Today we are witnessing a revival of craft and trade practices that traditionally produced the functional objects we use every day. Traditional manual methods of production had previously been in decline since the introduction of mass-production during the Industrial Revolution, which enabled machines to produce these objects in a faster, more standardised and cost-effective manner. However, a growing consumer awareness of what has been lost in this change, in particular the stories behind these objects — their materials, origins, makers and processes of production — has created a new place for these handcrafts in today’s marketplace. Despite this growing interest and demand, embarking upon projects which employ traditional methods of production is challenging and demands extraordinary determination. While the hand skills in revival are the same, the market in which they need to compete is not, and thus the journey to establish craft practices no longer resembles the traditional trajectory of crafts and tradespeople. This road has had to be pioneered anew.
The Apprenticeship showcases the work and stories of thirteen crafts and tradespeople who have travelled new paths to acquire traditional skills and establish their practices. Some have done so because the skills have been lost, some because the traditional apprenticeship has become unviable or disconnected with their ambitions, and others because what is commonly taught or produced does not match their ethical approach. What all the artisans in this exhibition share, however, is a passion to adapt and bring to light the traditions of their craft in order to compete in today’s marketplace. By telling the stories of these makers, The Apprenticeship reveals the shifts that have occurred in their crafts and trades in response to the need to compete with mass production. To stay relevant in light of these shifts, the makers also demonstrate the need for the process of acquiring artisanal skills, tools and markets to evolve. This exhibition asks how an apprenticeship may provide artisans with the skills to revive traditional methods of hand production in a style and fashion relevant to the contemporary era. CURATORS, AARON BARTON AND RICHARD STRIDE.
1
The kinds of joinery and the types of materials I am interested in are not a large part of the contemporary commercial furniture maker’s toolbox and so an apprenticeship in the traditional form didn’t feel true to my initial motivations for choosing to do what I do.
Aaron Barton of Backwards Originals in his studio. Photo by artisan.
Social media has helped us open a dialogue with the public about what goes on in workshops all around the world. Maker videos are basically a genre now. I think this gives a new depth to the experience of working with a craftsperson and ingrains so much more meaning into the work that’s created. My favourite projects are where I’ve said yes knowing full well that at the time I would be pushing the limit of my skill set. I actively pursue this kind of work and it’s the basis of how I’ve learnt my craft. In most cases this approach has produced the work I’m most proud of.
2
Aaron Barton, Chair (with pants) and Bold jack (2016). Photo by Jaala Alex.
AARON BARTON Furniture Maker
Aaron Barton is a furniture maker and designer working out of Dayboro in South East Queensland. He is a fourth generation maker who made the leap to become a fulltime craftsman by launching his business, Backwoods Original, in 2012. His practice combines traditional handcrafting with contemporary form and a love of recycled timbers. Aaron applies his skills across a range of products, from furniture and homewares to theatre sets, creative fit-outs and installations. He is passionate about extending the furniture market beyond the mass-produced by making handmade, bespoke furniture more accessible.
of mentors for specific skills, researching books and online, and taking on challenging projects to learn from. As a result, he has achieved his goal of establishing a market and acquiring the appropriate tools and skills over the same period as a formal apprenticeship. Working with recycled wood is an inherently bespoke practice, with each piece of timber requiring individual consideration and treatment for its potential to be realised. By focusing on this practice, Aaron is able to distinguish his work from the mass-produced by telling the unique story of both the history of the timber and the handcrafts involved in its repurposing. Aaron’s practice aims to both educate consumers about the value of the handmade whilst contributing to the continuity of traditional woodworking.
While the structure of traditional furniture making and joinery apprenticeships do still exist, the pressures of mass production and contemporary life have shifted their focus and challenged their viability. Aaron considered starting a standard furniture making apprenticeship but felt it would not offer him the specific carpentry skills he sought, the income he needed to survive, nor the tools and clients required to establish his business. Instead, Aaron pursued his own self-guided form of ‘apprenticeship’. This involved a range of strategies such as travelling in search
www.backwoodsoriginal.com
3
If you look to other cultures, particularly those in developing countries where imported goods are often unaffordable, people understand how to utilise their local resources. There is such value in this approach, not just from the sustainability viewpoint, but also from a social, economic and aesthetic perspective. However, in the mass market, building with materials already on site is something many consider unfeasible now.
