Kirsten Perry in the window...

Here's a peek at Kirsten Perry's display in our window at the moment... as you remember Kirsten is the maker behind our Product of the Month (which are those delightful brain earrings of course).

Drop by to see more of Kirsten's work! Or for our lovely readers who are further away, we also have a selection of Kirsten's work in our online shop.


Psst, Kirsten has more images of her display on her blog. Check it out here!

Coming soon...

...a look at ceramicist Kris Coad's studio at Gasworks Art Park.

Photography by Kim Brockett

Little Circus Design window display

Here's a look at our 'Product of the Month', timber bird mobiles by Little Circus Design (a.k.a. Madeleine Stamer!) It's on display till Sat 5 March.

Make sure you also check out our studio visit and interview with Madeleine...
click here to view it!

Photo by the very lovely Evie Barrow/Handmade Romance (whose exhibition Handmade Romance and the Travelling Circus is currently in the window next to this!)

enCOUNTER: Gregory Bonasera 'the architect'

As you already may know, currently showing in the Craft Victoria enCOUNTER window is the Gregory Bonasera 'the architect' exhibition. Like an architectual plan, in this exhibition you have to look closely for the minute details. The white on white layout creates a very lovely detail where the texture and form becomes the focus of the display. Come walk by on a sunny afternoon and you will notice the beautiful shadows the bowls cast against the white surface of our window.

Bonasera's work has a definate edge to it, the fact that he approaches his designs in the mind of a Industral Designer might have something to do with the strong forms he produces. The concentration on form, usability, ergonomics, engineering and general aethetics are all important aspects of these strong shapes, as they are key factors industrial designers focus on when designing a product.

Our windows are on display 24 hours a day, seven days a week which means you can come down to appreciate these beautiful pieces at any time! Which must be fabulous news for all you hardworking people of the world.

L'oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival 2009

This year Craft Victoria are involved in 2 of the 52 Cultural Program events in the L'oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival. Make sure you head down and surround yourself in the fashion fever thats quickly rising through Melbourne as fashion week draws closer. This is what is coming up soon in CVHQ...

1.
Chicks On Speed:Viva La Craft
Thursday March 12 - April 25
Gallery 1, 2 & 3

A long standing avant-garde project, Chicks on Speed (Melissa Logan and Alex Murray-Leslie) are recognised nationally and internationally as a formidable force in contemporary art, craft and music practice. Chicks on Speed: Viva la Craft! will transform Craft Victoria’s three gallery spaces into a laboratory of craft development: a live workshop, design studio, performance space and installation; a mash-up of new technology and artisanal technique. Viva la Craft! is Chicks on Speed's first solo exhibition in Australia and will feature collaboration en masse: don't do it yourself, but with everybody else!" This exhibition has been kindly supported by the City of Melbourne and Gertrude Contemporary Art Spaces.

A Limited Edition Chicks on Speed poster developed exclusively for Craft Victoria, will be available to purchase from Craft Victoria during the exhibition. Further details about how to pre-order will be listed on our website soon.

2.
AFVMBP0309CV247LMFFCP
Monday March 2-March 22
enCOUNTER window

Melbourne based fashion design studios ALEXI FREEMAN (AF) and MATERIALBYPRODUCT (MBP) collaborate to produce an installation of new work, AFVMBP0309CV247LMFFCP that will be showcased at Craft Victoria’s enCOUNTER 24/7 exhibition space in March 2009. Both studios are actively engaged in the exploration and promotion of hand processing techniques in contemporary design. ALEXI FREEMAN draws upon dry-point etching methodologies to produce his signature geometric motifs; MATERIALBYPRODUCT appropriate markers of construction as templates for print design. Together, as collaborators AFVMBP, they explore the garment hybrid, AFVMBP0309CV247LMFFCP: both an experiment in form and an exchange of design vernacular.

Red Christmas window

Forget the Myer Christmas windows, have a look at our fabulously styled windows (put together by Carmel and Steph no less!) This year COUNTER's Coloured Christmas goes red. You could say we're going feisty for Christmas, but that would be redundant!

Drop by the shop to view our wall of Red Christmas goodies, featuring work by Gregory Bonasera, Kris Coad, Brydie Dyson, Nina Ellis, Milly Flemming, Holly Grace, HandMadeLife, Lucy Hearn, Iggy and LouLou, Wendy Jagger, Lisa Kearns, Anette Kortenhaus, Felicity-Jane Large, Maiike, Vicki Mason, Red Cloud Designs, Sneak Design, Udder Toys and many, many others! For a full list, click here.

Not to rush you or anything, dear reader, but do hurry, only 3 more shopping days left to get gifts!!

New window display

Presenting our new window display! On the left we have some lovely bags by Nicola Cerini - fans take note, this is Nicola's last every collection for her bag range! This is your last chance folks, snap it up.

On the right are John Stewart's timber bowls and vessels. Not only do they look good, but they smell great too! And we don't mean 'pine-fresh' here, we're talking rich, earthy smells like River Red Gum. Mmmm. Don't take our word for it though, come down and sniff it out for yourself!

New window display

Check out our new window display next to enCOUNTER! Skilfully styled by CVHQ's loveliest ladies, Carmel and Steph, the window features a tea set by Geoffrey Denman, wooden bowls by John Stewart, a polypropylene hanging pod piece by Emma Davies, a 'Japanese Koi' Zaishu and some sweet little wooden dishes by Stuart Williams.

If you're wondering how they managed to get the wooden table up there, well they're not just pretty faces you know! Sweat and muscle baby, sweat and muscle. And a ladder.

Shaking it with Katie Jacobs

Visitors to CVHQ may remember Katie Jacob's beautifully-made Gouldian Finch salt & pepper shakers that were part of the In The Making exhibition in August. For those of you who aren't fans of the Erythrura Gouldiae, you'll be glad to know that Katie's S&P shakers now come in other shapes. Behold! The banana:


Coasting along the top shelf we have Port Jackson sharks, and on the bottom shelf lives The Little Blue Penguins and a couple of Saltwater Crocodiles. Hmm, we don't envy the little penguins' position - sandwiched between two predators! It's a good thing the only damage these animals are going to cause will be sleepless nights debating over which pair to get...

From left to right is the Australian Sea Lion, followed by the Eastern Quoll and the Common Wombat and personal favourite, the Gouldian Finch. On the bottom shelf we have Katie's personal favourite, Jesus and Mary, and next to it - some very a-peel-ing bananas (groan!).

It is a most excellent showcase of Katie's new work. Our windows are on display 24 hours a day, seven days a week which means you can come down to appreciate these shakers in their kitsch glory at any time! Which must be fabulous news for all you hardworking people of the world. Also, for any of you who missed it, do have a look at this Introducing post featuring Katie that we posted not too long ago.