FK chats to Jacqui Vidal the director of Melbourne’s Greville Street gallery, Signed & Numbered

Can you tell us when you opened the doors and what was the motivation?
Signed & Numbered opened in late September 2010 – we’re celebrating our first birthday in a couple of weeks. It’s scary to think that a full year has nearly passed – it’s been such a crazy adventure. We launched our online store www.signedandnumbered.com.au the same day our Greville Street space opened so it’s been a full-on ride from day one. I felt that there was a gap in the art market for affordable art. ‘Affordable art ‘ has become this token term that you hear thrown around so much, especially in the Melbourne art market. I was really fed up with going to an affordable art fair and seeing all these fantastic works way out of my price range. I couldn’t help thinking ‘affordable for who?’ So I decided to open up S&N, a small gallery where you’ll find limited edition works on paper within the $40 – $300 price range by brilliant Australian artists like Vexta, Ghostpatrol and Kareena Zerefos, with a few international artists thrown in the mix.


What is your background and what lead you to where you are today?
I was an event manager living in Byron Bay during my early 20’s. I still dabble in events, taking on a few short contracts here and there. I love events but I’ve always wanted to own my own business and be my own boss. I’d just come back from an amazing year away, traveling through Europe and South America with my boyfriend, and we saw such amazing art for sale on the street and at local markets. I really loved rummaging through boxes of prints and the casual environment of the whole scene. With S&N, I’ve really tried to keep that feel – setting the space up like a record store with individual artist stations that customers can flick though.


What do you love about your surrounding area?
Greville Street is going through a bit of a come back at the moment. Some fantastic new shops and cafes have opened in the last year and now sit alongside old time residents like Greville Records and Retro Clothing. The whole strip is so eclectic and has a great indie vibe going on. As most of the business owners work in the shops and cafes themselves, it creates a real sense of community. Plus, there’s no shortage of cafes to grab a good coffee before I open- I usually take my pick from Is It Café, A Shop Called Milton or the new kid on the block St Edmonds.


What advice would you give artists/illustrators starting out?
Just do your own thing. Create what you love rather than what you think will sell.


What qualities do you look for in the art you stock?
We’re a bit unconventional. We don’t really have a criteria or boxes that we tick off. If we love it, we’ll sell it. It’s as simple as that.


How can artists be apart of the store, and how are they selected?
If artists would like to see their work included in our line-up, they can send through 3-4 low-res images to art@signedandnumbered.com.au. We’ll have a look at them and let them know.


What do you find the most challenging part about running the new business?
Juggling work commitments with being a first time mum. I have a beautiful baby girl Ellis who is just 3.5 months old so life’s crazy at the moment.


What exciting things are you looking forward to this year?
We’re about to introduce a fantastic new artist named Kaff-Eine . Before now, her art has mainly been seen on the street, usually on discarded items. Her style is a bit of a rarity in the street art scene as its quite illustrative in nature. She’s created a beautiful range of hand watercolour limited edition prints for us. They’re hitting in the floor in a week so stay tuned or join our e-newsletter to be notified of their release.

signedandnumbered.com.au

FK chats to Terrarium Gallery‘s Mia about their gallery space in Wollongong, NSW.

Tell us about Terrarium Gallery and what things we can expect to discover in your space.
If you were to come on up to our gallery this week you would find an incredible range of illustration and poster designs by the talented folk from Zookraft Design + Illustration from Newcastle. We also stock an ongoing and eclectic mix of original and digital prints from Australian and international artists and designers.

What was the inspiration with opening Terrarium Gallery?
There are some great wonderful galleries in the Wollongong area, but we felt that design was yet to be represented. There is street art, paintings and photography but our passions encompass graphics, illustration, analog photography and typography. We also wanted to bring a broader range of artist’s work into the space for the community to experience.

Can you tell us about the building and the space Terrarium Gallery occupies?
Its an old, quirky building off the main street in Wollongong, its mostly office and studio spaces with a few great shops tucked away, we’re on Level 1 of the arcade in a light filled space, a little hard to find, which we kinda like… there’s nothing like stumbling upon a hidden gem whilst your out and about shopping.

What labels do you stock in your shop and what are you always looking for?
Currently we stock the Sydney based jewellery label bRainbow, we especially love their super 8 video camera necklaces! We have Kidrobot vinyl toys, which include their range of limited edition Dunnys and DIY Munnys that you can draw on yourself! We also have a unique selection of art, craft and design books that you can’t get anywhere else in Wollongong, as well as limited edition prints on there way from Jeremyville and US artist Beth Hoeckel.

What inspires you about Wollongong and which other local labels/spaces are you loving at the moment?
The enthusiasm and creativity that is bubbling away at the moment is really inspiring. There’s an upsurge at the moment where people are taking the initiative to self-start some amazing projects. Some of these included in our very own arcade, Emma-Lee from Milk Thieves and Zema from Medieval Disco have been very supportive and also run really amazing unique spaces.

What is the hardest part, and what do you love most about running a business?
The amount of paper work! I had no idea how much time I would be spending chasing up bits and pieces, doing the book orders is a mammoth task but its also a lot of fun, drooling over amazingly beautiful design books its pretty amazing. The best part is meeting new people and chatting about design, and usually where to get the best coffee in town – its important! And of course fighting the urge to buy all our lovely prints for our own home!

