News and information regarding Hammer & Hand Bangalow.

These pieces are inspired by the Pacific Islander Sailors of the Marshal Islands who navigate using ancestral knowledge handed down by means of “Stick Maps” .. These are made from small sticks and Cowrie shells , bound together with palm fiber.. These Maps indicate wave direction, currents,Wind and more … They watch birds and if they are carrying food in their beaks or claws, then they are journeying home to an island..They watch the horizon just befor dawn to spot a glow in the sky , indicating the first light of the sun reflecting on land below the horizon .. My pieces are ‘bone boats with wings or other means of propulsion that are ourselves (we understand in our bones the directions we need to travel)

Welded steel and gold leaf

welded steel, copper, bronzing

What a party!  Lots of fabulous people came to share in the fun, the music, the excitement and surprises that was our latest (12th!!) exhibition – 13 Boxes – AND our 5th Anniversary!  Five years as Hammer and Hand in Byron Bay – awesome achievement to have been open and flourishing for so long – and so proud to personally to part of such a fantastic team!

AND finally I can show you the photos of the pieces I made from my box of mystery and wonder!  It was quite a challenge this one – many materials that I had never worked with before and a number of pieces that just had me stumped as to what I could do with them – but I managed!  (My 6 year old is looking forward to me bringing home the picnic diorama – she’s had her dibs on it since I made it.)

I’m looking forward to working more with some of the materials – exploring the steel further…thinking of adding gems there…..watch this space for more!

Thanks everyone who came along, thanks so much to my fellow Hammer and Handers and a shout-out, rocking-good thank you to Moon Dogs Gypsy Blues Band for the great music (if only the rain had held of for just another half hour….but at least it held off for as long as it did!)

Steel and Sterling Ring

Anodised Aluminium Pendant and Earrings

Steel and 9ct Gold Ring

Ebony, Bone, 24ct Gold Leaf, Silver Leaf Pendant

Steel and 9ct Gold Ring

Byron Hinterland (Acetate) and Sterling Silver Pendant

Washi Paper, Acrylic and Sterling Silver Necklace

Tin, Paper, Glass Beads, Button, Plastic Doll Diorama (for fun!)

American White Oak and Sterling Silver Pendant

Tigers Eye and Sterling Silver Necklace

The Contents of our Boxes

This Exhibition is proving to be very exciting for the members of Hammer and Hand Byron Bay !

A box each .. full of an odd mix of materials … 12 in all, put there by each member ..

Rachel gave us all a piece of computer motherboard and a Tiger-eye cabochon,

from Rosie we each received some Chiyogami yuzen washi paper,

From Dave , American White Oak,

from Kate , a plastic doll !,

Helen some Buttons from her Grandmothers collection,

Laura a sepia photographic image on acetate..

Wi-Hihanni a couple of pieces of bone,

Julian a slice of Ebony,

Jen put in Gold Leaf,

Lucille (who’s Idea this whole thing is!), an Anodised aluminium  pot lid,

Eve an offering of beads from her collection

and I (Bruce) put into the boxes a small rectangle of Mild-Steel !

So… !  That was the brief and challenge .. a kind of collaboration, using all these materials..

Animal, Mineral, Vegetable, Elemental and Man-made, to produce, inform, transmute and appropriate.

In the making !.. pieces for Exhibition !

So come along this coming Friday evening and experience the diversity and eclecticism that is 

HAMMER AND HAND !

Here’s some cufflinks custom made for a couple that wanted a special gift…

Bespoke cufflinks made by Julian de Saxe

I have used a 308 shell-case as a ferrule for a walking cane..(a piece for our “13BOXES” Exhibition) with a bit of automotive shock-

Live bullet

Lipstick Bullet Walking cane tip

rubber (red) as a soft, non slip tip. With the remaining piece , I took the dent out of the firing cap so that it looks ‘live’ and set it on a silver band…. The ‘brand name of the bullet is ‘norma’ , so……..

Two ‘Tiger’ medalions and a ‘Tattoo Heart’ getting it’s pin

I need to get an image of work to divert to our Facebook page and not just the header of this website blog ..

So here goes !?