Our very own Karen Cunningham will be lending her talent and charisma to the position of Creative Director of the Glass Design Studio at JamFactory in the new year. We’re really looking forward to seeing her tackle the new role, and the fresh insights into the worlds of arts training and integrated design she will bring to program in 2012.

  In other recent developments… illumini has finally found a new home! Over the holidays and into January, we will be clearing out and setting up shop in a secret tin shed in the backwoods of Uraidla, South Australia. There will be heaps of work ahead to complete the transformation from Machine Shed to Glass Design Studio, but we’re ready to roll up our sleeves and get dirty. If you’d like to come lend a hand, beer and wine will definitely be involved. New products, including  new illumini lights to follow. 

 And lastly, if you haven’t already picked up the Spring copy of Adelaide Hills magazine, please make a detour to the newsagent now. Mandi’s practice is featured in an in depth article in the Gallery section. Be quick, as it will only be on the racks until December 20th.

New South Wales:

South Australia:

Hey hey hey! Its finally here… after almost half a year of tinkering and toiling in our studio, the first collection of prototypes of the Illumini Lights are on display at the Protoyping: Making Ideas exhibition at the JamFactory Contemporary Craft and DesignCentre. Which of course, as you already know,opened last week on 2nd September and runs until  23rd October. If you’re in Adelaide, please take a moment to ch-ch-check it out. As Karen and I were a little too excited to take photos at the opening, you will have to use your imaginations to fill in the visual gaps until we find someone more organized than ourselves to borrow from. We’ll soon get a few pics from the empty gallery so you can see what wonderful job Curator Margaret Hancock and local furniture designer John Quan did in turning this  excellent idea into a reality.

The Illumini lights mark our second production line developed through the JamFactory Glass Studio’s Special Projects project. For their aid and assistance, we thank them once again in helping us to realize our latest vision of creating beautiful design objects that are ethically produced and environmentally sensible. A second thanks are due to the JFCCD Furniture Design studio as well for allowing us to use their tools, equipment, and sage avice to help us get the job done.

The  LED powered lights mark a movement for us into deeper into the world of highly craft functional design objects, featuring glass as an elemental component, instead of the main event, for the first time. With that an array of new of new techniques and materials were used use including casting and waterjet cutting glass alongside found and recycled scrap plywood.  A full description of the inspiration, composition, production, and innerworkings of the lights  will soon make its way to the MenuBar of the blog, but for now here are some images from the various stages of prototyping to completion for you to enjoy.

Hi there! We know it been a longish while between posts, but big things are happening you might want to know about. After you’ve forgiven us, of course.

All good? Get this, Illumini is preparing for not one, but two new group exhibitions.

First up, Prototyping: Making Ideas opens on September 3rd in Gallery One of the JamFactory in Adelaide. This exhibition is a survey featuring the work of diverse emerging and established South Australian and interstate designers including silversmith Oliver Smith, ID-type Bjorn Rust, and our personal favorite, furniture designer John Quan. For more information on what to expect, read the press release from JamFactory here. Please come past. We will be dressed up with no where else to go, and hopefully the food will be delicious.

That’s really exciting, right? But guess what else is?!

Second on the list of things to do, the Illumini Decanter will be featured as part of the Matilda exhibition at London Design Festival, September 17th to 25th alongside of work from 39 other Australian and New Zealand designers including legends Khai Lew and Marcel Siegel. The festival’s website promises more in depth coverage soon. Though this one is big for us, we won’t have the clams to make it across the pond. If you know anyone in the London area that week, have them get a picture ?

So desirable...

Click on the image to get the full story….  we think they go great with whisky and a baby grand as well……

Look out for Issue 39 of Design Quarterly Magazine, on your local rag stands now.  Our own Karen Cunningham opens up about her mentorship  last year with the legendary Marc Newson in the article “Mentorship Match” by Collette Swindells. (pg 66). If you’re quick, you can catch also sneak a preview at DQ’s website’s Talking Business section.