contemporary illustration

We're really excited about next Tuesday night's Asperatus exhibition. Not only is it Matt Huynh's first solo exhibition in three years - it's also being held at the Australian Museum... in the Skeleton Gallery!

Two exciting new shows have just opened - Catherine Campbell's solo show Tall Stories and Papercuts at Extended Play Gallery in Northcote, Melbourne, and Hip Pop, a group show presented by United Galleries at Saatchi & Saatchi in The Rocks, Sydney... Exhibiting artists at Hip Pop include David Disher, Stephen Dupont, Jane Fontane, Lee Grant, William Hold, Ben Ali Ong, Patricia Mado, Ben Rak and Kareena Zerefos.

Dressing for a Crescent Moon 4 - Print of an original ink, watercolour and collage drawing by Catherine Campbell (US $15)

For the Tall Stories and Papercuts exhibition, Catherine (whose studio is known as My Folk Lover) created a series of four long scroll type pieces based on some of her favourite female characters. She was drawn to the 'split nature' of each of these women, and found these intense opposing forces "quite inspiring for the basis of a few drawings"! The exhibition invitation (top) shows a detail of one of these works, and the entire piece is amazing! (You can see it on Catherine's Flickr site.)

These are on display, along with a selection of smaller works, at Extended Play Gallery which opened its doors in Northcote just last month. The gallery is in front of the studio space where Catherine now works alongside fellow artist Andy Lewis. If you're in Melbourne, make sure to get along! I adore Catherine's work - a mixture of delicate illustration, femininity and thoughtful, balanced composition... You can also visit her web site at www.catherinecampbell.net, follow her blog at www.myfolklover.typepad.com or shop for My Folk Lover prints at www.myfolklover.etsy.com.

Tall Stories and Papercuts
11 - 28 November 2009
Extended Play Gallery
547 High Street, Northcote, Melbourne
Gallery open: Wed - Sat, 11am - 5pm.

Fox and Feathers - original artwork by Kareena Zerefos

We have featured Kareena Zerefos' work a number of times on indie art & design (May 08, Nov 08, Nov 08 & Feb 08!), and we had to share these new works with you! They were created with pencil & oils on wood, and they're incredible.

Kareena describes this series as "exploring childhood fears of an isolated, dystopian 'Australia'. The imagery is based on my memories growing up in the rural outskirts of sydney, surrounded by bush dwelling animals... foxes that would stare hauntingly through the trees (and would get into our chicken pen), possums sometimes comforting but at other times terrifying and reptiles that creep around like alien creatures of another time."

The girl and the possum - original artwork by Kareena Zerefos

I'm looking forward to seeing these soon... There are a few more images on Kareena's blog at www.kareenazerefos.com. So beautiful!

12 - 27 November 2009
United Galleries presents Hip Pop
at Saatchi & Saatchi
70 George St, The Rocks, Sydney
Gallery open: Mon - Fri, 9am - 6pm.

Time Travellers - artwork from Poems for Piotr by Lang Leav

Devilishly talented Akina (Sydney-based artist Lang Leav) has just released an exquisite hand-crafted music picture book titled "Poems for Piotr". This is the fourth book in her series of sell out releases, and this time round, she has collaborated with music composer Cyrus Meurant. The book contains all new artwork by Lang Leav, and Cyrus Meurant's compositions feature the beautiful vocals of Angela Little (who was chosen by Baz Luhrmann to perform in "Australia"). Only 100 copies of Poems for Piotr are available, and you can order yours at www.akina.com.au (AUD $199.00 + P&H). You can also listen to music samples from the accompanying album.

The making of Poems for Piotr by Lang Leav

Drawn from her own experiences, Poems for Piotr reveals a stylistically written dialogue between two mismatched lovers – in a heartfelt exchange of poetry and prose. As the story unfolds, their disjointed conversation stretches further across a growing divide of time and distance.

