LOVE LOVE LOVE....

I love group shows especially when they are with a fun group of makers & artisans. Whenever I get an email from Gleaners Inc about taking part in a show I get really excited!

"Take Heart" at Gleaners Inc. show opens the 2nd of August & runs until the 31st of August

a show Craft Victoria's Craft Cubed festival. I took part last year here's the link to that particular blog post.

I've been a bit obsessed with Milagros, reliquaries, ex votos and scared hearts of late. I've been finding pinterest really good for collecting images for ideas my pinterest board for this project and getting the creative juices flowing. 

I think it is the shiny gilded gold foil & over the top decorations, I'm of the more is more school of thought an love the use of gold foiling & precious metals in  iconography - something which seems to re-occur despite the differences in religions and belief systems world-wide. About 10 years ago I went to an amazing gold & silver leaf themed exhibition at the Tokyo museum in Japan. To be honest I think I had a moment of Stendhal syndrome at this particular exhibition. I suppose it would pass for some sort of quasi-religious/transcendental/mythical experience depending on your faith. I've always had a penchant for the glittery & shiny must have been the sheer volume of beautiful, gilded, gorgeousness that got me! Seriously pop something shiny in front of me and I can be utterly distracted.

Here are a few images of my work for the show they are paper assemblages with a bit of a craft/sewing element with the steel pins & also a slightly creepy anatomical/ medical book element too. My thinking is that with a bit of metallic paint & ruffled pleated paper can make anything look pretty. They are shadow box framed and a homage to the sacre coeur images I love.

Pop along and have a look show, there's a few other shows & events as part of the festival so checkout the Craft Vic web page.

Gleaners Inc
2 Ballarat St
Brunswick 3056
Trading hours 
M-F 11-5
Sat 11-4 
Sun 12-4

Another festival that is coming up that I'm involved with is MSFW Melbourne Spring Fashion Week. I'm taking part in an off-site event titled "beasts in the wardrobe", which is being hosted and held in collaboration with the amazing boutique Madame Virtue. 
That is due to start in late August so just stay tuned for the blog post!

 

  Love Miss FOO XXX

Hot House at Quirk & co - Look.Stop.Shop and other stuff!

It's been pretty busy in Miss Foo's world of late so the blog posts have been sporadic at best. 
I've got a little project that is coming to fruition this week, "hot house" is a group window installation that is being hosted by the lovelies at Quirk & Co. It is mix of lighting sculptures by Nick Johns, a series of lush terrariums by Miniscapes and a large paper sculpture by yours truly! The opening night is Thursday 11th July from 6-8pm & the installation will be up until month end.

It's  part of Look.Stop.Shop the theme this year is "Hot Stuff" and it's being curated by Three Thousand and presented by the City of Melbourne, so check out the link for more details as there are loads of events running through July.

Where 

Quirk & Co

466 Victoria St, North Melbourne

When

Opening Thu Jul 11, 6–8pm. Installation runs until Jul 26.

How much

Free!

 Detail shots of my sculpture

PS have another coming up project with the City of Melbourne during MSFW, it will be titled "beasts in the wardrobe" at the end of August. It's being hosted by Madame Virtue ... can't wait to get my paws on all their couture archives and the delicious accessories! YAY dress ups! (but more on that in another post!)

I managed to catch the Hollywood costume exhibition at ACMI I was super excited as I am a costume and film buff. As always with any textile based show the lighting levels are low to protect the fabrics, so give your eyes time to adjust. I would suggest to go in the morning when they first open to avoid the crowds! 
The dialogues between the directors, actors and designers a must see as they really put the role of costume in context and gives you insight into the process of designing & creating the characters.

Highlights for me included:

- Sean Young's outfit from "Blade Runner"
- Scarlett O'Hare's Curtain dress from "Gone with the Wind
- Paisley sequined & beaded pants suit from Valley of the Dolls
- The Bridal costumes from breath taking "The Last Emperor" from 1987
- Robert De Niro's suit from "Casino", peach suit? Say no more!
- Tippi Hedren's suit from the "birds"  the interview with Edith Head is pretty amazing too
-  Liz Taylor's costumes from Cleopatra 
- Marilyn Monroe's infamous white dress from the "Seven Year Itch"
- Greta Garbo's tuxedo... Sigh!
 - It would be remiss of me not to mention Judy Garland's Dorothy outfit from "The Wizard of Oz" What was also striking was the size and scale of these outfits, you realise just how tiny some of these actors are!
- costumes by Eiko Ishioka, I'm utterly obsessed with her. They have costumes from "Bram Stoker's Dracula" in the show but she was one of those amazing multi-talent individuals who was an art director, costumer, graphic designer with an amazing vision , she passed away in early 2012. Known for designing, Grace Jones stage costumes for the Hurricane tour, for films like "The Fall", "The Cell", "The Immortals". I have a pinterest board  dedicated to her work, as I have been unable to get hold of the now out of print book!

