Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Exciting NEW publication Format Announced For FOOD FIGHT 2012


We are happy to announce that  Food Fight, the Snack Attack Edition will be produced as a calendar this year!

If you submit your written piece or artwork for Food Fight, the Snack Attack Edition, you have a chance to be featured in the exhibition, and/or limited edition calendar. If you are featured in the Food Fight event, you will receive a free copy of the publication and a bio on our website. 

Sweets Workshop has two major prizes up for grabs. From all of the entries received, Sweets Workshop will select the best artistic and written entries. The winning artist will receive a solo exhibition in 2013. The winning writer will receive a Sweets Workshop gift voucher. 

Get your Snack Attack entries in! The deadline of the 1st September is fast approaching. 

The selection criteria for Food Fight will be at the discretion of Sweets Workshop. The Artists prize for a solo exhibition in 2013 includes the use of the Sweets Workshop exhibition space and free promotion material including flyer, poster and e-invite produced by Sweets Workshop. The Writers prize, a Sweets Workshop gift voucher, is valid on all stock at Sweets Workshop. 

Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Call out for FOOD FIGHT submissions 2012

The SNACK ATTACK – Edition
Food Fight is a yearly collaborative exhibition and accompanying publication produced by Sweets Workshop. The publication will be taking on an exciting all new format, which we will talk more about in the coming weeks!  Food Fight is all about food, pitting image against text, recipe against illustration, photograph against story. In the ring this year – SNACK ATTACK!!


We’re calling for submissions from artists and writers to contribute to the exhibition and publication. What we’re looking for are illustrations, design, photography, recipes, stories, poems and so on, that focus on the theme Snack Attack. It could be about your favourite snack, place to snack or an attack of the snack! 

The exhibition will run from 7th of October to 14th November 2012, with the launch of the publication on the 7th to co-inside with the Summer Hill Food Fair. YUM! The publication will be a limited edition print run. To have a look at what was on offer in previous years for  The Sweet Tooth Edition and The Pack a Picnic Edition.

If your artwork is selected it may feature in the publication and/or the exhibition (where it can be offered for sale). Any written piece or artwork chosen to be included in the Food Fight publication or exhibition will receive a free copy of the publication. 
 Submissions close on the 1st of September 2012. Email us your entry as a low res electronic file (pdf or jpg) to info@sweetsworkshop.com. If your work is chosen, we will contact you for high res files. If working digitally please make sure you work to 300dpi, and if working by hand we can organise high res scans. Please feel free to forward this invitation to anyone you think might be interested in contributing. 

For those of you who don’t know about Sweets Workshop we are a retail art gallery which exhibits and stocks art, decorative objects, giftware and independent publications with a strong focus on locally handmade items. Located in Summer Hill, our aim is to offer the community something original, sweet and within reach. We have a dedicated exhibition space, which can feature one particular artist/designer, object, artistic process or theme at a time. The exhibitions change regularly to incorporate as many artists and designers as possible. For information about us please visit our website www.sweetsworkshop.com

The selection criteria for Food Fight will be at the discretion of Sweets Workshop. 

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Interview with Crafter Katy Dee


The exhibition 'Stitchester' runs from 
14th July – 14th August 2012

What's the concept behind your exhibition and what can people expect to find in your show?
Stitchester is a fictional fabric village.

I wanted to create a tactile, fun and colourful experience using some of my favourite fabrics and materials to bring back nostalgic memories for myself and others.

People will find whimsical treats from the lolly shop, house and fruit shaped cushions to sculptures and Illustrations of the village itself.


What are the mediums and processes you use to create your works?
Each piece is a unique one off. I sketch and design the ideas of the shapes I would like to make then I hand-make a pattern for each item. Each one has a different process depending on the details. The details on the pieces are always done first then I sew it and up stuff it. The little sculptures are free-form patterns usually, finished with a brooch pin hand-sewn onto the back or left alone as a soft sculpture.