Who is the team behind Terrarium Gallery and what are their roles?
Terrarium Gallery was started by Mia Brown and Adam Woods. Adam is the business brains behind the gallery, without him the gallery would still be a dream. I work as a freelance graphic designer and illustrator which means you’ll often find me behind the desk working on various projects, but I always love an interruption – any excuse to chat to someone! We both love gallery hopping and are excited by the prospect that, with the changing face of Wollongong, soon people will be able to gallery hop in town.

What new shows are coming up for Terrarium Gallery?
We have a group photography exhibition up next, then we have an exhibition of rock posters by Melbourne illustrator Rhys Cooper in March. We have lots of exciting plans for this space, we’re hoping to start screen printing classes in a few months, and expand our range of books, so “watch this space” so to speak!

All the specific details
Shop 30/157 Crown Street,
Wollongong NSW 2500
Trading hours: 11 – 4 Wed – Sat

www.terrariumgallery.com

FK chats to Liz Keenan from the Sydney based, contemporary Chinese art gallery, White Rabbit.

Tell us a bit about the White Rabbit.
The four-floor White Rabbit Gallery is a private museum of contemporary Chinese art near Central Station in Sydney.  It was founded to share the personal art collection of the philanthropist Judith Neilson with the Australian public; admission is free. The White Rabbit Collection includes around 700 works by more than 250 artists, so only a small part of it can be shown in the Gallery at any one time. The Gallery is completely rehung with a new exhibition twice a year (in around March and October). White Rabbit shows have attracted huge audiences and critical acclaim. Many visitors return often and bring friends and relatives. White Rabbit has become a Sydney landmark.

When did you open the doors and what was the motivation?
The White Rabbit Gallery opened in August 2009. Judith Neilson had visited China and been smitten with the creativity, energy and technical skills of its contemporary artists. She wanted to collect the best Chinese contemporary art of this new century and share it with other Australians. The Gallery’s guiding philosophy is that art is for everyone. Our visitors include parents and children, school students, artists, movie stars, other gallery owners from Australia and overseas, tourists, diplomats, and people who have never been to an art gallery before.

What can we expect to see at White Rabbit?
The White Rabbit Collection includes paintings and drawings, sculptures, installations, animation, video art and some wild and crazy pieces that defy categorization. Every show is completely different. In keeping with our Art-for-All philosophy, we have some of the best Gallery attendants in Australia: well informed, enthusiastic, and happy to chat with visitors about the works or stand back and let them contemplate. We also conduct twice-daily tours of the Gallery and special tours for groups ranging from students to senior citizens. Our shop has a large and constantly changing selection of homewares, toys, books, and trinkets, so it’s a great place to find unusual gifts. We also sell a selection of fine Chinese teas, as well as glass and porcelain tea sets.

What makes your space unique?
White Rabbit’s four-level building is beautifully designed. The spacious, well-lit floors make it a refreshing place to visit, calm and stimulating at the same time. The Gallery has a theatre, where we show animated and video works and where our Film Club meets to view Chinese movies once a month; and a library which is open by appointment and where our Book Club meets. The Tea House serves a range of Chinese teas as well as wine and beer and the most delicious dumplings in Sydney handmade to the private recipe of a local Chinese family.

When you are not in your gallery, what are you usually doing in Sydney?
We enjoy swimming at Bronte Beach, gardening, and visiting other galleries. We have two lively dogs who love a frolic in Centennial Park.

What are some of your other favourite galleries in Sydney?
The Museum of Contemporary Art, the Art Gallery of New South Wales, Roslyn Oxley Gallery, Gallery 4A.

What challenges have you faced running and setting up your own business?
Converting a former factory to an art gallery was a challenge in itself, and conceiving and hanging each exhibition is also challenging, as well as exciting. We are constantly growing and learning. The White Rabbit has come a long way from what we originally envisioned, and it continues to grow and develop.

What future projects are you working on, and what aspirations do you have for the White Rabbit?
We have a great regular music night on Thursdays, with all sorts of acts, from electronic music to blues guitar. Our ukulele nights are a real hoot and a raging success: at our most recent one, 30 ukulele players performed for more than 600 people of all ages. We are always working on our next show, and Judith Neilson travels to China regularly to scour galleries and artists‚ studios for the most interesting and exciting works to bring back and share. Basically, we want to get the word out as widely as we can that the Gallery is here to be enjoyed by everyone.

All the specific details:
30 Balfour Street
Chippendale NSW 2008
Phone: (02) 8399 2867

Trading Hours:
Open Thursday to Sunday, 10 am – 6 pm
Open till 8 pm Thursday nights

Closed February 13 to March 8 inclusive.
New show opens March 9

www.whiterabbitcollection.org

FK chats to Pixx from Hobart based gallery Spacebar

Tell us about Spacebar Gallery and what things we can expect to discover in your space.