Lang's stunning artworks, together with her innate ability to speak volumes in few words, evokes a quiet yearning throughout this bittersweet love story. Her characters inhabit a world of abject loneliness – one devoid of other humans, where only the company of strange creatures are kept. The atmospheric quality of Cyrus' music blends seamlessly into this desperately sad, yet beautiful world.

Bound by hand - Poems for Piotr by Lang Leav

The finishing on Poems for Piotr is incredible. So much love has been stitched into each and every volume!

Postcards Pack (AUD $20) and Pin-back Button Pack (AUD $25) from www.akina.com.au

Lang Leav is well known for her dark depictions of fairytale characters. You can find Little Miss Hood and her friends & foes among the postcards & buttons available at www.akina.com.au. These are the perfect price for a birthday or Christmas present - that's if you can part with them!

Little Miss Hood Camisole (AUD $78) from www.akina.com.au

You'll also find a range of gorgeous fashion pieces at www.akina.com.au. The unique styles of Akina's tops and dresses match the mood of the artworks, which have been incorporated in cute lace frames. Garments include the versatile Little Miss Hood (above, AUD $78) and Snow White (AUD $78) camisoles, stylish Liliput Tuxedo Top (second image below, AUD $129), sweet Pandora Blouse (AUD $98) and the stunning dark red Goose Girl Gown (below, AUD $198).

Goose Girl Gown (AUD $198) from www.akina.com.au

Liliput Tuxedo Top (AUD $129) from www.akina.com.au

"Akina is a villain with a button fetish. She attacks teddy bears to steal their button eyes!"

Lang Leav has created her own fairytale world for Akina - encompassing a wide range of projects and disciplines - fashion, art, poetry, books... Her work alternates between the whimsical and melancholy, expressing an underlying complexity beneath its child-like facade.

Limited edition pendants by Akina and Zoe Sernack

Lang has worked on projects both independently and through a number of collaborations with other artists. One previous joint project was AKINAxZM. Lang and Zoe Sernack brought their talents together to create miniature sterling silver works of art with movable heads, housed in limited edition handmade packaging, and worn close to the hearts of farytale villians far and wide.

Teddy Bears Picnic by Akina

The following images show two of Lang Leav's previous book projects, "The Teddy Bear's Picnic" and "The Little Mermaid". Limited editions of both titles have sold out, but it's wonderful to admire the imagery and detailing - and see the body of work from which Lang's latest book, Poems for Piotr, has emerged.

Teddy Bears Picnic by Akina

"The Teddy Bear's Picnic is a collection of stories with a sinister twist to your favourite fairytale characters. Within this world, Gretal discovers something more delicious than candy, Little Red Riding Hood undergoes a ghastly transformation and Repunzel uses her long, golden locks to commit atrocious acts. It is a world where button fetishes are contagious, childhood nursery rhymes are interwoven with macabre themes and happily ever after is anything but."

The Little Mermaid by Akina

The Little Mermaid features original artworks and stories by Lang Leav, based on the haunting fairytale by Hans Christian Anderson.

The sea will sing
in stormy swells,
a song forewarning,
of a love to end
tomorrow's dawning.

As the castle bells
begin their chime,
across the land
tolls mournful curse-

when his ring will find
another hand
that isn't hers.

EPILOGUE
The Little Mermaid

I really love the final two images - scenes from the making of The Little Mermaid.

The making of The Little Mermaid limited edition book by Akina

The End.

"Druantia and Ava" by Nadia Turner (Wayward Harper)

Illustrators are, by their very nature, storytellers, and a trio of Melbourne-based artists (whose paintings I love) currently have their work on show at the GASWORKS Arts Park.

"Creature" detail by Nadia Turner (Wayward Harper)

Titled "Stories To Tell", the exhibition showcases the work of Nadia Turner, Rhiannon Mowat and Alisha Ball. Each artist has their own unique painting style, but all of their images offer a window to an imaginary world. The works draw inspiration from many sources: from classic fairytales and folklore; to Shakespeare; to the darker myths and legends that form part of our cultural consciousness.