I have used a variety of fabrics, beans and stuffing. Choosing and matching the fabrics is a huge part of the process as I like to take time and care to think about what looks and works best together.



You use some lovely patterns and materials, where do you find them?
I love old fabrics and sourcing them... I trawl through op-shops and garage sales, and online stores selling vintage items to find kitsch/chintzy/fun fabric, the bolder and brighter the better! I do have a bit of a thing for floral patterns. I also use newer fabrics as you can’t always find what you need, but I try to buy handmade or vintage whenever I can. It adds something special to a piece and makes it even more unique.


When did you start creating soft sculptures?
About a year and a half ago I started making soft birds, hearts and shapes which have ranged in size from small to very big. I love starting with a sketch or just an idea in my head then making it 3D and somehow more real. It is like giving it life! It’s very exciting filling it up and seeing how it takes shape.




How would you describe your style?
Quirky, colourful and fun. I have always loved bold and bright colours and am known for clashing things together which is dominant in my work. I like to mix and match, play with scale and have fun. I like my work to be enjoyed more than appreciated.


What inspires your work?
I am always looking for inspiration, I read a lot of blogs and am always on the net gawking at something pretty. I also like to get out there and just look. For this project in particular I found myself leaving craft corner to explore the Sydney suburbs for different styles of buildings.

Colour, print and texture inspire me every day.

I have always been inspired by handmade craft and traditional methods with a modern twist. I believe the things we own and wear should be as unique as us. This inspires me to create and to learn new skills.


Stitchester is a whimsical nostalgic memory of English villages captured in fabric, I am from a small town on the south coast of England, surrounded by villages that are very cute, very individual and very old. I enjoyed thinking about visiting Stitchester and the unique things I would like to buy there. I wanted to make these ideas real in fabric for me, and as a tactile experience for others.

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Colouring Competition Winners

A big thank you to all the young artists who entered the 'Beasts Unhinged' Colouring competition. We received some fantastic entries! Congratulations to the winners who are featured below, we will be in touch to organise your prizes. Well done! 

The 'Beasts Unhinged' exhibition by Benconservato has been extended until the 10th of July – Our favourite beasts are still lurking about. 

 Amélie & Clementine

 Arieal & Innes

Aurelia & Will

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Interview with Benconservato (Emma Kidd) – 'Beasts Unhinged'


Exhibition runs from 26th May - 10th July

What's the concept behind your exhibition and what can people expect to find in your show?
I wanted to put all my articulated creatures / people in one place at one time. There will be pieces from my mild obsession with "The Magic Flute" and all the reading I have done about it (who knows if it is true?), characters from my mind, that always seem to be a blend of human and animal, if not completely animal. I seem to like chimeras.


What are the mediums and processes you use to create your works? 
Always ink, gouache and a sturdy paper will get me by. I tend to use the ink like a base medium. I always wondered why old masters wanted to paint their canvases black or a colour first, without putting myself in such a high category, I found out why. Gouache goes on top of that... spray with varnish, cut, repeat.

How would you describe your artistic style?
I have had people tell me it is very outsider art, art brut. No idea. Make up your own mind.

Where do you find inspiration for your beastie characters? What do you enjoy about creating them?
To make myself a contradiction, slightly, I do like a lot of art brut, outsider art, so perhaps the inspiration comes from there slightly. When creating them, because I paint all the pieces separately, sometimes,  when I put them together, I find they need more or less, or different legs or something, it is always an evolving thing, even if you thought you had a set idea to begin with.

