Christmas Printing Dates
LAST MAIL RUN = Tuesday 23rd December
The winning designs printed onto our 100% Linen. |
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The judges in the studio. |
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Minna Gilligan's space at the 2014 Melbourne Art Fair |
Minna's beautiful artworks printed on our Cotton Canvas. |
If you don’t already know, we are running a fabric design competition in conjunction with our Open Studio event for the Craft Cubed Festival 2014.
Whatever medium you create art with, whatever technique you use, from abstract art and traditional drawing to sketching, painting, or doodling—we’re looking for it all! There’s not much time left, so send on through your work!
JUDGES ANNOUNCED!!!
We are privileged to have the following amazing ladies as judges for the competition. Hand claps for Gemma Jones from Craft Victoria, artist Rowena Martinich and current Archibald Prize nominee Carla Fletcher.
A bit about Rowena:
She’s is an abstract expressionist with a difference. While her work is sometimes displayed within the white pristine space of the art gallery, it is more likely to be found in the spaces of the everyday – the shop, the train, the school, the office, the cafĂ©. We’ve known Rowena since the very beginning of our little business now, and can honestly say she is one of the wisest, nicest and savvy ladies going around!
A bit about Carla:
“Carla studied fine art at RMIT and is a talented drawer, painter and stylist. She has been a finalist in many of Australia’s most prestigious Art Prizes including The Archibald Prize, The Sulman Prize, The Black Swan Prize and the Portia Geach Memorial Award for Women painters. After many requests, she recently she released her very first limited edition print run of works from her sell out exhibition ‘Grey‘ at Tinning Street Gallery earlier this year” . words by Lucy from The Design Files June 2014
A bit about Gemma:
“ My work revolves around a play with the mass produced image – reviving and focusing in on a fragment or a moment that is easily dismissed, discarded or forgotten within the bombardment of commercial culture. I like the idea of emptying the image of its original purpose or intent. An image or a face can suddenly be re-born just like that.” Gemma is a Melbourne craft institution all unto herself! An artist, writer, teacher, and the organiser extraordinaire of the Craft Cubed Festival 2014!
All the details here: http://blog.frankieandswiss.com.au/2014/07/2014designcomp.html
Here are some photos of July’s Southside Brown Owls meet at the studio – newcomers and regular ladies, it was such a fun night. As I’m (Michelle) based out of the States for a little while, my Brown Owls partner in crime Shannon is going to be flying the Brown Owls flag! She’ll be switching between venues, F&S and Miss Jackson cafe. All good!
We love new faces, so don’t be shy, email florence[at]frankieandswiss.com.au or rsvp via facebook, here, or twitter and do come along!
Date: THURSDAY 14th August 2014
Time: 7:30pm onwards
Venue: Frankie and Swiss, Ground Floor, 199 Toorak Road, South Yarra. It’s the building on the corner of Toorak and Claremont Street. Right on the #8 tram or a 2 second walk from South Yarra station. I’ll also have parking available underneath the building. You’ll need to call me (9826 4261) to buzz you under:)
Craft: BYO a project
Goodies: I think we have to have Gluhwein again! And the usuals, tea and biscuits – Feel free to bring something along as well.
RSVP: You can leave a comment here or email florence[at]frankieandswiss.com.au, facebook, or twitter.
Have fun!!
xx Michelle
“The Art of Handmade.”
Craft Cubed is Craft’s annual festival of experimental, skilled and ideas-based craft and design. Featuring exhibitions, installations, open studios, workshops and events, Craft Cubed is a unique umbrella for practitioners and the public to engage with contemporary craft and design.
‘With My Own Two Hands’ | Prize: $200 |
‘OK Computer’ | Prize: $200 |
‘The People’s Choice Award’ | Prize: $200 |
‘Best in Show’ | Prize: $500 |
Join us next Thursday night (17th July) for the July Brown Owls get together! Back to our usual routine for this one. Bring along a project you’re working on, be it something crafty or otherwise!, and chat away a few hours with some likeminded and lovely ladies.
Because it’s cold and wintery, I say I’ll cook up some warming Gluhwein, delicious! And if anyone else wants to bring a treat along, yay. I think I’ll make a cheese platter too, double delicious! So, all that should get everyone excited about coming next Thursday – chats, laughing, Gluhwein, cheeses, treats, crafting. A fun time:)
We love new faces, so don’t be shy, email michelle[at]frankieandswiss.com.au or rsvp via facebook, here, twitter and do come along.
Date: THURSDAY 17 July 2014
Time: 7:30pm onwards
Venue: Frankie and Swiss, Ground Floor, 199 Toorak Road, South Yarra. It’s the building on the corner of Toorak and Claremont Street. Right on the #8 tram or a 2 second walk from South Yarra station. I’ll also have parking available underneath the building. You’ll need to call me (9826 4261) to buzz you under:)
Craft: BYO a project / printing demo by Michelle maybe?
Goodies: Gluhwein! Cheeses – normal and of the stinky kind! Tea and biscuits – Feel free to bring something along as well.
RSVP: You can leave a comment here or email michelle[at]frankieandswiss.com.au or social media me:)
See you all on Thursday!
xx Michelle
A few weeks back I instagrammed this picture below and it met a huge response! No wonder though – it’s the beautiful work of Jacqui Baxter, an artist whose botanical work has adorned textiles in all forms from bed linen to cushions and now chairs.
She’s having an exhibition in May/June – do make some time to pop along and see her magnificent work!
All the details are below:
Instagram: Jacqui Baxters peonie’s printed on 100% linen.
