Fibres West

As some of you know, one of my other passions is textile art, focusing on freehand machine embroidery. The image above is of one of my pieces, called Resonance, that was created usung some of the techniques I shall be teaching.
I am afraid I have been very lax in promoting that I have been asked to teach at a 5 day residential workshop, Fibres West this October, down in Bunbury. I am very honoured to have been asked as I'll be teaching along with some international experts in other textile fields.
There are still places available in many of the workshops, including mine which is

Expressionist Threads - Painterly Techniques in Applique and Machine Embroidery
Full workshop description is here and you can follow the links to the other workshops and brochure.

http://www.fibreswest.com.au/Annie.htm

It is a fully residential programme held at Bunbury Cathedral Grammar School and the full 5 days, including workshop and full accomodation & food is $865 per person.

I'm in a Video!

On Wednesday Anna, Nicole & I were interviewed at the Montage shop by the West Australian about what I do & about the next Made on the Left Market this Sunday 10th. Here is the result - fame at last!!

Market this Sunday

The wonderful Made on the Left markets are on again this Sunday 10th July and they have a new market venue in the City. We'll all be upstairs (with lift & escalator access) of 140 William St by the new train station entrance. Click here for a map
It's a much larger venue, so there will be even more yummy crafty stalls to peruse. The MOTL rule of goods having to be made by the stallholder themselves is being strictly upheld, so that's more locally made goodies to choose from.

While you're in town, you'll also be able to pop by our Montage pop-up shop on the other side of the railway at 244 William St!
I'll be will be having a clearance section on the Osmosis stall, making room for some new stock to be launched later in the year, so come down and see what's on offer!

Montage 2 is on it's way

It's been such a busy time round here that I'd forgotten I hadn't mentioned that Montage is about to open again in it's second incarnation. Same concept, most of the same people plus some news designers and a new venue!
The day after Perth Upmarket, we start setting up and will open on Friday 1st until 31st July at 224 William St, Northbridge - a few doors up from New Edition Bookshop & over the road from the Brass Monkey Pub.
We're really excited about this new venue. It's in a great position and is situated in a cute, if slightly run down old shop with wooden floorboards and pressed tin ceiling. We'll be transforming it into an Aladin's cave of hand made local goodness and it's gonna be just great!

I'll be reporting on it here on the blog and will introduce you to the rest of the designers too.
click on the image to read the info

Beau Est Mien!

I'm going to bring you occasional posts about some of my creative friends & introduce you to some of the amazing skills they have.
I'll start today with Magali Dincher, who you've heard me talk about before as we had a joint exhibition last month.

Magali is a printmaker & by that, I don't mean she uses her inkjet printer! She works in a variety of traditional printmaking techniques using a true printing press. These include collagraph, etching, linocut etc , and each brings a different quality to her unique and delightful visual style.

We became close friends when she also had a studio space where I work in Fremantle and we just clicked. We share similar tastes in design as well as enjoying a frequent chat and long macchiato!

She is from N.E. France and somehow this shows in her work, even that based on local WA themes - they have an air of light-heartedness and joie de vivre that can't fail to put a smile on your face. Her business name Beau est Mien says it all!

You will find Magali on the stall next to mine at the next Perth Upmarket, this Sunday 26th June at UWA.
More info at www.beauestmien.com.au
above image is a collagraph called Paris II

Papercuts at Upmarket

The next outing for my papercuts will be at the next Perth Upmarket on Sunday 26th June.
Each design is framed in such as way to make the papercut float above the backing, creating beautiful shadowplay. They are being limited to an edition of 15 so new designs can be added as one sells out. Some will be ready for taking on the day and after, that I'll take orders to be picked up when framed and ready.
I'm currently busy creating some other paper cut items, but you'll just have to come and visit my stall to see what they are. Mean, ain't I!!!

Of course, the usual range of laser cut & etched jewellery will also be available

See you there!

A Perennial Favourite Blog

One, of many lifelong fascinations for me has been patterns. This image is of one of my 1st attempts at making a repeat pattern on the computer and it has been used as a basis for a couple of my jewellery pieces.

I have early memories of drawing 'walking the dog' type patterns and colouring each bit in a carefully chosen colour. I'd also spend ages looking at the patterns on wallpaper, carpet, lino & curtains - tracing the elements with my eyes and working out where the repeats began & ended. It turned into a sort of meditation. You can take yourself away to another place by simply entering the pattern and letting it lead you to another place.
Is it any wonder then, that one of the 1st blogs I ever read on a regular basis was the fabulous Print & Pattern, by Bowie Style. As it says on the profile it "... is a website that celebrates the world of surface pattern design" She posts nearly every day about current design trends & reporting what is in the shops now. Based in the UK, it is a great way to keep abreast of what is happening over there in my old home country! What's more, she also does research trips around the world (currently Italy) and posts about many international designers. She has even posted about Perth's very own Little Design Horse (now known as Future Shelter)
If, like me, you love being mesmerise by patterns, go check it out & I challenge you not to spend waaaaay too long looking at the variety & following all her links. If I were you, I'd put a couple of hours aside!