Friday, April 20, 2012

Interview with Beth-Emily and David Fooks – 'They are Visible'


Exhibition runs from 28th April - 22nd May

Beth and David, what is the concept behind 'They are Visible' and what can people expect to find in your joint exhibition?
Our exhibition 'They are Visible'  is based on the gaze, whether it be a subconscious or a conscious visual connection. The work sets out to meld the visible gaze of the depicted elements, with the emotional gaze of the viewer.
Beth Emily mainly focuses on elements relating to the natural realm. The primary focus is on the disposition and connection between the predator and the prey. The crossover tempestuous gaze exchanged.
David Fooks translates contemporary fashion photography and popular imagery, into a purely aesthetic dialogue between the viewer and the viewed. Using the viewers gaze as a mirror to the subconscious dilution of personal aesthetics, and cultural aesthetics; and notions of beauty and the ethereal.
Although the intention of both artists in depicting the gaze is quite different, the overall aim is the same: to connect and absorb the gaze of the viewer into the visible story created by the imagery.
You can expect to find artworks in the exhibition that subtly suggest or hint at the above notions.

How did the collaborative process work? 
We worked by finding a general idea and based our individual concepts around this. This was achieved by working on individual pieces and by working on a few collaborative pieces as our individual styles lend well to both of these treatments.


How would you describe your individual artistic styles?
Beth - I'm inspired by old traditional craftsmanship, especially botanical illustrative works. I like to mix old traditions with new media and meld soft and hard elements together. I also love to incorporate white space as it gives the composition breathing space.

Dave - My style is strongly shaped by the watercolour medium, with its organic movement, softness and subtleties. Similar to the way a musician will develop a new piece through an instinctual process of improvising on sounds in which they involve an emotional connection, my images usually shape themselves through the same aesthetic emotional instinct.


Do you both work in different mediums? 
Beth - We basically work in the same way, from how we build up a concept through to how we tackle it as a finished art piece. I tend to use a build up of different mediums, they can vary from pencil, graphite pencil washes, watercolour and my favourites medium at the moment gouache. Dave uses mainly watercolour and enhances the details by applying other finer mediums such as watercolour pencils and china graph.

Dave - We both have a history of trialling and incorporating digital methods also, as we both have a graphic design background a lot of those digital techniques and compositional ideas have been carried across as important tools in our current processes. But I think for me, watercolour is my primary medium at the moment.   


What are your influences, how do they affect your work?
Beth - My greatest influence is nature – its sublime beauty and our connection to it. With my artwork, my primary goal is to bring its presence into the forefront of peoples awareness even if it's in a subtle way. I'm also influenced by abstracted thought, textures and partnering soft and hard elements. I tend to fuse these influences together and construct concepts around them. 

Dave - My visual influences are drawn from a wide range of sources; from mass exposed popular imagery blogs, fashion photography,  and contemporary Illustration networks, through to natural elements, sublime landscapes, and the textures of intricately woven fabrics. The inspirations are gathered and processed very instinctually, and compiled as an illustration of an almost subconscious cataloguing of my own aesthetic background, which then present with their own movement, emotion and an open ended narrative.

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Interview with Artist Dominic Proust


Exhibition runs from 31st March – 24th April

What's the concept behind Misemono and what can people expect to find in your exhibition?
Misemono is a Japanese word for a sideshow or a type of small, temporary carnival. The exhibition will include a number of new and old pieces.


What are the mediums and processes you use to create your works? 
Most of the pieces in this show are watercolour and gauche, though I am a keen printmaker. I usually do a number of drawings before I paint or print. Sometimes I'll have an idea for an image already finalized in my head, but it seems the subject goes through quite a few changes as I re-draw it. I'll often do a sketch and leave it for a few years until I work out what I was trying to say with it, then I refine the idea. 



What do you enjoy about working on a miniature scale?
I've always worked on a small scale. I relish losing myself in detail. Most of my subjects are understated, seemingly insignificant in most people's day to day lives. I think the scale helps get that across. Miniature things can be quite arresting in a gallery environment. 


How would you describe your artistic style?
An immature, crude version of the kind of illustrations you find in encyclopedia (I love those). Also, I have a life-long interest in animation. I'm sure a lot of the films I've seen have had a significant effect on the way I illustrate.