Clare Kennedy in her studio. Photo by artisan
When you make bricks in a factory you need to be able to produce 20,000+ of them each day. You can’t be experimental. Consistency is the key. My approach is entirely different. I work with whatever soil is on site, and am experimental with my moulds and firing processes resulting in a product less consistent than its commercial counterpart, but far richer in character.
4
Clare Kennedy, Surface experiments, soil firing tests, and soil examples made from various soils and clays, 2016. Photo by Jaala Alex.
CLARE KENNEDY Brick Maker
Clare Kennedy is Brisbane-based architectural designer who handcrafts bricks using clay and natural resources found on the sites of her architectural projects. Clare is driven by the belief that building materials should be made from resources local to the building site, as opposed to imported and mass-produced materials.
hand techniques that Indian communities use to create bricks. She has complemented this by gleaning more modern and technical knowledge from contact with large local brick factories. Through her practice, Clare is rediscovering and reviving the traditional techniques of handcrafting bricks in order to restore the potential she sees in them. She seeks to offer consumers a richer and more ethical alternative to massproduced bricks. Inspired by Mahatma Gandhi’s belief that buildings should be constructed of materials from within five miles from their site, Clare has recently launched Five Mile Radius, an outlet for her experiments with natural building techniques and a platform that encourages and enables people to build using their local resources.
In the past, brickmaking skills were passed down through communities and families without a formal apprenticeship process. Today in western societies, bricks are predominantly mass-produced and sourced or imported from factories. While the mass production of bricks has enabled them to be standardised and structurally consistent, in the process they have become detached from the landscape they were created from and void of the social significance and character imbued in their original means of hand production. In countries like India, however, hand techniques and natural resources are still used to create bricks. To acquire her skills and knowledge, and reflect on her philosophical perspective on building materials, Clare travelled around India to experience the
fivemileradius.org
5
David Atkinson of Little Peach Co. with Heidelberg Platen Press. Photo courtesy of the artist.
Debossing, the impressing into the paper possible with letterpress, was traditionally considered a mistake. I’ve had older letterpress guys tell me that’s not how you should print, but that’s what people want and, in my opinion, that’s what is fantastic about letterpress printing — it’s the texture that differentiates us from standard printing.
Printing used to be a four-year apprenticeship, but throwing myself in the deep end and with a little mentoring from a master letterpress printer is how it worked for me. I was pretty motivated to learn as quickly as I could.
6
David Atkinson, Assorted printed materials, 2012-2016. Letterpress prints on various paper and card. Photo by Jaala Alex.
DAVID ATKINSON
Letterpress Printer David Atkinson is a letterpress printer and graphic designer whose Brisbane-based business, Little Peach Co., has been producing traditional letterpress prints since 2013. David began letterpress printing seven years ago as an extension of his graphic design practice. He began with a small hand press but now works primarily with two 1960s Heidelberg Platen presses. Letterpress, which originated in the 15th century, was used for all printing until around 50 years ago. Modern machinery and the digital printing revolution have progressively replaced letterpress, leading to its near extinction.
needs to both source an original machine and piece together the skills and knowledge to operate it. Although a machine itself, Letterpress printing has significant manual requirements, including the hand mixing of colours, and creates a style distinct from digital printing. To do justice to this printing method, which is no longer considered cost efficient, David strives to accentuate its unique characteristics. Traditionally, the ‘debossing’ (indenting) of paper unique to letterpress printing was considered a mistake, but it has become an important aspect of his method. David also seeks to separate his work from digital printing via designs that draw on older graphic languages. He believes in conveying the handmade aspect of his work to his clients, routinely inviting them into the workshop to see him and machines at work.
Letterpress printing is no longer a part of the standard printing apprenticeship today, resulting in a drastic decline in the available pool of knowledge in the field. To restore and learn to use his first letterpress machine, David worked through the original 1960s manual. He researched further online and actively sought out the few remaining letterpress experts in Brisbane. While there is a small revival of traditional letterpress and some workshops are still available, anyone wishing to use letterpress printing
www.littlepeachco.com.au
7
David Bradley during the forging process. Photo courtesy of the artist.
