FK talks to the lovely Lauren from Kaleidoscope Gallery, which has just relocated it’s home to the Danks Street precinct, Waterloo.

Tell us a bit about Kaleidoscope Gallery and about your recent move to Danks Street?
We are a independently run art gallery now based in the well known art precinct of Danks Street Waterloo. We feel so excited to not only be on this wonderful street but to house the gallery in what was once the David Bromley Arcade is even better! The space is beautiful and just what we had in mind when we first starting thinking about making the move.

We started in October 2009 and the idea behind the gallery was to promote our artists and emerging art in general by making it accessible and affordable.  From an artists perspective we wanted to create a space that was artist run, that was flexible and and nurturing but one that presented like a commercial space.  We do everything that a commercial space does, in terms of professionalism but without the restrictive contracts and the 60% commission. We also wanted to help the budding at collector to be able to start or continue their collection with beautiful and quality pieces by professional and committed artists without the hefty price tag that some other galleries charge. We are all about showing great work and getting it out there into the world!

Who is behind Kaleidoscope, what are your backgrounds and what was the motivation to starting the space?
We have small team of artists that run the gallery. We know what it is like to be an emerging artist in Sydney. I started the gallery after working in commercially run spaces and ARIs (Artist Run Initiatives) and showing my work in student and artist run galleries. I realised that there was nothing really in the middle, no where for an artist to show in between the do it yourself gallery and the giant leap to commercial representation. I wanted to create a space that was professional and slick but that was approachable and relaxed. No stuffy people here, we greet people with a smile and have fun. We love what we do!

The rest of the team consists of Kathryn who is our assistant director/curator who is from the UK. She brings a vast knowledge of painting and drawing and has a keen eye for detail. Lauren elise is our partnership coordinator, specialising in PR and is a photographic genius. Som is our print making expert who looks after administration and Kate knows all there is to know about philosophy and video art. She is also our newest recruit and were are super lucky to have Kate on board.

What was your experience like in your Paddington home, what were some of the challenges to running Kaleidoscope?
Paddington was a wonderful place to launch the gallery. We loved there, the space really lent itself to the ethos of the gallery and the fact that we always wanted Kaleidoscope Gallery to be a welcoming and comfortable gallery to visit. We aren’t the sterile, white cube type. Our objective is to reach as many people with our art as possible and feel that if you create a space that is homely and cosy that people will respond to it, and they did. Since we have moved to Waterloo we have been able to achieve the same thing, and there are little things that are similar to our Paddington space for example instead of the blue and white painted floorboards we have blue and white painted tiles! But there are little quirks about the space that make it unique to Kaleidoscope.

There have been a few challenges along the way as you would expect from any new venture but they have all been worth it, usual bumps in the road leading to a long and enjoyable journey. Its a small industry in Australia and there have been galleries that have been in the business for a very long time. And successfully too, they are definitely doing something right! So its tough to break into an industry as the new kids, but we have been lucky enough to have had a lot of support along the way and have forged some very strong friendships. Especially as we are trying to create something that is a little out of the ordinary, a little left field. We also have some amazing sponsors that have believed in us from early on such as our delicious wine sponsor Rosnay. Cant have a gallery without yummy wine!! But so far as challenges go, we are really fortunate to be constantly learning and evolving and we always listen and take on board what our clients and artist have to say. Just to ensure that Kaleidoscope remains a gallery that is moving forward not standing still.

What new things can we expect to discover in the new space?
The new space just beautiful! Its a big long space that is perfect for exhibitions. And we have some incredible artists lined up for the remainder of the year.  Including our first ever scultpure exhibition. Paddington spacially didn’t really allow for scultpture and I have been wanting to show the work buy the amazing glass artist Mark Wotherspoon for some time.  So hurrah! Stay tuned for his show at the end of July. Also many of the events that we held in the Paddington space will continue in the new space, bigger and better than before. For example our life drawing classes will start up again and this time we will conclude the 6 week term with an exhibition. Our design markets will start again as well which we are hoping to hold this year in spring. We are also launching Wine/Arts/ideas/Film (WAIF nights) – or something like that we are still working in the, where people can come and enjoy our exhibitions and talks with our artists, and thinkers with a glass of wine, and some yummy pastry, often with great music! And I cant forget to mention our wonderful permanent collection which we are really excited about; a collection of printmakers, photographers and jewellers that will permanently be in the space on a slow rotation. There is so much going on!

What make Kaleidoscope unique as a space, and what is your creative mission?
As I mentioned before, we are trying to create a space that is welcoming, ever changing and a something different to your usual gallery space. We have a quick rotation of shows, every 2 weeks and we have events all the time so that there should be something different and fresh everytime you visit. And our mission is just that, to create a gallery that is an ever changing space of colour and light.