What are your influences, how do they affect your work?
I draw a lot of my inspiration from the Japanese Zukushi prints. These prints particularized things as varied as animals, toys, and theatre characters. I'm also greatly inspired by the idea of a cabinet of curiosities. Cabinet of curiosities were kind of personal mini-museums. They contained objects from around the world that were yet to be identified or scientifically catalogued. The specimens were often false or incorrectly categorized. 


In essence, what inspires me is the natural world, in particular animals. I'm fascinated by Symbiotic relationships between animals and the relationships humans have with animals.




Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Interview with Printmaker Fiona Roderick

 Exhibition runs from 3rd – 27th March
 

What's the concept behind BIRDLIFE and what can people expect to find in your show?
BIRDLIFE evolved from recycling my lino print proofs into collages of beautiful, colourful birds, each with a personality their own! I have found it fascinating, as I am sure visitors will, how the different bird identities have emerged from my discarded prints, they could almost be real. This show has opened up the wonderful world of birds to me, amazing!


What are the mediums and processes you use to create your birds?
As a printmaker I make and sell original lino prints. The ink I use in my original prints is oil based, I use the colour reduction method which sometimes gives me unexpected results. Colour reduction uses one piece of lino which is repeatedly cut and printed with a darker colour each time. Printing can be unpredictable, you can plan and plan, but, you’ll probably get a percentage of prints that aren’t what you were hoping for. This could be because of incorrect registration or not putting enough ink on the roller. That is the exciting part really... the unknown. In the other works I have used plywood, oil paint, and the lino print proofs.


What do you enjoy about printmaking?
I have a studio in Sydenham, which is my shed, somewhere to go to escape to, to focus on my art. I enjoy the physical part of inking up the plate, and putting the lino and paper in the press. And as I have said, the anticipation of the unknown, as you peel the paper from the lino. Its just a beautiful form, the negative and positive space and deciding how to translate something you can see into a two dimensional print, deciding how to cut the lino, which tool, how much to cut and which way. The challenge with lino is deciding when to stop. If you cut too much away you are unable to correct it.


How would you describe your artistic style?
That's difficult! I think my style is fairly loose while working intuitively. I love colour, form and balance. My past life was a visual merchandiser, so I tend to see everything in a square, as if you are looking into a window, telling a story. 


Where do you draw your inspiration from?
I think just from everyday life. I have always enjoyed photography and the things that you notice as you walk around. Natural forms, light, colour and finding a composition that catches your eye.

I also find the internet is a great source of inspiration - roaming around the world looking at printmakers and artists from distant lands.

I was born in South Wales and spent years horse riding along the Welsh cliffs which has instilled in me a love of nature and the sea. I love Sydney Harbour, and the ferries, I have created several lino prints of the harbour.

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Happy New Year

We hope you had a wonderful festive season. After a lovely break, Sweets Workshop is now open for 2012. We're looking forward to getting the new year started with a great line up of artist exhibitions by Fiona Roderick, Dominic Proust and Beth-Emily.

Keep your eyes on the website for event dates or email us to join our mailing list. 
We wish you all the best for 2012 and hope to see you soon.

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Christmas Market


We're hold a special Christmas Market opening this Saturday at 10am. If you're looking for any of those last minute gift ideas, come along.

Our Artists include: John D-C, Emmajane Illustration, Benconservato, Claire Taylor, Genna Campton, Herbert & Friends, Mechelle B, Jackie Cooper, Julie Holmes, Kate Banazi, Beth-Emily, Toni Park.

Of course our walls are always brimming with work by talented people, so pop in and have a look.

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Interview with artist John D-C (continued)

An exhibition monstrously mashing two of the
artists favorite subjects:
The Monsters of Popular Culture &
The Golden Age of Rock and Roll.

