Sunday, June 30, 2013

Candykins Crafts

We sell the most adorable little hand made brooches in here by Candykins Craft. Here is some information taken from Candy's Etsy shop:

Cute and quirky handicrafts to brighten your life!

I grew up with a mother and grandmother who loved to create, and who passed on some of their skills and knowledge to me. While I never fully gave up creating handicrafts, for many years it was an occasional hobby.

After a particularly trying period in my career as a psychologist, while caring for my toddler and pregnant with my second child, I was urged by a friend to find a way to "recharge my batteries".

I immersed myself in creating and blogging, and quickly discovered it to be the most effective way of unwinding from the stress of life. Candykins Crafts was born first as a blog, then progressed to a shop as friends and family were asking where they could buy my handicrafts.

How do you create your art?

I design, hand cut and hand stitch brooches from 100% wool felt, and embellish them with hand embroidery. I design and hand embroider hoop art pieces and embroidered jewellery. I also love to transform kids' artwork into embroidered hoop art or jewellery - I take custom orders for this, but also like to use my own kids' drawings.
 
What inspires you to create?

I'm sure everyone says this, but I can't NOT create. But to elaborate, I create as a way to unwind and recharge after busy days with my two young kids. My kids are also a great source of inspiration for my work - especially my daughter's drawings which delight and surprise me on a daily basis. I am inspired by whimsical, sentimental vintage items and anything that brings out the child in me.
 
What are your hopes for the future?

I want to see my little business grow at a pace I can keep up with. I am currently diversifying with an embroidered jewellery range, and getting my products into more shops. I would also love to pass on my love of embroidery to others - firstly my kids (if they are interested), but then perhaps teaching others how to hand stitch as well. I actually have some exciting ideas that are in the very early stages at the moment, so I can't give too much away on that front just yet!

 Name a few things that make you happy?

Spending time with my loved ones, seeing a new design make the move from my head to a stitched creation, drinking tea, reading a variety of books and enjoying the great outdoors.
 
Who are some of your favourite Artists?

There are plenty of embroidery artists in particular that I admire, for example, Amy Dawson of Cheese Before Bedtime, Kristen Paulson of Hey Paul Studios, Jenny Hart of Sublime Stitching to name a few.

Favourite music artist? 

I used to listen to a lot of varied and interesting music but my days are mostly filled with my kids' music these days. One old favourite that is full of sentimental reminiscing for me is Joanna Newsom, particularly her debut album "The Milk-Eyed Mender".





Bright pink stud earrings with hand embroidered white cat  $27

 




Your Child's Artwork MADE TO ORDER As Embroidered Hoop Art Personalized Fathers Day Gift
$46.00






Grey Felt Rain Cloud Pendant AND Brooch with blue raindrops $35.00







Dress Up Doll Felt Brooch with 1 to 4 Retro Felt Dresses - Ready made. $65





 

Phone mp3 Player Cosy Felt Pouch Hot Air Balloon Rainbow. $25.00




 

Women's BROOCH 1950s Style Miniature Dress Felt Brooch Bright Green - MABEL. $17.00

 Links

http://www.etsy.com/au/shop/CandykinsCrafts 

https://www.facebook.com/candykinscrafts

 

Here is Joanna Newsom with  "Sprout and the Bean"


 

Thursday, June 27, 2013

Paper Alphabet

Paper Alphabet is wonderfull  notebooks, origami, paper crafts, jewellery created by Erin Klapper, a graphic designer and artist living in Brisbane, Australia. She is a lover of all crafts and quirkiness! She absolutely adores handmade products and everything creative!


How do you create your work?

My brooches and earrings are made using shrink film (this awesome plastic material you can print on and bake). I use design programs such as Adobe Illustrator, InDesign and Photoshop to create my artworks and then print them onto the shrink film. I also have a passion for origami and paper, and create little folded crane garlands out of old books (I love recycling).

What inspires you to create?

Often the weather inspires me to create, if it's cold and gloomy outside, instead of feeling cold and gloomy myself I start making things to warm my spirits! However, other times I am inspired to create by seeing other people being creative.

What are your hopes for the future?

I am studying graphic design at the moment, and I would really love to have a freelance web and graphic design business along side my creative and crafty Paper Alphabet hobby business.

Name a few things that make you happy?

My mother (and my whole family), bunnies and origami.

Who are some of your favourite Artists?

Anna Garforth, Orange you Lucky! and Gustav Klimt.


I always ask who peoples favourite music artists are as I like to stick a clip at the end.

I am a bit obsessed with the new Boards of Canada album, especially the track "Reach for the Dead





Origami Heart Brooch

 


Blank Face Illustration Brooch

 


Nordic Origami Bunny Brooch

 


Origami Heart Wooden Brooch




 Recycled Origami Garland






Australian Animal Brooch Collection


Links

http://www.paperalphabet.com/

http://www.blog.paperalphabet.com/

http://www.facebook.com/paperalphabet


Here are the New Boards of Canada with "Reach for the Dead"



Friday, June 21, 2013

Kay Watanabe - Printmaker

Kay Watanabe  is a printmaker based in Brisbane, Australia.

Kay's prints use a wide range of printmaking techniques, such as traditional etching, photopolymer plates, linocut, woodblock, collograph, drypoint and monoprint. She sometimes uses them individually and sometimes combines two or more techniques to achieve targeted effects.

She participated in numerous awards/exhibitions in Australia and internationally in recent years. Her works are also stocked at several galleries and shops in and out of Australia.

Kay also holds printmaking workshops in various places, including Bleeding Heart and Bright Learning both in Brisbane and Rosebud Street Gallery in Eudlo, Queensland. Her new assignments in 2013 include an Art Teacher at Koala-Gumi Japanese preschool and a Printmaking Tutor at the Art for the Margins (AFTM), an art group organised by Wesley Mission, both in Brisbane.