Mixed works by Nadia Turner (Wayward Harper)

Nadia Turner's work is incredible. Intricate detail, and the very way she paints each stroke contributes to each character possessing a real presence. They step into our space and silently suggest that they were here first.

Combining fine detail with decorative elements, Nadia's paintings evoke a sense of otherworldliness.

Nadia draws inspiration from many sources, including the art of the Surrealists, the Pre-Raphaelites, traditional folk art, various children's books, and music - more specifically the music of the Celtic Harp and all the mythology and folklore associated with it. For "Stories To Tell", you can expect lots of beautiful fairytale and myth inspired work! Nadia says she's discovered "a definite gypsy theme" running throughout her work.

"Tea and Sympathy" by Rhiannon Mowat

The three artists met when they studied illustration together at Northern Melbourne Institute of TAFE, graduating in 2005. They had a lot of fun and have remained friends since. Rhiannon and Nadia have exhibited together before, but this is the first time all three girls have shown their work together.

The paintings revolve around what they love best, which of course is illustrating. In particular they tend to be drawn towards themes of fairytales or myth and folklore.

For this exhibition, Rhiannon draws her inspiration from the plays of Shakespeare, using his words and themes throughout her work.

"What White Rabbit?" by Rhiannon Mowat

Rhiannon Mowat's paintings are full of drama & whimsy. Her characters are wide-eyed & quirky, drawn from dark worlds and spooky tales.

I especially love Rhiannon's works pictured above, "Tea and Sympathy" and "What White Rabbit?". The clever composition (in the latter) teases us with the mystery of what lies further down the rabbit hole.

Painting by Alisha Ball

Alisha Ball has been traveling for the past few years and a lot of her work is directly influenced by her travels and the cultures of the countries she passed through.

I love the colours in Alisha's painting (above). The rich, pinks & golds in the woman's scarf and skintones against the cool pastel tones in the background. The palette itself gives this beautiful image a spiritual feel.

Stories To Tell officially opens this Thursday night at the Angela Robarts-Bird Gallery in the GASWORKS Arts Park, but you can visit the exhibition any time from yesterday! The show continues until 14th June 2009.

Date: 25 May to 14 June 2009
Venue: Angela Robarts-Bird Gallery
Time: Opening Thursday 28 May, 6pm to 8pm
Gallery Opening Hours: 9am to 5pm, daily
Enquiries: 03 8606 4200

Starting with a colour or pattern, Moon-age loses herself in the creative process. This was the case with "Kaleidoscope Siren" - "a creature who flies through the air in a blur of colour, twigs and feathers."

Opening this week at Palmer Projects, Darlinghurst, is Alex Moon-age's first solo exhibition. We are thrilled to be supporting "OTHER WORLDS (they have not told you of)" and hope that many of our Sydney readers will be able to attend the opening night this Thursday or visit the exhibition during the following week. Alex's drawings & collages possess a rawness and energy that bring them to life. With their strong hand-drawn lines, vibrant colours and anamorphic figures, these works inhabit spaces between imagination and reality. Edgy & exciting, emerging artist Moon-age is one to watch!

Exhibition flyer featuring "Other Worlds", a self portrait by Moon-age. She created the costume and head piece, took photos and added collage. The skirt (or floating cloud) is created from strange patterns and various organic matter.

Psychedelic princess Alex Moon-age graduated from COFA (College of Fine Arts) last year. At 21, she is already one of Sydney's most exciting emerging artists. Obsessed by the theatrical, and renowned for her outrageous wardrobe, Moon-age's creative process extends into fashion and music. In addition to drawings, photos, mixed media works & collages, Alex will be exhibiting flamboyant wearable fashion creations as part of a performance art piece. There will also be a short animation projection and sound installation.

"Noodle Horse" by Moon-age.

Alex works impulsively, aiming to engage with the subconscious mind. She creates mythical histories for imagined worlds, then translates them into distorted, wildly colourful images. Visual patterns tend to emerge - references to nature, animal-human transfiguration and androgynous, imaginary creatures.