19th November - 14th December


How would you describe your artistic style? What are your artistic influences?
If I had to describe my artistic style in a few words I'd say it would be retro-a-go-go. My art is always influenced by my hobbies and interests which change from time to time but they usually include a healthy combination of Brick-A-Brack, Screen Printing, Rock & Roll Dancing, Blues Piano, Velvet Dinner Jackets, Art Deco Theatres, Record Shopping, The Creations Of Jim Henson, Ten Pin Bowling, The Hohner Harmonica, 1979 Bedford Short Wheel Based Vans, Print Gocco, Vintage Comic Books, White Elephant Stalls, Animation, Drive-in Movies and Cuba.
While putting the characters together for my exhibition, Haunted House Rock I was particularly influenced by the look of saturday morning cartoons from the late 1960's, 70's and early 80's in particularly those created by the big 3 american animation powerhouses Hanna- Barbera, Filmation and Rankin and Bass. While these cartoons were originally intended to entertain children I love the fluid and simplistic nature of the way the characters were drawn and animated. Their simplicity gave the viewer such a sense of motion and expression.

I was also influenced by the art of early 1950's rock 'n roll bill and film posters. I feel due to their disposable nature, as well as the view at the time that Rock 'n Roll was just a passing phase in the course or popular music that these were never intended to be viewed as artwork but some of the images, typefaces and layouts used are just beautiful. Just look at the French poster for Elvis' film Jailhouse Rock.


What are the mediums and processes you use to create your creatures?
I approach illustration very graphically and always have a strong concept of what I am going to draw before I commence. For most of my illustrations I Initially I sketch quite a bit to define and refine an illustration, I then pull the sketch all apart again and ink it in sections which I layer together digitally, I feel this helps me to give the illustration a controlled haphazard look and an authentically aged feel.

For this exhibition I have also used to a few other mediums and processes such as painting and toy customisation.

You describe toy customisation as one of art making mediums, can you explain this?
For me toy customisation has very humble beginnings. As a kid growing up I used to love to play with toys in particularly Super Hero Action Figures. As with most kids my age I went through a Superman, Superman, Superman phase. He was my favorite toy I used to fold his legs up behind his head, put him in my top pocket and take him everywhere with me, I liked him so much I lost his cape and wore the “S” right off his chest. For Christmas that year I received a second brand new and (in my opinion) all powerful Superman Action Figure It was great I was so happy, but there is one problem, when your playing Superman and you have two Supermen there is only so much flying around you can do before you need to find a bad guy to beat up. I remember taking to one of my supermen with some plasticine to make him “more muscily” and a coiled up pipe cleaner crown which I placed on top of his head, he now became the mighty-evil leader known as King Spring, and a new hobby was born.

Now days I mainly start my customising with a Generic 8-inch Mego styled body, I sculpt the head or add facial features to a resin cast of and existing head with modeling clay. I then go about creating a costume and accessories for the figure via many different means.

For those of you that don’t know, The Mego Corporation was a toy company that dominated the action figure toy market during most of the 1970s. The Mego Corporation was founded in the early 1950s and was mostly known prior to 1971 as a producer of dime store toys. Starting in 1971, Mego began purchasing license rights to a variety of successful motion pictures, television programs, and comic books, and started producing lines for Planet of the Apes, Star Trek, and the Wizard of Oz. Mego used various licensed Marvel and DC superhero characters to create their World’s Greatest Superhero line, which became their most successful toy line. They also produced an original character, Action Jackson, an unsuccessful competitor of Hasbro’s G.I. Joe. The secret of Mego’s success was that their action figures were constructed with interchangeable heads. Generic bodies could be mass produced and different figures created by interposing different heads and costumes on them. Mego also constructed their figures primarily in an 8-inch (200 mm) scale - setting an industry standard in the 1970s.

I prefer to customise using the Mego’s 8-inch figures for a few reasons, firstly I love them as a base because you can really go crazy with the cloth costuming secondly they have a very classic look to them, and thirdly there is a really established community around customizing Mego Action Figures and it is pretty easy to purchase reproduction parts and accessories.

* 'Jail House Rock' French poster artwork via http://movieart.net/sizes/french-47x63/page/2/

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Interview with artist John D-C

An exhibition monstrously mashing two of the
artists favorite subjects:
The Monsters of Popular Culture &
The Golden Age of Rock and Roll.

