EVENT OF THE (LAST) WEEK

We thought it might be nice for you all to see some snaps from Katherine Bowmans opening at Warrnambool Gallery on Saturday...

The work transformed under gallery lights, feeling more like a story, or a photo album. The effect was heightened by the fact that nearly everyone at the opening was wearing black or grey - a strange contemporary reflection of what was on the walls.
Here is the lovely and talented Katherine listening to the opening speech by her friend Nick Bastow (a noble wordsmith!)
It was a lovely time enjoyed by all. Of course the Intern could not be sated by mere art alone and so we took the loooooooong way home to see the 12 Apostles along the Great Ocean Rd and then promptly turned right and got lost in The Otways - all very nice but I am not the biggest nature lover and the forrest FREAKED ME OUT MAN. I drove for 1O hours. I am still recovering...
We urge you all to go - lovely short way is on the A1 (princess highway) through towns like Terang and Camperdown. Took us 3.5 hours to get there and...6.5 hours to get home. argh!

SHOW OF THE WEEK

SO WHAT?

We'd like to tell you that we've become so super cool that we don't go slightly faint when we see the surgical stylins of artist and bookwrangler Nicholas Jones or that we didnt get excited when we heard he was collaborating with Nat Starr-Thomas on a new show at Third Drawer Down Gallery on the is month until the 3rd of November....
But really when the gallery emails you images this amazing it's hard to remain aloof. In fact we are dancing up and down like idiots in the face of pure genius. The ladies of HML do have a rep for being a little bit OTT when they see work like this... We keep banging on about Third Drawer Down Gallery and we hope you've all made it down there. Maybe take a book on the 246 bus to get bayside, just don't give it to Mr Jones to hold while you look at his work...

SO WHAT? New Works on Paper by Nichloas Jones and Nat Starr - Thomas Third Drawer Down Gallery 32 Robe St St Kilda (open thur-fri 1pm to 6pm and Sat 11-4)

BREAKFAST OF THE WEEK

the breakfast club

There's a new kid on the block, Ramona's block, and they're a serious contender kicking some fast breaking goals. Regular readers will know our love of Palomino on High Street, (Beck's local wood lined and ceramic filled morning spot) but now we are happy to report another crafty cafe is on the scene; complete with John Hughes inspired name, menu and silhoutte plateage. "The breakfast club", and they do killer baked eggs. Thankfully Principal Vernon was nowhere to be seen when we tried it out yesterday, although must to admit to holding out for an Estevez or Judd sighting.

and how can you not love a place that does a long stitch, sailor tattoo inspired open sign?

or little matching ceramic milking cow salt and pepper shakers?

CRAFT FINDS OF THE WEEK

this one's for the birds


We have a thing about birds here at newfashiontodayblog : sparrows, larks, thrushes, finches, swallows, weavers, blackbirds, wrens, warblers, orioles and owls all get us a little heated. So when confronted with collectable clutter featuring one of our feathered friends our hearts skip and our wallets open.
You can imagine the excitement yesterday when we happened upon this Polish paper folk faux cookoo clock, or indeed the excellently crafted stitch work below. We were quite overcome and fell over ourselves to get some cash on the counter before another twitcher got in first.
Thank god we also managed to snaffle the "i'm a lady" teacups at the same time, so when we got home we could recover from our coniptions with a strong brew and some lemon syrup cake.

SHOW OF THE WEEK

Distant Elegies by Katherine Bowman

The ladies of HML are breaking up this week! Well only geographically. One half is heading to Third Drawer Down Gallery (more on that later in the week) while the other half will be bundling the Intern and Mama into the cherrymobile and zooming to Warrnambool this Saturday for the opening of Katherine Bowmans show.
Inspired by a series of Rilke poems and a box of black and white photographs given to her by her grandmother, these beautiful canvases are elegant and solemn - and very much like a poem in themselves. Being the fine jeweller that she is they are also delicately beaded and stitched. Quite stunning
The last time we saw these they were lining the hallway in Ms Bowmans home. We expect they will transform again under gallery lights. We urge you to make the trip. The Official opening is this Saturday at 1230 (so you'll have time for morning tea in Colac if you leave early enough).

Show runs from Oct 2 - Dec 9. Best directions to get there are welcome (we're thinking great ocean road?)

and to read the Rilke poems that were an inspiration head here

craft gifts of the week

The Birthday that never ends...
Just when you thought we'd stop parading the spoils it seemed silly given the glove-themed week to not show you the lipstick pink leather gloves Ramona's mother bestowed upon her! they are truly excellent - soft buttery leather, very sweet and sassy. Wolfie would like them (see yesterdays entry).
And finally on the birthday front. Ramona's long distance deary didn't think about the consequences of buying this decoupage vintage glass plate - 4 hour plane ride home with that teetering on her lap - instead he fell in love with the 19th century engraving and the very flash velvet back. These lovely things come out of the studio of a New York artist John Derain. It's become the perfect repository for treasure - and leather gloves of course!

wolfie redux

CRAFT LOVE OF THE WEEK
Long time readers will remember Wolfie from as far back as May 2006 but we thought he deserved another outing as he is 'vintage' Jenny Bartholemew and also one of Becks prized possesions. He kind of freaks the rest of us out tho. Not sure if it's a grin that says "mmm you look tasty" or "I'm going to woop your asses at Scrabble" either way he's quite the individual. Gotta sneak peak of Jennys show last night - David Lynch fans get down there on Thursday...