Spacebar Gallery is a concept based retail gallery supporting independent design, art and crafts in Salamanca, Hobart. When you walk through our creaky old door off Woobys Lane you are welcomed by an engaging space full of colourful objects and a gorgeous sandstone wall!  There are so many things to touch, absorb, try on, hold and contemplate. Among the white shelves are anthropomorphic softies, divine vintage inspired millinery, dainty sandals adorned in kimono silks, leather bow-ties, nuts and bolts for wearing around your neck and hand-crafted papier-mâché beads!  We pride ourselves on providing the people of Hobart with the best range of unusual and appealing items for their lives…

What was the inspiration with opening Spacebar Gallery?
Being a designer and maker of clothes I was surprised by the lack of support for independent designers here in Tasmania. After approaching a couple of outlets with my fashion designs I decided to open my own store which would allow me all the freedom I wanted, as well as offering support to other local designers. Spacebar Gallery was born quickly and gained interest rapidly. The large number of designers and artists who were popping in to the store, phoning and emailing expressing interest in being a part of the gallery quickly confirmed that I was not the only one out there with concerns about the accessibility and representation of independent design in Australia.

Can you tell us about the building and the space the gallery occupies?
The large four story building was erected in 1843 as a warehouse intended to store whale oil and imported goods.  In the early 20th century this and adjacent buildings were transformed into fruit processing and jam making factories.  Our little gallery only occupies about a small fraction of the entire building. Our pride and joy are the original sandstone walls which constitute the external structure of the shop. The dark timber ceiling with large support beams is also a feature. This mix of old and new, raw and polished, crisp and worn elements really accentuates the mixture of artists that we represent.  The rest of the building is occupied by three art galleries, several artist studios, a metal-work co-op, a Tasmanian produce delicatessen, a performance theatre and the cutest little café in town!

Who is the team behind Spacebar Gallery and what are their roles?

Well when I started ten months ago it was pretty much me! I had a few really supportive assistants which helped me over the first three months of the busy summer period. Then Alex and Calista joined the team and pretty much revolutionised how the shop ran.  Although we don’t operate as a co-operative, the staff do have work in store. This gives them a great understanding of both sides of retail; as a maker and a customer.  Their energy and commitment to representing me and all the other artists in store is a true virtue that can’t be sneezed at!

What labels do you stock in your shop?

Spacebar Gallery represents over 100 artists in various ways. We are one of the few boutique galleries in Tasmania which stock both fashion and visual art. The mix allows us to support multi-disciplinary talents such as Rhett Kilner from Bronzen Temple, who transfers etching prints on to t-shirts! Among the other clothing labels are Pixel Ink, Art Vanderlay, Queen Clothing, as well as Borderline Rif Raf and Jesen for the boys.

Jewellery and accessory designers in store range widely; silver-smiths Michelle Clark and Mely Frank, porcelain pieces from Sarah Woodward, millinery from Isabel Audrey, purses and bags from Giggling Gertie, leather costume jewellery by Pine Lime and bold statement pieces from Cat Rabbit and Elgar and Lyle. We basically aim to have a diverse range of products which are innovative, unique, quirky, and fun! We really do have a bit of everything!

 What inspires you about your surroundings and what other aspects about Hobart do you love?

Almost 7 years ago I moved from The Central Coast of NSW to Hobart seeking opportunities and a better lifestyle to raise a young family, we accepted the obvious change in weather for what is a unique and special city rich in history, beautiful architecture, amazing produce and not to mention the friendly folk you meet everywhere. The summer arts season in Hobart is fantastic. There are so many great festivals across all creative disciplines. The visual arts come to life, music and theatre are prevalent during The Taste of Tasmania and Mona Foma. I love the community feel in Hobart, the loyal customers who return weekly, and even those that we see rarely but will pop in just to catch up! It really makes it all feel worthwhile!

What are your favourite aspects of the gallery?
The positive feedback is probably the best aspect for me! To have so many supporters who genuinely thank me for doing what I do. There is so much work that goes on behind the scenes for a store like Spacebar Gallery, so for people to really understand and value my effort is fantastic. And a bit of customer praise can really make my day, make all the hard work feel worthwhile! I do love putting in the effort and making everything run smoothly at the shop-front, for all the designers that had similar troubles to me a few years ago.  Also, as the gallery is occupied by so many designers, many of whom rent spaces, the shop is always changing. It’s like it has its own personality. When I come into the store after a couple of days working from home the place can look entirely different!

What new projects are coming up for Spacebar Gallery?
We are really excited to be announcing the arrival of Kate McCarthy on board the space-ship! Kate has worked interstate and in Tasmanian for many years. She is a great contemporary painter whose work we love! Also, we have just introduced a work-for-space scheme which will see a handful of artists to coming into the store weekly to work for a day and fill up a space with their products. This will enable them great freedom with respect to the products they want to sell and also get some fantastic feedback from customers, as well as providing experience in the retail side of the arts industry which so many artists struggle with. Spacebar Gallery’s first birthday should also be an event to mark on the calendar… the first week in December!

All the specific details
Studio 021, Salamanca Arts Centre,
77 Salamanca Place, [off Woobys Lane]
Hobart TAS 7000
Phone: 03 62233002

Opening hours:
Monday – Thursday 10am – 4pm
Friday 10am – 5pm
Saturday 9.30 – 4pm
Sunday 10am – 2pm [October to April]

www.spacebargallery.com.au

FK talks to Kelly, Zoe & Penny some of the talented team behind Gaffa Gallery in Sydney’s CBD. We are proud to announce our involvement also with Gaffa on the Arcade Project later on this year.

