Artisan has initiated and developed an exhibition entitled: ‘tinker, tailor, soldier, sailor’ – ‘100 years, 100 women, 100 brooches’. Kirsten Fitzpatrick & Dr Dorothy Erickson are selecting 100 women’s stories, with a view to a spread of occupations, excellence of achievement and ‘firsts’. Each participating jeweller has been invited to make a brooch inspired by one of the stories. Barbara chose to make her (Blackman River Peg) in response to the coppiced pegs in our own collection made originally by Ma Brown and found under the floor boards of our shop and residence in Tunbridge, Tasmania. The show opens at Artisan 29 September 2011 runs to the 12 November then tours to a further eight regional galleries ending up in Tamworth Regional Gallery 7 October 2013. The larger .pdf is here. © Bh Lace Brooch in 925 Silver with oxidised band and nail. Stainless steel hand made brooch back.
Here is Barbara’s concept statement: Ma Brown lived, supported her family and survived by her skills in the rural midlands of Tasmania in the 1920–40’s. Using found tin and coppiced willow from the banks of the Blackman River she made clothes pegs and sold them to the local store. Almost a hundred years later we purchased that old store and began a long task of repair and restoration. Under the floorboards we found a stash of Ma Brown’s pegs, carried there by rats along with other unlikely loot. Such discoveries evoke histories and enable linkages that tie us even deeper to this place. We walk beside the Blackman River and the same willows today thinking of this ordinary woman, a survivor whose memory lingers here.
So lovely to see the outcome of your research – such rich and interesting inspiration Barb and wonderful you can share Ma Brown’s story with so many…
K.T. – thanks for the support, the first idea of Dorothy’s was for Barbara to respond to Quentin Bryce’s story, our own star Queensland feminist lawyer, a friend of Barbara’s first commissioner – Marjory Millburn who ran Family Planning in Queensland and who retired at 80 from that position. Quentin rose to Governor of Queensland and then to Governor General – Australia and has sported our Earrings and Brooches on many media occasions (we love her)! We were delighted with that but felt so much more, an affinity with Ma Brown’s story that we left the big wigs to the big wigs.
I like jewelry carvings made from whalebone. Is any of that being done these days?Is acquiring the raw material prohibited as is the collection and transport of ivory?
We have friends who do that who are native eskimo artisans who live in Hawaii. We have two pieces in our private collection from Tucson gem fair years ago. We never get to see that material Carl . . .
I just looked up some things and I see some carvers are using beef and horse bone and producing delightful things. My next question is how in the Sam Hill do they make such tiny and intricate carvings like that stuff from Japan. You may care to see my chess set post 4/13/11.
From: artisan – Kirsten Fitzpatrick
Date: 5 July 2011 2:36:08 PM AEST
To: Barb
Subject: Tinker Tailor
Hi Barbara and Mal,
I’ve just returned to my desk to discover the most exquisite piece of jewellery! Thank you so much for creating such a spectacular brooch – and for such a great response to the tale of Ma Brown. It will make a splendid first page of the catalogue.
The exhibition is coming together well and I’ll keep you posted on progress.
Can I use that image for media and promotion? if so who do I list for photo credit?
thanks again
Kirsten Fitzpatrick
Curator
I have quite by chance ‘fallen’ upon your website. Mrs Brown being the reason of interest for me. A wonderful character and survivor of her times she was my great grandmother. Sadly many of her children were not registered at birth, My grandmother (whom I never knew) being one of them. Should anyone know anything regarding her family could you please contact me, I have researched much and have many tales but little on Mrs Brown’s family. I would also appreciate any details on her death and place of burial as many stories have been told to me but none can be proven.
Cheers,
Anne White
[…] the show of ‘brooches’ opens at Gallery Artisan. Barbara’s brooch is based on a copiced peg made by Ma Brown (the Midland Tinker), shown here in a steel roadside sculpture taken just south of […]
[…] The exhibition celebrates 100 years of International Women’s Day and features 100 stories of great Australian women, with 100 brooches made in response to these stories by 100 of Australia’s most talented women jewellers. It is a premise that runs both deep and wide, is beautifully curated and presented with paired-back sophistication and clarity. The catalogue is a must buy as it not only provides a complete snapshot of the exhibition (with one page dedicated to each featured Australian woman and the jeweller responding to her life history and work), but is a valuable document and resource on this particular slice of Australian history. What an honour to be one of the jewellers invited to participate in this project. The works are as diverse as the women they honour and are absolutely divine! It’s impossible to pick one work that stands out over another, but if pushed, I have to say that I’m particularly enamoured with Brisbane-based jeweller, Barbara Heath’s response with her Ma Brown Peg. […]
[…] story about Barbara Heath’s […]
Thanks for the post and well researched link – Melbourne Jeweller . . .
My family took me to Tasmania in 1940. We moved on to the Boyer Mill site July 4, 1940. Ole Ma Brown used to come around in a horse and dray. She had a reputation for being ‘sticky fingered.’ Whether true or not as young kids we kept a close eye on her from a distance.