AND ANOTHER THING

ladies choice

If you hadn't already been enticed to visit the three brilliant shows we've been gabbing on about all week then here's a post full of further incentives to get you out of your lounge-room and into the gallery over the weekend. But before we get there you need to know about something very important happening TONIGHT. As part of Slow Art Collectives Kaeru Secret Garden Project (featuring the incredibly awesome Chaco Kato amongst other) Dylan Martorell and Nathan Gray's Snawklor are performing at the 'Garden Party' on the hill atop the Hamer Hall entrance near the 'black waves' between 5 and 7pm. WHICH WILL BE AWESOME!

We can vouch for the recuperative powers of listening to Snawklors blips and squeaks mix with the squarks of crazy bird hour while watching the sun go down and highly recommend it as the perfect way to kick off your weekend, and get you in the mood for our three other hot tips for the weekend.

hot tip 1. 

work in progress above, work on show below

no consolation prize
Katherine Bowman's show A Found Thing (the consolation of consolations) at e.g.etal which Ramona opened last night. Honestly this selection of pieces is so strong the gasp-o-meter was registering off the charts at the opening.

We love the way Katherine manages to bring her intricate knowledge of a craft, culture and history together in pieces that are both familiar and fresh, and the works featured here are no exception. Genius at work.

hot tip 2.

space is the place
Dell Stewart's inhabitation of Westspace project room is called Life in Space. Dell will be meeting, working, moving and playing in the gallery during the course of the show and will be publishing the results online here. We love Dell's mastery of contemporary art concepts mixed with old school craft know how, not to mention she's an absolute delight and anytime spent with her is a good time.

There will be wild drumming there will be knitting, there will be ceramics and faux bois and there may even be a dinner and dance combo with finger food... who knows. Each day will bring something new, so multiple visitation is encouraged. HML favourite Nathan Gray is also in the house so to speak with his own work Theorist Training Camp/Practice Piece, so you know you can double dip with confidence.

hot tip 3.

I see the crystal visions
Of course anyone listening up on RRR Monday would have heard me blushing and giggling like a schoolgirl trying to articulate just what it is about my super craft crush Kirsten Perry that I love most. Now that I have the delightful anonymity of my keyboard I can say that it is probably her ability to translate the hyper mental surrealism of dreams into brilliantly crafted objects that manage to be beautiful, ugly, freaky and hilarious while also perfectly reasonable - think Dali's lobster telephone meets Mighty Boosh costumier and set dresser.

Ramona has already talked up her new show and homage to the brilliant insanity of Stevie Nicks Stevie Dreams... on now at Lowrise Gallery. But sometimes actions speak louder than words. I bet you wont watch just once.  BECK

 

Stevie Dreams from Kirsten Perry on Vimeo.

WEEKEND

PURPLE DAZE

Many of us are struggling to come back to earth while suffering post purple fatigue. I know I am. Thankfully I am bolstered by the fact that I will get to see the high heeled basket-balling funkateer again on the 30th.n the meantime this weekend there is a lot on to keep me occupied - a good thing because I think my family may impose a vinyl intervention if I play any more Prince.


OLD SCHOOL

For lovers of 'vintage' there is the Melbourne Love Vintage Show on at the REB. I love vintage, however being of the generation of people who were able to wear 50's frocks when you could still pick them up  by the garbage bag full at op shops I often baulk at the price tags attached to todays offerings. In addition I have to admit that the ironic/aesthetic appeal of old clothes on old people (i.e. me) is no where near as compelling as that of the old clothes on young people. Still I reckon you can work vintage while being vintage yourself  and NOT look like a frumpy post war Gran - not that there's anything wrong with that, its a look I often shop myself. This market come trade show, despite the terminally nostago-geeky Downton Abbey styling on the website, promises to have some seriously great stock, from a selection of the top purveyors of the old school. While I am now skint from my Purple Circle ticket frenzy, our backward gazing, fashion forward intern will no doubt find plenty on which to spend her hard earned pin money.

ROCK ON

Saturday is the last hurrah for Kate Rohde's show HYBRID GEOLOGY at Pieces of Eight. It's a stunner - completely gorgeous resin hyper-colored faux crystals on mass. In short, Heaven. And while there is no price of admission, it will take a stronger person than I to leave without picking up a take away trinket or thirteen. Gob smackingly good.

BALLOONING

If you are in the vicinity of Pieces of Eight you may as well trek up hill a little and have a peek at the Made by Mosey 'Spectrum' window exhibition at Craft Victoria. As it turns out a window full of rainbow hued hand sewn balloons really can brighten up your day!