Tell us about Gaffa Gallery and what we can expect to find in the beautiful 3rd storey building in the Sydney CBD?
Kelly: Hopefully, you can expect to find more than the physical components outlined on our website. You’ll also find an environment that’s artist-run in both attitude and in execution. We pride ourselves on nurturing an environmant where creativity and it’s audience can meet. Gaffa is indebted entirely to Sydney’s Creative Community, it has been built by them, is sustained by them and aims to enduringly provide a space where compelling and new ideas can be tested and refined.

What was the inspiration on starting Gaffa and how has the concepts shaped and evolved into where it is today?
Kelly: Gaffa began through a collaboration between myself, who’s previous background is steeped in the broader visual arts and artist-run initiative community – and Aidan Li, who’s background is more in the contemporary object and art design community. We started off seeking to create a space where the spectrum of disciplines and cross-platform work could come together and be represented. Organically, an entire community has grown around Gaffa and it has become more of a hub where creative practice occurs across a wide range of avenues, through our studios, galleries, events, artist talks and off-site projects.

What have been the main challenges from moving from Surry Hills to the CBD?
Kelly: Because of the much larger scale, the main challenge has definitely been to create and maintain operational systems in an attempt to (at least feel like we are!) rope the chaos into some kind of order around here.

Tell us about the new Arcade Project space and the concept behind it?
Zoe: The Arcade Project is a dedicated retail arcade located on the ground floor of the Gaffa Gallery creative precinct. It is aimed at mid-career designers, upstart emerging makers or any one with an interesting retail idea. Through these short lease pop-up style retail stores we aim to bridge the gap between one off market stall and owner run retail space.

Who is the team behind Gaffa and what are their roles?
Kelly Robson (Director): I am one of the founding directors of Gaffa and for the last four years, have managed and expanded the initiative. My background is in the Visual Arts having studied art for as long as I can remember, in Singapore, London and then finally here in Sydney where I obtained my MVA from Sydney College of the Arts in 2009. Whilst this gives me the invaluable benefit of being able to relate to the artists that we work with, my role in general has always been pretty organic and can range from annual programming, design and installing exhibitions (where my arts background comes in handy) to really mundane but important things like accounting and administration (which my ability to do I can really only attribute to being a Virgoan control freak).

Zoe Brand (Retail Manager): I am a maker, wearer and viewer of contemporary art jewellery. At Gaffa I manage the ground floor retail areas that includes ‘The Arcade Project’ and ‘Sterling’ by Gaffa – a permanent contemporary jewellery and object retail store. This year I am also directing the exhibition program for Keeper Gallery, which is an initiative that gives an emerging curator the opportunity to direct a gallery space for a period of time.

Penny Snars (Operations Assistant): I am an emerging Jewellery and Object maker. My role here at Gaffa is quite fluid. My day will vary from the regular business upkeep, (including dressing displays and pricing stock in our arcades,) to discussions with artists about the curation of their show, assisting in the installation of work and lighting exhibitions. (Lighting exhibitions is a personal favourite!)

What do you love most about working for Gaffa?
Kelly: I love learning things on the go and the sink or swim nature of self-management. There’s never really enough time to over-think or over-stress about anything – and then before you know it, you  have a new skill set and you’re able to contribute it to a community that really appreciates it. Now that Gaffa has expanded and I’ve been able to take on some new team members I am really enjoying sharing the craziness and excitement (along with the workload) and having valuable brainstorming sessions during which we workshop ways to keep this ship afloat and to introduce new ideas into our programs in practical ways.

Zoe: Pretty much everything! I am very fortunate to have such amazing people to work with and the freedom to manage my own workday. Our days tend to be extremely varied as we manage an array of on and off site projects as well as run over 3 levels of creative spaces. Highlights tend to be morning meetings over coffee from KLINK (our in-house café), talking with student groups and curious passers-by about what we do to and who we are, Thursday fortnightly gallery openings, and the opportunity and ability to champion emerging artists, designers and makers.

Penny: I love working within an artist run space. The people I work with are really enthusiastic and friendly, and ever-encouraging. Everyone is like minded in the sense that they want to support our community and foster established and emerging artists. There is such diversity in the type of work artists are making, and the process by which it is produced, and I feel I am constantly learning from the people around me.  I feel fortunate to have such a collection of mentors around me, pushing me to think, problem solve and explore the very nature of contemporary art, and how as a contemporary space, we can support it.

Sterling – their new permanent contemporary jewellery & object retail store.

What are some of the concepts that are unique to Gaffa that don’t currently exist in other Gallery spaces in Sydney?
Kelly: I wouldn’t go as far as to say that there’s anything we do concept-wise that is ‘unique’ to Gaffa that you couldn’t find in any other Sydney art-space as I think there are a number of amazing artist-run initiatives currently in existence which run on a similar model. I think where we are fortunate though, is in the networks that we have developed across a range of creative communities and the recognition we have received from these various areas that we are serious about what we do and won’t just be a flash in the pan. Thanks to this community that has grown around Gaffa, we’ve been able to put quite experimental ideas into practice and because of the continual feedback we receive, we know in which ways they need to be tweaked or tailored to have longevity.

