Where does the edge of the canvas end and the edge of the world begin? (1) 

edgesbordersgaps will be the 16th conference presented by Jewellers and Metalsmiths Group of Australia. This conference is opportune as 2015 is the 35th anniversary of the first formal gathering of JMGA as a group. The organisation has shifted quite a bit during that time both on a national level but also at a state level. The needs of the discipline have changed, and how we talk about and understand contemporary jewellery has evolved – the visibility of contemporary jewellery is another question. Membership has certainly changed but most of all how we communicate has changed. Of course technology and social media have been the biggest impacts here. Gone are the days of our journal Lemel and the hard copy newsletter sent through the post.  That Lemel no longer exists doesn’t mean that writing (and talking) about jewellery is any less important, and this is why the conferences still continue, and are attended. Despite the convenience of online communication, coming together remains a need and a focus of our organisation. It has been 8 years since JMGA-NSW hosted on Location - making stories: siting, citing, sighting (have a look here if you have either forgotten or weren’t around: http://www.jmgansw.org.au/jmga-conference-2006/index.html). We look forward to hosting the conference again and seeing you all in Sydney in July 2015.

Convenor: Dr Karin Findeis
Chair, JMGA-NSW Inc.

JMGA-NSW Conference Committee
Karin Findeis
Linda Blair
Matina Bourmas
Jenny Fahey
Clare Hooper
Bridget Kennedy
Chloe Waddell
Melinda Young

(1) Douglas Fogle, "The Trouble with Painting", in Douglas Fogle, (ed), Painting at the End of the World (Minneapolis, MN: Walker Art Center, 2001), p. 15.