sorry for my absence

sorry i've been inactive for some time. i started back at school a month ago and have been trying to get my head around the next few months ahead. i will be posting new information soon, i've just been a bit of a jumbled mess these past few weeks, what with new briefs, catching up with school mates, recovering after catching up with school mates. back on trach soon, i promise. hope you're all well, creative and inspired.

MINTD. New online maker's community

MINTD is a fresh new Australian based makers buying/selling online community. Much like etsy.com, MINTD is a place where crative types can open their own store from none to little cost and sell their goods, be it jewellery, fashion, art etc...

It's only a few months old but already have a few great names on board, plus a whole stack of fresh new talent, and the interest from buyers is booming.

if you're making, but having trouble selling due to not finding the right shop to house your wares, or not wanting the hassle of keeping tabs on your consignment stock, or if you're looking for something extra special to buy, give MINTD a looksee.

Easy Being Green Art Comp.

WIN $2000!!!

Australian company 'Easy Being Green' is an active group working to fight climate change. They promote and sell products for businesses and homes that can help reduce water and energy waste and CO2 pollution. They are currently running an art competition with the aim to promote their products. Visit their site Easy Being Green for more information.

Ela Bauer

I highly reccomend visiting Ela's site for some visual candy and a nice synopsis of her work process and ideas....
Ela Bauer

Art Almanac (Australia)

You know you're meant to read it, but never get round to buying a copy? Well, Art Almanac is on line so you can log on and have a have a squizz at what's on in the gallery world. Its an invaluable guide to the current goings on in the art world on your doorstep.

New Directions in Jewellery: v. 2

New Directions in Jewellery: v. 2

Recently out, retailing in shops for about $80(aud), and around $60(aud) from Amazon (not including postage mind you). A good source of inspiration and information as to what's going on in the world of contemporary jewellery and small object making. Featuring both veteran and new comers from all over the globe, this book is a great visual resource guaranteed to get the creative juices flowing.

Cool Carvings

Peter Goldlust

Among many other projects and mediums, mixed media artist Peter Goldlust carves crayons.


Artists Diem Chau also carves crayons, and this amazing little girl pencil tip...


...and then there's these crazy Japanese carvers Mizuta Tasogare and Kato Jado...don't question, just admire...

lorena barrezueta

Lorena Barrezueta's 'Gourmet Collection', takes various alluminium forms and translates them into porcelain. "Through material substitution and surface treatement, these ubiquitous forms are ironically accepted as part of the formal table setting."

Meredith Allen

Over a five-year period, Meredith Allen snapped shots of slowly dripping ice lollies of familiar licensed cartoon characters set against a clear blue sky in various beach locales.

Meredith Allen

Toypography

Dainippon Type Organization

Formed by Hidechika and Tetsuya Tsukada in 1993. They are experimental typography performers who disarticulate or combine Japanese characters and alphabets into unique new typography.

http://dainippon.type.org/

Australian Arts Prizes

An odd little page i found out of nowhere, listing quite a broad range of arts prizes for both established and emerging artisits in Australia 2007. Worth taking a peek.

http://www.solutionsindata.com/artist_opportunities/australian_artist_opportunities.htm

Melbourne Design Guide

The first design guide to Melbourne presents the city's wealth of creativity and the products, people and stories behind it.
Whether it's a brooch, a bridge, a bar or a building, this project has been carefully researched and written to give locals and travellers a sense of what's happening in this, Australia's creative capital.
Take a tour of Melbourne's cutting edge architecture, discover the latest design talent, where to buy their wares and where they drink and dine.
The Melbourne Design Guide is the perfect companion on a journey to the hidden treasures of this city's thriving design scene.

Founder Paul Charlwood
Publisher lab.3000
Editors Ewan McEoin and Viviane Stappmanns

You can order it directly from...

http://www.melbournedesignguide.com/

for $30 +postage and handling

or buy it from one of a bazillion stockists in and around Melbourne.

Marc Monzo

Have you ever fallen in love? I do on a regular basis, and today it's with Spanish jeweller and object maker Marc Monzo
(thanks ma roulotte for sharing Marc on your blog for the rest of the world to enjoy!)

RIPE

The RIPE: Art and Australia/ANZ Private Bank Emerging Artists Scheme promotes the work of emerging artists, publishing an image of the winner's work on the back cover of Art & Australia magazine. RIPE recipients are further supported via the purchase of at least one of their artworks. Entrants must be visual artists who have been practising professionally for no more than five years, and who have had their work publicly exhibited.

Closing date: 1 February 2007

For more info go to...
http://www.visualarts.net.au/grantsprizes/ripe

Mina Perhonen

Japanese textile and fashion label Mina Perhonen make beautiful prints and textiles. Though they are a flat medium, their simple forms and sense of movement and colour has inspired me in my 3d medium of jewellery and object.
Their website, even the english version, is a little difficult to grasp, with statements like,

'May buy with net the male roughness this Focusing on mina and north European ones chair or miscellaneous goods etc',

and their self described 'successive beefsteak style of mina perhonen' (?).

So i've included little tasters from one of their books 'Print' which, with a little persistance, can be bought from japanese amazon.

(english version of...)
http://www.amazon.co.jp/In-English/b/ref=sv_gw_6/503-3505515-9780768?%5Fencoding=UTF8&node=1094656

Sigrid Widmoser

Unfortunately the information on Sigrid is in German, but i thought i'd use the universal language of pictures...

Sweet Sweeds...

...and when i need a break from words on a screen, i like to look at nice things, things such as this Sweedish designed make up brush from Funkis



You can also drool over their clogs, wallpaper and table ware, clothes, jewellery...ah, candy for the eyes...

The Program

I'm still just begining to wade through the amount of information this site offers young Australian creatives, from vocational opportunities, resources, competitions, giveaways, articles...so, while i wade, i thought i might pass on the link to you now, as i might be a while...

http://www.theprogram.net.au/home.asp

to fast track to the guts of this site, go to the navigation list and head on in through there...

ReSkin

ReSkin...

"reSkin will be an intense three-week period that will focus on wearable technology, embracing the skill-based practices of object and fashion design.

The reskin lab will place four international and national facilitators with twenty participants including jewellers, textile artists, fashion designers and media artists. Together they will research, develop and rapid prototype sensor, time based and reactive clothing, jewellery, shoes, bags and personal environmental and device designs – anything wearable and technologically integrated.

reSkin will end with WearNow, a one-day forum of critical dialogue looking at our wearable futures at the National Museum of Australia on 3 February 2007."

I don't know anything more about this project, but take a look at the website if you're keen to follow it's progress...
http://www.anat.org.au/reskin/

Flickr

A fantastic way to show your work on line without having to set up a website. Flickr is an online photo sharing site that allows you to set up your own page/s where you can upload photos, add a brief profile and connect with other flickr users who share interests or inspire you. much like myspace, flickr is an open sharing site, however you can add privacy and copyright settings to your images. i have been using flickr for about a year now to show my work, inspiration and other bits and pieces to both friends, family, potential clients and to other flickr users. i have met a huge network of creatives working in all fields of the arts and design, creating a great resource and support network.
check out www.flickr.com to find out more and feel free to check out my flickr site to see how i use it. www.flickr.com/photos/form_function/