Amelia’s Magazine | Metric Collective Jewellery Pop Up Exhibition at 94 Columbia Road

Metric Collective show 2011-Myia Bonner
Jewellery by Myia Bonner.

Metric Collective describes itself as a ‘collective of thinkers and doers, troche designers and makers who use co-creativity to engage and empower.’

Metric Collective show 2011-Myia Bonner
Pendant from The Diamond Collection by Myia Bonner.

I went along to the opening event a few weeks back, but the first Metric Collective pop up exhibition runs till 28th August so you still have plenty of time to pop on down. The exhibition has been made possible by Simon, a long time jeweller and owner of the store at 94 Columbia Road, who wants to encourage fresh young talent as well as invigorate interest in his own work. Metric Collective was put together primarily by jewellers Emma Madden and Myia Bonner.

Metric Collective show 2011-Emma Madden and Myia Bonner
Metric Collective creators, Emma Madden and Myia Bonner.

Shimell and Madden are showcasing some delicious gold and silver jewellery that play on the patterns created by gem facets and traditional stone setting skills. Luke Shimell provides the technical diamond cutting brains whilst Emma Madden provides the creative know how – by day she’s a PR for another jeweller in the local area and for the Metric Collective project she brings those skills to the fore.

Shimmell and Madden
Metric Collective show 2011-Emma Madden and Luke Shimmell
Emma Madden and Luke Shimmell.

Myia Bonner graduated from the brilliant Jewellery degree at Middlesex in 2010 and The Diamond Collection is an accomplished series of large diamond inspired cutwork rings and necklaces. Each piece has been hand finished to make it unique. You can also see Myia Bonner at New Designers this weekend.

Metric Collective show 2011-Myia Bonner
Myia Bonner in front of her collection.

As well as jewellery from Shimell and Madden there is also abstract wallpaper and illustrations from Jake Ambridge and a string window installation from Lora Avedian, all based on the geometric theme.

Jake Ambridge Metric Collective
Artwork by Jake Ambridge.

Perhaps most interesting of all are the collaborations – Emma Madden has worked with local school children to come up with some interesting geometric designs which are shown on the wall and the best of which will soon be made up into a piece of jewellery. Metric Collective is also providing a space for work by the Esther Benjamins Trust, set up to help disadvantaged girls in Nepal to make a living.

Metric Collective show 2011-Esther Benjaimins trust
Jewellery by the Esther Benjaimins Trust.

It’s a great idea to pull together creatives from different disciplines so that they can aid and encourage each other in the form of a collective, and it’s one of the first times that I’ve discovered a PR and journalist included in such a line up, their valuable expertise acknowledged for the part they play in promoting small events. You can never have enough help from those who specialise in these subjects, and for those of you still at college it’s well worth bearing in mind – when I teach I always encourage my students to make the most of the varied art and design networks they have available to them at university… contacts that it can be hard to come by once the big bad world beckons.

Metric Collective show 2011-Shimmell and Madden
Metric Collective show 2011

If you find yourself in Columbia Road anytime soon make sure you take a trip down to 94 Columbia Road and check out the talent for yourself. The Metric Collective pop up exhibition runs between 5th June – 28th August 2011. I warn you though… you are likely to want it all. But if you do splash the cash you will be safe in the knowledge that you’ll be supporting some great new talent in the process.

Categories ,Cerise, ,collective, ,Columbia Road, ,craft, ,Diamonds, ,Emma Madden, ,Esther Benjamins Trust, ,Given, ,illustrations, ,installation, ,Jake Ambridge, ,jewellery, ,Lora Avedian, ,Luke Shimmell, ,Metric Collective, ,Myia Bonner, ,New Designers, ,Precious Stones, ,Simon, ,The Diamond Collection, ,Wallpaper

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Amelia’s Magazine | My favourite finds from the Glastonbury Emerging Talent Competition 2014

Ellie Ford by Daria Hlazatova

Ellie Ford by Daria Hlazatova.

A few weeks ago the final showdown between 8 finalists was held at Pilton Working Men’s Club, with the ultimate winner of the 2014 Glastonbury Emerging Talent Competition announced as M+A with their super catchy tune Down the West Side, below.

When I wrote about my top picks for the Glastonbury Emerging Talent Competition I promised to also share some of the great bands and tunes that did not make it on to my short list. I was given a long list of 140 bands and musicians to listen to, from the genres of folk, country, dance, electronic, dance, indie, pop, acoustic and singer/songwriter – so obviously this selection reflects that choice. The eagle eyed amongst you may note that I was mainly given those bands with names starting in the early or late sections of the alphabet. I hope you’ll enjoy these finds as much as I did – you can hear all the tunes I like in no particular order on my soundcloud playlist, embedded directly below. I have a feeling I might be making more of these, and I am certain we’ll be hearing more from a few of these bands too.

I was really taken with the giddy oddity of Maxine, We’re Alive! by Liverpool duo A Lovely War. Unusual, weird and wonderful.

Sunsets is a great tune from Irish singer songwriter Wendy Jack, based in County Tyrone. Over the years she has worked widely to raise awareness of human rights and environmental issues.

