*All prices listed in Australian dollars with GST included.

*All prices listed in Australian dollars with GST included.

*All prices listed in Australian dollars with GST included.

*All prices listed in Australian dollars with GST included.

*All prices listed in Australian dollars with GST included.

*All prices listed in Australian dollars with GST included.

*All prices listed in Australian dollars with GST included.

*All prices listed in Australian dollars with GST included.

Flynn 2 by me! (Non-Fiction) On exhibition at Bob Boutique, Bendigo. (AUD $245)

I've been dying to share these with you! They are photos of my own artworks, currently on show as part of our Non-Fiction "Family Portrait" exhibition at Bob Boutique, Bendigo, Victoria.

Many of you probably know that Martin & I have our own design label,Non-Fiction, through which we make screen printed tees & greeting cards featuring our cute & quirky illustrations. When we met Sonia from Bob Boutique, she loved our "Family Portrait" card designs, and invited us to exhibit prints of the 12 colourful animal characters in her gallery space (adjacent to the boutique). The prints were made using archival inks and Hahnemühle's Bamboo fine art paper, then mounted onto black matt board with cute paper photo corners. Measuring 30x40cm, they fit straight into a standard sized frame.

To accompany the prints, I painted a series of 9 portraits of my little guys, and have pictured a few of them here. (Please send me an email if you'd like to see more!) The exhibition opened at Bob Boutique in February and will be finishing on Friday (10.4.2009).

Toby 2 by me! (Non-Fiction) On exhibition at Bob Boutique, Bendigo. (AUD $245)

We had the frames laser cut from aircraft ply (which has a fine grain finish & is gorgeous to paint onto), then mounted onto black perspex. Then I held my breath while I painted! There's no going back when working on a raw wooden surface... The final pieces are a mix of gouache and charcoal - I love the white highlights against the wood.

I would love to hear your comments!! Can you guess what (mixed) breeds Flynn & Toby are? Leave a comment & there will be a set of 12 Family Portrait greeting cards waiting the person whose answer is closest.

Henry the rabbit and Arthur the zebra finch archival prints by us... (Non-Fiction) On exhibition at Bob Boutique, Bendigo. (AUD $44.95 each)

Since I'm chatting about myself, I also thought I'd share a little interview I did recently for Peppermint Magazine. It appears in the BLOGROLE section on p88 of the brand new issue. (I received my copy today, so you will be hearing more about it very soon!)

Why did you decide to start your blog?
Like most of my projects, I jumped in without giving it too much thought (at the end of 2006). I had discovered so many beautiful American design blogs and I wanted to be a part of what seemed like such a vibrant community. At the time there were only a few Australian design blogs and I wanted a place to feature all the things that I loved. After indie art & design became popular, we started thinking much harder about ways in which to promote Australian labels.
What do you blog about?
Art, design & craft by independent Australian designers/labels. We place an emphasis on contemporary, quirky design, and our posts on illustration are some of the most popular.

Toby archival print by us... (Non-Fiction) On exhibition at Bob Boutique, Bendigo. (AUD $44.95)

How often do you update it?
I'd like to say 3 or 4 times a week, but at the moment it would usually be once or twice a week. I like to spend lots of time poring over a designer's work / web site / blog before writing the post and then include a range of images & details.
Do your searches or entries have criteria?
indie art & design is essentially a shopping blog - we feature art, design & craft products which are available to purchase, and we include pricing whenever possible. Everything we feature is designed by Australians. Our content also includes art exhibition launches, retailers who stock indie labels and design-related events such as trade fairs & designer markets.

Flynn 3 by me! (Non-Fiction) On exhibition at Bob Boutique, Bendigo. (AUD $245)

Have you found there is a strong blogging community?
Definitely - I've had the opportunity to meet so many talented people through indie, and it's great to meet fellow designers as you tend to have so much in common. It's nice to know lots of people are quietly following along too. (I'm pretty shy about commenting when I'm not wearing my 'indie hat'...)
Latest fave find?
I've been enjoying watching the ink & spindle story unfold (www.inkandspindle.blogspot.com). Have you seen their workspace? I'm so jealous!
What's next?
We have so many plans for new features in the works... Can't wait to see them online - soon I hope!

Vintage kimono silk Crazy Cat softie, AUD $35 by sallymac

I spied sallymac's Crazy Cat (pictured above) at Platform (at LIFE inSTYLE). I love his cheeky expression and wild eyes, AND the amazing graphic print on his vintage kimono coat. He had to come home with me...

Japanese cotton play mats (100x80cm) by sallymac. Polyester filling, machine washable, AUD $64 each. Cotton dog softie AUD $15.

The term eto refers to the Japanese zodiac. It is based on the ancient Chinese concept of zoning time and direction into twelve blocks, each block being given an animal name. Your eto is decided by your birth year and the twelve animal signs are the mouse, the cow, the tiger, the rabbit, the dragon, the snake, the horse, the sheep, the monkey, the rooster, the dog & the wild boar.

Japanese cotton machine washable bibs (AUD $15 each) and cotton Dog softie (AUD $15) by sallymac

Sydney designer Sally McCarthy has based her gorgeous range of sallymac softies on the Japanese eto. She combines exquisite vintage kimono silks and contemporary fabrics to create these sweet characters, as well as various baby gifts, accessories and unique kimono silk lampshades.

Japanese cotton Cat softies, AUD $18 each by sallymac

I love the serene expression on faces of the Japanese cotton cat softies pictured above - sleep tight kitties!

Waffle Towel with Japanese cotton hood, 70x70cm, AUD $35 and cotton Sheep softie, AUD $35 by sallymac

This here is just too cute for words!

Japanese red cotton Dog softies, AUD $25 each by sallymac

These pups are perfect for those who prefer bright colours for babies - bold red prints on Japanese cotton. (I think you could be forgiven for naming them Spot!)

Japanese cotton Dog softie, AUD $18 by sallymac

You can see that sallymac's Japanese cotton Dog softie (pictured above) has a classic "cuddle me" shape. These are toys which will become instant favourites with your little ones...

Japanese cotton Dragon softie, AUD $25 by sallymac

This one represents me! The dragon (tatsu) is apparently the most peculiar of the 12 signs of the Zodiac cycle. Supposedly we are healthy, energetic, excitable, short-tempered and stubborn, but also honest, sensitive, brave and inspire trust in people. (We can also breathe fire!)

If you're wondering where to find one of sallymac's eto critters, I heard they live in the following habitats:
NSW: MCA (Circular Quay), Bella Emporio (Rozelle), Ekho (Thirroul), Kido Store (Randwick)
ONLINE: Karimu

For a full list of stockists, visit www.sallymac.com.au.