Tell us about the workshops and studios that are at Gaffa.
Now that we have the luxury of more space, we’ve been able to dedicate an entire level, above the gallery to our studios and workshops.
The studios are home to our resident artists, of whom there are currently 12, and are co-managed by Alida Cappelletta, who also maintains her own professional practice. (details of these artists are viewable on our website www.gaffa.com.au)
We are very proud of our communal workshop which boasts much of the equipment you would find in a tertiary institute workshop. Recently we’ve opened our workshop doors up for beginners and intermediate jewellery classes which have been a huge success and are heaps of fun.

http://www.gaffa.com.au/

Studio spaces at Gaffa.

FK chats to Jason Waterhouse & Magali Gentric about their new venture, Stockroom

Tell us a bit about Stockroom and the concept behind it.
Stockroom is a 1000sqm space showcasing makers and artists in Piper St, Kyneton. Stockroom has 3 art spaces, a café that changes its name every week, (this week its Latrobe Speedway, last week it was Her Majesties) and a huge retail space full of fantastic stuff by makers, designers and artists with some vintage thrown into the mix. Our concept for stockroom is the creation of a vibrant arts complex to showcase the best contemporary art and craft practitioners in Australia. At this point we work with more than 140 artists and makers and are constantly amazed by the wealth of talent in this country.

What is your background and what lead you to where you are?
I am a sculptor and exhibit regularly. I have a studio at Stockroom, which I try to escape to as often as possible (which of course is never often enough). I curated a number of shows in Melbourne and was involved in a number of Artist Run Initiatives. I also taught Sculpture, drawing and Design subjects at Swinburne University for a number of years. Magali is a graphic and web designer.

Magali and I opened our first makers space, Wolf at the Door (now next door to Stockroom) in Hepburn in 2009, as we felt there was a need for an outlet for contemporary makers and art in rural Victoria. We had no intention of expanding but had a love at first sight experience when we found the Stockroom premises. It was literally a 3 day business plan from spotting the property to applying for it.

What labels & product do you stock and what are you always searching for?
We stock works by more than 140 artists, designers and makers. At stockroom you can find clothing and accessories, jewelry, ceramics, homewares, furniture, art, vintage and more. With the re-opening of the Wolf at the Door next to Stockroom we now are also introducing international designers, which is new and exciting territory for us. As for types of product, we are open to any type of function of lack there-of, our main aim is to represent the most innovative and exciting designers and artists we can find.

What is your favourite part of the gallery/shop?
The Galleries keep me constantly engaged as we have an exciting and challenging program of exhibitions. We are very passionate about working with artists who will bring to the public exhibitions that push boundaries and expected norms within rural commercial art spaces. I also have a soft spot for our change rooms. They are a cubby house on wheels, complete with chandelier, lush French wallpaper, and red woollen carpet.

What is the design & art scene like in Kyneton (VIC)?
Piper St, Kyneton, is rapidly becoming known as Rural Victorias style capital (is that a good or bad thing?). Kyneton is part of a burgeoning arts scene in central Victoria, a geographic triangle including Daylesford and Castlemaine, with a large number of Melbourne’s creative’s making the tree change from Melbourne for various reasons, mostly financial and more space. With them come big ideas and exciting ventures as rent is more affordable and spaces are available. In Piper St there is a strong sense of community and a genuine interest and support for each other’s ventures and creative endeavors. It’s a really exiting place to be. Come visit, you’ll see…

Can you tell us a little about the history of your space and how you discovered it?
Stockroom is housed in the old Kyneton Butter Factory. Were the 4th tenant in 140 years which is pretty cool. We were always Daylesford/Hepburn-centric and only visited Kyneton mid week (the time when Piper St is closed) and had no idea about the amazing businesses that were opening up in the strip. I happened to go down there one weekend on a whim and did a double take.  The street was packed and all the shops and eateries were really good.  I saw the for lease sign on 98 Piper St, rushed back to Hepburn to tell Magali, and the rest is history.

What do you love about running Stockroom, and what are some challenges you have faced?
There are so many challenges that I shall not bore thee. But there are also plenty of rewards. We both passionately believe in what we are doing, and I love and am proud of that. We have created an inspiring space that we have filled with inspiring works, and I love and am proud of that too. Daily we have people thank us for providing a beautiful space as a forum for artists to show off their wares outside of the cities and that feels quite special.

What aspirations do you have for Stockroom?
The vision is not complete and there are a number of unfinished Stockroom projects in the wings so watch this space… We would like to see Stockroom become an artist hub for central Victoria, and of course, world art/craft domination.

All the specific details
Stockroom
98 Piper Street
Kyneton VIC 3444
03 5422 3215
Thursday – Monday, 10:30 – 5:30

www.stockroomonpiper.blogspot.com

What were you doing before Blackbird Corner and what inspired you to open your own shop?
Prior to launching Blackbird Corner in 2006, my partner Sean & I had been living in gorgeous Central Melbourne for six years. The opportunity arose to nab a small corner spot on Darby Street through family connections & after much deliberation we realised that we just couldn’t say no! I had been sewing & storing stock for my label Wayward Girl for a couple of years, whilst also selling creations made from recycled fabric on consignment at Peril Underground in Elizabeth Street. Sean too, had heaps of ideas ready to print on Tees for his label then called Rolf Collective (now called Anorak Designs.) My Sister/best friend Jenni had always been a keen sewer/creative person & so we decided to all go in on this venture together! We had each been creating & stockpiling without clear intent basically. I had established the first clothing shop on Darby Street back in the 90‘s. It was called Spinster Wares and I’d eventually sold it to a friend so we could move interstate to have adventures. So we knew what we were getting into plus we had the benefit of regular customers from that shop ready & waiting for us to start again. Newcastle always draws you back it seems!

