Events 2009
Edinburgh Festival
Dates 7th-31st August inclusive.
We are getting closer to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe for this year and an exciting prospect it is.
Dazzle exhibitions have been part of the Fringe since 1983 when the Assembly Rooms – arguably the largest and most influential venue of all – invited us to show in the Music Hall bar. Not a natural or an easy venue to exhibit in, for a group of serious contemporary jewellery designers. However, the first exhibition there was a massive success. Dazzle was open from 10am to Midnight and had to contend with lengthy noisy queues for the theatre plus the dozens who frequented the bar downing everything from spirits to Eighty Shillings.
Through all of the noise and drinking, Dazzle sold thousands of pounds of innovative, exciting work and initiated a demand from those regular festival-goers that had not been there before and has lasted to this day.
Now we are well ensconced at the beautiful Traverse Theatre Atrium. It is a favourite venue of ours. It is very lively, as the space is a thoroughfare for the many hundreds who work in the offices above and an overflow for those visiting the Traverse Theatre to attend shows, eat in the restaurant and café or buy tickets at the busy box office. Overlooking us as we exhibit, is the fashionable Blue Bar Café and the wonderful up market Atrium Restaurant which has won many awards and plaudits for its chef owner Andrew Radford, a former judge on BBC TV’s Masterchef. Many Festival personalities can be seen eating there, followed by a visit to Dazzle.
The Traverse Theatre our host is in the very hub of things. Next door is the Usher Hall and then the Lyceum both the cornerstones of the Official Festival. Opposite is the Filmhouse and next to it the Sheraton Hotel. Just behind the venue is Castle Street car park which is the biggest in Edinburgh overlooked by the Castle.
For this years festival exhibition we have brought in a host of brand new makers.
Exciting designers who will be very popular we are sure and allied with the return of many regulars, we think that we have one of the best shows for many years.
Jahyun Rita Baek, Adele Brereton, Shivani Patel, Kate Smith, Misun Won and Yen are all making their Dazzle debuts. Charlotte Verity is also new to Edinburgh .
They all offer highly stylised intriguing work that should make a big mark on the jewellery world over the next few years.
Online Shop
www.lovedazzle.com
for people who love contemporary jewellery
The new selling website www.lovedazzle.com is almost ready to go live. We are hoping to go public and be fully available during the month of August. We shall keep you up to date on this website as to our progress.
We are very excited at the amazing selection of pieces that we have gathered together from top designer-makers and we are sure that you will like what we will have on offer.
The designers on show have all exhibited in Dazzle exhibitions over the years and almost all are current. We shall be including a number of recent graduates and prices will be very keen.
Some work will be the same as at the exhibitions and other pieces will be unique to the website. We will mix one-offs with small runs and all pieces will be handmade by individual designers. We have brought back some old favourites including Sophie Harley who designed and made the jewellery worn by Eva Green in the latest Bond movie. We hope to include that range.
The styles will cut across the board with plastics from Gail Klevan, Kaz Robertson and Carla Edwards to precious jewellery by Jessica Briggs, Joseph Koppmann, Daphne Krinos and Jean Scott-Moncrieff. Figurative work by Nicola Becci and Nick Hubbard and the enamelling of Sheila McDonald and Jane Moore. Grace Girvan will be showing her precious metal and found materials range and very talented recent graduate Iona McCuaig will have her amazing one-off brooches on line. This is a small selection of what will be on offer.
London 2009
National Theatre London Dazzle
Dates 9th November to 9th January 2010 inclusive. Opening hours 10am-10pm Monday to Saturday. Sunday opening hours to be confirmed.
Private View dates Saturday 7th November and Sunday 8th November.
Exhibitors will be announced shortly.
Manchester 2009
Manchester Town Hall Dazzle
Dates 23rd November to 2nd January 2010 inclusive. Opening hours 10am-6pm Monday to Saturday. Sundays 11am-5pm. Late night openings to be confirmed.
Private View dates Saturday 21st November and Sunday 22nd November.
Exhibitors will be announced shortly.
Gift Vouchers
Don't forget that Gift Vouchers are available in £10 and £50 denominations and make an ideal gift for jewellery lovers to spend at our exhibitions.