POP UP OF THE WEEK

cubby house in my pocket

While the idea of making cubby houses from cardboard may be neither new nor original, most kids find plain old cardboard boxes brilliant house building materials and more than valid imaginiary substitutes for everything from submarines to rocket ships. Regular readers will recall that recently the architect repurposed a very large cardboard box pinched from our Craft Victoria display site at Design Made Trade into a fabulous cubby house for the Maxmonster. This now wallpapered, windowed and push button lit box is a complete hit with both max and all other house guests under five, as well as our dog Muji and many big people who really should know better than to fold themselves in three to get into said box and stop complaining that they need help to get out again. (not that i'm mentioning any names Uncle Matt)

However when I saw recent graduate Liya Mairson's prototype fold out cardboard cubby house  (called 'My Space' ) I was completely blown away. Designed for 3-6 year olds living in small apartments, the cardboard folding play area folds flat for easy under bed sor behind door torage (genius) and exploits all the best bits of a pop up book scaled up to life size.

                   

Fully recyclable it's also been made so that little peoples can manipulate it themselves without the annoying intervention of big peoples.Way-Haaay!!! Bugger the kids I want one for myelf.
BECK

Porcelain Doll

Source: Vogue Italia

BIRTHDAY OF THE WEEK

DOUBLE FIGURES

"Long ago, amidst the primordial mists of Gertrude Street’s ancient past, before the words ‘soy chai latte’ had ever been uttered and the term ‘hipster’ referred to 50’s jazz enthusiasts or fans of Kerouac, a humble little shop-front was magically converted into an exhibition space for young and emerging artists."

Seventh has always been one of our fave exhibition locations, and not just becuase it's on our tram line and is five minutes stroll to one of our favourite cafe's. It's mix of the good, bad-ass and challenging never ceases to keep us interested and always has us coming back for more. Having recently secured their new lease (and new lease of life according to the press release) today they're chalking up their 10th year of service to the artists of Melbourne SEVENTH is inviting one and all to come and celebrate their birthday TONIGHT. Join with melbournes indie art elite in eating a GIANT CAKE, popping balloons, becoming entagled in streamers and a checking out a photographic survey of the gallery’s unique history.
Ongoing celebrations will be taken to the Workers Club (bands, drinks, merriment $8 on the door) where they'll will also be launching the new 'Workers Window' - a free Seventh Curated window space at the Workers Club.

SEVENTH
155 Gertrude St, Fitzroy
TONIGHT from 6 – 8pm...

HIP HIP HOORAY!!!!!
BECK

CRAFTIST OF THE WEEK

pencil pusher

Images of Dalton Getty's brilliant pencil sculptures have been circulating on the net recently, and little wonder. Like the people who make sculptures on grains of rice, this Bridgeport  native's manipulation of the everyday into the extrodinary has to be seen to be believe, perhaps made even more extrodinary because unlike the rice sculptures Getty creates his tiny sculptures without the aid of a magnifying glass.

As a result the pace of his work is excrutiatingly slow - to protect his vision he limits his work time to one and a half hours per day, max. One tiny sculpture may take several months, and one creation may take Dalton two and half years to complete, case in point (pardon the pun) is this alphabet below.

Amazingly Dalton does not use any special tools, relying on a simple blade, a sewing needle and a very bright light to create his mini masterpieces. And he's been at it for around 25 years. Kind of blows your mind don't it.

Dalton believes that his sculptures are forcing people to stay for at least a few moments and escape from the mad rhythm of modern life and see the beauty in miniature detail. Who are we to argue?

BECK

Simply Kate Moss

       

Source: Vogue UK September 2010

To see more photos, click here.

OUT AND ABOUT

hooly doolan!

You'll all have to excuse the bits and bobs nature of this post. Between the Film Festival, fabric flower making and visits to the Craft Cubed satellite event shows life seems a little chaotic this week! The Michael Doolan contribution to the 'Childhood' themed festival is a ginormous inflated toy train running into a teddy bear suspended above the Federation Square atrium. It's nothing if not impressive.

The hml ladies are more interested in Gemini Scorpio at the City library. Having had some experience filling these niches with our own work we are always curious to see what artists do in these curious little spaces. Antoung Nguyen  has taken a playful approach with funny arrangements of everyday objects. cool.

We are going to be at the official opening of the Craft Cubed festival tonight in the hallowed basement of CV, swing by and say hi. You can wish Beck a happy birthday, then she might not be so aware that this bouquet is over a month late. sigh.

You may remember I'd bought a sampler piece by the lovely Kristen Doran at the stitches and Craft show. well I never did get around to it so the fat quarter became flowers instead.again, sigh.
RAMONA

Keep walking…

Source: Elle Russia July 2010

P.S. Doesn’t it remind you of one of Kate Moss’ Harper’s Bazaar editorials?… Just in case you forgot which one I am talking about, here is a quick visual reminder.