World Aids day & Toy to the world!! Beware the bear!!

Today is world AIDS day & I thought it would be timely to mention a project I am involved in.

I am decorating a 15-inch vinyl bear! YAY! Which is part of  a campaign named  "Toy to the World".

My blank bear has been sitting by the telly all white and naked in its vinyl glory. I am working through some ideas on how to decorate this little darling I think it will involve glitter, sequins & pleated paper...

my currently very naked bear...

There was an artist day on 17th of November at Section 8 where artist were doing live workshops & painting demos. Was I a bit miffed I will not be able to be there for that one :( but after all a large family event is taking place that day to I can't beg off to paint toys and drink beer! Have a look at the pics of the launch from their Facebook page. 

The event is being run by the dynamos at Pencil Neck Productions and it is the 2nd year of the this event. Monies raised are going to the Aids Council of Victoria and funds go towards projects like HIV prevention, treatment, research and education .

During the Midsumma festival here will be an exhibition of the bears in early January culminating a silent auction which will run during the duration of the show. I've taken part in charity auctions like this before & I have to admit I do get a bit competitive when it comes to the funds that my work raises!! Ok I admit it I am competitive but it's for a good cause so there!! 

Also to help fund the project they are crowd sourcing funds via Pozible so get in before the 22nd of December to show your support!! 

Stay tuned for pics of my bear!

Love Miss Foo XXX

Markit & sculptures hanging out at Quirk & Co

Pleatybunny by Miss FOO stall at Markit

I've had couple of busy weeks preparing for Markit at Fed Square, but if you didn't get a chance to get down there my regular stockists will have a selection of new stock time for all your Christmas shopping. With all that organsied I am looking forward to getting back to making some new works. 

As with the last Markit it was really well run by the organisers & as always it was a lovely crowd. Here's some pics from the day on my Facebook page. I had great company on the day with Peaches + Keen, My Mother Mabel , Betty Jo, and Gleaners Inc being very fun stall neighbours!

Also I have a couple of paper sculptures installed at one of my favorite stores Quirk & Co. in North Melbourne.

Paper sculptures by Sai-Wai Foo instore at Quirk & co.

One of them is the sister piece to my Yering Station sculpture show piece which will be in show until the 2nd of December at Yering station then will be off to the its' new home in the Bayside City Council's art collection. I am pretty excited that a piece is now part of a public collection!

See my previous blog post here about the Yering station show & there are pictures of the opening of the show on my facebook page 

"ships and sealing wax. of cabbages and kings" by Sai-Wai Foo

There are 3 pieces which have been shown at the Toyota gallery & the other piece has not been shown publicly until now.... up till now it has been residing on my dining table! It is titled "Rime of the seasick mariner", a bit of my homage to my love of nautical fiction & my penchant for feeding the fishes when I'm a sea. 

"Rime of the seasick mariner" By Sai-Wai Foo

Pop by and have a look. Quirk & Co. also stock my illustration work and has a great range of designer wares & goodies in store. It's a briliant place to pick up pressies. I've had a look at the new stock they have in for x'mas definitely worth a visit!! Besides I am also dropping of some new stock to all my retailers over the next week so get shopping!

Love Miss Foo XXX

Quirk & Co. 

466 Victoria Street, North Melbourne VIC 3051

(03) 9329 7057

info@quirkandco.com.au
quirkandco.com.au

Opening hours

Monday: 11am - 6pm
Tuesday: 11am - 6pm
Wednesday: 11am - 6pm
Thursday: 11am - 6pm
Friday: 11am - 6pm
Saturday: 11am - 5pm
Sunday: noon - 4pm

Markit & A brave new world a sculpture show

*** UPDATE***
the show opened last night & there is an album of images on my Facebook page

I think part of my problem is I think most things are possible, underestimate the amount of time that things take and sometimes over estimate my own abilities.
I had submitted and been accepting into a sculpture show on the based on drawings. So going from sketches to a 3D object, which needed to stand up to scrutiny and an show of this caliber was challenging to say the least. This time I was working with a materials I didn't have any expericne with as well as having a looming deadline, nothing like a but of pressure to get me going.

I submitted the maximum number of concepts for the show thinking "oh I'd be lucky to get a piece in" whoops is all I have to say now. I've been up to my armpits in cut & pleated paper & the onset of RSI and some sort of glue overdose is imminent. Needless to say I am finding glitter in some odd places.

I had to give up knitting a couple of years back as combined with being a on a computer all day & drawing it was causing me a few issues. I think I am going to have gnarled claws when I get to be an old grumpy lady, never mind I will be poking people with sticks & running over the toes of young people in my souped up nanna mobile...

I'm thinking glitter finish flames, a canopy trimmed with pom poms & and big shiny chrome pipes! Yes I have a plan and it's a good one.

But I digress I have work in the upcoming Toyota sculpture exhibition called "brave New World".... its a pretty big show & the calibre of artists taking part are making me feel just a little bit anxious. 

I have installed the sculptures at the Toyota Community spirit gallery and the show opens on the 27th of November and runs until March next year.