Explain the story behind the name of the store?
Well with our first store having had quite an unusual name with a lengthy story behind it (that I will not go into here) we decided to go with a name that was pretty. It is located on a corner so that part is self explanatory and after many many lists & silly ideas we just liked the way Blackbird Corner sounded! The fact that we all love birds contributed to the final decision significantly. And we adore the Beatles song Blackbird – thanks Mum for playing the Beatles obsessively in our formative years!

What kind of treasures can we expect to find at your store?
At Blackbird Corner you’ll discover an ever growing range of Locally Designed & Created clothing + accessories + badges + cards made by Myself; Sean & Jenni plus close friends & family members. These are One Off pieces or Limited Run items.
We cater for Women in sizes 4 to 18+ and Men from Small to 2XXL. Of late we have also taken a few select items on consignment but only from long term customers due to the size constraints of our tiny shop. We also stock Australian Magazines including Frankie & Wooden Toy Quarterly + Lomo Cameras + retro toys; trinkets & jewellery. Oh and just last week we started stocking Zines by Suzy Pow from Bird in the Hand Zine Distro! www.zines.wordpress.com

What special features do you look out for when selecting stock for your store?
Well basically because we design/make most of our stock we pretty much just make what we like and have never really been particularly interested in what’s in or out of fashion. We all love anything to do with birds. Oriental fabric/styles are definite faves too. When adding to our stock of toys & trinkets we seek the things we had when we were young that make us feel nostalgic & happy.

What has been your biggest challenges in doing what you do?
Our shop is a labour of love. I work part time for a large company to pay my bills so that I don‘t feel that I have to “sellout” the shop’s values to make a quick buck. So finding time to do everything I want/need to do can be a bit challenging at times but it is definitely worth it.

What is the Newcastle art & design scene like?
Newcastle has always had a thriving creative scene. It hosts several festivals annually including Cultural Stomp; T.I.N.A (This Is Not Art) & Electrofringe which attract interesting & inspiring folk from all over Australia. Currently there is a Project called Renew Newcastle focusing on filling empty shopfronts by offering reduced rental on month to month leases. It is primarily aimed at Artists & Designers and is the brainchild of devoted Novocastrian Marcus Westbury. www.renewnewcastle.org

What advice can you give to others wanting to start their own business?
Do it – if it is for love. Owning a Business is a 24/7 commitment. You are probably not going to become a millionaire overnight – don’t believe everything you see on Today Tonight – but that is OK if you love what you are doing like we do!

Do be aware that you need to be in it for the long haul – don’t throw the towel at the first setback. Businesses can sometimes take years to develop. It is definitely worth it if you stick at it. The satisfaction of seeing an item of clothing you made being worn by someone strolling down the street is priceless. Another piece of advice is write LISTS. I’d be completely lost without my To Do Lists. We also believe that the feedback of customers is the best source of “advice” there is & it is FREE!

What’s next, what does the future hold for Blackbird Corner?
We evolve every day. We are currently trying to develop more of a presence online – not just because I’m addicted to the Internet – and have met some lovely creative people to share ideas with so far! Also one day we’d love to buy a building in Darby Street & live upstairs so we can pop in & out of the Shop anytime we like! (If our friend Kylie has her way – one day we’ll open a second store in Newtown too! Yes she lives in Sydney)

All the specific details:
Blackbird Corner
70 Darby Street
(cnr Queen & Darby Streets
Next to Cooks Hill Books)
Cooks Hill, Newcastle NSW 2300
Phone: 02 4929 4350
www.myspace.com/blackbirdcorner
http://blackbirdcorner.blogspot.com/
http://twitter.com/blackbirdcorner
blackbirdcorner@yahoo.com.au

Our opening Hours:
Tuesdays 12-4
Wednesdays – Fridays 11-5
Saturdays 10-4
Sundays 11-3
Mondays closed

Tell us about Bob Boutique.
bob is a sweet treat for your day, our little space is chocked full of happy! 80% of whats in store is Australian made and we pride ourselves on our ever changing product ranges and our limited edition and one off items by the very talented artists, crafters and designers that work with us.
Our space is filled with off beat creatures, cute knick knacks, jewellery, stationery, homewares, books and strange little gifts for the quirky or hard to buy for.
We also have a gallery which showcases cute and kooky work from Australian and international artists. At the moment we have Melbourne artist Madeleine Stamer exhibiting her amazing fushion of folk art and tattoo styles with a pinch of circus thrown in. We have new shows on every 6 weeks.

bob loves great design and our annual catalogue is a must have which we send around Australia and the world, to loyal bob customers.

What is your background and how did you start Bob Boutique?
I have been making softies since 1996 as a business and selling to boutiques in country Vic, Melbourne and Sydney and did loads of markets. It was never even a thought that entered my head to have a shop front. I liked the freedom of working for myself and not being tied down, but one day my Mum mentioned that the Hotel Shamrock (a gorgeous 1900′s historic hotel in the CBD of Bendigo) had a small shop to rent. I went to look at it and fell in love. I signed the lease that day in 2004 and bob was born. I’m so glad I did it, It is the perfect job for me.

