JamFactory’s Associate Training Program supports artists, craftspeople and designers by providing skills and business training in the field of glass, furniture, ceramics and jewellery and metal.

What To Expect:

• Access to outstanding specialist facilities.

• Exposure to significant career development opportunities from retail to building your professional network.

• Opportunity to develop your own work and creative identity.

• Access to people from creative staff to established national and international practitioners.

• Seminars and workshops tailored to building a viable creative business.

• Opportunity to work on commissions, projects and products.

• Opportunity to earn income from commercial projects generated by each studio.

The Glass Studio provides practical, vocational training orientated around design and production of glass objects.

The studio’s core activity is providing income and practical training for glass artists through the design and production of product, architectural commissions and bespoke production runs.

Made up of a dynamic group of Associates, creative staff, and studio hirers, our diverse team of skilled and committed glass artists will work alongside you as an Associate to inspire ideas, encourage you to further develop your skills and offer technical guidance and support.

You will have access to the hot shop from Monday to Friday, with opportunity for additional weekend hours, to work on developing your own practice as well as engaging in training sessions and working on collaborative studio commissions.

The Jewellery and Metal Studio offers specialist facilities catering to projects of all scales.

The Studio operates in three main areas; design and manufacture of private, corporate and public commissions; research and development for collaborative studio products; and public workshops.

Associates have the opportunity to work collaboratively on studio-led projects that range from intimate jewellery commissions, awards and tableware, through to architectural public art and commercial design work.

As an Associate you will have full access to all areas of the studio to advance your creative practice, while the Studio’s popular short course program provides an opportunity for Associates to take on teaching roles.

The Furniture Studio is a fully equipped workshop that allows you to explore materials, ideas and processes.

As an Associate you will have the opportunity to develop and apply your practice through studio-led projects such as furniture and object manufacture, commission design and production, and architectural projects including private spaces and custom commercial fit outs.

You will have the opportunity to develop skills in design, costing, client liaison, tendering and manufacture while working with a variety of design techniques and materials, including timber, plastics, metal and textiles.

The Ceramics Studio is a vibrant production studio specialising in the design and manufacture of tableware and functional ceramics.

The Studio has 7 kilns, a designated glazing area, a public workshop space, a production room, and individual Associate working spaces.

Associates have the opportunity to earn income through the production of JamFactory’s product range and the design and manufacture of studio-led commissions for high end restaurants, wineries, cafes and interior projects.

The Studio’s ever expanding short course program allows additional avenues for income earning and personal development opportunities through teaching positions and mentoring.

Rhys Cooper
Graduated 2014

Rhys Cooper is a furniture, lighting and object designer and completed the Furniture Associate program in 2015. Cooper utilises a range of high quality materials and processes working with local Australian industry and craftspeople to create dynamic and original work that is a harmonious balance between artistic integrity and producibility.

Since graduating he has established his own studio and has designed products for JamFactory’s furniture collection, exhibited in JamFactory’s Collect exhibition and received ArtSA and AusCo grants to present at DENFAIR in Melbourne.

Cooper currently lives in NSW and works under his own design company, as well as with Australian design studio, DesignByThem.

www.rhyscooper.com.au

Left: U Vase, 2018.

Right: CUSP Dining Chair designed by Rhys Cooper for JamFactory Furniture Collection

Alex Valero
Graduated 2014

Alex Valero is a glass artist and completed the Associate Training Program at JamFactory in 2014. Inspired by the scientific exploration of nature, Valero’s practice is experimental and process driven with an aesthetic that draws on domains like astronomy, geology, and geometry.

Valero was the winner of the FUSE Glass Prize in 2016, Australasia’s richest prize for Glass art. He continues to work out of JamFactory's glass studio.

www.alexvalero.com

Left: Victory over Craft, 2015.

Right: Grave (Intra and Ultra), 2015.