What We Are Up To
Vanilla Ink likes to focus on the process and here at Vanilla Ink we don't like to keep any secrets. It is a glimpse into the world of a designer, showing thoughts and ideas and to encourage discussions. In this blog there will be posts from all of our designers.
You can also follow their own blogs to get all the juicy details.
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The founder of Vanilla Ink, Kate Pickering will be having a jewellery sale over on Instagram.
Instagram is taking over the social networking world and with an android version finally being developed for non iphone users, it's popularity has rocketed. Facebook has also just bought over the company so it's bound to be plastered everywhere. We have been using instagram for almost a year now and we use it to offer sneak peeks and insights into the life of Vanilla Ink and the person behind it.
We thought we would kill two birds with one stone, Kate only has a few pieces left from her last collection and we thought what better way to flog them than on the brilliant instagram.
THE RULES:
1....
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The idea sprung from a dialogue struck up on Facebook between Andrews Geoghegan and his 'likers' on deciding a name for a new ring he was creating. The response he received was overwhelming and he didn't expect to see so many people keen to be involved in the design process.
A light bulb moment hit him. He wanted to create something that would allow the public to decipher every design process whilst creating a new ring. And so the 'Facebook Ring' was born and no we don't mean a 'Like' ring.
This is the worlds first Facebook ring where facebookers are invited to vote on every step of designing Andrew's ring.
Armed with a dog and a dodgy slant on 007 the promo video was made and Andrew kicked off the project....
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Phase 2 of 'Vanilla Ink takes over the world' is complete!
On Friday the 3rd of February we held an event to launch the online shop. The event played host to 17 very talented designers.
The ethos of Vanilla Ink is to help and promote graduate jewellery designers. Phase one saw the launch of the website where it acts as a landing pad for designers to add their own profile, chat to other designers, gain insights, advice and even inspiration.
Phase two was the launch of the online shop and what better way to celebrate than with cupcakes and wine!
The event was not a selling event but to an event to showcase the talent that we have....
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I wanted to take this time to talk about things that I have learned along the way. May be you know them already or there are a few things you didn't know. That's the thing with being self employed, it's a learning process. You make mistakes, you learn by them. You take advice and create your own path. You have the freedom of working by your rules but you first have to make them. So I've collated a few rules that hopefully I will start to live by.
1. Start devising an system for your invoices and receipts. This will make the end of January tax returns sooooo much easier.
2....
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For all that missed it last year. Dundee had it's first Pecha Kucha, ran by the ever brilliant Creative Dundee. Videos have now been uploaded of all the talks that night (including myself, I've watched it once and I can't bare to do it again). There was a great mix of people and topics. So without giving anything away, here is the link to watch all 12.
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So 2012 is well underway. The Christmas tree and decorations are all packed up, presents are all put away in their correct place with a pile of 'to be exchanged' ready to be exchanged. The festivities are well and truly behind us :(
But don't be too glum because Vanilla Ink has a few tricks up their sleeves to bring the atmosphere back up.
I know you have heard it before but Vanilla Ink's online shop will be up and running very shortly and what better way to celebrate than with a wee launch party....
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The fantastic F7 Jewellery has opened its doors to their first pop-up shop in Birmingham's city centre; F7 Lux.
Filling the shelves with amazing designers including Vanilla Inkers, Jane Gowans and Myia Bonner.
As well as up and coming jewellery designers F7 have been providing a platform for Pickle, a collaboration of second year BA students from the Birmingham School of Jewellery.
F7 Lux has already had a whirlwind of a December and is looking forward to keeping their doors open for the next few weeks....
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Now I am sure you are wondering what happened to the launch of the Online Shop and where you can get all your unique Christmas presents.
Well, apologies for the late launch but Vanilla Ink is currently taking part in an amazing event in Aberdeen called Arresting, with all the fantastic jewellers that Vanilla Ink has under it's belt.
We were only supposed to be taking part for a week but the event is going to well that we just couldn't turn down the opportunity to stay for the whole month.
Arresting is "The ultimate festive destination brining you an impressive array of gifts from independent retailers, artists, designers and makers in the form of a Design Shop, a Boutique, Gallery Area, Gourmet, Confectionery and Christmas stalls."
Vanilla Ink is sitting beautifully in the Design Shop along with other great makers, including Andy Murray with his awesome lamps.
So Vanilla Ink jewellery will be on sale until 4th of January in the beautiful surroundings of the Academy Centre in Aberdeen....
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MADE11 design and craft fair saw Vanilla Ink participating in it's first event. We hauled six designers work all the way down to Brighton for the event. It ran for four days and it was epic.
As a maker myself, I have attended a few craft fairs with my own work but they have just been day events, not four days. So it was a testament of my stamina being able to stand for around 30 hours. Finally my waitressing skills came into play.
That aside, MADE11 had a great buzz about it and the level of craftmanship that was on show was admirable.
We made some great connections and talked to some lovely people....
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Last night saw Dundee's very first Pecha Kucha. Now if you haven't heard of Pecha Kucha...where have you been. It's all over the place. Basically it was something that was founded in Japan where a bunch of creatives wanted to get together and chat, more formal than a networking event but less formal than a presentation. So Pecha Kucha was born. A speaker stands in front of their audience and has 20 slides and has to talk for 20 seconds on each slide. Easy!
Ah but it wasn't....