How do your create your art?

-- I create my prints using different printmaking techniques such as etching, drypoint, linocut, woodcut, collagraph, monoprint etc. I use these technniques sometimes independently and in other times, I combine them to achieve targeted effects.

What inspires you to create?

--nature, social and political affairs, things happening in my personal life.

What are your hopes for the future?

-- It would be nice to get my own etching press (a fairly big one) so that I can build a printmaking studio at home even if it is a small, humble one!

Name a few things that make you happy?

--Friends and family.

Who are some of your favourite Artists?

--Klee and Matisse. Helen Frankenthaler and Antoni Tapies.
Ah music, there are too many to pick one!


 All images are ©Kay Watanabe.






 Journey II
is etching and chine colle
size is 10cm x 15 cm

  





 Snow Country
is multiple-plate linocut
size is 47cm x 57 cm




 Thrust
is etching
size is 36cm x 50cm




 Paradise II, III, IV
is linocut and monoprint on hand-dyed paper
(currently for sale in the Gallery $190 each) 

https://www.facebook.com/KayWatanabePrintmaker?fref=ts

Now as Kay has not picked a song I am going to adda little clip of a very interesting way to make music.


Céleste Boursier-Mougenot At London's Barbican 

 

 

Sunday, June 16, 2013

Creative Arty Facts

Creative Arty Facts are the lovely hand crafted beads and Jewellery created by  Liz DeLuca. Here is some details taken from her web site:
  
I was born in Sydney, Australia, but lived most of my life in Canberra until recently moving to Brisbane, Queensland 2003.

I began began my creative journey into the visual arts with a Bachelor in Education with major and minor studies in Ceramics and Graphic Arts at both Kuring-gai College of Advanced Education and the University of Canberra.

 As a practitioner of the creative arts and Education, I have been fortunate to shared my knowledge, skills and expertise with students and peers at the primary, secondary and tertiary levels. During a professional sabbatical, I worked on-call at National Gallery of Australia (Canberra) in the areas of Education and Public Programs, as well as several short term tutoring positions at the University of Canberra (Education Faculty).

After a year long stay in London in 2002, my focus changed from ceramics to glass and in particular, hand made glass beads and the ancient art form of lampworking. 

Today, my beads are made on a modern duel fuelled torch. I use Italian, German and Czech glass, each renown for its particular property and special characteristics. All jewellery made by me Liz DeLuca,  contains my hand made art glass beads that are created in my Brisbane studio in Queensland.
 

What inspires you to create?

Colour - the beach - natural beauty and colour combinations in their natural state - monochromatic themes - colour discords - pens, pencils and crayons!

What are your hopes for the future?

To continue along my creative path as I have done for the past 20+ years. I've been lucky enough to travel extensively and hope to do so again in the near future - to continue to share my love and passion for the visual and creative arts with other creative souls.

Name a few things that make you happy?

The beach, painting, colour, taking photos, fabric, glass, clay
Inner peace and calm
quiet and reflective studio time
music


Who are some of your favourite Artists?

Van Gogh, Gauguin, Monet,Ansel Adam, Robert Mapplethorpe, Max Daupin
Grace Cossington-Smith, Margaret Preston


I always ask who peoples favourite music artists are as I like to stick a clip at the end.

Violent Femmes, Matchbox 20, The Cure, U2,
















Links

http://www.creativeartyfacts.com.au/ 

http://www.creativeartyfacts.blogspot.com/ 

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=69582

https://www.facebook.com/CreativeArtyFacts

Now I am a bit of a cure fan as well  so here is "Pictures of You"


Friday, June 7, 2013

Wimcee's Whims

Whimcee's Whims AKA Stephanie Morris has some lovely bags in the gallery. She doesn't just make bags though, she creates all sorts of  wonderfull things. Here is some information taken from her facebook page:

Wimcee's whims and chickadees are creations in fabric, fibre, paint and paper, each unique and hand-made or hand-finished - perfect presents for special people, aprons with attitude, accessories and clothing for adults and children, new, repurposed and vintage, paper products, and artwork.

My one-of-a-kind designs, part retro, part boho, part ethnic in inspiration, are created out of distinctive mixes of colours and patterns, each with care and affection out of quality components.

I sell through retail outlets including Bleeding Heart Gallery (Brisbane CBD), The Collective Store (Wynnum), and Rosemont Collectables (Lismore NSW), at a few local markets in Brisbane and surrounds, and on-line via this page, my etsy shop or my made-it shop.

I also exhibit major work at galleries such as Robyn Bauer Studio Gallery and Hanasho Art and Flower in Brisbane, and in exhibitions from time to time.
 
What inspires you to create?

Breathing? Seriously.

What are your hopes for the future?

To have the time and energy to see through as many of the projects in my head as I possibly can.

Name a few things that make you happy?

Family, fabric, pastels, cooking, the sea.

Who are some of your favourite Artists?

Early-mid 20th century Australians, especially women like Vida Lahey, Grace Cossington Smith, Margaret Preston, and Daphne Mayo, as they tend to be under-recognised, or devoted much of their finite energy to promoting/developing/nurturing their contemporaries rather than pursuing their own work.

I always ask who peoples favourite music artists are as I like to stick a clip at the end.

No favourites, just not golden oldies so much and a bit stuck in the 90's - Creed? Good Charlotte? Blink? Matchbox 20
 
 
 

 Leather Brooches

 

 Upcycled Skirt



 
Striped Mittens



Tip Shop Entry




Bag


 
 
Apron With Applique



Here is Blink 182 - All the Small Things