Because of exhibition I am now obsessed with watching tonnes of films, I suppose it is a perfect activity for staying tucked under a blankie in my oneise!

Love Miss Foo XXX
 

Ladies night... meow

"A sailor stole my heart" as been packed up and a number of pieces are going to some good homes. Artifice store was great to work with & I have another different type of project teed up with them in July of this year. I ended up with an award from Art in Public Places, Hobsons Bay City Council one for "Best use of Space"

Receiving my award from AIPP

If you missed the show I have a few pieces that are going to be hosted at  Artisan Books & also at Quirk & Co over the next month. Follow the link for details!

Article about the show that appeared in paper

So what else have I been up to? Aside from working and teaching I've been working of a series of four portraits of iconic women for an upcoming show at at Artboy gallery on Greville street. I was pretty keen to take part as one on my favorite publications was going to be in attendance, crew from Curvy are going to be there on opening night.

Draw no dudes was the theme... "FanBoy vs ArtBoy: Ladies Night" at ArtBoy Gallery, should be a fun show as it is a pop culture base gallery and it is also an open call. 

Love these sort of shows especially with the fan-boy element - it's the first one I've taken part in but I have attended a few of these shows in the past and they are great even if you aren't really into art. But for me it is a chance to get my geek & my draw on!

I chose ladies of music as my starting point, of course being a child of the 80's I went for my four favorite, most iconic stylish ladies in pop culture and music. Annie Lennox, Cyndi Lauper, Debbie Harry & Grace Jones in iconic poses. Rather than just being a portrait I gave them a feline bent, meow! I re-imagined them as domestic cats each in their own distinctive outfits. Borderline crazy cat lady, to be honest probably truly crazy cat lady.

Below are the pieces before framing and yes that is a glitter background you spy!

Opening night is the 24th of May 6-8pm & see below for details!

Pop by & visit!
love Miss Foo xxx

Left top "Love is a stranger" Annie Lennox, Right top "girls just wanna have fun"Cyndi Lauper 

Left bottom "Heart of glass" Debbie Harry & Right bottom "I'm not perfect" Grace Jones

 

Artboy Gallery

99 Greville St Prahran

3181 Victoria

03 9939 8993

mon-fri 10-6

sat 10-5

sun 11-4

"A sailor stole my heart" and other happenings!

2012 was a  pretty awesome year for Pleatybunny, myself creatively and just in general! 2013 has lots to live up to but based on what's happening and what's about to happen it is going the right way.

My big hairy bear for Men with Beards at OTK

I have been a bit slack on the blog front, sadly I have not been lazing around on the couch with a fluffy snoring dog at my feet eating toasted cheese sandwiches & drinking cups of tea whilst watching trashy TV. Ahhh I can only dream.

Firstly Pleatybunny by Miss Foo turned a year old! It's been year since I started Pleatybunny & also started working on my art practice. It's been an awesome year full of fun & loads of different projects, meeting new people, learning lots & making things!

"The flutter from my mind" from the Linden Postcard show

"An over abundance of style" from "a piece of Cloth at Gleaners inc.

I've had a pretty action packed first quarter of the year. Creatively it's been amazing as I have been in involved with a couple of group shows: the Toy to the World Show, the Linden Postcard show, "a Piece of Cloth' part of LMFF at Gleaners Inc. and an up-coming show at Off the Kerb gallery titled Men with Beards.

Flyer for Men with Beards

Aside from this I also ran away overseas to India & Nepal - two places I will definitely be going back to. Inspiring, beautiful, breathtaking are three words that spring to mind about my visit. All this whilst committing to two solo shows! Yes I never learn but as I always say there is nothing like the pressure of a deadline to get those creative juices flowing. 

The first was "Dedicated Followers OF fashion" which was part of the LMFF (L'Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival) Cultural program.

I was a show born out of my I love well dressed people, I'm not talking models the brand obsessed but people with an actual sense of personal style. Fashion design is so homogeneous,  it is looking all very same same. That is why when I see a "rare bird" I get really excited! I'm kind of like a nerdy style twitcher.

Inspiration can come in some many forms however my favorite are the true fashion eccentrics - the women I look at & say when I grow up I want to be like that! I have a list of these fabulous ladies that I am obsessed with that if i ever get stuck i just look at these fabulous ladies and I am filled with joy and utterly inspired all over again!