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So the time is drawing upon us and is nearly time for MADE11! We are all very excited here at Vanilla Ink HQ and we hope you are too.
We will be showcasing six designers; Jane Gowans, Myia Bonner, Zoe Duthie, Katherine Seaman, Nicola Reed and Katie Lees. We have an eclectic mix of amzaing jewellery to show you with new lines coming from Nicola, Zoe and Myia :)
We have been very busy at Vanilla Ink HQ preparing for MADE11 and have been offering you sneak peeks along the way but if you've missed out here are a few snap shots.
We also have some exciting news on the horizon but you will have to wait a little bit longer for that....
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APPLICATIONS HAVE NOW CLOSED AND MAKERS ARE ANNOUNCED!
To celebrate Vanilla Ink and Contemporary Lab sistering sites we are joining forces to bring you a host of fantastic emerging designers.
MADE11 is a prestigious design fair in Brighton, attracting thousand of visitors and Vanilla Ink put a call out for makers to attend MADE under Vanilla Ink. Many of you applied. We were overwhelmed with the response and the level of applicants was spectacular and we wish we could take you all.
However, there are only six places available....
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Helena Bravo is half Norwegian and half Spanish jeweller and has lived in eight different countries. She now resides in London where she creates made to order jewellery.
She draws her subtle inspirations from cultures she has experienced. Her Scandinavian side craves linear and clean looks, but her Latin side wants warm colours and for my pieces to be tactile with texture. She feels that she is a spontaneous designer and this comes across in her designs; particularly with her experimentation with texture on metal or carving and melting wax. Helena writes 'Every piece is handmade and finished making them all unique....
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Bekki's work is based on themes associated with St Peter's Seminary in Cardross, Scotland.
It is an abandoned brutalist building that is slowly being reclaimed by nature. The building has many unexpected characteristics that is recreated within the work.
Bekki emulates shapes and textures found at the site and within the documentation of it; exploring the notion of growth and the natural destruction that entails.
Intricacy and painstaking detail is added through a developed technique of geometric granulation that adds beauty and depth to the pieces in which it occurs.
An important aspect to the work is that it changes noticeably at different angles, thus, making the back just as important, and if not more special than the front, allowing for a certain secret that only the wearer knows about.
Bekki’s work is continually evolving and her passion for objects and making is clearly seen in the well crafted, intricate jewellery pieces that she constructs aiming to both surprise and intrigue both viewer and wearer.
To find out more about Bekki look here.
Welcome to Vanilla Ink Bekki :)
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Michelle Oh is an Indonesian designer / maker based in London.
Michelle's latest body of work, We Were Here, explores and celebrates the subtleties in human relationships. Having just exhibited at New Designers 2011, Michelle has since been invited to show her work in galleries such as the Aram Gallery and the Kath Libbert Jewellery Gallery.
"I draw inspiration from observations of my surrounding environment and the people that inhabit it. I'm interested in the relationships we create with one another, with the objects we choose to possess, as well as the places we are tied to"
To find out more about Michelle Oh jewellery look here and here.
Welcome to Vanilla Ink Michelle :)
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Kelly has just completed her honors degree in 3D Design at Gray's School of Art, specialising in Jewellery. Her work, this year, has been primarily influenced by the designs of the late Alexander McQueen. Kelly admires his uniquely inspirations attitude towards design. Kelly has explored ways of combining the contrasting qualities of strength and fragility, using the female form as the setting to create jewellery. The idea of armouring the female, empowering her, but at the same time revealing a softer, more fragile sense of being is the main thread throughout her work....
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Ros Millar’s work comprises a range of jewellery focussing mainly on rings and large neckpieces. In her exploration of materials and colours she uses processes such as cuttlebone casting and photo-etching. Her collection is to be enjoyed on and off the body allowing the wearer to grow and develop an appreciation of the true beauty and subtle complexities inherent within her work.
To fine out more about Ros look here and here.
Ros is currently exhibiting at London Design Festival now until 12th of November.
Welcome to Vanilla Ink Ros :)
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Yesterday was a very exciting day. Not only was my second nephew born, Mr Charlie Lewis Pickering, but Vanilla Ink got a new home.
The Greenhouse is a pre-incubator space for students or staff of Dundee University thinking about setting up their own business. It is a fully equipped office space with computers, meeting rooms, phone, printer and nice views! The perfect hub for Vanilla Ink to get it's feet on the ground.
Our business is now situated in the beautiful Queen Mother building on the university's campus.
So if you fancy writing us a letter, we do love getting letters, you can now find us at:
Vanilla Ink
The Greenhouse
Queen Mother Building
University of Dundee
Dundee
DD1 4HN
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Laura's work has been strongly influenced by Japanese arts and culture. She is particularly interested in paper folding and cutting and how it can be translated from paper to metal.
Laura's work combines folded and angular shapes with delicate floral hand piercing, which is representative of the importance of nature and natural form Japanese arts and culture.
To find out more about Laura look here.
Welcome to Vanilla Ink Laura :)
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Roisin's work is; "A narrative journey into the idea that we can contain memories of previous travel experiences in a different form to a written diary. This jewellery thus becomes a visual diary of work; it aims to contain subtle reminders; a visual collage of imagery so as to reignite lost memories of travel experiences. A new travel diary."
To find out more about Roisin look here.
Welcome to Vanilla Ink Roisin :)
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