books + magazines

Peppermint Magazine has launched!! The first issue is FREE and is spilling over with absolutely gorgeous images, products & environmentally-conscious labels from Australia, New Zealand and around the world. Collect your copy from one of the following stockists, or if that's a little too far to travel, hop to www.peppermintmag.com and you can order a copy to be posted specially to you for just AUD $3.50 (+$2.45 p&p).

Peppermint Magazine Stockists
BRISBANE: Bliss Ecowear (15 LaTrobe Terrace, Paddington), Retro Metro (297 Given Terrace, Paddington), Blue Lotus Cafe (Shop 16, Kelvin Grove Urban Village), Lyssy May (676 Wynnum Rd, Morningside), Kropp Organic Hair Salon (112 Bennetts Rd, Morningside), Box Vintage (29 Vulture St, West End), The Region (Boundary St, West End), One Colour (West End Flea Markets)
GOLD COAST: Inverse (21C James St, Burleigh Heads)
MELBOURNE: Bird Girl (155 Brunswick St, Fitzroy), Meet Me At Mikes (63 Brunswick St, Fitzroy), Thread Den (Level 1/16 Errol St, North Melbourne), Sankofa (3/245 Adderley St, West Melbourne)
ONLINE: www.ecodepot.com.au, www.ibutrade.com.au

Here's a sneak peek into Issue 1! The Peppermint Magazine Limelight Pages (the first of which are pictured above) display a Show & Tell of eco fashion & accessories. Loads of intriguing & unique labels including Bowerbird Vintage, Lyssy May and Thea & Sami just to name a few...

In "Skin and Threads", Peppermint Magazine takes a look behind the scenes at a local label which is taking steps towards a more sustainable future in style. Skin and Threads use only natural & organic fibres in their effortly chic designs, but surprisingly they found an initial resistance among boutiques to take on an eco-label. "There was a general perception that eco-friendly couldn't be fashionable" explains Penelope Cohen), who together with Emma Gathercole forms the duo behind Skin and Threads. How things have changed!

I love the Bamboo Fish t-shirt (AUD $114) featured on the Global Guy page. It is made by Pure Pod, a sustainable fashion label based in Mullumbimby in northern NSW. The Car Upholstery Wallets (AUD $45 each) look pretty cool too - these are from Nearly Roadkill.

The photography for the La Vie En Rose feature is beautiful! Garden greens with floral highlights & delicate, feminine fashion...

The first half of our recent Lark interview is also in print! (Click here to read the interview in full.) The wonderfully crafty Allison (who brought Lark with her when she moved here from the UK) has given us a wonderful insight to the workings of a successful handmade label. From her inspirations & obsessions, to co-ordinating the making of selected product lines by fair trade workers in India, and adults with disabilities through local organisation Windarring...

Watermelon hand-knitted fruit rattle by Lark - AUD $14.95 (incl. GST) from indie art & design store.

Lark products in store!

We've also stocked the indie store shelves with an array of Lark handmade products - colourful knitted fruit & veggie rattles, knitted doughnuts & sweet treats, and gorgeous vintage storybook mirrors & magnets! The Lark lineup is very reasonably priced & would make such original & personal gifts for a new arrival or new mum, or anyone who has a soft spot for the stories of their childhood! We also have a few copies of Peppermint Magazine to give away, so the first three indies who purchase from our Lark product selection will also receive a copy of Issue 1 of this minty fresh mag!

In just over a week, Gerard Smith - "the guy in the art store" and author of The Weekend Artist will be demonstrating some of his acrylic painting projects for all to see... If you're a Sydneysider looking to liven up your lounge room wall, come along & meet Gerard in person. He really is hilarious, so the afternoon demo is sure to be as entertaining as it is educational! Details are as follows:

Oxford Art Supplies and Books
145 Victoria Ave,
Chatswood, 2067.
phone: 02 9417 8572
Saturday 30th August, 2-3pm
FREE!

Midnight Morning - a limited and handcrafted publication combining the distinct work of Haline Ly, Matt Huynh and Will Loeng.

TONIGHT is the launch of exciting new book + exhibition "Midnight Morning". We first discovered the talented Matt Huynh & his alter ego STiKMAN Comics through the Hope Street Markets back in June 2007. I love his experimental graphic novels - he has produced sooo many great artworks (which have appeared on all sorts of things - from clothing & magazines to tattoos & vinyl toys), and is also represented by the Jacky Winter Group. Matt has collaborated with fellow members of the Popperbox collective of Sydney-based artists, Haline Ly and Will Loeng, to produce a new & never-before-seen illustration series celebrating shared experiences of love and devastation.

"Good Things Only" by Haline Ly, from handcrafted publication Midnight Morning

"Midnight Morning represents the fruition of a long standing personal ambition to work alongside two of my favourite artists on a fiercely independent, self-initiated project. My admiration for both Haline Ly and Will Loeng's insightful work has only intensified since my exposure to their profound artistic ethos has guided this exploration of affirming themes, new techniques and illustrative styles beyond my individual reach." - Matt Huynh.