Beautiful folk with a harp; Low is from Brighton based Ellie Ford, who is playing at this year’s Wood Festival (listing here).

Who Made Heaven is a beautiful slice of subtle country infused folk from Charlie Law, released through the The Davenport Collection folk label late last year. Despite a foundation in tune making of yesteryear the bittersweet lyrics tell a very modern tale of cross cultural love.

Bless is a slice of Japanese ambient electronica by Akisai.

Live For is a stunning banjo driven duet between Elvina and I.

Horses in Midstream by You, Me and Him was one of my favourite tracks, featuring a distinct 80s vibe in this epic tale of deception and greed.

Firewoodisland by Daria Hlazatova

Firewoodisland by Daria Hlazatova.

Simon is by the enigmatically named Firewoodisland, rollicking ‘celtic viking’ infused folk music made in Cardiff with a Norwegian lead singer.

A strummed guitar is the back bone of Stranger, a luscious slice of folk from Fenne Lily.

A harmonica opens a sweet little ditty called Back On The Bike by Four People.

Think Again is rollicking folk from Welsh singer Geraint Rhys.

And We Disappear is a prime example of 80s influenced dark wave electropop by AlterRed.

Alaskan Faction by Catherine Pape

Alaskan Faction by Catherine Pape.

We Disappear is super twinkly indie from Alaskan Faction.

A touch of the Cure, no? The Heart Transplant by Adam Clark has a subtle start but soon takes on their trademark wobbly vocals.

Like Ted Dexter by Alex Moir is feel good indie a-go-go with a psychedelic interlude!

Lost is by North Ireland based band Amidships.

Empty My Head by Youdid is a catchy piano tune with a female vocal from German singer Judith Severloh.

SwanSong is another cool indie tune featuring soaring vocals and a curling fiddle, from the London based Amberlandband.

There’s something about this that I quite like… Blackpool based Avishek Choudhury sings of the Journey Of A Lifetime in this jaunty tune featuring a female backing singer with bleeps and sirens set against a piano and driving electrobeat.

I like the jazzy big band sound and sultry vocals from rising star Ally Kemp in The Tardis.

Freya Roy is a very young Suffolk based singer songwriter with an ear for a bouncy tune, as shown in her entry Tomorrow.

Local Town comes from Brighton boy Ally Jowett.

They’re going to turn me into sushi & chips…” So goes The Whale Song by All At Sea… overly chirpy or an apt way to draw attention to a big issue?

Kids from the Sky by Young Stadium Club features jangly guitars aplenty in a soaring tune that features a veritable choir of backing vocals.

A Drastic Love by Younger Hall features a grungy baseline combined with a pounding piano. They hail from St Andrews in Scotland.

I loved the soaring Ten Years by Baby Gold, a duo from Leeds, but for some inexplicable reason it’s a private link on soundcloud so you will have to trust me on that one. Their lack of an online presence is a serious down point, but I look forward to hearing more from these guys.

Similarly I can’t share Only One by Devon based Alice Jemima, featuring a lovely breathy vocal over carefully picked chords and a nice little beat.

Finally, I can’t finish without including my favourites: firstly the clever Memphis by Alev Lenz.

George Boomsma by Simon McLaren.

George Boomsma by Simon McLaren.

And the wonderful folk sounds of George Boomsma in How High the Mountain.

Sadly my first choice disbanded just as I chose them to go through (brilliant timing!), hence my renewed desire to give some promotion to all the other bands that impressed me.

Categories ,2014, ,A Drastic Love, ,A Lovely War, ,acoustic, ,Adam Clark, ,Akisai, ,Alaskan Faction, ,Alev Lenz, ,Alex Moir, ,Alice Jemima, ,All At Sea, ,Ally Jowett, ,Ally Kemp, ,AlterRed, ,Amberlandband, ,Amidships, ,And We Disappear, ,Avishek Choudhury, ,Baby Gold, ,Back On The Bike, ,Best Of, ,Bless, ,Catherine Pape, ,Charlie Law, ,country, ,dance, ,Daria Hlazatova, ,Down the West Side, ,electronic, ,Ellie Ford, ,Elvina and I, ,Empty My Head, ,Fenne Lily, ,Firewoodisland, ,folk, ,Four People, ,Freya Roy, ,George Boomsma, ,Geraint Rhys, ,Glastonbury Emerging Talent Competition, ,Horses in Midstream, ,How High The Mountain, ,Indie, ,Journey Of A Lifetime, ,Judith Severloh, ,Kids from the Sky, ,Like Ted Dexter, ,Live For, ,Local Town, ,Lost, ,low, ,ma, ,Maxine We’re Alive!, ,Memphis, ,Only One, ,Pilton Working Men’s Club, ,pop, ,Simon, ,Simon Mclaren, ,singersongwriter, ,Stranger, ,sunsets, ,SwanSong, ,Ten Years, ,The Davenport Collection, ,The Heart Transplant, ,The Tardis, ,The Whale Song, ,Think Again, ,Tomorrow, ,We Disappear, ,Wendy Jack, ,Who Made Heaven, ,Wood Festival, ,You Me and Him, ,Youdid, ,Young Stadium Club, ,Younger Hall

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