BFF forever and ever and ever... (well not really, it's on until 29 November)

On Thursday evening, part of the CV team headed down to Thousand £ Bend for the launch of the Bicycle Film Festival, organised by our New Craft wonderwoman, Pip Carroll. We had loads of fun (which might have to do with the open bar at the beginning of the evening) and we can't wait to see some of the BFF programs that are coming up over the next two weeks - Tweed Ride on Sunday 29 November in particular. It's pretty self-explanatory: wear tweed, ride bike. We can do that!

We do love our bicycles here at Craft Victoria and so we really recommend you check out the BFF program here and book yourself into some of the events. Looking forward to seeing you there!

Hey! It's Rob from Fresh 2008!

We're sure lots of you saw The Age's M Magazine pullout last Sunday, but did you know that cover star Robert Dumaresq was part of Craft Victoria's Fresh! lineup last year? A rising star indeed.

Robert also recently took home the James Dyson prize (part of the Australian Design Awards) for his Switch Commuter Bike. Congratulations Robert!

Fresh! 2008

As promised, here are some images from current exhibition Fresh! for all of you who aren't able to make it down to CVHQ. Fresh! is also our last exhibition for the year and closes this Saturday, 20 December, so it's well worth dropping by for a gander!

For more images and information as well as a pricelist, click here.

Valissa Butterworth, Diploma of Arts (Ceramics), Holmesglen Institute of TAFE

Paddy Melons, black porcelain, nylon rope

Functionalitea series, porcelain

Stephanie Martin, Diploma of Arts (Furniture Design), RMIT University

Skirted Seating, sheet aluminium and leather

Alyshia Boddenberg, Bachelor of Fine Art (Honours), VCA, University of Melbourne

Untitled (3 works using a variety of materials such as blu-tack, carpet, pins, paper clips, rubber bands and bandaids)

Crystal Dunn, Bachelor of Design (Fashion), RMIT University

Imagine Luxury (Part of Lifestyling Project), Supre singlets and book

Ka Ho Li, Bachelor of Design (Industrial Design), RMIT University

White Widow Jewellery Collection, teflon tape and silver

Robert Dumaresq, Bachelor of Industrial Design, Monash University

Switch Commuter Bike, aluminium and carbon fibre (it folds to a third its size in under a minute!)

Amanda McKenzie, Bachelor of Fine Art (Glass), Monash University

Stilled Life 1 and Polemic, cast glass

Kate Vivian, Bachelor of Fine Arts (Honours), University of Ballarat

Modified Landscape

Aly Aitken, Bachelor of Arts (Fine Art - Painting), RMIT University

Tobi Clark, Bachelor of Design (Fashion) (Honours), RMIT University

Tyvek garments

Chloe McColl, Bachelor of Visual Arts (Metal and Jewellery), Monash University

Untitled, found porcelain

Tim Smullen, Bachelor of Arts (Fine Art - Gold and Silversmithing), RMIT University

Sarah Deed, Bachelor of Fine Arts (Sculpture), RMIT University

From left: Resin Duck, Wax Bunny, Plaster Kitty, Bronze Bunny, Wax Kitty

From Hide to Ride

Some of Mick’s colourful leather waiting to be transformed from hide to ride!

Ride On

The cycle theme continues at Craft Victoria. Last night’s warm weather was the perfect backdrop for the Cultural Transport Collective’s ‘Ride on Dinner’. The evening started with a tribe of enthusiasts wheeling their way through the heart of yours truly and braving the perilous goods lift in order to reach their first course awaiting them below in Spark Alley.

Cyclists awaiting their entrée of sautéed mushrooms in the salubrious surrounds of Spark Alley.



Riders then travelled to the banks of the Yarra for their main course of ‘fancy mash’ and pumpkin stew. The meal was consumed from Mick Douglas’ carefully crafted bowls folded from recycled newspaper and baking paper and specially designed to sit inside cyclists helmets.

Cycle Craft

The Cycle Craft Workshop combines the making and exhibition of artefact with event to explore the relationship between fashion, bicycles, the city, the urban cyclist and the hand crafted. The Workshop features the display of several reclaimed and customised single speed fixed gear bicycles. The bicycles, designed and collaboratively made by Mick Peel, feature individually crafted soft components and accessories. In the space at Craft Victoria, Mick is working on his next bike projects including soft accessories and coordinated cycling apparel.

Yesterday Mick Peel occupied the gallery, turning into a temporary bicycle workshop. Setting up a table in the middle of the space, Mick worked on finishing a bicycle saddle seat for his sister's fixie. Featuring some very nice detailing on red leather, yours truly did feel a bit green upon seeing it! Altogether Mick brought in five bikes into the gallery, each of which belonged to a family member of his.

The green bike is Mick's brother's while the red one is Mick's.

Mick's wife's bike.

His brother-in-law's bike.

And of course, Mick's very first bike. Beautiful!

Cycle Craft will be on display tomorrow (Saturday 13 September) from 10am to 5pm. Current and prospective cyclists are most welcome to drop by with or without a bike. Ride on!