Interestingly, the most suitable model for become a blacksmith today might be the journeyman style, where the apprentice moves from forge to forge to gain the necessary skills, seeking out specific mentors for the intended style of work.
I focus more on creative or decorative blacksmithing because the precision and consistency of mass production means items such as spanners are simply better produced by machines than a blacksmith.
8
David Bradley, Book stand, 2014. Forged steel on jarrah base. Photo by Jaala Alex.
DAVID BRADLEY Blacksmith
David Bradley of Dragonfly Forge is a blacksmith who has been practicing for over 18 years. He utilises traditional techniques to hand forge steel into decorative and functional pieces. David’s focus on intricate details in his work offers consumers what machines cannot: unique and complex works that honour the talent achieved only by human hand.
David began his career as a manual arts teacher, but after a student expressed an interest in blacksmithing, he decided to learn the skills to teach to his students. In the process of acquiring these skills and techniques, David fell in love with the craft and decided to quit teaching to pursue it. David furthered his skills by seeking out other local blacksmiths who were often excited to share their skills and though the long trial and error process of honing his individual organic style. Since then, David has become a highly skilled blacksmith who strives to educate consumers about the hand processes of the craft and the value of bespoke forged work. With the founding of the Australian Blacksmiths Association in recent times, David is positive about the potential of skill sharing and the journeyman style of apprenticeship to revive the tradition of hand-forged blacksmithing.
Traditionally, blacksmithing was learnt through an apprenticeship led by a master forger or by becoming a journeyman – a keen learner who travelled between forges to acquire skills, trading labour for food and shelter. Since the Industrial Revolution, blacksmithing apprenticeships have often occurred in industries like the railways; however, due to the closure of many such workshops across Australia as a result of the introduction of new technologies, the availability of blacksmithing apprenticeships has mostly disappeared.
www.facebook.com/Dragonfly.Forge.au
9
The balance I have achieved with combining traditional handcrafting techniques and modern technology is reinventing leather craft. I have found a way to produce a product that honours traditional handcrafting methods whilst utilising modern technology to speed up the production process, increasing the level of precision and detailing possible.
Eleisha Nylund. Photo by We Are The Tsudons.
There is something distinctive about having that one master; there is almost an intimacy where you can observe their skills and the techniques that they are not even conscious of. The tiny flick of a finger when pulling a thread through a stitch hole, or the way they hold the leather whilst creating tension in the thread, is a finesse that is unteachable.
10
Eleisha Nylund, Selection of Nylund Design leather products. Photo by Jaala Alex.
ELEISHA NYLUND Leatherworker
Eleisha Nylund of Nylund – Handcrafted Design is a Brisbane-based leatherworker. She spent eight years working with precious metals as a jeweller and tutor, but began working with leather four years ago after being drawn to its raw and unpredictable nature. Eleisha sustains her practice crafting high-quality and durable leather goods by combining traditional handcrafting techniques with modern technology.
Traditionally, leather working was learnt through a saddlery or cobbler apprenticeship, which is rarely taught today. The consumer’s desire for mass-produced and ‘fast products’ is a key contributor to the decrease of traditional ways of crafting leather products. The traditional methods used to hand make leather goods are labour-intensive and struggle to keep pace with consumer fashions and demand, yet in the mass-produced versions consumers have lost the quality and uniqueness of the handmade. Eleisha is committed to educating her customers of the quality and longevity achieved in her work through her use of traditional leather crafting techniques.
Eleisha learnt basic leather crafting through one of her jewellery students who she calls ‘Uncle Rod’. Intrigued by his leather work, Eleisha asked Uncle Rod if he would teach her his skills. As roles reversed and teacher became student, Eleisha became so engrossed in the process of Uncle Rod’s leather crafting workshop that morning tea was skipped and her passion for traditional leather craft was born. She continued self-learning leather-crafting skills through platforms like YouTube combined with trial and error and a dedication to the prototyping process.
nylunddesign.com.au
11
There is absolutely a fundamental shift going on in the very fabric of our modern Australian economy. ‘Experiences’ are becoming the predominant economic offering for small-scale independent businesses and the basis with which people make their consumer decisions.
Emily Devers and Rick Hayward working on the Grocon Hoardings Initiative. Photo courtesy of the artists.
