DGLU 269L900 oapbox The Crafts Council ofNew Zea/and (Inc) is not responsiblefor statements and opinions published in NZ Crafts nor do they necessarily reflect the views ofthe Crafts Council. Crafts Council Magazine No 22 Spring 1987 I have recently comeflom England to settle in solid wood over 0.5mm veneer— that’s just him New Zea/and, and am building "art/craft" talking you into buying his very expensive work. firrniture in the Russell area. iMy experiences in Out ofall this I believe two areas emerge in Letters to the Editor trying to market my work haveflrrced upon me which action can and should take place: public certain opinions, which Ifi’el are important awareness, and the infrastructure to bring the enough to share. public and wood worker together. There have UdO Sellbach Interviewed by Rosemary Shannon An outsider here sees in the crafts both quantity been one or two interesting woodwork exhibitions CRAFTS COLLVCIL OF and quality, particularly in ceramics,jewellery, recently, but that's only a start. Because this goes AVISII" ZEAL:L\'D (IA\VC.) glassware andfibre arts Wood turning is popular; beyond what crafispecnrle can do themselves, I 22 The Terrace Design for Living Bob Bassant reviews a reeent exhibition at the but whatever happened tofurniture? illy would like to throw down the gauntlet to the Wellington Crafts Council Gallery experience so far in the North Island has shown Crafts Council to take up the issue. After all, isn't Phone: 727-018 that contemporary furniture is very that one ofits main briefs? It is not enough to just ”thin-on-the-ground” compared to other crafts. help set up cratispeople, train them, and send 1987/88 Iz'XFCL'TII VIE Gavin Hitchings: Profile Why is this? It could be argued that there simply them abroad (where there is a danger ofbeing COi\l.\II'I L‘E aren’t enough wcwdworkers producing enongh homogenised into an international craft style). PRESIDENT: work. But Itliink that it is more a case oft/re They have to be able to make a livingkirorn their john Scott Winstone Crafts Biennale Review by Campbell Hegan 10 difliculties wturdworkers are up against. work here in New Zealand. 101 l’utiki Drive First, there is the eternal problem ofcashflow. Alloy [suggest an impressive national touring WANGANUI . Ofall the crafts this one must require the highest exhibition promoting new approaches to wood? 1164—50997 W Artlture Innovative Furniture by a group of alternative Designers 14 initial capital outlay. On top oft/it's, it is usually This could contain selected work by artists and 1164-56921 H necessary to invest weeks or even months oftime craftspeople who have an innovative or I 'ICIf-PRESIDENT: into one "spec" piece. This cart be impossible with imaginative style ofwork Its aim would be to Anne Field Jewellery Unlimited A young Auckland Collective 17 the high workshop overheads, and as a result you extend public awareness as much as possible, 37 Rhodes Street areforced to make “safe " items which sell. showing: CHRISTCHURCH Then there is the problem of‘timber. lVIany I) thatjurniture is not only fimctional, but that it (13-799—553 Origin Art and Craft Co-operative Alive and well in 20 New Zealanders venerate kauri to the point can also be a beautiful piece ofart; EXECUTIVE COMA/ll'l‘Tlilir the Marketplace where they see nothing else, Ofcourse, it’s a 2) why this work is such good value, considering jenny Barraud lovely wood, but it seems to me that kauri, its durability and possiblefiiture antique status; II) Richardson Street NELSON ArChlteCtural PortllO: Margaret Clarke and Paul Johnson 23 colonial—style_)iirniture has gone past its relevance 3) what talented people are available here 1154-84—61 9 and importance, to the point where it can hinder (Given such an opportunity, one’s work often jitrthergrowth. Obtaining timber supplies is also surpasses anything done previously); Melanie Cooper wearable works Of Art Amy Brown profiles Jeanette Green 17 Stowe Hill 24 diliicult. There are other species besides kauri, but 4) how to commission work (This is particularly Thorndon compared to Europe and North America, good important as many people don ’t seem to be WELLINGTON Paper that new-old medium quality, cabinet-grcuie hardwoods are relatively aware ofthis option or its benefits); ()4-734-887 26 hard tog/ind. Those available are cut by sawmills 3) ageneral background on wood and construction Malcolm Harrison for thejoinery trade into narrow jumbled—up techniques, and on the artists themselves (this 2/57 Norwood Road Treasures in Karorl Stained glass in a New Zealand Chapel planks, instead oft/rejull width “through and is important since we have to sell ourselves as Bayswater 28 through ” boards preferred by cabinet makers, well as our work) AUCKLAND wltich are then stacked as they came out oft/re log. All work would befor sale. The exhibition Owen Mapp Marketing Mystery or Common Sense? 