What plans do you have for the new space?
The sky is the limit! Everyone on the team has their own projects that we are working on, but one of the biggest plans for the space is a new arm of the gallery that we are launching later in the year called ArtScope… Our very own arts rental company. Just another way that we can get our artists work out there. This is still in the planning stages and we are coordinating our first crop of artists for the project, but safe to say its rental like you have never seen before!

If an artist or designer wants to be involved with Kaleidoscope, what is the process for submissions?
If an artist wants to be involved in an exhibition the process we ask them to take is to fill in a proposal form from our website. We do get a lot of artists walking in and asking us about the way we work. We also get a lot of emails just of enquiry especially from our social media networks such as Facebook. Once they submit a proposal we like to have a look at their work. Talk to them about when they would like to exhibition and then lock it in to beginning the organizing!

Gallery details
The current opening exhibition is entitled ‘my my’ and has 17 fantastic artists and is all about the celebration of colour and light! Very eccentric and OTT.
The exhibition runs until the 30th of June 2011.

3-7 Danks Street, Waterloo NSW 2017

Monday – closed
Tuesday – Friday 10am – 6pm
Saturday 10am – 5pm
Sunday 11am – 4pm

www.kaleidoscope-gallery.com
http://www.facebook.com/kaleidoscopegallery

FK talks to gallery director and founder of the Jacky Winter Group, Jeremy Wortsman about gallery space Lamington Drive.

Tell us about Lamington Drive and what we can expect to find your new space.
Lamington Drive is a gallery space and associated retail area which is run by The Jacky Winter Group. We are currently located in The Compound Interest, a new arts hub in Collingwood located at 15-25 Keele Street.

What was the motivation on starting Lamington Drive and how has it evolved into where it is today?
The gallery was started for a number of reasons. First and foremost, to have a space where artist from The Jacky Winter Group could have a venue for people to interact with their work in a different context other than seeing their work in magazines or ads. Secondly, to fill a void in the Melbourne gallery scene to view works that didn’t quite fit in a fine art gallery, but needed their own dedicated space that wasn’t a traditional ‘Shop’ per se. We have done over 30 shows in our three years ranging from things as simple as works on paper to live performances using mushrooms growing in petri dishes and also have our own fine art printing service and access to our in-house bespoke framer, United Measures, and most importantly, a dedicated and open stockroom where people can browse work from previous shows or other related merchandise in a dedicated space separate to the gallery itself.

What do you love about your new suburb, Collingwood?
Cibi! It’s like our second home now. Collingwood is definitely a loveable scoundrel, and is filled with contradictions. We’re in an area now thats slightly off the beaten path, and coming from the heart of Fitzroy on Gertrude street, its been an interesting change. I love the fact that we are sort of in a different area though, and the fact that there is a huge retail outlet strip nearby means that we get to attract a certain kind of audience that perhaps would not have found the work otherwise. At the same time, we’re still very accessible, and things in the neighbourhood are developing rapidly, and the area is becoming a magnet for more culturally vibrant operations and we are really happy to be a part of that.

What was the direction with the space visually?
The gallery design reflects this grey area in practice between fine art and commercial art, and we deliberately used cardboard as a material to fit out the space to reflect the more tactile nature of the works. When we moved the space, we kept that aesthetic and even used the same dimensions as the old space as it worked so well. The identity itself was inspired by english road signs and typography as the name of the gallery came from my misunderstanding when I first came to Australia that Lamington Drive was actually a famous street.

Who is the team behind Lamington Drive and what are their roles?
I am the director of the Gallery and make most of the decisions in regards to programming. Skye Chapman, our fearless gallery manager does everything else! We also have a regular volunteer program which allows people to get some hands-on experience.

What do you love most about working for Lamington Drive?
What’s not to love! While my role is primarily spent with the agency, the gallery side of the business is incredibly fulfilling. You know that feeling where you’re about to start a new job or school is going to start the next day, and you can’t sleep because your excited and nervous? I get that every night, and I love it! It’s such a powerful experience to walk into a new show for the first time and just be hit by the space and the work, and just being able to provide that experience, and be a part of seeing a show come together from an idea to an actual installation, is such an awesome thing.

What is unique about Lamington Drive, and how do you keep it that way?
I like to think that we are an incredibly approachable space. We try not to take ourselves too seriously, but at the same time provide a cultural program of shows that is stimulating and intelligent ensuring to have a mix of experimental and traditional exhibitions and events. We purposely avoid group shows and try to focus on bringing out unique aspects of each artists individual approach, or to see the show as a project in itself. Furthermore we always try to keep the costs of work accessible to a younger audience, and the stockroom has really enabled us to do that in a new way.