There is always going to be shortcuts available, temporary alternatives, ways to be a little cheaper, more instantly gratifying and fast tracked versions of what we do as craftspeople. In contrast to this, we take our time and invest in a process that helps people connect to the intrinsic value of the work. Whilst actively shifting the consumer culture, we’re producing authentic work worth sharing.
12
Rick Hayward at work. Photo courtesy of the artists.
EMILY DEVERS AND RICK HAYWARD Signwriters
Frank & Mimi is a Brisbane-based signwriting and visual identity studio established by creative duo Rick Hayward and Emily Devers. Rick is a qualified signwriter and Emily is a multidisciplinary visual artist. Together, Rick and Emily combine traditional sign painting techniques with contemporary design for specialised projects, from branding to large-scale murals. As Brisbane’s only signwriting business that offers traditional hand painting services, Frank & Mimi celebrate the unique nuances and abilities of the human hand via a focus on hand-painted signage and gliding techniques. Their approach also creates signage that is significantly more environmentally friendly than the wastage involved in most commercial signage.
After completing a signwriting apprenticeship and working in the industry for many years, Rick decided to pursue the design and skills associated with traditional hand-painted signwriting. He sought out work experience through the renowned New Bohemia Signs in San Francisco, who specialise exclusively in hand-painted signs, to further develop his hand lettering skills. When Rick met Emily, they discovered they shared a passion for visual identity, ethical practices and the uniqueness of handmade marks and established Frank & Mimi to bring their ethos together under one creative practice. Emily’s broad awareness of visual culture as an artist complemented Rick’s hand painted lettering skills motivating the duo to bring a contemporary feel and context to traditional signwriting. Their skills continue to develop through their own research, travels, practice, mentors and projects, and particularly through an international network of traditional signwriters who they have connected with.
In the past, signwriting was taught through a ‘master and apprentice’ style of learning. While signwriting apprenticeships still exist today in Australia, their focus is on teaching digital signwriting skills with, at best, only a small fraction of the training dedicated to hand-painted lettering.
www.frankandmimi.com
13
Tinsmithing skills and general knowledge are best passed down by trained, skilled workers. There are not many people out there with this training, therefore, apart from Google and old text books, much of the skills are now self-taught.
Ian Morgan in his studio. Photo by artisan.
Mass production can make the same products we make but with such sterile uniformity, which is great in one sense but sad in another. With handmade items, however, no two items will be exactly identical, which gives them a real individuality and character of their own.
14
Ian Morgan, Various metal products. Copper and tin. Photo by Jaala Alex.
IAN MORGAN Tinsmith
Ian Morgan is a tinsmith who has been hand-making products from light sheet material, such as galvabond, copper, brass and zinc, for over 30 years. While Ian creates many everyday domestic products, from letterboxes to mugs, he particularly enjoys creating bowls from copper sheet because the hand-crafted element allows each bowl to have its own character.
Ian began his career as a teacher, originally learning his skills at college when he was studying to become a metalwork teacher. Indulging his passion for handtinkered products, Ian opened his tinsmith workshop and store, Tinkers World, just over two years ago. He primarily produces the household objects where his handcrafting will be appreciated, in recognition of the fact that machinery is better suited to manufacture large-scale sheet metal products for industry and construction. Ian occasionally receives workshop visits from old plumbing and sheet metal tradesmen sharing their knowledge of the trade, and in his effort to preserve the craft, Ian also offers tinsmithing workshops at Tinkers World.
Traditionally, a tinsmithing apprenticeship took six years to complete, and while the tinsmith trade still exists in Britain and North America, in Australia it has been spilt into two main trades: plumbing and sheet metal work. Many of the specialist tools required for tinsmithing have to be sourced in Britain or North America because they are not available in Australia. The alteration of the tinsmith trade in Australia is largely due to the introduction of new technologies and materials, particularly plastic, which is now used to create many common household products originally made from sheet metal. As a result, those seeking to practice tinsmithing have to use the internet and old text books to learn the skills and knowledge they require.
www.tinkersworld.com.au
15
Lachlan Park sourcing wood for his furniture and tools. Photo courtesy of the artist.
To certain degree what I make could be mass produced, but my work is always led by the particular piece of timber being used and thus is unique to the situation.
As craftspeople I do not think we should try to compete with mass-produced wares but rather strive to constantly improve our level of skill and knowledge base and thereby differentiate ourselves from the machine.