19th November - 14th December

What is the concept behind Haunted House Rock, and what can people expect to
find in your show?
Haunted House Rock is a hideously, abominable creation, in which I monstrously mash two of my favourite subjects: The monsters of popular culture & The golden age of Rock and Roll!

In the exhibition I also tell the story of the rise and fall of a character I created a few years ago called Frankie. I tell his story by looking back at his life through memorabilia, paraphernalia and ephemera which I have created and displayed to resemble a Pseudo-Museum Exhibition.

The Exhibition consists of Original Drawing and
Paintings, Limited Edition Giclee and Gocco Prints as well as Customised Toys.


Tell us a little more about the character you created called Frankie
Frankie is basically a fun mash up I created between my favourite popular culture Monster, Frankenstein and the King of Rock and Roll. The Idea for Frankie came from a sketch and subsequent print I did a few years ago. I've also always kinda felt Elvis had a disproportionally large forehead. I feel that if Frankie were to have a page on Wikipedia it would read a little something like this:

Elvis Aaron Frankenstein was a singer and actor who could arguably neither sing nor act. A cultural icon, he is commonly known simply as Frankie and is also sometimes referred to as The Modern Prometheus of Rock 'n' Roll as many attribute him as single-handedly taking Rock 'n' Roll to the masses.

Frankie had many hit songs such as: That’s All Wrong (Mama), Raise Hell Hotel, Good Hauntin’ Tonight, I Forgot To Remember To Kill, Do Be Cruel, Spook Me Tender, Blue Suede Shackles, All Shocked Up, Are You Gruesome Tonight? and Suspicious Brains.

Frankie quickly became a teenage idol and went on to become a Hollywood star in his own right. He starred in a total of 31 films including: Fear in Acapulco, Harum Scare'em, A.I. Blues, Flaming Torch, Haunted House Rock, Ghouls, Ghouls, Ghouls, Paradise Transylvanian Style, Follow That Brains, Killin' Cousins, Ghoul Happy, Undead In The Country, Brainbake, Stay Away Monster, Live A Little Die A Little, The Trouble With Ghouls, Viva Las Vengeance, Scareway, The Bride of Frankie & Johnny and It Happened At A Burning Mill.

During the height of his career the world was gripped with Frankie Fever and Frankie's image was used to sell everything from lightning rods to platform shoes he even had his own line of hair care products.

Sadly, health problems, prescription drug dependence and angry mobs of peasants with fire torches plagued the star in his later life leading to his untimely death at an early age.

"...I was also influenced by the art of early 1950's rock 'n roll bill and film posters..."
Stay tuned Tuesday to read more from this interview with John D-C's about his exhibition Haunted House Rock.





Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Ceramic artist Hayden Youlley talks about his FOOD FIGHT submission

My creation for FOOD FIGHT:
PAPER
"Only on paper has humanity yet achieved glory, beauty, truth, knowledge, virtue, and abiding love."
– George Bernard Shaw

This work is about using material to create a tactile experience. The simple random distribution of creases in the paper surface of the objects creates complex patterns of light, shade and texture that disturb the smooth surrounds and invite study and touch.

About my ceramic work:
I am influenced by an appreciation of life’s vast and diverse experiences and the importance of growing and learning from these, I use the lightness, translucency, mimicry and texture of porcelain to push the material and my skills to find a convergence of crafting and concept, in perfect synchronicity.

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

A little bit from emerging artist Sheree Evelina and her cute submission for FOOD FIGHT:

My artwork for FOOD FIGHT:

Hello, my name is Sheree Evelina. I am a graphic designer and illustrator based in Sydney. I began drawing my entry for 'FOOD FIGHT – the Pack a Picnic edition', at Hyde Park in Sydney. It was a beautiful, warm and sunny morning. Spring had arrived!

I thought about what I would prepare for my own picnic with loved ones. The home made dishes I would make, and all the other little things I would take, such as a sun umbrella, a cute teddy bear for the little ones, and a summer hat with the pretty ribbon!

