SALA is HERE!

SALA is here! Yay! For the uninitiated, SALA is an Arts Festival here in South Oz. It is statewide, spreading out to include regional areas. Artists of all kinds exhibit their work in really accessible places like cafes, wineries, shops etc as well as galleries. It really is a fun festival and well supported. This year it runs over three weeks and there will be artwork in over 500 outlets! SALA stands for South Australian Living Artists and everyone from emerging artists to well established artists joins in the fun - there is also a moving image component. My own little exhibition opened last night and it was great to have such wonderful support from the local community - I was a bit surprised really! The winery that is hosting the exhibition made lovely nibbles and cracked open a few bottles - the atmosphere was very convivial. I really enjoyed being able to speak to people about my work and found that they were genuinely interested and curious. I had a great time! I forgot to take photos of the opening but here are some of the exhibition.

This is one side - for some reason I didn't photograph the other side?! It was getting late and I still ahd to type up the catalogue ...

These birds (hanging off the cages) are some of my favourite pieces - I had so much fun making them. You might recognise some of the materials from previous posts.  They are made of recycled tin and laminex samples. The bangle in front is covered with pearly shell buttons.

Actually, I also really enjoyed making these bottle-cap amulets too - they are to help ward off the Evil Eye!

This big piece is titled "Gifted, Thrifted and Found". It is made from a whole load of jewellery that I have been given or found in thrift stores - in some cases stuff I found on the street! There are odd earrings, chains, charms, keys and all manner of bibs and bobs. Pretty hard to wear 'cos it weighs a ton, but great fun to look at!

This is a close up of the bracelet you can see in the display case above. I have called it "All About Alice". It is made from sterling silver, vintage chandelier glass and charms that I have fashioned from teaspoons (remember the spoon dilemma?), images from the Penguin publication of Alice , some mica and brass.

This woodland friend and a few of his mates are on the other side of the exhibition! They are made of old vinyl records, sterling and backed with material from an old tray. They are quite small and there were a few less than tender feelings expressed when it came to riveting on the brooch backs. At times like those, an extra set or two of hands would be - well, - handy!

I have blogged about the heart charm bangles before but I loved that blue tin so much, I had to make something else with it - hence the bubble bracelet. It is backed with recycled brass and strung with hemp.
I think there are over 50 pieces in this exhibition and my hands are sooo sore just now that I am going to have a few days off, catch up on some domestic stuff ( and a couple of Uni things!) before I get back in the workroom!  If you are in South Australia, grab a copy of the SALA catalogue ( or head to the website ) and check out a truly amazing array of work by over 3000 artists in every medium you can think of! Oh yeah - I am Big Kev excited - it doesn't get much better than this!