16
Lachlan Park, Clockwise: Dovetail Saw, Wooden Square, Dovetail Makers, Shoulder Plane, Shooting Plane, Plane Adjusting Hammer, and Chisel Hammer, 2013–2015. Various woods and metals. Photo by Jaala Alex.
LACHLAN PARK Woodworker
Lachlan Park is a fine woodworker from central Victoria who handcrafts wooden objects including large, bespoke furniture pieces and woodworking tools, some of which he uses to make his products. Lachlan’s interest in woodworking originated with an enthusiastic school teacher and chair maker who allowed him access to his time and his school woodworking workshop. Lachlan builds relationships with his clients to ensure the design and delivery of his work is unique to their personality, while focussing on continuing the tradition of quality woodworking skills and the processes of the handmade.
Traditionally, woodworking happened in cabinet making shops, where skills were passed from master to apprentice. Learning to tune a bandsaw and set a hand plane were essential parts of the learning experience. Today, the wide spread adoption of automated machinery has resulted in a cycle of less mentors and a loss of the hand skills. Lachlan makes his own hand tools to ensure his practice stays as true to the traditions of his craft as possible in all details. This practice enables the creation of tools for custom purposes unfulfilled by generic tools, while also functioning as a process of contemplation and learning reflective of his philosophic stance.
Lachlan originally trained in furniture design at RMIT School of Design, but his interest in the handcraft of woodworking led him to pursue mentors specific to this field. In 2009, Lachlan travelled to New Zealand to work under internationally renowned furniture maker, John Shaw, who taught him the fine skills required to craft wood by hand.
www.lpwoodwork.com
17
When I started most makers were reluctant to share skills. They saw new makers as potential competitors so they kept their secrets. Now the internet has opened all of this right up.
Karim and Leila Haddad. Photo courtesy of the artists.
It is very difficult for someone starting out now to earn a living out of making knives. It takes a while to build up the machinery, tools and the customer base. The best approach is to do it part time until you get to the point of jumping in full time. It is a big decision.
18
Leila and Karim Haddad, Selection of handcrafted knives, 2016. San mai twist damascus steel and various types of wood. Photo by Jaala Alex.
LEILA AND KARIM HADDAD Bladesmiths
Leila and Karim Haddad are a father and daughter bladesmith duo who hand forge artisanal knifes at Tharwa Valley Forge, Karim’s bladesmithing school and forge in Tharwa just outside Canberra. Leila and Karim create bespoke knifes, from blade forging to handle construction, using traditional Western and Japanese bladesmithing techniques.
Bladesmithing was traditionally learned on site from a master or in a cutlery factory. In Australia today, cutlery and knifes are almost entirely mass-produced and imported from overseas factories. As a result, no cutlery industry exists in Australia outside of the small group of hand-crafting companies such as Tharwa Valley Forge. While this leaves limited opportunities for the next generation to acquire and continue the art of traditional bladesmithing, interest in the craft is growing and a network of makers are connecting and sharing online. Karim aims to contribute to the continuity of bladesmithing skills through the range of learning opportunities for people offered at Tharwa Valley Forge, the first school of its kind in Australia.
Karim has over twenty-four years’ experience hand forging knifes and has been teaching his craft for the past thirteen years. He started his journey under the first Australian Master Bladesmith, Thomas Gerner, in the early 1990s, before further expanding his skills and knowledge through many years of trial and error and research into the craft’s limited resources. Leila developed her interest in knifemaking after spending time wandering through her father’s workshop as a toddler. Fostering her curiosity, Karim began teaching bladesmithing skills and passing down his knifemaking knowledge to Leila when she was just six years old. Now thirteen, Leila specialises in crafting cooking knifes which are highly sought after by professional chefs and collectors.
www.tharwavalleyforge.com
19
My drum making business is built on twenty years’ experience as a working musician. I have an incredible network of musician friends and have saved on advertising as all of my work has been through word of mouth. This, combined with working in music stores, has given me a lot of knowledge about what sounds and designs people like. You couldn’t obtain this through any course.
Peter Bosworth in his studio. Photo courtesy of the artist.
It is difficult for consumers to look past the dollar sign and find value in other things such as fair trade and supporting local business and community. When musicians see their instrument as an extension of themselves, it is easier for them to take time to consider what is right for them and to value where their product comes from.