SCULPTURE 2012 - BRAVE NEW WORLD

the eighth annual exhibition showcasing the diversity and excellence of sculpture practice in Victoria

Opening Tuesday 27 November, 6:00 to 8:00pm

to be officially opened by Professor Callum Morton
Head of Fine Art, MADA (Monash Art Design & Architecture)

Exhibitors: George Alamidis, Anne Anderson, Emma Anna, Alan Annells, Marynes Avila, Mohd Khairi Baharom, Rob Ball, Don Barrett, Drasko Boljevic, Carolyn Cardinet, Albert Yi-Fu Chen, Bruce Cleal, Mark Cowie, Mimi Dennett, Paul Dew, Sean Diamond, Andy Dudok, Frank Duyker, Sai-Wai Foo. Sione Francis, Avis Gardner,, Kate Gorman, Mandy Gunn, Tegan Hamilton, Owen Hammond, Rowena Hannan, Matthew Harding, Dana Harris, Anton Hasell, Brian Helmkamp, Liz Henderson, Mark Henry, Nick Ilton, Melanie Irwin, Amelia Johannes, Cath Johnston, Stephanie Karavasilis, Andrew Kimpton, Jennifer Leggett, Sally Lie, Joanne Linsdell, Georgia MacGuire, Katherine Marmaras, David Marshall, Sheena Mathieson, Andrew McPherson, Samantha Menzies, Martin Moore, Mutsumi Nozaki, John Owe Young, Sherry Paddon, Norian Paicu, Anuradha Patel, Kirsten Perry, Jackie Ralph, Geoffrey Ricardo, Robyn Rich, Anna Robertson, Shoso Shimbo, Jeremy Shub, Adrian Spurr, Jenny Steiner, Kerry Strauss, Tul Suwannakit, Ronak Taher, Kim Tarpey, Brendon Taylor, Christopher Taylor, Pimpisa Tinpalit, Liz Walker, Carmel Wallace, Brook Winfield, Keren Zamir

Curator: Ken Wong

Toyota Australia

155 Bertie St, Port Melbourne

[Mel Ref 2E B11] 109 Tram, Stop 127, North Port Station/Lightrail Port Melbourne

Open Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm or by appointment

Exhibition continues until March 2013

Composite image of my sculptures

This series explores fashion, identify and self adornment . In this case it's a group of 4 rather magnificently coiffed & decorated beasts: a goat, deer, dingo & a cat. 

Even more excitingly I am expanding on this body of work with a related exhibition in March 2013. It's going to be part of the LMFF L'Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival Cultural program I believe the full program gets launched in December of this year. The lovelies at Quirk & Co in North Melbourne will be hosting the show and there will be an opening night with drinkies & shopping. The show is titled "Dedicated Followers of Fashion"(yep it's a reference to the Kinks song!)

I am in the process of planning the show and working out opening dates stay tuned to my Facebook page for updates of shows, new work and photos.

Also Markit at Fed Square is coming up on Sunday the 25th of November. It will be one month to Christmas so get a jump on the pressie shopping. If you do I think you should  pick up something for yourself as a reward for being so organised!!

Pop in for a visit I am on Stall A32 with is in the Atrium, I'm close to the NGV book shop!

It's a fun market and the quality of products and variety is amazing also it gives you an opportunity to meet the makers & also the chance in some cases discuss & place an order for a custom made piece. I will have market specials but if you can't make it you can always go to my regular stockists as they will be all be getting a restock just before X'mas.

Also if  you are after a custom made piece I can be contacted via email on pleatybunny@gmail.com or an order can be placed through my stockists!

See you there
Love Miss Foo XXX

Day of the dead... an exhibition not a zombie movie!

As much as I love zombie films, it is my favorite genre of horror and George A Romero is  a genius! This blog is about an upcoming show at Gleaners Inc. The lovely Liz Jones is again curating & hosting a super fun show! (The last Gleaners show was "feather your nest", previous blog post here)

This time the theme is "The Day of the Dead" or Día de los Muertos the Mexican holiday which gathers family and friends to pray for and remember friends and family members who have died. Held on November 1st and November 2nd, All Saints and All Souls Day - info on the festival here

 

Detail "flor de muerto" by Sai-Wai Foo

Above is a pic of my piece for the show title "flor de muerto" (flowers of the dead), a mixed media piece with pen, ink, watercolour, pleated paper and sequins. The show runs from 2nd to 30th of November at Gleaners Inc. 2 Ballarat St Brunswick.

An official opening Party on Friday 9th November  from 5.30 pm. There will drinks and nibbles and discount shopping on the night! hope to see you there!
 

While I am at it I am going to provide a list of some of my fave zombie movies... no particular order...Braaaaaaiiiiinnnnsssssss.

Day of the Dead

Dawn of the Dead (1978 & 2004 versions)

Return of the Living dead

Night of the Living dead 

Diary of the Dead 

Brain Dead

Dellamorte Dellamore (english title was Cemetery man) 

[REC] (the original Spanish version)

Evil dead (all in the series)  

Zombie Strippers

Shaun of the dead 

28 days Later (technically it is an infection movie but it's on my list!)

