TAFE Charming Punter #11

This is the story from Lorraine White who coordinates the jewellery course at Box Hill TAFE. She is willingly out and proud and expressed no need for anonimity...bless.

"… all hell has broken loose here at Bokkie for all sorts of reasons. My very brief DVD that I put together for you explains some of it. Anyway, the short of it is that we were told that Jewellery might not run in 2012 at a meeting with our CM in early November. Yikes ... Then a few weeks later, we were told all was well with the world!
…we got a reprieve and the course is actually running this year. So I'd like to attribute the turnaround to The Charm ... alas ... it all happened before I got it. Nevertheless, I wear the charm daily in anticipation of even more good news... and it makes me feel happy".

Let's hope the luck extends into 2013 as they may face uncertainty again in the future.

Charming French Punter # 10

Love the table with wine and nibbles...the French really are charming!

Activation in the recently opened and seemingly only contemporary jewellery gallery in France.

Gold flecks only just visible on the wall.

Is this the look of luck?  Let's hope so!

Charming Punter # 9 Oh so hopeful!

Charming Punter #9 states, "Finally it's time to get making! But my studio space at the university has been reduced! I have applied for a new spot which I feel will encourage a new burst of creativity and motivation.
So after waiting several months to move to the new space, I took my Charm-ID card to the site of the desired space and said a little prayer.

I rubbed it on the signage outside the studio, on the wall, a little on the floor and even on the curtain!!! I really want this studio space!

After signing my card I wore it around my neck for the day before popping it in my wallet next to my student card. I hope it will continue to rub off in there..."

Charming Punter #8 Video Evidence!

Charming Punter #8 stated "I just wanted to let you know I recieved the charm and I'm very excited about it :)

As you know, I'm wanting to do my Masters at RMIT this year and I'm meeting with one of the co-ordinators on Thursday evening, so I'm going to be activating it then"

Luck tested in Sydney with Charming Punter #7

So I'm an active member of the Charm-ID club. Woop Woop.

This is my story.(Charming Punter #7)

I've only got a few days left of my 2 years at gaffa gallery. Soon i'll be moving onto different adventures. It all began back in very late in 2009, when Gaffa moved into a 3 story c.1892 Police Station. By the time we moved in however, it had be transformed a number of times, once into a house and then into some commercial offices. We ripped up the carpet, knocked down some walls and painted what we could white, trying to cover the bad 1990's cream that adorned all the walls. The ground floor of this building was my responsibility, it housed the old Police holding cells, one of which would become my office and the entrance to the 'Sterling by gaffa', our jewellery and object retail store. The other 4 would become 'The Arcade Project' a series of short lease pop up shops available for fashion, design, performance art pieces, reading rooms, patisseries etc. The ground floor also has a cafe, which has tables and chairs all though the light filled atrium in which The Arcades are situated.

I look out into the Atrium from my desk, directly on the floor outside my office is a 'Durhams Foundary' plaque, we found this when we ripped up the carpet, and cleaned all the concert, I remember quite vividly the Sunday we sealed the floor, it was hot, we were hungover and we mused over this plaque for some time. We are still not sure what it is, it's not very big, perhaps the size of a small saucer, does it top a drain? or is it just a hallmark of things that no longer exist? Whatever it is/was, this was where I decided to rub my little good luck card.

As I said, I only have a few more days left at gaffa, it has been an amazing experience, building things from scratch, and being a part of a very small team (only 3 for the first year) allowed for the greatest freedom to do what you wanted how you wanted, with little to no bureaucratic bullshit. Dream job! But it is now time to leave and pursue my own agenda and adventures. I'm hopping my little rub of good luck will bring with me the joys and freedoms that working at gaffa has allowed. I hope when I step into my new rolls in other institutions (I am volunteering at the Powerhouse Museum, my ID lanyard is where the Charm ID card has ended up), it will allow me some small freedoms and protect me from too much bureaucracy. One can only hope!

Good luck and thanks to the Sydneysider...and look at that lovely contemporary jewellery she is wearing!!!! With any luck she will move to Melbourne??????

The G&S Spot - Charming Punter #8

Tacky title by me but great pics taken by Charming Punter #8...thank you kindly. In her email she sent me she states it very clearly...

"I chose the directory sign (at RMIT Gold & Silversmithing Dept, Melbourne) because it seems ironic that there is less and less gold or silver being smithed in these studios. I thought that by rubbing some gold onto the sign that at least there will be some precious metal in the building and perhaps some of the talent of past students and staff will rub off on me. My hope is that the changes to the Undergrad Gold and Silversmithing program will serve to continue to attract and develop the talent that it has done in the past. On a more personal note I hope that my studies continue to be fun and keep me stimulated and creating ( touch wood)".

 May luck be with you Charming Punter #8 who happens to be the first student to respond to the call...hopefully others will now follow.  Perhaps whilst they are Christmas shopping in the city!!!!!

Charming Punter #4 Holmes on in!

Charming Punter #4 (who works as a sessional teacher across two TAFE institutes) has gone right to the detailed, pointy end of the crisis where the possible lack of employment prospects reveal themselves in plain black and white...THE TIMETABLE! 

The above image is of the 2012 ceramics timetable on the Pottery Room door at Holmesglen TAFE. I am impressed they have actually got a timetable for 2012...it demonstrates a sense of optimism in an institute that recently announced a possible 50 EFT (equivalent fulltime) redundancies. I heard on the grapevine that Chisholm handed out 44 redundancies this week...I will await further confirmation of this.

Following the activation of the Charm-id Card on the timetable Charming Punter #4 stated...'feel like the magic may have worked...(although I did lose 2 classes that day to some other sessional....hmmmm...just coincidence I'm sure)'.