"Angry Spirit" by Moon-age.

Influenced by the surreal nature of illustration in underground 1960s publications such as 'Oz' magazine, Alex's artworks appear simultaneously nostalgic and contemporary, beautiful and morbid. Her collages hark back to the Dada collages of Raol Hausmann, and contain pages of books, newspapers, sewing patterns and patterned paper which have been reinvigorated and reconstructed within the frame of her work.

"The Birds and the Bees" by Moon-age. Collage, paint, pen, & old sewing pattern.

Moon-age embodies a Surrealist sensibility - drawing on the tools of psychoanalysis and meditation. With heightened tension between reality and illusion, her artworks show a deep understanding of the abstract reality of the subconscious.

"Rainbow Ghost" by Moon-age. Mixed media.

Alex feels inspired & unrestricted when working with mixed media, creating different textures from pen, pencil, paint, pastel & collage. She hopes that each viewer sees something a little different in the subject matter as various creatures and faces make up the larger image. She also loves to lose herself in a piece of music and see where it leads her image making - Frank Zappa is especially great for this!

Rainbow Monster by Moon-age

"Rainbow Monster" (above) is one of my favourites from the artworks we've pictured. The areas of intricate detail contrasting with heavier, rough lines... and the colours!! The blue background works so well and there is a sense of constant movement & energy. Love it. We're so excited about Alex's exhibition & can't wait to get along to Palmer Projects. At first sight, her vivid, detailed works grabbed our attention... they really are something!

OTHER WORLDS (they have not told you of) by Moon-age opens at Palmer Projects Gallery Space on Thursday evening, May 7th 2009. If you're in Sydney, come along to the opening from 6.30 - 9.30pm. It continues until 14th May at 2/238 Palmer St, Darlinghurst, 2010. Gallery opening hours are:
Friday 12-5pm
Saturday 12-4pm
Tuesday 12-5pm
Wednesday 12-5pm

Our Non-Fiction "Family Portrait" greeting cards - Inka the Birman cat, George the rat, Arthur the zebra finch and Henry the rabbit.
(These little characters are all pets of childhood friends!)

Gift Fair Fever swept through Sydney over the weekend with buyers from all over Australia (& beyond) flocking to Darling Harbour, Homebush and Moore Park. We were exhibiting at the fairest of them all, at LIFE inSTYLE. Having met new stockists and made new friends over the last five days, we thought it was time to introduce some of them to you! Stay tuned for a flood of posts over the next week or so...

Hudo Earring Rise / Slot - 4.5mm stem & 10mm base UV stabilized acrylic 65mm, 105mm & 145mm heights.

First though, I have a find for you! If you're a fellow maker/designer, you'll know how difficult it can be to get great product shots... When we were planning our product photos for LIFE inSTYLE, we went hunting for props that would suit the style of our cards - not just the usual retail display fare. We found the black perspex Spindle Set used in our "Family Portrait" greeting cards image (top) at www.hudo.com.au. Hudo manufactures a large range of sleek & stylish retail visual merchandising products - which, of course, are also perfect for photography props & trade fair displays.

Hudo UV stabilized 20mm clear & 10mm black acrylic - 170x150x150mm with 120mm high animal silhouette available in Deer, Doberman & Schnauzer.

The Hudo range is made from acrylic (perspex) and there are pieces to suit a large variety of products - from wall shelves, to magazine racks, risers, cute canine bookends, an innovative "belt bar", bag stands, an enormous selection of jewellery display pieces + more...

Hudo Leaning Wall Shelf - 25mm UV stabilized acrylic 2000mm x 240mm x 220mm.

Hudo products are all manufactured locally, and they have been supplying to stores across Australia for more than a decade. In fact, you've probably seen their products in the glossy pages of many Australian interiors magazines.

Hudo Ring Rings - 10mm thick UV stabilized acrylic available in two sizes of 30mm & 38mm diameter + Ring and Bangle Arcs - 3mm UV stabilized acrylic 55mm, 75mm & 120mm lengths with 5mm, 10mm & 15mm wide slot.