Dod Sno (Dead Snow, Norwegians & Zombie Nazis)
La Horde (The Horde)

Pet Sematary (for the Ramones song!)

Zombieland (BILL MURRAY.... nuff said)

Love Miss Foo XXX

Thinking pink....

"I adore that pink! It's the navy blue of India," 

 Diana Vreeland

Detail shot of 2 pieces in the "Think Pink" show titled 
 LEFT "Tickled Pink" & RIGHT "Pink perfection"  by Sai-Wai Foo

I am taking part in "Think Pink" a group show at the Firestation Print Studio in Armadale. The theme is anything to do with pink. 

The show will be raising funds for the Breast Cancer Network Australia (BCNA) from 22nd October to 4th November.  It is being run in partnership with the Pink Lady Art Exhibition (see link for previous blog post) The official opening is on Saturday the 27th of October from 10am to 12pm - morning tea!

I have 3 pieces in the show and again fabulous birds are the subject matter,  this time a pair of flamingos and a very over the top parrot! 

"her signature colour was pink..."by Sai-Wai Foo

I have always had a fondness for pink. To quote Shelby from Steel Magnolias  "pink is my signature colour..." It's a film that can still reduce me to a quivering sobbing heap! If you haven't seen it do there's lots of big hair, southern accents, Dolly Parton, a bleeding armadillo cake & Shirley MacLaine is awesomely grumpy.

Truvy: What are your colors, Shelby?
Shelby: My colors are "blush" and "bashful."
M'Lynn: Her colors are "pink" and pink."
Shelby: My colors are "blush" and "bashful" Mama!
M'Lynn: How precious is this weddin' gonna get, I ask you?

Love Miss Foo XXX
 

Firestation Print Studio

2 Willis Street

Armadale VIC 3143

Gallery Hours: Wednesday - Saturday 11am - 5pm or by appointment

Workshop Hours: available for booking, 365 days a year. 
Below are images of the studio & gallery space.

 

 

Mini the wonderdog wanted to have a sticky beak in the studio

 

ships and sealing wax....and a sneaky cellar door visit

I have a piece in the Yering station Sculpture prize which is part of the Yarra Valley arts programme. I have just returned from setting it up & of course I had to stop by the I  cellar door wine and produce store.....  Also I am really rather partial to the Yarra Valley Farmers' Market Held on the third Sunday of each month 

Future Market Dates

October 21st, 2012

November 18th, 2012

Open 9.00am - 2.00pm

the website http://www.yering.com is great and even has a handy driving instructions

"ships and sealing wax. of cabbages and kings" by Sai-Wai Foo

The sculpture is a balsa wood sailing ship with sandal wood cut-work sitting upon a pleated paper cabbage. All contained in a glass dome. Based one of my favourite Lewis Carroll poem. I have always been a bit partial to "the Walrus & the Carpenter" full text here. 

"ships and sealing wax. of cabbages and kings" is the resulting piece born out of a moment of panic! I have to admit this was one of those pieces that didn't come together until the last minute...again the pressure of the deadline really helped. I didn't have a clear idea of what I was doing or where it was going until the 11th hour.

I've linked the Disney clip of the poem from Alice in Wonderland & also the Kevin Smith "dogma" take on the poem's subtext. Enjoy!

 

the Disney version 

 

Matt Damon as Loki in Dogma (1999) written by Kevin Smith

Love Miss Foo XXX

 Work is on show at Yering Station from October 28 to 2 December 2012 

see below for invite or website for more details http://www.yering.com

 

Finders Keepers market & other bits and pieces!

After my visit to the Finders Keepers in April this year I was really keen to take part in their next event. So I am happy to say that I have a stall at the upcoming October market, it opens of the Friday evening & runs all day Saturday! Going from the last market it should be a busy, fun market. Here's are the links to the designer directory  and the Facebook invite 
Just a gentle reminder the when the market is on it will be just over 2 months to Christmas.... seriously it feels as like it is just getting faster & faster!! ARGH!
If you can't make this market there are always my regular retail stores see my facebook for the listing of stores that stock my work.

Also I will be taking part in Markit at Fedsquare again on 25th of November... by that stage it will be exactly on month before Christmas so the panic should really have set in eep! For both markets I will have market specials and stock exclusively for the markets so pop by & grab a bargain - it is a reward to getting your chrissy shopping done early!

Also if you are thinking about getting portrait of your fluffy creature for yourself or as a gift you can contact me on pleatybunny@gmail.com if you want a quote or have any questions.

I love working on commissioned pieces as the subjects are always really fun and I do like the reactions I get to the finished piece! 

Here's are some images of comissioned work that I have completed recently: 

"Pinot"

Pinot looking handsome!

Pinot the handsome - a commissioned portrait of a very loved and handsome Chi/Jack Russell. The brief was for a portrait with airmail collar, I think he looks rather dashing with his starched collar and his little pearl button!

"A bad bad Bunny"

"A bad bad bunny" - a commission for a birthday gift, the brief was for a sweet but bad-ass bunny who had a bit of attitude witha vintage map paper collar.

"Oliver"

"Oliver" - a gift for a fresh baby, request was for a sweet looking bunny with patterned blues

love Miss Foo XXX