What was your inspiration to start a shop in Bendigo?
It all happened so quickly that I didn’t even think about it. I have lived in Bendigo all my life apart from a year of overseas travel. I could never find anything in Bendigo that I liked, no clothes or gifts, homewares, It was all so samey and not really me. Seems alot of other people felt that way too but I didn’t know that until I opened the shop.

What is the design & art scene like in Bendigo?
Really great. We have alot of local artists and a few good galleries and home studios. Local artists put together the studios and galleries booklet so that visitors can go and visit artists in their home studios – www.studiosgalleriesofbendigo.com. We also have the best regional gallery in the most beautiful building.
Bendigo Art Gallery recently hosted the “Golden Age of Couture” exhibition (it was it’s only stop in Australia on its world tour from the Royal Albert Museum) so we had thousands of people from all around Australia come to visit us for the exciting 3 months that it was on. We also have the Archibald prize showing for 8 weeks starting at the end of May.

What has been your favourite part about running your own business?
The creative process of the shop I adore, I am constantly changing things around and making things fun to look at. I love packaging things so wrapping pressies and putting bows on parcels are some of my favourite jobs. I also love meeting people and the looks on their faces as they walk through our shop door.

Where do you source your stock?
I started bob with 4 labels (1 being my own) I now have over 40. And we get about 20 enquiries a week with people wanting us to stock them. I am very picky about what is in store and have a definate style. But sometimes someone will send an email or I’ll see something online and you can probably hear me screaming with joy when I find the perfect thing.

What are you always in search of?
Actually its packaging! I am always searching for the cutest wrapping paper or ribbon the perfect box for earrings or a heavy weight brown paper, it’s a never ending search.

What has been the hardest thing about running your business?
It takes so long to get a cash flow for yourself. For the first 4 years we only just stayed afloat, thanks to the financial support of my partner and family. People think because you have a shop full of pretty things that you must be making a fortune and it all must come so easily – that’s not how it happens its so much hard work on every level.

Bob Catalogue images via Indie.com.au

What is your favourite things in store at the moment?
We just had a Twitch Toy Exhibition. Handmade one off toys with a personal story. All toys come with an orphanage number and story of where they were found, their likes and dislikes and a cute photo. The stories are usually of abandonment but most have a funny or happy twist and you can take one home that suits your personality and care for it. I have always had a soft spot for toys with baggage!!

All the specific details:
bob boutique
17 Williamson Street,
Bendigo, Victoria,
Australia 3550
sales@bob.net.au
www.bob.net.au

Our trading hours change through the seasons.
Summer is usually 7 days a week 11-3  Sat, Sun, Mon and Tues and Wed and Thurs 11-5, Friday til 7pm
Winter we sometimes close on Sundays and the latest we open is 6pm.
But we are happy to offer out of hours appointments and often have people call when travelling through, we love to open the shop for them.
Updated hours are always available on the website www.bob.net.au

FK talks to Suz from Tasmania about her gorgeous shop, Cocoon

Tell us about your store Cocoon and what things we can expect to discover.
We love to think that Cocoon is a ‘haven’ for hand made! We aim to cover all bases on the senses front, from our creative merchandising, our windows adorned with Ghostpatrol love (at times when the very talented street artist has time & is visiting our shores) we have our handmade all natural body products & candles (locally made of course!) which smell divine & lure our customers off the street, followed by our cheeky smiles & love of life that comes through every time a customer enters our shop add an ever changing array of handmade treasure from all over the world…. a sure recipe for fun!

What is your background and how did it result in opening Cocoon?
I have managed a number of other retail stores since i was a wee thing! I really wanted to inject my passion for design & hand made into Launceston. I thought there was such a niche here to fill. To be able to bring such different handmade labels to this part of the world.

What was the inspiration with Cocoon and how has the location shaped the direction of it?
Cocoon has always been such a lovely word to me… it evokes a cosy, warm, safe feeling. Very suitable for our seasonal chill. By creating this warm inviting space where customers can just pop in & say hi & have a cuppa with us (we stock T2, very handy indeed) or ask advise for their homes or help choosing a gift. Launceston has been such a great place to start a small business, locals are fiercely loyal & word of mouth is such an amazing tool here. We also have heaps of visitors all year round.

What do you look for in the products and labels you sell?
We look for products that firstly we love & would love to own… quirky for sure & well designed & certainly well made. We like to think that we appeal to everyone with our price & product range, you can come in & find T2, Graphic Design & Architecture books through to furniture, lamps, jewellery, handmade chocolates from our local chocolatier, home wares, organic baby range from New Zealand, Spacecraft cushions, stationery, Mattt bags, Zaishu stools & much more.

What do you like the most about your shop?
I love it most when customers leave with a smile on their little faces or when we make a new friend! When people say such lovely things about the way the shop looks, the products or how it smells…. it has to be a total experience I guess. I love how we are constantly changing our range, adding new products, finding new amazingly talented makers to support. Also by re-merchandising our shop every couple of weeks keep it fresh & intriguing.

What has been the biggest challenge since you opened?
I think the biggest challenge is keeping up with constantly sourcing new products, being one step ahead & finding makers that are happy with just stocking us in Launceston, after all it is a big country town!