"Rorschach" by Will Loeng, from handcrafted publication Midnight Morning

I'm really looking forward to seeing more work by Haline Ly and Will Loeng... Haline was born in Suresnes in France and migrated to Australia in 1986. Her work is full of colour, characters & critters and she also sells selected artworks, toys & badges through her online store www.claretduskymoonpie.com.

Will has taken part in collaborative exhibitions including From Here, Sincerely (2007), Extra Cheeese (2007), Copy Cats 2 (2007) and Fields of Conversation (2007). He is inspired by the delicacy of Art Nouveau and his works have also appeared in shop windows and interiors, magazines, websites, clothing, posters and an upcoming album cover. (For which band, I wonder?...)

"Wardrobe" by Matt Huynh, from handcrafted publication Midnight Morning

The Midnight Morning book is also available from www.popperbox.com/midnightmorning for AUD $40. It features a hand-pressed dust jacket cover, 15 mini-posters, measures 280x280mm and is beautifully printed onto 325gsm paper stock.

To commemorate the release of the book, Midnight Morning will be launched with a concurrent show at Rococo Productions' warehouse exhibition space. For one night only, original artwork from the book wil be displayed and will be available for sale alongside a selection of the artists' other artwork, books & prints. All three artists will be there to meet us fans, discuss their work & sign editions of the book.

"Confetti" by Haline Ly, from handcrafted publication Midnight Morning

If you are in Sydney, you'll be wanting to make tracks to the Midnight Morning Book Launch and Exhibition - tonight! Details are as follows:

6pm - 9pm
Thursday 17th July 2008
12 O'Connell St, Newtown
Admission is free & refreshments & music provided!

"Spin" by Matt Huynh, from handcrafted publication Midnight Morning

On tonight is the book launch of The Weekend Artist by local Sydney artist Gerard Smith, better known as "the guy in the art store". If you're in Sydney, why not join the celebrations at:

Oxford Art Supplies
221 – 225 Oxford St,
Darlinghurst, 2010.
Thursday 10th July, 6–8pm

The Weekend Artist is full of projects designed to release your inner artist. It gives you just enough technical information to create contemporary, achieveable works that would be a bold addition to any home. Gerard has kindly answered a few of our questions to give us some insight into the process of getting published!

I 1. How did the book come about?

GS When I decided to study graphic design, I scored a part-time job at Oxford Art Supplies in Darlinghurst. After a while I began to notice that there was a demand from customers for simple projects that they could do in a weekend and no be embarrassed to hang on their wall. I started to draw up some basic projects and it sort of went from there.

I 2. So how did you get the deal?

GS I literally rang Murdoch books out of the blue and asked them the process involved in getting a book published. They in turn sent me a list of requirements which was quite in-depth. I gave myself two months to put together a proposal, which involved developing more projects, writing sample text and designing the format. I really want to stress that I didn't get this deal through any connections - I come form the least artistic family in the world. If you have the desire to do something you can always make or find your own breaks.

I 3.What was the process like?

GS It was fun, but exhausting. Each project has step-by-step photographs, so I had to make up about 3-4 prototypes for each project because the photographer obviously can't wait for paint to dry. I really enjoyed writing even if some of my more slightly risque puns were cut out by the editor. I did manage to get the word 'piss' (as in piss off) in there which I was quite proud of. I had this silly thing in my head where I wanted to be the first 'how-to' book with a swear word in it!

I 4. What's it like to see your book on the shelf?

GS The first time I went to find the book I went into Borders and asked the assistant did they 'have a book called The Weekend Artist, by some guy called Smith, I think' - I was too embarrassed to tell her it was my book. She said they had one in stock and we went to the shelves to find it. It wasn't there, so she did some more research and told me that it had been stolen! I took that as enormous compliment. I figure if it's good enough to steal, then it's good enough to buy!

I Thanks so much Gerard & all the best for the book launch tonight! Fingers crossed for The Weekend Artist going platinum... can books do that? You'll find copies of Gerard's shiny new book (AUD $34.95) on the shelves of quite a few Australian bookstores, including Oxford Art Supplies (Chatswood & Darlinghurst, Sydney & ONLINE).

We're very excited to spill the beans on a brand new fashion mag about to launch right here in Australia! Peppermint Magazine is all about "fashion for a better-looking world". Fair trade, organic, vintage, sustainable, locally produced, recycled, responsibly-made or environmentally-friendly: it's all a step in the do-good direction... Peppermint Magazine is on a mission to bring you both local & international fashion, footwear, jewellery, art, design & culture - as long as it's fresh, cool and green!

Each issue, one of our very own feature interviews will be printed on those peppermint-flavoured recycled pages!! It probably won't actually be flavoured but it will be a free quarterly publication & we'll tell you much more when the first issue launches later this month... Right now, however, you're invited to enter Peppermint Magazine's ECO-ART competition. A different eco-art theme will be announced each issue and THEME ONE is: "When one tugs at a single thing in nature, one finds it attached to the rest of the world".