Most importantly, the service is top-notch! You'll find Hudo at:
Suite 1, 6-8 Pacific Hwy, St Leonards, NSW 2065. These cool acrylics are made to order, so make sure to phone 02 9966 5591, fax 02 9966 5960 or make contact via www.hudo.com.au for pricing & orders.

Hudo Belt Bar - 25mm thick UV stabilized acrylic available in two sizes (laser etch example only).

New work by Kareena Zerefos.

I'm delighted to tell you that Kareena Zerefos is having another solo exhibition - this time in Melbourne. It's opening this Thursday evening (13.11.2008) at the Famous When Dead gallery, West Melbourne. The exhibition flyer describes Kareena's work very succinctly as "illustrative work exploring themes of isolation and escapism through the depiction of children and their imagination".

"French Kitty" by Kareena Zerefos.

We really enjoyed Kareena's last solo exhibition at the MTV Gallery in East Sydney back in June, and so it seems did everyone else - the opening night was packed! Her illustrative works were beautiful - so delicate & quiet... Kareena is obviously careful not to overwork her drawings, in keeping with the often fragile children & animal subjects.

The "French Kitty" illustration pictured above was a commissioned work, so not part of the upcoming exhibition - but I couldn't resist including it the post. My kitty was patched up yet again by the vet this afternoon. He should really choose his friends more carefully...

"Bumblebee Girl" (left) and "He stood there, swaying unsteadily" (right) by Kareena Zerefos.

If you live in Melbourne, it's your turn to see Kareena's illustrations.
Get along on opening night to:
Famous When Dead
Thursday 13.11.2008 from 6pm
& continuing until 23.11.2008.
207 Victoria Street, West Melbourne, 3003.
Opening hours:
Tue-Thu: 11am - 6pm
Fri: 11am - 7pm
Sat-Sun: 10am - 3pm

For more details, visit Kareena's web site at www.kareenazerefos.com or the Famous When Dead web site at www.famouswhendead.com.au, and don't forget to tell us all about it!

Travel Across the Universe and back again tonight! This all girls' art exhibition opens at No Vacancy Gallery, Melbourne, from 6 - 8pm. On show will be artworks by 11 talented gals including Lisa King, Nickas, Snookie, Scarlett, Kelly Smith, Deb, Honor Bowden, Bec Winnel, Nicole Tattersall, Rachee Renee and Lauren Sutter. (Thanks to Lauren Sutter whose blog helped me find most of these links in no time!)

No Vacancy Gallery
27-33 Red Cape lane, Melbourne.
Opening night: 15th October 2008; 6pm - 8pm
Exhibition: 16th Ocotber - 22nd October 2008.

These girls have been busy! The intriguing works below were photographed by Nicole Tattersall at the Drape it in Sound exhibition a little while ago. I love Nicole's Ghost artwork!.

also showing now...

is A to Z at Brunswick Bound, featuring the talents of another four indie faves: Catherine Campbell, Andrea Innocent, Mel Stringer and Eveline Tarunadjaja! I'm wishing I was there...

Brunswick Bound
361 Sydney Rd, Brunswick, Melbourne.
Exhibition: 11th - 31st October 2008.

and another show...

Bec Winnel and Kelly Smith will also be taking part in the upcoming Cream Coloured Ponies & Crisp Apple Strudels exhibition at The Grand Social pop-up store later this month. They will be joined by Kareena Zerefos, Courtney Brims, Anna Pogossova, Eugenia Tsimiklis, Tina Salama & tmod. This one will be in my little home town (Sydney)! Found via Daydream Lily.

The Grand Social Pop-up Store
461 Oxford Street, Paddington, Sydney.
Opening night: 30th October 2008; 6pm - 9pm
Exhibition: Fri 31st Ocotber - Sat 1st November 2008, 11am - 6pm.

If you've been to any of these shows, or have them jotted down in your diary, we'd love to hear your comments!