HAPPENINGS OF THE WEEK - SLOW CLAY, SUPERMARKET, BIG DESIGN MARKET,

big, bigger, biggest

This weekend promises to be a veritable banquet of craft and design. Now we've got the Melbourne Now opening sorted, super hip kitly and dagmar have had their home shopping experience and the annual big Melbourne Open House has moved to Sydney we're free to concentrate on the next round of hand made events.  Over the next few days super ceramicist collective Slow Clay open their first ever pop up shop, Craft launches its new concept shop exhibition called Supermarket (pun intended) and the biggest Craft and Design show to ever hit Melbs  THE BIG DESIGN MARKET (yes capitalisation is mandatory) takes over the exhibition buildings.  Seriously people there are NO excuses for last minute chain store purchases under the tree this year (although you will be forgiven a book voucher for that really difficult bitchy partner of the uncle you only see once a year)

Given our weaving and ceramic obsessions we'll most definitely be popping in to the Slow Clay Pop Up to add to our growing Janetta Kerr-Grant collection and I for one am really keen to see (and no doubt succumb to) the patch-worked magic of Brighid Lehmann. This is the first time the lovely Jane Sawyer and the slow clay crew have done anything like this and the work will no doubt be excellent so we cannot recommend this one highly enough. 

Slow Clay Pop-Up: 

5-8 DEC, 11am - 7pm. 

13 Keele St, Collingwood

Supermarket is a concept driven, exhibition meets retail event hybrid that will showcase very special limited edition works from a select group of Melbourne's finest including: collabed prints and jewellery by Lucy James + Anna Davern, new pieces from the Home Work label by Jess wright and Lara Davies of Harvest Textiles, brand spanking ceramic tableware and objects by Kirsten Perry, sculptural ceramics from Arts project Australia, never before seen monochromatic works by Emily Green, and very fancy and super exciting garments and accessories by fashion icons Alpha 60. 

In a revolutionary concept that confounds regular exhibition protocols works will be sold in a first come best dressed fashion and are available to take away - a unique opportunity for consumers and serious aesthetic challenge for curator Debbie Pryor and exhibition designer Andrei Davidoff. Works go on sale this Friday with a special festival opening day that promises fairy floss, free drinks, artists in the house and workshops between 1-4pm on Saturday December 14. Woo Hoo .... PAAAAARTAAAY

Supermarket

Friday Dec 5 - Tuesday Dec 24

Gallery 1, 2 and 3 at Craft Victoria

31 Flinders Lane, Melbourne

Unless you've been under the proverbial rock you would know that  the monolith that is TBDM the sophomore edition rolls into town this Friday. This year comes complete with supercool food vans, workshops by some of our favourite peeps (yes Beci and Maryann we're lookin' at you) stuff for the kids to do and a list as long as you and your best friends arm of australian and international makers all offering up their wares in one easy access location. We wont tell you everyone that's gonna be there because lets face it there are loads - check the directory here and you'll see what we mean! We will say however that some firm friends of HML (yes Miss P we are lookin at you) are having stands so clearly this is a MUST GO TO event.

Yes we have ongoing issues with it being called a Design market when most of the makers are craft practitioners (seriously people what's wrong with Craft???) but why quibble when there's so much love in the room, and the chance to meet so many awesome creatives. We will be there (literally) supporting the local hand made scene and probably spending the last of our cash on presents that the kids can give us on Christmas day (ok we've already picked stuff out!) because let's face it we deserve to get at least one present we like on the day! BECK

THE BIG DESIGN MARKET

6,7,8 December

Melbourne Exhibition Building

you know the rest... if not go here