the practitioners
Craft Lab 24 is brought to you by the City of Ballarat, in partnership with Craft Victoria and the Rare Trades Centre. Craft Lab is part of the award-winning Ballarat Heritage Festival. The practitioners are selected through a competitive process, all of them paid to take part in a sector development program which is tailored to their specific needs and plans for growth. Each of the practitioners will present their skills and trade at the Craft Lab display and exhibition - May 17th through to May 26th, 2024.
Alana Smith is the Ballarat based designer behind Cut Off Your Hands Jewellery. Contrasting organic raw, oxidised textures against high polished sterling silver and ethically sourced gems, her handcrafted jewellery embraces the unconventional.
Anthony Clare is a cross media freelance artist and craftsman. Leather, wood, brass and steel are his preferred materials and Irish Wolfhounds his preferred company. Anthony delights in bringing 15th-16th century/ fantastical aesthetics into the contemporary space through his hands and imagination.
Barry Wemyss draws inspiration from nature to throw considered elegant forms of which no two are alike. Following a degree in Ceramics at the University of Ballarat, Barry had the opportunity to visit and work with potters in Japan. His immersion in the Japanese cultural ritual of drinking tea advanced his love for making teapots, which continues as key feature of his work.
Artistic shoemaker Betty Ennis gained basic cordwaining skills in 2010 at the RMIT School of Fashion and Textiles. Betty loves pushing the boundaries of art in shoes. Shoemaking is sculptural craftsmanship where form & function, fashion, design, technical patternmaking and construction are all rolled into one!
Cody Winward creates botanical forms that bloom a second life into recycled materials including fabric scraps and aluminium cans. Cody is inspired by nature, travel and the powerful meanings surrounding flowers and their function. Her work incorporates both traditional and modern flower making techniques to create artworks which grow into meaningful keepsakes.
Jeremy Parker is a modern-day alchemist, maker of pigments and fine water colours. Using time honoured procedures, Jeremy applies his historical knowledge to preserve the arcane and traditional methods of pigment and colour making.
Jodie Goldring is a notorious gleaner, artist and teacher. She joined the Basket Makers of Victoria in 2005, which was instrumental in developing the skills and techniques she continues to explore in her practice. Jodie has a passion for sharing knowledge and has supported people of all ages and abilities to weave since moving to the Central Highlands in 2013.
Fascinated by the intrinsically precious nature of jewellery, Lucie Hassall Barrett uses age old techniques to create precious pieces inherently imbued with meaning. Lucie is compelled by storytelling and the way objects become a symbol of personal history, and is also inspired by traditional knowledge of plant symbology and the timeless human quest to understand life
Marian Fox is a ceramic artist creating bold, hand-built vessels, She experiments with surface treatments to accentuate the vessels' size and contours, using a vibrant palette, and expressive mark-making. Marian skilfully blends contemporary aesthetics with deep-rooted influences from primitive art, nature, abstract expressionism, and street art.
Minna Graham brings together contrasting elements to achieve balance in her ceramic pieces. She carves, tears, cuts and rips to expose what is below the surface. Minna uses slips, pigments, and glazes to create tonal contrasts and textures, and describe emotional responses to contrasting seasons, cultures, and traditions in her works.
A fur lover for decades, Myleah Bailey took the plunge to become a furrier in 2017. Now owner of Australia’s oldest fur house, Jackson Furs, Myleah continues the tradition of taking this natural product and making something beautiful and useful for years to come.
Ocean Duri breathes new life into pre-loved dolls by transforming their faces, hair, and outfits to create unique, one-of-a-kind pieces. Ocean draws inspiration from traditional tales, myths, and legends to create dolls that are both visually captivating and deeply meaningful.
Supported by Ballarat & District Aboriginal Cooperative, Perridak Arts is a unique Art and Craft space presenting works of local First Nations artists and craftspeople from Ballarat and surrounds. The gallery also offers interactive cultural displays, talks, and workshops. Perridak Arts bring a selection of offerings to Craft Lab 24 from talented weaver Donna Blackall and pyrographer Robert Watts.
Whilst honouring the tradition of quilting, Rachaeldaisy enjoys finding fresh ways to interpret conventional quilt designs and techniques. Her use of 3D elements such as folded fabric and gathering techniques, and mix of fabrics such as cotton, linen, wool felt, denim and embellishments result in beautiful and uniquely textured work.
Shalome Lateef is a botanical bead-maker working with wood, seeds and flowers. Her unique wearable pieces tell stories about plants, people and places. While many of her pieces are decorative, Shalome also makes rosaries and other bead strands for use in prayer, ritual and ceremony.
Glass artist, Nick Doran Adams, creates sculptural forms and functional wares out of his chosen medium of glass. After being first introduced to glass at Ballarat Grammar, he went on to hone his skills in Canberra where he dedicated himself to the practise of hot glass. His work has been exhibited both nationally and internationally.
Tim Gresham’s practice spans more than 30 years. Alongside this practice he is a senior weaver and tutor at the Australian Tapestry Workshop. Influenced by landscape and modernist design, Gresham’s work utilises techniques unique to woven tapestry and evolves organically with a controlled palette.
Bryan Cush is an Irish-born, Ballarat-based, designer/maker behind the award-winning furniture studio, Sawdust Bureau. Founded in 2012, the studio fuses 15 years experience of studying and practising architecture around the globe with his passion for sculptural craft and indigenous timbers.