What do you have planned for 2011?
What don’t we have planned! We have two exciting shows from Sydney-based Greedy Hen followed by Neryl Walker. We will then announce our final 5 shows for 2011 which we are currently working on. There are some more exciting collaborations to be announced, including some new projects from Lamington Drive Editions, our publishing arm of the gallery, for which we recently published the Design Files Neighbourhoods Calendar. There is also the talk of opening a smaller project space, and just further collaborating with more international artists and other like-minded folk. We also opened a new lecture theatre space in The Compound Interest so we can hopefully do some artist talks and workshops as well. We always announce these things through our mailing list which goes out about once a month.

Lamington Drive
15-25 Keele Street, Collingwood
Open W-F from 11-6 and Saturday from 12-5
Please check days for opening hours, as the gallery is closed for one week between shows for bump in/out.
lamingtondrive.com

FK chats to the talented folk behind Surry Hills’ music meets art gallery, Mart.

Tell us about your gallery Mart and what things we can expect to discover in your space.
Mart is a space where music meets art. I’m the first to admit and am whole-heartedly honest when I say that I don’t know a thing about art, but I know about music. So it’s not really an art gallery in the most practical sense, its a place where I can expose the talents of those who work in the music industry and are visually talented. There’s so many of them out there! You can expect to discover the people who create the images behind some of your favourite bands, album covers or tour posters. You may also discover that one of your favourite musicians is also an artist!

What was the inspiration with opening Mart?
I’ve worked in the music industry for a very long time. I was constantly falling in love with the pitches & people we would have to knock back for some reason or another on video clip ideas, album cover ideas, tour poster ideas, photos etc etc…. There was so much talent out there that I felt some things were going to waste. I was lucky enough to have the space and all these glorious talented contacts who worked with music, that I just put them together and, wallah – MART WAS BORN.

What was the direction with the space visually?
I had no direction on the space visually. It’s really just a blank canvas that the artists can come and do whatever they want with. I’m not precious like that. I really want the artist to take hold of it and turn it into their own. For example Sonny & Biddy from We Buy Your Kids turned the space into a massive painting and they had their works within the painting they drew on the walls… It was a man with his jacket wide open and he was selling their art-wares out of his jacket. It’s cool (have attached a photo).

Who is the team behind Mart and what are their roles?
The team consisted of one (me), until I met the talented men known as moffitt.moffitt. I had the idea, concept & the line up, but no idea about the name of the gallery, it’s branding or identity. I actually contacted moffitt.moffitt because I saw the work they did with publishing DEMO MAGAZINE (a mag that features upcoming music talent). Demo is unlike any other magazine out there. It focuses on a only a few key upcoming musicians, then produces and shoots those musicians like it is an editorial for something between an art and high-fashion magazine. No other magazine would spend the time or money on musicians who have not been, or just been signed. It was flawless. So anyway, I wanted to talk to them about doing an exhibition in the gallery because all their photos in the magazine were original and inspiring. Andrew & Mark (moffit.moffitt) really liked the idea of the gallery when they came in for the meeting, and asked if I had a name & logo for it yet… Which I didn’t. The relationship was born from there. Now the guys handle and give me direction on how Mart is visually portrayed, and guess what? I’m also the new editor of Demo!

What inspires you about your surroundings and what other aspects about Surry Hills do you love?
Surry Hills has this weird hipster-stigma attached to it. But underneath it all and under all that hipster bashing, if people really look at see – 90% of the restaraunts, cafés, bars & pubs around here ARE actually really really good. They produce quality. The vibe of all these eateries and drinking-holes are what inspires me to be here at the moment. As well as the fact that during the day there are tons of graphic, fashion, communication agencies & furniture places around here. People from creative fields all tend to be drawn in and around Surry Hills, one of the most used recording studios is also up the road, BJB – where there’s always some good muso-spotting. So all the talented creatives that gravitate towards here is what’s inspiring.

I’m really sad that The Hopetoun is closed though. That was the perfect small music venue, at least it’s still walkable to Oxford Art Factory. You’ve always got to get some live music in your soul!

What shows are you running at the moment?
At the moment we have Duckpond on till the 4th June. He’s one of the creatives and leaders behind Big Day Out’s Lilyworld. If you’ve ever been to Big Day Out and ventured into Lilyworld, you know that its a place where you can be transported away from the madness of BDO into the madness of another world altogether. It’s crazy and its kooky, and you always see some awesome acts and maybe even a headliner doing a secret side show within Lilyworld. Duckpond is an artist and pyjama maker – we have both showing right now!

Coming up we have The English Gentleman who is a young photographer who got shortlisted in the 2010 NME live photographer of the year awards. We have a few more things scheduled for the rest of the year and the best place to check them all out at is our website.