I drew each item one by one. I enjoyed drawing everything on my picnic list, it warmed my heart.

When I finished drawing everything, I went home and scanned them all to compose my artwork. Something went wrong, all of the items started to float! “Oh noooo, not now!”

I was panicked... I hastily drew some strings to tie all of the floating objects to the picnic basket! I then drew and colored 4 balloons with drops of watercolor and attached them to the basket! Voila! The picnic was ready to float to the sky, taking all the warmth, joy, togetherness, and happiness of a simple picnic UP UP and AWAY... to wherever it may land :)


About my Illustration style:

Most of my drawings are black and white pencil sketches. These can range from messy to tidy, from a simple doodle to detailed illustration. I love drawing by hand, it make every illustration feel warm. I believe the most powerful technique in creating an illustration is to put your heart and happiness into it – it will touch others’ hearts.

I mostly draw for children and women. When adding colour to my illustrations, I prefer to use watercolor. I also love to add Trompe-l'œil and Borges’ Baroque Illusionism style into my drawings, combining photography, torn papers, typography, water drip, etc. Creating a humble illusion can touch everyone’s imagination.

All about our FOOD FIGHT artists

Emmajane Illustration
Emma Simmons is an illustrator and graphic designer. As a compulsive collector of shapes, textures, patterns and fabrics, I have a huge source of inspiration to draw from – but I need a bigger cupboard. Much of my work is collage based, I relish getting away from the computer and doing things by hand.


John D-C
John Debono-Cullen is a graphic artist and his creative projects are heavily influenced by his many interests and hobbies. These usually include a healthy combination of bric-a-brac, screen printing, rock & roll dancing, blues piano, velvet dinner jackets, art deco theatres, record shopping, the creations of Jim Henson, ten pin bowling, the hohner harmonica, 1979 Bedford short wheel based vans, print gocco, vintage comic books, white elephant stalls, animation, drive-in movies and Cuba.


Anais Taylor
Anais Taylor is a designer and illustrator inspired by nature and her local farmers markets. She aims to create art to inspire people to live more seasonally and sustainably. She is currently completing her second calendar of seasonal produce featuring her drawings of organic fruit and vegetables and filled with ideas for living with the seasons.


Benconservato
Benconservato is the alias of Emma Kidd, an artist/illustrator. She has travelled and lived in Europe and a land of mythical animals. Her heart is still in both, despite loving being back in Australia. She encourages you to find your inner monster.


Bethany Carlsson
Wife of a swedish dreamboat, mother of gorgeous Audrey, avid baker, reader of pretty blogs, cookbook collector, Earl Grey addict, dinner table decorator and flower arranger.


Cory Child
Cory Child was conjured up by Sydney architectural graduate, Cory Hartono with the aim to create statement pieces for those romantic whimsies.

Cory is a constant dreamer and believer, travel enthusiast, and works primarily in architecture during broad light. She loves making handsome small objects for others to love and treasure.


Dawn Tan
Melbourne artist and crafter Dawn Tan is a self-confessed foodie with a penchant for all things yummy and beautifully packaged.

Her work embraces her inspiration with home-cooking, packaging and grocery shopping. Some of which have been translated into large over-sized sculptures, art prints and accessories such as tea towels, aprons, and market tote bags.


FOOLHOUSE
Foolhouse is the brainchild of designer Sarah Lamond's inner child. A brand that specializes in eclections. In the style of Edward Lear and his runcible spoon, Foolhouse too has invented its own word to describe it's crafted output. e.clec.tion n - The marriage of not "Owl and Pussy Cat" but ‘Collection and Eclecticism’, awkwardly translating as eclections of artworks and products that make every thought or situation ~an occasion.

She resides in her own foolhouse, an old Californian bungalow in Sydney nowhere near California and sneaks precious moments away from corporate bread and butter to indulge in the foolish gossamer of illustration, wordsmithing and product design.