HARDY HAR HAR

Also opening tomorrow is Wallace and Gromit's World of Invention at Scienceworks. If you too have small people addicted to Timmy Time and Shaun the Sheep, then this is possibly the best place to spend a few hours over what's shaping up to be a very wet weekend. If you have other plans don't sweat it - its on until November, although something is telling me we ladies and our boys will be visiting monthly until then!
Have a good one people. BECK 

WEEKEND SPECIALS

twist of fete

Never let it be said we didnt warn you. This weekend there are no less than three fetes offering up everthing from pirate pits to devonshire teas. Of course because its Westgarth, Clifton Hill and Collingwood primary schools involved you can also expect excellent food, excellent craft and cake stalls and truckloads of second hand books, clothes and toys...not to mention to tappin musical performances that span David Bridie and the recalcitrants to long haired eight year olds belting out black metal. Fun for all the family. We've attended all three over the years and believe me we've always left empty walleted rather than empty handed.

We are also considering having a bit of a 'yard' sale on Sunday (weather and energy permitting) in our front yard to find new homes for our own collection of excess stereo equipment, vintage chairs, vinyl rekkids (like the one above), cd's, craft books, magazines, clothes and god knows what else on Sunday to co-incide with the Westgarth Primary School Fete. We'll post on Sunday morning and let you all know if we've managed to muster the enthusiasm needed to pull it together after being woken up at 6am by small people jumping on our heads demanding breakfast and thomas movies. BECK

Saturday 22 October
Tempting Fete 2011
Spensley St Primary School
193 Spensley st. Clifton Hill
10am to 4pm

Sunday 23 October
Whopping Great Fete
Westgarth Primary School
Clarke St. Northcote
10am to 4pm

Spring Fair and Open Day
Collingwood College
11am-4pm

SHOWS+ OF THE WEEK

MONDAY

There is so much on this week we thought we'd give you a bit of a day by day run down so you could pace yourselves! Today we'll take advantage of the glorious weather to see the first day of the collaborative project between Emma Greenwood and MaryannTalia Pau (shoemaker and weaver respectively).  'I'll show you My Craft if you Show me Yours' is a way for makers to share their process while creating some new work in Craft Vic's pocket sized gallery three. Emma and Maryann have titled theirs 'Regal Savage' and we are excited to see how they explore the theme of hybridisation. find out more here

TUESDAY

The RMIT Gold and Silversmithing and Ceramics department are holding a day long seminar exploring the notion of hybrid practice. 8 different speakers (including the wonderful Meridth Turnbull and Damien Skinner) will give their take on how object bases practices can be a catalyst for enquiry and research - which can sometimes feel like trying t mix oil and water so I'll be interested to hear what everyone has to say. There is also a masterclass in the afternoon for those with some skills (find out more here)

WEDNESDAY

The Pieces of Eight crew have temporarily reopened the old gallery space in St Georges Road for Seoid 11 - an amazing touring show of jewellery from Ireland. Curator Claire McAlister(apparently quite the pocket rocket on the Irish craft scene) will be there during the show for a chat about the work and what's happing all the way over there (find out more here)

THURSDAY

You know how we love handheld gallery. Well the new show there is just wonderful - an ode to procrastination it s a collection of doodles, drawings, ideas and jottings that mark those moments of procrastination that we all experience. (find out more here)


FRIDAY

Part two of the Craft and Design as A Career form focuses more on the mid career maker. This is a great opportunity to hear from industry experts on how to take your craft or design based business to that next level (you know, where you can pay the rent etc) find out more here


Phew! We'll tell you about Saturday and Sunday on Friday. Does that make sense? RAMONA

MOVIE OF THE WEEK

Denim on Denim

Ramona and I headed off to see the Denim show at Mr Kitly, yes can you believe I finally got out of the house! Denim features some of our local and international favourites all tinkering around in their own particular way with one of our favourite fabrics. Have to say we were impressed with much of the work on show, a sea of indigo refashioned via weaving, knitting, shredding and coiling, beaded, embroidered, and stuffed  from jewellery to miniture cowboy jeans.

 

And while we were a tad disappointed there wasnt a bedazzle in sight, as you can see it's well worth a look.

While I was there I was mesmerised by the gentle spinning of this work... so I couldnt help but get the iphone into movie mode and take some footage. And ok so it's not really a 'movie' per se, and much more amateur than auter but its still kind of spooky in a blair witch kind of way? oooh new sub-genre Craft Horror!