Where do you find inspiration in Launceston, and what do you love most about Tasmania?
We have lots of lovely locals who are making amazing products for Cocoon, they keep me constantly inspired along with our lovely customers. Just seeing their excitement when we get new stock in. Tassie is full of amazing talent & great fresh produce, it is almost a haven itself for handmade. We are all quite homely in this neck of the woods, our climate is certainly inducive to that way of life.

What advice would you give others hoping to set up a similar business?
I really think that you have to be extremely passionate about what you do if you are contemplating setting up your own business. Seek out something that you know will be a niche in your area, be innovative & don’t be scared of long hours or hard work. There is so much behind the scenes with running your own business. It is also the most rewarding thing you will ever do!

All the specific details:

Cocoon
109 George Street
Launceston
Tasmania 7250

Trading hours:
Mon – Fri 10am – 5pm
Sat 10am – 2pm
Xmas Trading Dec Sunday 12pm – 4pm

Phone (03) 6331 0611
Fax (03) 6331 0622
www.cocoonlaunceston.com.au

FK chats to Kylie Johnson, from Sydney’s Object Gallery + Collect

Introduce Collect to our readers and the concept behind it.
We are the store for Object: Australian Centre for Craft & Design. We specialise in showcasing the best of craft & design in Australia, and we believe that you should buy once & buy well rather than buying mass produced. All our objects, homewares, jewellery & fibre pieces are designed and hand made in Australia, by Australian artists, many of whom have significant exhibition practices and are internationally recognised. It is a great place to find collectable one-off gifts for friends & family, or that special keepsake for yourself. By shopping at Collect you support Australia’s craft & design community and directly assist artists to make a livelihood from their craft.

What does Object + Collect aim to achieve?
We aim to showcase the best examples of material based practice from around Australia whether it be glass, ceramics, product design, metal smithing or textiles. Object gallery has world class exhibitions that recognise the incredible talents of Australian artists, while our organisation creates fantastic public programs, symposiums and workshops that are freely accessible by our design savvy audience. Our retail outlet Collect provides a great chance to see (and perhaps own!) Australian hand crafted & design wares.

What labels & product do you stock and which ones work best in Collect?
We are constantly updating our selection of work by over 140 artists. We are always looking for new and emerging artists across an array of materials that represent the best in Australia. We have a great online store www.collect.bigcartel.com however it only just covers a small amount of what great work we have, as we are constantly getting new one-off pieces that sell faster than we can upload it! To really keep up-to-date the best option is checking out our blog www.collectatobjectgallery.blogspot.com which features new in-store pieces, gift ideas and even recipes. Our fabulous staff, who are all makers themselves, update it regularly with all these great features. We even pop in images of the most recent exhibition in the gallery, so out-of-towners can check it out if they can’t make it to the gallery in Sydney.

How do you select which products you would like to stock?
We certainly think long and hard about every piece that we have as they must fit our criteria of being innovative, well executed & the best of its kind. We are always on the lookout for new artists, but with a small store, we have to be very thoughtful about how everything fits together. Many of our artists create special ranges for just for us, so you’ll always see something new.

You recently introduced the Icons Series – can you tell us more?
The Icons range identifies the leading pieces in Australian design, from a retailing view but also from a curatorial aspect. As the centre for craft & design we wanted to make it easier for our clients to pin point those designs that have stood the test of time, that are internationally renowned, that look good, work well and also feel great to use. Using our knowledge of design, we came up with a list of must-have design pieces, from ceramic vases by Marc Pascal, macadamia nut husk bowls by Husque to the graphic stainless steel brooches by Insync.

Which designers are you most excited about in 2011?
2011 sees another strong exhibition year at the gallery with fantastic exhibitions that take us across a range of disciplines. From acoustic instruments made from found objects, to the Australian component of the Venice Architecture Biennale, we will cover so many angles of craft & design this year. We hope that our audience has a rich and diverse experience here at Object where they can engage with artists work across retail, exhibition, studio visits and online. 2011 also sees our first Digital Object Magazine iPad app set to be launched in March, can’t wait!

What do you love the Sydney design community?
Sydney has a very hungry audience for interaction with design in all its facets. Last year we created the Spring Series, 10 weeks of fun, workshops, exhibitions, making days, bicycle tours….it was great meeting all the makers, artists & designers across a spectrum of disciplines. A really nice community of like-minded people who are all grappling with wanting to create things that make a difference, that enhance people’s lives and demonstrate the value of good design and what it can bring to different communities.

What new things do you have instore for Collect this year?
We are just restocking after a busy Christmas and will be unwrapping lots of exciting new pieces in the next few weeks. My two favourite pieces (and recent purchases!) are a pair of fantastic Kath Inglis earrings which are made from hand dyed PVC, which is then cut to create the look of faceted stones that catch the light and make me feel a little bit glam! I also just bought a ‘Princess C, Lady J and the upper crust’ brooch, a crazy ensemble of bright coloured animal heads and a palm tree montage…guaranteed to be a talking point.

Object + Collect’s details
417 Bourke Street Surry Hills Sydney NSW 2010
02 9361 4511
Tues–Friday 11am – 5pm
Sat & Sun 10am – 5pm
www.object.com.au