You might not know already, but we host in conjunction with Shannon from Miss Jackson in St Kilda a monthly get together of creative crafty types. This month it’s at our studio and next month it will be at Miss Jackson. There are some regulars, and always new comers – so feel free to pop along if you’ve never been before, but have wanted to!! It was a group that Pip Lincolne from Meet Me at Mikes started years ago and it’s a fun group of ladies:)
We usually either do a theme for the night (eg, crochet) or a BYO night (bring your own project) and we all chat, eat cake and have a drink! Next Thursday, perhaps we do a BYO and if anyone wants – I’ll do a printing demo?? Bring along a USB and we’ll have a bit of a printing sesh:) Follow file set up in > this info doco.
Date: Thursday 10th April 2014
Time: 7:30pm onwards
Venue: Frankie and Swiss, Ground Floor, 199 Toorak Road, South Yarra. It’s the building on the corner of Toorak and Claremont Street. Right on the #8 tram or a 2 second walk from South Yarra station. I’ll also have parking available underneath the building. You’ll need to call me (9826 4261) to buzz you under:)
Craft: BYO a project / printing demo by Michelle
Goodies: We will have the usuals, like tea and biscuits – Feel free to bring something along if you would like to show off your baking skills!
RSVP: You can leave a comment here or email michelle[at]frankieandswiss.com.au or call me:)
See you all on Thursday!
xx Michelle
There’s another event in the studio this weekend – a business planning workshop for creatives. A very important workshop if you are considering setting up your own business, no matter how small or big:)
It’s being run by Helen Roe from The Orange Lantern and she’ll be providing all sorts of advice, tips and tricks and serious business know.
Date: 1 March 2014, 9.00am - 4.00pm
Location: Frankie & Swiss, 199 Toorak Road, South Yarra
By the end of this workshop, you will have learned how to:
Ummmm, we’re just a LITTLE bit excited about the next Creative Womens Circle event in the studio this SUNDAY. Tess, who runs the CWC, has a superior sense of guessing exactly who we want to hear speak! This month it’s amazing artist Miranda Skoczek. She’s got a stellar eye for colour, is completely funny and witty, and is engaging just as your amazing body of work is. Can you tell that we’re slightly excited!
In the words of Tess from Creative Womens Circle:
“Our first Melbourne speaker event of the year is this Sunday! Artist Miranda Skoczek unashamedly delights in creating pictures which are joyous and celebratory, and enjoys putting incongruous things together in a harmonious, and hopefully, beautiful way. Her paintings have been acquired by numerous local and international collectors and she has enjoyed countless sell out shows. And while Miranda been an exhibiting artist for the last 10 years, she is also mum to a pre-school age son.
At the colour-drenched Frankie & Swiss studio, Miranda will provide insight on her career to date, her work/home balance and her creative process. Afterwards, join us for some delicious morning tea.
Date: Sunday 23 February, 2014
Time: 10am-Noon
Venue: Frankie & Swiss, Ground floor, 199 Toorak Road South Yarra (enter via Claremont St laneway).
Cost: Members $11 / Non-members $22 Members can log in and find the discount code here.
Supporting: 10% of ticket sales to this event will go to Guide Dogs Victoria.
TICKETS AVAILABLE HERE.
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Adore Magazine Feb 2014. Photography by Martina Gemmola |
A sneak peak in last months Inside Out magazine hinted of things to come and the feature in this months Adore Magazine kicks it off - a textile project that Belinda Marshall and I have been toiling away on for a while! We’ve created together a collection of nice things for the home – colour cushions, art tea towels and some other VERY exciting things that are in the pipeline, like seriously exciting!
I first met Belinda a few years ago, immediately drawn to her her calm and meditative work. Beautiful, serene, reflective, the adjectives are endless. It’s hard to resist the swathes of colour Belinda puts to paper, wood, mini notepad, whatever she can get her hands on!
She’s experimental, reflective and serene with a stoic strength that drives her. Amaze:) And it’s all there in her work for all. Who can resist such soothing combinations of colour!
In Belinda’s words:
“I am a Melbourne-based artist & surface designer. I mainly work with acrylic paint, graphite, hand stitching and collage.
My work is an exploration of emotional reactions to the beauty within my immediate environment. A connection to my experience of an idyllic country landscape during childhood drives the need to portray the beauty found in domestic settings and urban landscapes in my work.
My works depict my vision of a perfect world - a calm, meditative space - communicated through layers of colour blocks and sections of representative imagery and repeat pattern. I focus only on what resonates and draws me in.
By expressing observations of beautiful objects and moments in my work, I aim to create a space for the viewer to form a deeper connection to his or her surroundings and to access the contentment that can be experienced from this process.”
Belinda’s textiles are over in both of our shops – ours (The Leaf Series shop) and also Belinda’s shop.
Michelle xx
Ok, this is the third time I’ve sat down to write this post, the first time was the first day back from Christmas holidays. The second time was last week, and now here we are, the third week. So, I am not moving until I finish.
So whats been going on so far…easing back into the swing of things lasted for about an hour on the first day back! It’s been good though, not too busy, that kind of busy where it’s a little crazy. There’s a little time to try and re-arrange the studio a bit and get some design work done.
Cesar and Florence are getting along well – oh, did I introduce Cesar yet? No! I don’t think I have. Cesar is our new printer gal (actually he’s a guy, but in a studio of ladies, he has to kinda fit in a bit). Florence is being kind to him (most of the time). She does like to be a bit cheeky sometimes!
Oh - you know what - I’m actually going to wrap up this post now as it’s Friday night, pens down! I was going to write a massive post about The Big Design market and an entire wrap up of 2013 and outline all the plans for 2014 we have in our heads…PENS DOWN!!!
How about I end now with this fun little thing, a Happy Australia Day present for everyone!
Let’s do a textile print sale – 20% off all printing!
What do you think? If you like it, make sure you tell us in your email enquiry/order with this code FLO ROCKS. Yay!!
Xx Michelle