We were even lucky enough to catch curator Dell Stewart in the house when we arrived - showcasing these killer rockin rodesque tartan tights on the best legs in melbournes art scene partnered with a Durston original made from you guessed it... denim. BECK

SHOWS OF THE WEEK

Nanny State

So it's State of Design time again. This year, as always i've been up to my eyeballs for months getting things organised for Craft Victoria's contribution to the festivus. With pod of trade stands by some of our favourite peeps there will be loads of beautiful wares for sale and show. Both of us agree Design Made Trade is always worth a look, and not just becuase over the past three years we've both been involved. Ramona is also wearing her Craft Victoria to the event by officially launching Craft Victoria's new business portal Craft Work (another labour of love) in her offical 'Chair' capacity on Friday.

This time round CV is also presenting the Open Studio program: twelve makers, six studios and four days of talented individuals making 'live' from the heart of the cardboard souk. Old friends and new faves alike will provide a rotating schedule in collaborative studio spaces that will provide a nice 'fingerfied' counterpoint to the more machine made parts of the show. I have to send a big shout out to supergirl Milly Flemming who had to pick up the maternity leave baton and get this project completed after I absconded to give birth to Finn - she's done a cracking job and these Open Studios promise to be the highlight of the show, I can't encourage you enough to make the effort to get up close and personal with this amazing line up of crafting superstars.

Also tied to the fest is Harvest Textiles mini program of satellite events called Make up, there are least three unmissable workshops, including weaving, chair making and teepee building which we'd love to be attending. And of course because its Melbourne and we all know each other, there is a lovely link to the open studios at DMT presented by Craft Victoria with the gobsmackingly brilliant Maryann Talia Pau appearing on both bills.

                            

There are loads of activities for kids which look fantastic including Junk Puppets, the Makedo marvellous life size Maze, and a repeat of last years Paper Plane accademy  which we hope both our big boys will be attending.

And of course then there's the exhibitions... we want to see Bus Projects Critical Mobility , The Housing Project at hml fave venue the Compound interest, but we'll have to see if our families let us out of the house. Oh and if you're in the mood for some art but don't want to miss out on some retail therapy while you're perusing you'd be a fool to miss the Look. Stop.Shop window installations.

And because all that festivalling will no doubt make you hungry theres also food... Dining with Strangers, Design O' Pizza at Ladro Broadsheet's pop up Micro-Kitchen and for those that want a little highbrow action theres always From Buildings to Food at Heide.

Ah Melbourne...always a festival. So much to do, so little time.

State of Design festival runs 20 - 31 July
check out the website to make sure you at least know what you'll be missing.
Design Made Trade runs from 21 - 24 July
opening tonight for invited guests, tomorrow for trade and saturday and sunday for regular peeps
Harvest Workshops 23 - 31 July
book now to make sure you get in
BECK

SHOW OF THE WEEK

Ok so we have been kind of busy. This week (probably as you are reading this) I am driving to Canberra to install the Australian Chair Survey at the Gallery of Australian Design. Sounds pretty fancy pants and I guess it is kind the biggest deal professionally for me so far. I get to call myself a curator and I bought special outfits just for the occasion I have to give a speech at the opening ,and a talk at the National Gallery on Saturday - which given that's where I used to go when I couldn't be bothered with school is pretty funny. I've spent the entire weekend making text panels and designing the website - take a look and tell me what you think! I'll be blogging from the road. Hope it doesn't snow. RAMONA

FOUND

whizzz, bang, click...

We love wooden things, wooden toys especially, recently we found Japanese artist Kazu Harada's elegantly simple, beautifully crafted and deadpan hilarious wee automatons amongst other excellent wooden automata here . Click on the pics below to watch some of his work in action.

We've always been fans of the old school automata which dates right back to the Greeks (doesn't everything) but didn't really know that there was such a large contingent of contemporary makers creating brilliant stuff within yet another craft subculture!

Oh and of course Martha was onto it eons ago... check out this segment with Richard Garriot and Martha to find out a little more about the history via some amazing pieces from Richards collection. Genius!

BECK

SHOW OF (Last) WEEK

Art is Affordable

We are doing things a bit topsy turvy this week - with our show of this week not being featured until Friday - so I thought I'd show you a bit of Art Melbourne that happened this past weekend. All in all it's a pretty mediocre show but between the lurid acrylic paintings of nubile young women there can often be found some absolute gems. I actually counted 8 paintings I would have bought had  I had the cash. Of course the very best affordable art is craft and the best craft at Art Melbourne was at the RMIT stand. Curator Stephen Gallagher has put together a great show and it was selling like hotcakes.