20
Peter Bosworth, Four piece drum kit, 2016. Australian rose gum, Queensland walnut and cherry wood. Photo by Jaala Alex.
PETER BOSWORTH Drum Maker
Peter Bosworth is a drummer and drum maker who has been handcrafting bespoke drum kits for the past ten years. Getting to know the drummer is an integral part of Peter’s process; he tailors each part of the drum kit according to the drummer’s specification, creating a unique sound that complements each drummer.
Peter gained his skills through the mentorship of a woodworker uncle, a small number of drum makers willing to share equipment and certain aspects of their craft, and plenty of trial and error. His knowledge as a drummer himself was also crucial. Although imported drum kits are made using the similar methods to that of Peter’s, they are often mass-produced using low quality materials like immature and unsustainable woods and through cheap labour. Alternatively, Peter uses quality, locally sourced materials and native timber because he is passionate about the bespoke look and sound created by Australian wood.
The ply based construction most widely used for drum making today was invented in the early 1900s, resolving issues of shape loss and compromised sound in earlier designs of this ancient craft. Although drum making methods have not changed much over the past century, mass production and a lack of formal training presents great challenges to those wanting to learn how to handcraft drum kits. Makers in the custom industry are often reluctant to share their techniques with potential competitors because the timber and moulds used to hand make each drum set creates a unique sound distinct to the maker.
peterlowrider.wix.com/bosworthdc
21
It is rare to find a master shoemaker to learn from these days. They are literally dying out as a generation or are retiring and are rarely replaced in most Western countries. Modern shoemakers, like myself, might choose to take on an apprentice if government financial support was available for the endeavour, but this is not available.
Rachel Aylund in her studio. Photo by Kate Holmes.
The template for a legitimate apprenticeship for my trade today would probably be similar to how I learnt, but with the hands-on learning of the craft under the guidance of a qualified master being combined with training in up-to-date business and computer skills such as pattern making, graphic design and marketing.
22
Rachel Ayland, Men’s brogue shoes, 2016. Leather. Photo by Jaala Alex.
RACHEL AYLAND Shoemaker
Rachel Ayland hand makes and sells shoes and leather accessories in her shop in Bangalow, New South Wales. Rachel has honed her craft over the past 32 years, after being drawn to it through her interest in footwear design, textiles and a love of the handmade process. With a strong focus on pattern making, Rachel’s practice is driven by a dedication to creating beautiful footwear tailored to each customer’s individual requirements. Handcrafting shoes also allows Rachel to pursue her passion for creating bespoke products from ethically sourced materials.
one of the last shoemaking courses offered through the London college system. She spent five years working closely with these shoemakers learning the skills and knowledge of the craft. Later, Rachel was mentored by Bulgarian Master Shoemaker, George Koleff, who taught her new techniques and helped her acquire the specialist tools she needed to set up on her own. Whilst Rachel has the skills and workshop where she could take on her own apprentice, lack of government funding for traditional craft apprenticeships makes it difficult for shoemakers to justify the expense whilst sustaining their own small businesses.
Traditionally, shoemaking apprentices were trained by masters in workshops, much like the one Rachel runs and owns today. As with many crafts in Australia, large-scale manufacturing has caused a decline in the demand for handmade shoes. The resulting lack of master shoemakers has left those keen to learn traditional shoemaking seeking alternative avenues.
www.instagram.com/bangalowshoemaking
For Rachel, her journey into shoemaking began in the 1980s in the United Kingdom when she found a cooperative group of five shoemakers who had trained at
23
© Copyright 2016 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical (including photocopying, recording or any information storage and retrieval system), without permission from the publisher. Published on the occasion of the exhibition The Apprenticeship, shown at artisan from 19 April – 25 June 2016. Published by artisan 381 Brunswick St, Fortitude Valley QLD 4006 Australia www.artisan.org.au Catalogue design by Liveworm The Apprenticeship logo designed by Frank & Mimi
artisan is supported by the Queensland Government through Arts Queensland, the Australia Council, the Commonwealth Government’s Arts Funding and Advisory Body and by the Visual Arts and Craft Strategy, an initiative of the Australian, state and territory governments.
24
www.artisan.org.au