Birmingham trained jeweller completes Australian residencies
10-Oct-2008
School of Jewellery BA (Hons) Degree Graduate (2006) Abigail Stradling has made a triumphant return to the UK after 7 months in Australia as an artist in residence.
Abigail spent 4 months in the Gold and Silver department of the Australian National University in Canberra where she developed a new range of jewellery and objects entitled ‘Symbiosis’, whilst assisting staff and pupils on the Degree course. The department is run by German trained Johannes Kuhnen and supported by Sydney-born Cinnamon Lee. Abigail describes her trip as “a truly brilliant time. The workshop was extremely welcoming and gave me a fascinating insight into jewellery education in a different country”.
After exhibiting her new collection in Canberra, Abigail travelled further south to spend a month as an access tenant at the prestigious Gray Street Workshops in Adelaide. During this time, she became involved in the 13th Biennale conference of the Jewellers and Metalsmiths Group of Australia- the Australian equivalent to the British Association for Contemporary Jewellery.
Abigail began to organise her trip in 2006 with the help of the former head of School, Professor Norman Cherry. She was awarded the Louise Ryland Travel Scholarship from UCE in 2006 and a grant from the Association for Contemporary Jewellery in 2007 to help make her plan a reality.
Since her return to the UK, Abigail has been busy producing new work for 5 galleries in Australia, along with exhibiting both locally and nationally.
For more information, please contact Abigail at abistradling@hotmail.co.uk or visit the website www.abigailstradling.co.uk