Highlight for me was the amazing ceramics by Robyn Phelan . Humorous and strange, very appealing

The gold and silversmithing grads work was also incredible. Dougal Haslam's little automata are brilliant - I think it deserves a little stop motion don't you? RAMONA

Youtube of the week

Well we warned you we were going start moving pictures at hml. head over to our youtube channel and subscribe! Claire McArdle's show, which we wrote about on Monday is really wonderful. This is just an 8 second stop motion clip - nothing too epic! Brave the rain and get to First Site Gallery RMIT sooner rather than later! RAMONA & BECK

RADIO DAYS

It's that time again. I'm heading into RRR this morning to talk up the Claire McArdle show at First Site Gallery, the fantastic Dell Stewart and Adam Cruickshank show Zero Work at Mr Kitly, the affordable art fair Art Melbourne that's on this weekend - and in Beck's absence some lovely things to make and do for friends who are having babies. Listen in to 102.7 at 10:30 am. RAMONA

WE HEART JAPAN

In the days following the devastating 11 March 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan, Super fantastic Brisbane based ceramicist and I Make Stuff alumni Kenji Uranishi and his lovely wife Sonia turned their feelings of grief and helplessness into positive action (now there's a lesson we can all follow), sending out a call to their network of artist friends and colleagues for help. As a result they have managed to organise an online ebay charity art auction running from the 7 - 10 April with all net proceeds going to the Red Cross Japan and Pacific Disaster Appeal. As you would expect there are some fantastic ceramic pieces on offer but also works in other media, including two fabulous etchings from HML favourite Vipoo Srivalasa. We couldn't encourage you all more to get on board and support them both in this venture. Check out the album of works on offer here at I heART Japan , or check out their facebook page. Here's some of our favourtie pieces on offer.

set of dishes by Kylie Johnson

tea bowls by Mel Robson

tray by Anna Davern



house works by Keiko Matsui



We heart this project and the Uranishi's big time. xx BECK

SHOW OF THE WEEK

OK so HML is going a little off topic today because for us it's a very special day - it's Oscar Day! The intern and I have been very dedicated this year and between us we've seen all ten nominated films. So tomorrow she's taking the day off school and watching the live telecast. Very excited! So what did we think of all these movies? And is it possible for me to make some craft comment thus justifying this long blog entry? You betcha!

Inception: We absolutely loved it. The Intern saw it not once but three times at the cinema and we now own it on DVD. Should win for music and art direction but wont. Craft: dreamscapes are always inspiring. Watching Paris fold up on itself made want to make a cardboard city.

Toy Story 3: We love animation, always have. But we were never really attached to the Toy Story Franchise. This one made us cry. Craft: one sequence took the animators two years, that's craft.

The Kids are Alright was...alright. It's all very PC and user friendly. I found it a bit uptight and the Intern couldn't get past the fact that the teenage boy was called Lazer. Craft: kick arse organic farming and landscape gardening.

The Fighter: This is the one I haven't seen despite loving everyone in it. The Intern thinks Christian Bale should and will win best supporting actor. Craft: hmm I can't say for this one, Wahlberg's abs maybe?

Black Swan: hate the first half, hate the second half. She should eat a sandwich she'd feel so much better. But cant wait to see it again. Suspect Portman will win. Craft: oh for costume freaks this is a gorgeous film

True Grit: this was just lovely. The music was just beautiful. The costumes, the shoes! But we made the mistake of watching the John Wayne one afterwards which, despite the lame ending is surprisingly better.
Craft: this is all about the music for me. Steeped in early hymns that then swell to lush orchestration the further away from home she travels.

The Social Network:The Intern and I have decided we would give this best picture. So timely, so smart, so well written. And she has a crush on Jesse Eisenberg. Fair enough. Craft: he builds the equivalent of a new country.

Winters Bone: very few people saw this amazing film. I thought Jennifer Lawrence, at the ripe old age of 19 acted her sock off, certainly overshadowing the pouty Portman . This is hillbilly crime noir, it's tense and sad and compassionate and difficult. Love Love Love. Wont win a damn thing. Craft: there are some excellent handknitted jumpers in this one! And some squirrel skinning which is as gross as it sounds. Poverty has a way of forcing you to be resourceful.

127 Hours: speaking of resourceful! This is a great story and a great film. If I had my way this kid would be winning the Oscar for best actor. If only he'd remembered that Swiss army knife. Ouch. Not for the faint hearted. 4 people ran from our screening and there were warnings at the ticket counter.

The Kings Speech: yup well it's probably going to clean up. Colin Firth seems like a nice chap and I dont begrudge him the win. And crazy Helena, well shes such a nutbag its always good to see what shes wearing. Craft: the absolute joy of this film is the interiors. So if you need us we'll be in front of our respective televisions today, trying to get work done in the boring bits and make dinner in the musical numbers. Beck and I will be on the phone bemoaning the lack of wacky outfitting and faux pas (people are so well behaved at these things nowadays). The Intern will be ignoring her maths homework and the Womble will clap when everyone else does - because he can. RAMONA