31 Having made the work, the woodworker has to could travel tofive or six centres throughout New 118 Ruapehu Street find a buyer. New and original work doesn’t sell Zea/arid, and would be administered by the Crafts I’ARAI’ARAUMU easily, and it ’s even more difficult to get a price Council and, hopefiillyhfunded by industry. The (158—88392 The dependent EXhlbltor Amy Brown 32 that reflects the time and effort put into it. I Council and exhibitors would have to ensure that David Russell ~loot-slogged around miles ofAuckland andfound it is seen as something more thanjust another craft 17-1 Balmoral Drive only one shop or gallery that would take exhibition, thus attracting more than the usualjew INVERCARGILL Diploma in Craft Design individual pieces oflfurniture. ONE —- and that lines of‘rnedia coverage. The backing ofthe (124-89-(185 33 sold almost entirely to tourists! From what I have Council might bring the media outfrorn behind Robyn Stewart seen ofprosperity in Auckland, you certainly can’t their usualfear ofgiving free publicity into Weranui Road ' Craft Funding Policy Focusses on Education say there isn ‘t money there to invest in quality contributing towards cultural awareness. Waiwcra 34 jitrniture. So ifsomebody wants an individual Such exhibitions have been held in Britain, and NORTH AUCKLAND piece oliorigiualfurniture, where on earth does he I have exhibited in them. Everyone benefits — the 65—946 Resource Centre 35 or she gator it? But then, I wondered, would they buyer can see what he wants and where tofind it, Alison Taylor even consider it? There are sofew precedents. and the wood workers gain in conunissions and 2 Frank Street People seem to accept spending thousands of reputations. Furniture and woodwork might then ROTORUA dollars on cars, stereos, videos and yachts, yet they begin to take theirplace alongside the other crafts ()73—478—1 17 fill their houses with the cheapest particle board ofNew Zea/and. jitruiture. There seems to be so little awareness of Please help to make it happen! (And please Corporate illembers of _ what quality furniture is, and no understanding of forgive the generalisations — they are made in full Crafts Council of New Zealand Staff Cover Photo: "Bird Folly " C" Pew Art Direction why one should spend a lot ofextra money on it. awareness oftheir exceptions.) Executive Director Rosemary Shannon by Diana Firth Bob Bassant It is not enough for the seller to extol the merits of KERR &' CAIN Information Officer Raewyn Smith Photograph: Robin Morrison SECURITIES COMMISSION Gallery Director Karen Ovcrton Typesetting and Composition Tycouse-john van Hulst Ltd MOBIL OIL (NZ) LIMITED Gallery Assistants Diane Hutchison Ian Hutchison CALTEX OIL (NZ) LIMITEI? Secretary/Typist Heather Montgomery Advertising Rates Printing Roberts Print Ltd NEW ZEALAND MARKET Advertising rates and bookings: (ha/Vial flora DEVELOPMENT BOARD Acting Editor Racwyn Smith Crafts Council ofNZ Subscription and editorial enquiries: PO Box 498 Crafts Council of NZ Deadline for copy for next issue I/Vellington. PO Box 498 15 December 1987 Phone 727-018 Wellington LETTERS teacu . exhibition space, although in terms ofthe type of work N.Z. is presenting a Craft Show being given to marketing. The Personal Opinion I, or one, do not wish to be Artist Directory better, is smaller than before. Selection process exhibited, the materials used, at the Wellington Overseas potential is greater by going out associated with people who Hence, we have a more and the standards of design and Terminal in March 1988 in to the public than relying on the In reply to Adrienne Matthews” express themselves through the In this letter I propose a contact rigorous selection of articles for execution. While many conjunction with the public coming to you. display and less room for I am writing to express my letter (Autumn 1987), and tribulations and griefofothers. directory for artists featured in the way the artists could not be eliminated International Festival of the Participation is by selection storage. dissatisfaction with leaving aside the fact that I Malcolm Harrison, ever issue Of the New Zealand selection for the “Bone, Stone in terms 0ftheir craftsmanship, Arts. and individual presentation of of materials or work is expected to be in accord happen to agree with Campbell Cratis. Lindsay Matterson 8c Shell” exhibition has been it was because Preparations towards the Auckland design that the work did not fall with the up-market, high Hegan’s comments on While the work of New Auckland handled. show are well under way with exhibitionism, I would defend Zealand’s craft artists is While not considering myself within the cohesion sought for applications coming from all profile promotion given to the to the death the right of any This bowing and scraping adequately presented through primarily a bone, stone and the exhibition.