In this class with Estela we moved back into two dimensions, after we had explored object making in the last few sessions. I thoroughly enjoyed the play between making objects, to then create drawings, and back again. The oscillation between drawing and objects was...
Navigating the dark.
There is a strangeness, here. We have found ourselves inside a liminal space, making in a largely subconscious way. Led by drawings made with our eyes closed, it is not clear where we are heading. Estela Saez-Vilanova is a marvellous teacher in the way she reads the...
The Push Pull of objects
During Nelson Jewellery Week I took part in Renee Bevan’s three day Push/Pull workshop, as a part of HANDSHAKE8. This was the first time that the cohort was together in the same room since we began in February. It was a wonderful experience to meet the incredible...
The Nelson Jewellery Week experience
Nelson Jewellery Week (NJW) was an incredible opportunity for the Aotearoa contemporary jewellery and small object making community to come together to connect, as well as share ideas and objects. There was a very full schedule over the time NJW was running (13-13...
April: Push/Pull
Reflecting on the month that was April, what an exceedingly full-to-the-brim kind of time. I don't think I've quite processed or recovered from it yet! With Nelson Jewellery Week scheduled in the second week of April, there was a lot to get done in the lead-up as I...
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.
Relating to the feminine.
A long, winding walk in the dark terrain of my subconscious begins to reveal itself, in patterns of dappled light through native forest leaves. It arises in the soft, quiet dark where the full moon is illuminating, summoning and awakening ghosts left sleeping in my...
Infinite Selves
"When you start working, everybody is in your studio - the past, your friends, enemies, the art world, and above all, your own ideas - all are there. But as you continue working, they start leaving, one by one, and you are left completely alone. Then, if you are...
Larger than my head
As our online classes with Estela Saez have come to a close I took a moment to reflect. I hadn’t known what to expect from the masterclasses. The first class was also the first meeting as a handshake group and I was nervous/excited to meet my peers. Our...
Light from Tate
Recently I went to the Auckland Art Gallery Toi O Tamaki to see their exhibition 'Light from Tate: 1700s to Now'. The exhibition artworks explored how light captivated artists, but also how it was used in their artwork. Both literally as well as symbolically. The...
Loud Chatter
Life can seem like a juggling act and I often feel the same about creativity. Applying to be a part of Handshake 8 I needed to consider multiple factors which often felt contradictory. Apart from the concerns about having time and money to immerse myself in the...