Monday, 20 May 2013

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


Wednesday, 3 April 2013

"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

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





Monday, 14 January 2013

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





Sunday, 9 December 2012

Show at Chapman and Bailey

I'm taking part in another show, this time all entrants are given a 35 x 35 cm stretched Bell Arti canvas as the starting point of  their artwork. I can't wait to see what the other entries look like, it will be interesting to the different approaches and mediums used. 

"above the clouds" By Sai-Wai Foo

I managed to snaffle a lovely natural linen canvas as the base for my piece. Here's  a sneak peak of my piece. I have to admit I had a blank canvas for months in my work space just lurking & glowering at me. Typically it came together quite quickly once the deadline was looming - after all the paper folding. I think the process of cutting and folding a paper helps me think through ideas and I find the whole process to be very relaxing and a bit a meditative state.
My piece above is a small flock of cut paper birds circling above a mass of pleated paper clouds. It's titled "above the clouds" and below are images of the work in progress - the canvas was blank for quite a long time....


2012 Belle Arti Prize hosted by Chapman and Bailey
12 December – 26 January at 
Chapman & Bailey Gallery, 350 Johnston St, Abbotsford  
Opening on Wednesday December 12, 2012 between 6-8pm
Facebook event page here



Love Miss Foo XXX


Sunday, 2 December 2012

The weekend that was... markets as far as the eye can see

To be honest it seems like everywhere you turn there is a pop up store or market happening! I managed to make it to two of these events that ran over the weekend. One was  The Design Files  Open House which ran for 4 days in a private residence on Eastbourne Street in Windsor. 









The other was  Peoples Market in Collingwood, which could be summed up as shipping containers, hipsters as far as the eye can see! Food, drink, music, flea market & crafty finds. 

64 – 68  Stanley street, Collingwood, VIC 3066. Those in the rag trade would know the Max New warehouse on Stanley street it's next to that! It's operating from Thursday to Sunday through summer & is basically open from breakkie through to dinner. December 1 to April 28 2013.




I used to work in Collingwood in the about 15 years ago so it to see the changes in the buildings & the street scape. In terms of retail it is exciting that there are these events being put on & interesting use of space. Spaces that have been idle that have been re-purposed. So it must be asked it is all getting to be too much the same? How is this affecting bricks & mortar retail spaces? Also what's going to be next?
Needless to say I think it is giving retail a shake up and giving consumers more variety. I do think mass market retailers need to give their customers more credit as they are savvy. Certainly the sameness & cookie cutter mass produced has made shopping just a bit dull in stores of late. Even with the economic climate it seems that if something is special enough there will be some one who wants it & will spend the money on it. 

There is also another market being run by the same organisers of Markit at FedSquare called The Big Design Market coming up. I'm not taking part but will definitely be going along to check out the goodies on offer - some buddies have stalls there. Will be nice to go as a shopper as will actually get to see the market. The Big Design Market runs 7/8/9 of December at the Royal Exhibition Building Carlton.  Facebook event page here 




I would encourage everyone to try to buy local and handmade this festive season if not the present maybe the card, wrapping or an element of the gift. There is some amazing talent & crafts people locally so get out there & shop!! 
 
Love Miss FOO XXX