Iron Giants - The Ultimate Battle For Supremacy
This Friday night HML will be hitting the town, well at least in the early evening to see some of Melbourne's great stencil and graf artists hit Revolver nightclub for an iron chef style spray-off to see whose images rule the most. This will act as a great taster for what will be on offer at the Stencil Festival O6 that opens on the 18th of May at Rose Street artist markets in Fitzroy.
Revolver 229 Chapel Street 6-9pm Friday May 12.
KNITTING!Spod. Scarf +Pod. This week was all about planning, plotting, dreaming and scheming...oh and cutting. Which can be quite scary but even we were excited by the results. It's an exciting time for us and we'll keep you posted as to Spods progress.
As you have probably already guessed by this weeks entries the HML team have turn their attention to all things knitted. The chill of Autumn is in the air, the football season has started and root vegetables are coming into season (watch out for pear and parsnip soup in coming weeks). This means it's time to dust off the needles, buy some overpriced yarn and get to work on the winter woollies.
It's always good to start with a small project that you can finish quickly and show off immediately, especially if you are like us and can't stand sewing up garments.
We know the scarf is the craft equivalent of a cliche but who can resist this quick knitting fix?
cast off wedding UK knitting collective 'Cast Off 'managed to whip up an entire knitted wedding, dress, cake, decorations, flowers and all. Those of us that weren't lucky enough to attend the ceremony in person can take a peek at the wedding album online... ah those eccentric English
The pink tank cosy, knitted as part of a peace protest in Copenhagen
Dave Cole's "knitting machine" in it's full patriotic glory
Arizona based textile artist Mark Newport giving his spiderman cozzie the final touches
This is probably one of the most beautful knitting books on the market and we have to confess not one single project from the book has been completed.
When the HML team finally makes it to New York one of our first ports of call will be the yarn shop 'Purl'. But for now we'll make do with owner Joelle Hoversons stunning book 'Last Minute Knitted Gifts'.
Erika Knight has published some really beautful knitting books, all of which are inspirational. The lushest example is 'Simple Knits with a Twist' which is the kind of book you take to bed with you in the hope that you'll have dreams where you have the time and $400 to spend on Rowan yarns to make a patchwork quilt, or knit a pair of boudoir slippers out of silk ribbon. purlease! Wire basket is great fun and fast. Lovely book.
after spending some 'quality' time inside the venue we decided that aside from the work of dark art diva Irene Grishin-Selzer, most of the affordable art actually existed outside the walls of the exhibition building... Viva street culture.
The rest of the week was spent readying ourselves for the onslaught of 'SPOD' a new exhibition project from the workshop of handmadelife. A little something special for the 4th annual Melbourne Scarf Festival. Scarf + Pod = Spod
first comes the knitwear, next?
The HML crew are long standing admirers of the Iggy & Lou Lou aesthetic and we thought it high time you knew all about it. This exquisite range of hand crafted porcelain jewelry and homeware comes from the studio of Irene Grishin Selzer, craft queen and all round good egg. The website gives you a window into this wonderful and inspiring world.
Images are diverse and rich with historical references and meaning.
Victorian-era styling with lace textures embedded into the porcelain. For beauty queens and warrior queens alike, these are tokens imbued with myth, music and mystery that will Images are diverse and rich with historical references and meaning. Victorian-era styling with lace textures embedded into the porcelain. Skeletons and skulls, butterflies and anchors.
For the Red Riding Hood in you there are woodland creatures to guide you through the forest – including the big bad wolf. For the Film Noir femme fetal a cameo at the collar may be best. Special pieces that hold a sense of history with a completely modern twist, making them magically timeless.
For beauty queens and warrior queens alike, these are tokens imbued with myth, music and mystery that will instantly become your good luck charms.
BECK: with all the interest in affordable 'new' art at the moment I thought I'd pull out a recent acquisition from my own collection of cheapskate masterpieces. I am amassing quite a collection of lowbrau tapestries and this example is an absolute corker. A majestic mountainscape straight from the heart of the motherland, although it does makes me feel like I should be at an Oktoberfest waist deep in lederhosen.
cheers Deiter!
With the promising line of "75% of all art under $5,000!" you can see why it's no longer called the affordable art show. Our idea of affordable is a noice print from Ikea for under 20 bucks or the tapestry treat Beck picked up as Craft Find of the Week.
No matter, HML supports any attempt to bring art to the masses and we know for a fact that there is a small but wonderful craft contngent there too. We'll be heading straight to the 'Off the Wall' section to support Melbourne ceramicist & jeweller Irene Grishin Selzer who has been hand picked to fly the flag of craft.
Rock on Irene!
Art Melbourne 06 Royal Exhibition Building Carlton Gardens 20-23 April. tix are a not so affordable $20 (so take a cut lunch people!)
This weeks website pick is brilliant and the best use of post it notes we've come across yet... Especially poignant given the exalted position egglets find themselves in at this time of year we invite you to discover your inner giblet at Doug Savages' Savage Chicken's blog.
You may also finally get the answer to the age old "which came first?" question, although you're more likely to get some wiseass chicken making a swipe at Jesus, or spouting ninja related haiku...
Savage Chickens is for those of us that always knew that Gonzo loved his feathered girlfriends for a good reason (well beyond their false eyelashes). They know alot more than you think my friends.
Forget the dolphins, these avian dynamos not only know the meaning of life, they know it really has no meaning...bok bok bok.
BECK: What with it being almost Easter and all I thought I'd turn to my cottontailed craft collection for inspiration and hands down these are one of my best craft finds - period.
I don't know what it is about this pair, but you just know they are baaaaaaad bunnies, up to no good and a long way from Watership Down...
Currently guarding my Queens of the Stoneage and Kyuss collection, I cant help but wonder what mayhem this evil duo will end up creating come Easter...
This week sees the opening of the new show by the Founder of Flatland and Flagship Mr TimFleming. We know many of you have one of his office set figurines adorning your mantle pieces - or perhaps a pack of dogs, a four leaf clover, a rock band playset or (as is the case at hml headquarters) the word 'cheese' sitting on top of the tv. But there is so much more to this slightly eccentric world that the prospect of seeing new work in a gallery setting is so exciting.
Those of you unfamiliar with his work will be in a for a real treat as he takes over gallery 3 of Craft Victoria. The stage has been set for the inhabitants of Flatland to take us on another neo-craft adventure. The work is engimatic, funny and engaging. It's not asking too much of you, just a little nostalgia and a sprinkle of pop culture to make you sing a little. Opening night Tuesday at 6pm.
Craft Victoria
Flatland & Flagship
show runs until May 6. Craft Victoria 31 Flinders Lane Melbourne City 3000 ph:9650 7775.
