Buckles

Ha! Found it, finally! Having just retrieved this image from the buried file, full of disregarded pattern ideas and random experimentation - I am inspired to dust it off and reconsider its potential as a fabric print. With the new range that I have in mind - well, I think so. Stay tuned!

Line

Maija Louekari

Miina Äkkijyrk

Gosia Wlodarczak

Gosia Wlodarczak

I have been preoccupied with line imagery lately and thinking about a new direction for my work. Not that I plan on moving away from the organic shapes and textures that I have become comfortable with - but more a way of complementing and exploring these elements.

Last year, in exploring ideas in my honours work, I experimented briefly with a bind contour drawing of suitcase buckles in my collections and put this drawing into a repeat design. I remember being really intrigued by the finished pattern (which I am desperately trying to find in my poorly organised hard drive) and thinking about exploring this idea further. Blind contour drawing is a process I really enjoy and often a starting point for my design process.

Above are some artists who instantly spring to mind when I think about line and design. Marimekko designers; Maija Louekari and Miina Äkkijyrk and Gosia Wlodarczak's work are examples of the energy and freedom that I am interested in exploring - combined with bold areas of colour! My mind is already full of ideas!

Nami Yamamoto

Radiant Flux (detail), 2008,
handmade paper: abaca with phosphorescent powder

Miniature Garden, 2006, cut paperMiniature Garden, 2006, cut paper

So, I may have let my little weekly 'pocket collection' series slide, for now, but may have just come accross the inspiration to kick me in the bum and begin collecting and arranging again. Yamamoto uses her disparate collection of natural and man-made ephemera to inspire her beautiful paper-cut series. Her arrangements are simply stunning!

New Shop Handmade display

I have borrowed these images off the gorgeous Shop Handmade blog which captures their new shop display featuring loads of my products. Very exciting, indeed! Can you spot the chickens? These were a creation of my mother (aka, second bird) using off-cuts of my hand printed fabric. Thank you, Handmade ladies! You're wonderful :)

making up for lost time | happy things and sharing the love

To get my blog rolling again after my long absence, I aim to honor a blog award I was given by the lovely Jo, over at Joe Bloggs. Admittedly, I am usually rather lazy when it comes to things like this and often guiltily let them slide.

The rules of the award are:

1. Thank the award giver (done!)

2. List 10 things that make you happy.

3. Pass this award on to 5 others.

10 things that make me happy

1. The number one happiest of all is, of course, my beloved pooch Xena! She is an endless source of entertainment and after almost 7 years of snoring loudly at my feet, I really can't imagine life without her goofyness.

Xena boating

2. Brooches! I have accumulated quite a collection over the years and really don't believe an outfit is complete without one.

3. Cardigans. What better place to put a brooch then on one of these classic pieces of clothing.

4. Orange things. Another rather obsessive compulsion.

5. Op-shops and flea markets. Great places to find orange things.

6. Long baths. A few bubbles and a good book and I can quite happily kiss a few hours goodbye.

7. Pattern and colour. Well, it wouldn't really be very textiles student of me not to have a happy place in my heart for these.

8. Art journals. My handbag would feel naked without a moleskin, a glue stick and scissors. You never know when that inspiring idea may come along that you need to document straight away.

9. My studio. It is in boxes at the moment until I move into my new house (which has a spa bath!! oh, happy place) and I feel really weird not having all my bits and pieces around. Here is a pic of my old studio space at art school last year. I love to surround my creative space with inspiration.

10. Blogging. An endless of source inspiration and happy connections and conversations with friendly, creative like minded people.

Now to share the love

Am passing the happy baton onto the following:

1. To a lovely new blogger, Jiah. Also a student at the ANU, School of Art. We were students together and Jiah is now in her final year and is very much a watch-this-space designer. Her patterns are gorgeous and I encourage everyone to visit her gorgeous blog!

2. Handmade romance. Her beardy brooches make me smile!

3. Betty Jo of Lino Forest. I happen to have three of her brooches and I think you all should too!

4. Colour and Sound. Because her turquoise collection is to die for.

5. And finally, Nicole of freshly blended. Her beautiful blog is consistently gorgeous and this girl has one amazing eye for great design!

blog infidelity

It has been way too long between posts!

I am ashamed to admit that I have been cheating on this blog with another and it was a painful experience, indeed. The "other" one was part of an assessment item in the full-time course that I have committed myself to this year. Full-time being an understatement!! Between all the essays, pracs, presentations and..ahem...blogs, I haven't really had much time, let alone head space for this blog. But things are about to change as I am moving into my winter break and a new exciting few months ahead.

At the end of last year at the ANU grad show, I was awarded a three month residency at Megalo Print Studio in Canberra which was part of the School of Art's Emerging Artist's Support Scheme. I will be embracing this opportunity to develop new patterns and colours, followed by a new range of wares to showcase them. Ideas are already in process so stay tuned!