The top three entries will be printed in the next issue and the winners also receive some cool prizes including organic tees from Kowtow (NZ), clothing from Fully Stoked and bags & badges from Ooid (NZ)! Entries need to measure 260mm x 400mm vertical at 300dpi & the deadline for theme one is Monday 14th July. For more details, visit www.peppermintmag.com and stay tuned for more minty goodness!

Father's Day is fast approaching, so here at Indie Art & Design, we've been assembling a selection of great gift ideas for September 2nd (next Sunday). I know at least three lucky dads who will receive some of the following pressies!

Deshabillé is an Australian luxury lounge & sleepwear label which offers casual clothing perfectly suited to unwinding at home - fashionable yet practical garments in which to relax, retire for the night, or even pop out to the shops. A concept perfectly suited to Father's Day, don't you think?

Pictured above is the mens Summer Tee - perfect to be worn with the Summer Stripe Pant (above left) or maybe the Husk Pant (above right), perhaps even for an afternoon snooze in the sun this Sunday. The Summer Tee is a slim fit, 100% cotton jersey with a soft vintage wash and comes in Aqua, Warm Grey or White (AUD $29.90). The Summer Stripe Pant is available in Warm Grey (pictured) or Aqua stripes for AUD $49.90. The Husk Pant is available in Warm Grey or Green and is currently on special - reduced from AUD $49.90 to just $25.00!

The Whitewash Pant (below left) is a new addition to the Deshabillé range for this summer (which is nearly here, judging by today's warm weather - in Sydney at least). This 100% cotton 'whitewash' printed mens pyjama pant has front pockets, elastic waist & drawstring. Available in two colours - White (as pictured) and Deep Sea, AUD $49.95. All of these, plus many more styles are available (WITH complimentary Father's Day gift wrapping) from the Deshabillé online store at www.deshabille.com.au or from stockists throughout NSW, VIC, QLD and WA.

This stylish handmade leather bag is the "te. fold" from te., a label that began while designer Jarren Borghero was living in Japan. "Te" is Japanese for "hand", signifying that all te. products are hand made from start to finish. The designer sketched the idea, cut the pattern, sourced the materials and contructed the product. In other words, he poured his heart into its creation so that you too will fall in love with it!

Featuring quality craftsmanship, vegetable tanned leathers, hand stitching and a range of colours combining rich browns with contrasting aqua, blue or green, the te. fold would make a unique gift. Something your dad would keep for years to come... It measures 19 x 20cm and comes with three large pouches and a pocket and adjustable leather straps. The te. fold is available from www.temono.com.au for AUD $165 and you can also find it at www.georgielove.com.

Is your dad a purveyor of all things cool? If he's hip to the jive or just needs a few fashion tips, he might find some clues in "Cool Hunting" by Australian photographer and net junkie, Dave Evans. The book was published last year by South Australia's East Street Publications and features an irreverent, ironic and eclectic mix of products designed in every corner of the globe.

Cool Hunting takes trend watching from the virtual world and places it carefully on your coffee table, along with a plate of URLs and chocolate biscuits. (Chocolate biscuits not included.) It retails for AUD $24.95 & I spotted a copy at Better Read Than Dead in Newtown the other day...

These washer bags are from the Mister Uchi range. They are made from PVC coated nylon and would make ideal gifts for dads who like style & simplicity. Pictured above is the Carry All bag which measures 24cm x 12cm x 12cm, and sells for AUD $36.95. The versatile Hanger Bag (below left) features an internal metal hook to allow it to hang while open. It measures 28cm x 8cm x 8cm and sells for AUD $54.95. (Prices are quoted from the Rushfaster online store.)

The Uchi label was launched in 2001 with the intent of providing travel and bath bags that are both functional and beautiful. The popular Uchi product range is now sold thoughout Australia as well as internationally. You can see more of the range at the Uchi web site at www.uchi.com.au - you can also email them for a list of stockists (which includes Pentimento in Newtown, Sydney).

If your Dad already has everything he could ever need, why not give him something for his best friend? Dogue, House of Canine Couture has a great collection of canine accessories to totally spoil your pooch. Pictured above is the luxurious Ruby range of leather collars. These top quality collars are handstitched and come in four sizes, ranging in price from AUD $80 (S) to $140 (XL).

For something more colourful, the Stanley range features striped leather collars to suit any shade of coat or personality. Five sizes are available ranging from 35cm (AUD $31.50) through to 60cm ($48.50). These Dogue collars, as well as matching leads and everything else your dog could desire are available from the Dogue online store at www.dogue.com.au.

I just read about the launch of Edition Magazine on Design Federation & couldn't resist ordering a copy for myself (for only AUD $4 including stickers and postage!). Issue One is titled "Contact" and features 10 Australian and international artists, each having worked up a double-page storm in yellow & blue. To order your own copy, or for info on artwork submissions for future issues etc. visit www.editionmagazine.com.

Our first ever Indie Gift Guide is now online! Click here to view a selection of gorgeous gift ideas from Mingus, Moose, Glamourpuss, Tribu & The Miggy Tree.