CLUSTER JEWELLERY SHOP

JOURNAL

THE EXHIBITORS

Recently we saw K2 Academy partner with Tina Lilienthall for an online course, creative Entrepreneurship for Jewellery and Craft Businesses. Divided into three sections, professional business management, communication and entrepreneurship thinking; can you share some key insights from the session?

Sorry I don’t’ have much information to this question. Katrin and I just organised this course but then it was run by Tina Lilienthal and Jo Beardsworth and neither of us participate in the course.

I can give you some quotes from the participants, but I’m not sure if that helps:

“This course has completely exceeded my expectations. I really enjoyed that this course focused on the human skills - because some business courses for creatives can be dry and not very original. Also all the tools are practical, easy to use and I will apply them, going forward to both the management and the creative side of my business”

" I gained practical tools to develop my brand, and also in my daily life. It was great to collaborate and engage with the others in pairs. We learn a lot from listening to other people’s experiences and thoughts”

“The course worked very well virtually. Good content, moderation and tempo. Interactive. I gained a clearer picture of what I want to achieve and how to go about it"

“It was amazing :). I can think more clearly now about my work and also in my personal life”

“The course helped me to reduce my fear in starting the business, everything was explained effortless giving the feeling that everything is possible-the tools learned can be used very day in business"

In June, you took part in Cockpit Arts Festival of Making, which featured over 80 makers providing demonstration and insight into material process’. Online courses have paved the way to provide wide accessibility to mentorship and gain insight into creative disciplines. What other adaptations / aspects of the jewellery industry have you seen and how have these online courses provided support to designers? 

There are a lot more online demonstrations available now, and we also did some online demonstrations and classes at K2, though we realised that this is nothing like the real thing. Learning doesn’t happen easily through this medium, especially for practical subjects.

When the students returned to the studio we had to ‘re-teach’ these sessions as nothing beats hands on experiences and learning by doing.

On the other hand, online classes which focus more on theory and creative thinking work quite well and you can have the possibility of connecting with people from all over the world, who you normally would never reach.


‘Chaos’ and ‘recreation’ are themes evident across your jewellery collections. Underpinned by a conceptual drive, what goes into your research process when creating new work? In your eyes, when does a creative idea feel ‘resolved’ and is this shown in the physical object?

My research process is purely practical and 3D (I don’t draw or sketch). I experiment and try out different processes and approaches. My existing knowledge and skills do help me a lot when I develop new work but I still discover new things or have outcomes, which surprise me or I don’t like at all.

Through that method I don’t have a clear point when can I say the idea is ‘resolved’. I am not following a drawing or something pre-designed where the piece is finished when it looks like the design.

Most times I just stop when I think it’s done and leave the piece. Coming back to it after a few days or weeks, with having had a distance from the piece, helps me to decide if I’m happy with it or if it needs to be changed

What approaches to teaching have you found to be most beneficial for students and how might this vary depending on their level of experience?

A solid technical training is the most important skill for students. Jewellery making doesn’t often follow given steps like 1st do this, 2nd do that, 3rd then this… There are so many different ways, complications and challenges, which are difficult to master and best overcome by a good set of making skills. Having said that, I encourage experimentation right from the start too. ‘Try things which are not common, play with materials you’ve never used.’ For example I give students a book and ask them to work with that and make jewellery or objects in any way they want – cut it, burn it, grate it, file it ….the list is endless. The step from treating something in a way it shouldn’t be treated can be very frightening at first but then very liberating and reveals creativity from an unknown space. Again – we then come back to the technical knowledge – how to turn your experiments into a successful piece (which should have certain aesthetics and is well made at the same time) depends on one’s skills and technical knowledge. My advise to students is always – start slow and simple and don’t over complicate it (designs wise and technique wise).


In the return to the “new normal”, Kelvin J Birk from K2 Academy joins Cluster Crafts Residency Programme as a Jury Member. What inspired you to join Cluster’s Residency and what creative aspects do you see in the project?  

The residency project is a great way to promote contemporary jewellery and crafts. I support and applause anything which happens outside the fixed institutions, galleries and organisations and helps makers, crafts people and artists to get making and showing their work. The freedom (financially and space wise), which the residency supplies, lets one be creative without being restricted. To have this freedom is a very important point in the creative development of any maker and artist.

Just as K2 Academy provides a unique, free-thinking approach to design, Cluster Jewellery Residency offers an alternative approach to an Artist Residency Programme. What previous projects have you been involved in that supported your career and what advice can you offer artists considering this type of experience? 

My advice would be: Use the opportunity to the fullest. Try new things and take risks – don’t think of the outcome and don’t try to achieve a certain goal, but be open to what happens and unfolds. I see it too often that students get inspired by certain styles and pieces by different makers and want to recreate or even copy that work. Everyone has a different style of working and processes, and many makers have spent years developing their work – one can’t just recreate that in a few weeks, and make it look unique. Therefore – don’t aim at something, just let it happen.

I was given a grant, with a mentor and an exhibition opportunity from ‘Craft Central’ under their ‘creative 8 scheme’. This enabled me to develop my work into a totally new direction at a time when I was stuck with my existing work and due to personal reasons had a very unproductive and non-creative period.


As a mentor how would you approach your mentorship sessions with the artist in residence? Your role will provide support on the artist's project during the residency whilst observing their practice as a whole. What would you like to hear from the artist?

The artist/maker should be open to feedback, stirring away from known paths and routes.

As a mentor it’s important to know the artist’s background and way of working. One can then lead them in different directions and challenge them without scaring them. Too much freedom and a big challenge can be a blocker for creativity as much as too little freedom. It’s a mentors aim to lead the artist/maker through this with an encouraging and supportive manner.