Craftsouth is developing Trades, a project linking contemporary craft, design and visual art practitioners with tradespeople. Eight artists have been selected to undergo a period of cross-industry skills immersion with trades practitioners, whereby new work will be developed and produced in response to this developmental process.

The artist and trades practitioner partnerships are:

Dave Archer (sculpture) with Rod Archer (plumber)

Gabriella Bisetto (glass) with Monty Clements (scientific lamp worker)

Annabelle Collett (textiles) with Jethro Adams (electrician)

Deb Jones (glass) with Hugh Gooden (panel beater)

Irianna Kanellopoulou (ceramics) with Kirsten Tibballs (pastry chef)

Annalise Rees (visual art) with Jonathan Bowles (carpenter)

Adrian Potter (furniture) with Amy Duncan (tatooist)

Maria Parmenter (ceramics) with Andrew Willsmore (arborist)

Trades will culminate in an exhibition presented in partnership with JamFactory from 25 October - 3 December 2008. The accompanying catalogue will feature essays by Dr Kevin Murray and Mark Thomson, as well as overviews of the eight partnerships.

Niki Vouis, Project Manager for Trades has written an article about the working partnerships for Craft Australia's online journal 716. To read the article, visit: wwww.craftaustralia.com.au

This project is assisted by Arts SA and the Visual Arts and Craft Strategy (VACS), an initiative of the Australian, State and Territory Governments.

Craftsouth is pleased to promote Go For 2 & 5, an Australian Government, State and Territory health initiative, as well as Be Active, an initiative of the Government of South Australia.

Image Captions (L-R): Annabelle Collett finger knitting plastic coated electrical wire, 2008. Monty Clements and Gabriella Bisetto, 2008. David and Rod Archer working on an hydraulically powered pig, 2008. All photographs: Niki Vouis.

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