My list of ladies in no particular order & by no means is this a complete list

• Diana Vreeland
• Nan Kempler
• Anna Piaggi
• Isabella Blow
• Iris Apfel
• IIIona Star
• Daphne Guinness
• Polly Mellen
• Marchesa Casati
• Vivenne Westwood
• Lynn Yaeger
• Edith Sitwell
• Little Edie Bouvier
• Dolly Parton
• Barbara Cartland
• Zandra Rhodes

I was once told that how you dress in your 40's is how you dress for the rest of your life, I am working up to being over accessorized, too much makeup and big hair.... oh I can dream!

The shop was based on all these influences and to quote my blurb in the program; "A motley crew of fashion animals has taken over the retail space of Quirk & Co in North Melbourne to pose and preen. They are fabulous some bodies with coiffed dos and immaculate grooming who have donned their best outfits for LMFF.

These fashionable beasts will be in residence in the store over the festival, with there own take on sartorial style. Dedicated followers of Fashion pays homage to the fashion’s style mavericks and fashion eccentrics who embrace fashion and dressing up. These are enigmatic style icons, who flout the rules of conventional fashion and are indeed rare beasts."

The show was hosted by Quirk & Co. a fabulous design store in North Melbourne. The exhibition was supposed to run from 8-31 March. However the beasts have made themselves utterly at home in the store and are refusing to come home so if you get a chance you can duck by & still catch them in store for the next 2 weeks.

Quirk & Co. 

466 Victoria Street, North Melbourne VIC 3051

info@quirkandco.com.au

quirkandco.com.au

Opening hours

Monday to Friday 11am - 6pm

Saturday: 11am - 5pm

Sunday: noon - 4pm

Mini the wonder dog being a fabulous beast

Lastly "phew" I got myself involved with Art in Public Places is a city wide event that exhibits the artwork of western region artists in various venues across Hobsons Bay. The program links the community, local businesses, and Hobsons Bay’s vibrant arts scene, and provides an opportunity for artists to showcase their work to an audience who may not otherwise see it.

I just scraped in with my expression of interest as I got my proposal in at the eleventh hour,nothing like a deadline to kick my bum in gear. A recurring theme in my life,possibly yes?

I got matched up with fabulous retail space called Artifice Store, located in the historic Customs Wharf Galleria - which as a building that was sitting idel for many years, it has been turned in to a retail space with stores in it's many rooms, it's a work in progress but a very excitign retail space. It's a galleria set ups to there are a couple of businesses with in the building to you can have a wander and explore... nice, if like me you like to have a sticky beak.

I will also be holding an exhibition in store over the month of April as part of the Hobsons Bay city council's "Art in public places" program. My solo show is titled "a Sailor stole my heart" and will be housed in ‘The Backroom’ of Artifice store located in the historic Customs Wharf Galleria. The exhibition explores themes of long journeys, love, longing, waves, and salty sea air. It's mix of sculptural and illustrative work highlights the nautical past of the bay, and the relationship of the sea, docks and waterways to the communities’ identity.  The show runs all month & opening night is tonight from 6-8pm otherwise please see below for shop details.

Artifice store 

located in Customs Wharf Galleria 126 Nelson Parade. 

Enter via the nautical shop - we are in the back right hand side of the building. 

A bit like the Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe only more salty!

Monday 11am -4pm

Tuesday Closed

Wednesday to Sunday 11am-4pm

shop@artificestore.com

Officially that is the short version of what this bunny has been up to in the studio!

Love Miss Foo XXX

There's a bear in there....

Two weeks into to the new year and 2013 is going to be an exciting year for me creatively! 
I've already go a few projects on the go, work in a couple of groups shows and 2 solo shows in March and April. Squeeze a trip to India & Nepal in there too and I think this first four months year is going to be action packed!!

As you may know from my toy to the world blog post I've been working on decorating a 15 inch vinyl bear as part of an exhibition/silent auction fundraiser for the Victorian Aids council - with funds going towards HIV education and research

Anywhoo here are some work in progress pic of my bear. He's titled "Sacre Bear" & he is glittered, bejewelled and generally quite fabulous. He is on display throughout the Midsumma festival 

It  opens tonight Tuesday the 15th of January and runs until the 4th of February. 

Spring street convention centre 

enter via Flinders lane 

1 Spring Street Melbourne 

Opening Tuesday 15th January 6pm - 9pm

 

"Sacre Bear" by Sai-Wai Foo

Love Miss FOO xxx