Grace Teoh
Grace is a freelance illustrator who works mostly with calligraphy ink and gouache. She’s inspired by the swirling artwork of Mucha, the dancers of Degas, and fairy tale illustrations of Arthur Rackham. Other loves include live jazz, Spanish folk guitar, sunshine, warm cafes, saunas and the beach. She is currently working on an illustrated adaptation of "James and the Giant Peach."


Hayden Youlley
Influenced by an appreciation of life’s vast and diverse experiences and the importance of growing and learning from these, Hayden uses the lightness, translucency, mimicry and texture of porcelain to push the material and his skills to their very breaking point to find a convergence of crafting and concept, in perfect synchronicity.


Herbert & Friends
Herbert & Friends is a Sydney-based softie label created by artist Torunn Higgins. Combining her love of nature, fabric and design, Torunn's creations take on a life of their own. Her range of softies brings together an odd collection of friends, from turtles to alpacas and anteaters. These quirky characters get up to all kinds of mischief, and each one comes with a little account of their latest adventure. The creatures are handmade using recycled felt, up-cycled and new cotton fabrics.


Jen Allison
Jen is a Sydney-based artist who works with paper and origami techniques to create little masterpieces. She likes to use origami in a non-traditional way and works with all kinds of paper, or anything foldable, in her practice. Sometimes her works are very conceptual and aim to make a statement, but she also makes gentler, more evocative pieces. She also works with customer's own images to create personalised, one-off works.


Matthew Roland
Matthew Roland is an illustrator, a designer, and very, very tall. He has a penchant for winter-wear, two reversible jumpers, and an incomplete set of encyclopaedias. He draws in pencil and watercolour, or goes all modern on his Macintosh, and enjoys both very much. Matthew hopes you like his work.


Meredith Walker-Harding
Puppet booking agent, hit-and-miss baker, ukelele player, drinker of tea, eater of sweet treats, imaginary party planner, pineapple enthusiast, knitter and maker of things


Narelle Coxhead
I love pattern and textiles, and I am inspired by retro fabrics, from glamorous 1950's dresses once owned by my mum to fun 70’s and 80's op-shop blouses. I originally studied visual arts, but found enjoyable work as a graphic artist, specialising in information graphics and illustrations for the news media. I got back into visual arts when my daughter was little through participating in print portfolio exchanges and in group exhibitions, including; The Firestation Print Studio, Melbourne and T.A.P Gallery, Darlinghurst. More recently I studied Surface Design at ISCD, winning the No Chintz fabric company industry award. I hope to continue exploring the cross-over between these fields - Illustration, graphic design, visual arts and textile design - in my work.


Nia May
My papercuts illustrate a curious, two-dimensional world, foxes, teapots, skeletons, birds and little girls lost. There are no brush strokes or subtle distinctions of tone and shade in this place – only the edge the scalpel creates – evoking a benign kind of humour and wistfulness for the folly and fantasy of childhood. I make them by using a sharp knife while drinking lots of tea; and my house is often filled with confetti.


Olivia Simmons
Olivia enjoys creating handcrafts and working with film photography. She currently lives and works in Germany, and a little of Sydney.


Sheree Evelina
My illustration style is pencil sketch style, most of my drawings are black and white – just pencil strokes on top of a piece of paper. From messy to tidy, from simple doodle to detailed illustration. I love to hand draw as it allows my illustrations to maintain a warmth and feel human. I mostly draw for children and women. When I have to add colour into my illustrations, I prefer watercolour as my sidekick. I also love to add Trompe-l’œil and Borges’ Baroque Illusionism style into my drawings, combining photography, torn papers, typography, water drip, etc. creating a humble illusion that can touch everyone’s imagination.


Whiskers Lane
Jodie Etchells' designs include one-of-a-kind jewellery pieces and accessories handmade with vintage fabrics & felt, Vintage Teacup Candles & more. Hand detail is a love of hers and all of her designs have been carefully made entirely by hand.