What do you love most, and what is the hardest part about running a business?
The thing about Mart is that we are only open during exhibition dates. So the other times I have other jobs to keep me busy (I manage bands). I love that Mart gives me something different to do, yet still falls within the realms of what I know. The hardest part is knocking people back when they want to exhibit and I just don’t see the right fit within the space. I hate saying no to talent.

What new projects are coming up for Mart?
We just launched a new website this year and besides showcasing what will actually be coming up in the gallery, we’re trying to shine some light on news stories within music and art. So if you want to know who did the artwork for a certain album cover or tour poster, or who directed someone’s latest video – we are producing stories on them. Just really cementing in all that talent behind the bands too.

All the specific details
156 Commonwealth St,
Surry Hills NSW 2010
info@martgallery.com.au
(During exhibition dates) Tuesday-Saturday 12-5pm
www.martgallery.com.au

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 chats to Mark Viner, from Southern Highlands gallery, Sturt

Tell us a bit about Sturt, and the history behind it.
Sturt is the oldest craft and design centre in Australia and celebrates its 70th birthday later this year.  Sturt was an idea of a creative community spanning all ages, skill-levels and interests.  As it developed it became a place of training and development for weavers, furniture makers, ceramicists and metalworkers.  Sturt now maintains a professional gallery, design shop, café, historic buildings and gardens, a museum housing a collection of post-war contemporary craft made at Sturt, an artists in residence program and workshops in woodwork, pottery, textiles and metalwork.

What is your personal background and what lead you to where you are today?
I have been the Director of Sturt for about a year and a half.  Previously I worked for the Historic Houses Trust in Sydney for over 9 years firstly as Director of Public Programs and then as General Manager of Properties.  I was the first Regional Arts Officer in the Southern Highlands back in 1997 and fell in love with Sturt and all that it offers at that time.

What kind of contemporary design & craft can we expect to find in your gallery/shop?
I think that Sturt has one of the best, largest and most varied selections of contemporary craft and design for sale that I have seen anywhere in Australia and I have made a point of going to look at the competition.  We have new stock arriving daily and we have developed relationships with artists and designers all over Australia.  Most of the furniture that we have for sale is made by Graduates of Sturt’s own Wood School that offers the only 1-year accredited fine furniture making and design course available in Australia.  Some of Australia’s best furniture makers have graduated from the Sturt School for Wood.


Who are some of your young emerging designers in the gallery?
Emerging artists that are currently being featured include Roger Jackson (ceramics), Maria Chatzinikolaki (ceramics), Tamara Dixon (jewellery), Alice Potter (jewellery), Carol Faulkner (jewellery), Zoe Wall (textiles), Melanie Olde (textiles), Aidan Morris (furniture, Scott Clements (furniture).

What features do you look for in the work that is displayed?
Products that are selected for the Sturt Shop must be of the highest quality Australian design.  Items must reflect the individuality of each maker and display strong Australian contemporary design.  We look for varied/innovative use of mediums and work that shows a thorough knowledge of materials, practice and craft on the part of the maker.  Sturt shop only sells work made or designed in Australia.

What is the design & art scene like in Southern Highlands?
The Southern Highlands has been attracting artists for decades.  Mittagong Bowral and Moss Vale are the major townships and they feature a growing range of public and private galleries and specialist retail outlets.  The Southern Highlands is a great tourist destination and Sturt is one of the top tourist attractions in the region with over 50,000 visitors each year.

What have been some of the highlights at Sturt?
Sturt presents about 9 professional exhibitions each year in its gallery featuring some of the best craft and design artists in Australia and overseas.  Sturt also offers workshops and classes all year including an annual summer and winter school attended by adult students from all over Australia who come to Sturt to study different types of art and craft classes for a full week.  A visit to Sturt must include a meal or a snack at our café that has a terrific chef on site and you can go for a walk in our Edna Walling inspired gardens and even have a look at what’s going on in our workshops and studios.  This year, to celebrate our 70th birthday, we are producing an exhibition of our own collection called Here by Hand – 70 years at Sturt that will open in our gallery on Sunday 2nd October.

What advice would you give to artists starting out?
You need to find out what help is available out there to give you a helping hand.  Sturt offers residencies each year to both emerging and established artists and we are happy to give help and advice on how best to develop work for retail in the Sturt Shop.  We employ artists to teach public workshops and classes and you can even rent studio space at very reasonable rates. Everything that we do is intended to support the industry so the more artists we can showcase and support the better.  Full details of everything that Sturt has to offer can be found on our website www.sturt.nsw.edu.au

All the Specific Deatils
STURT GALLERY
Cnr Range Road & Waverley Parade
Mittagong NSW 2575
Ph. 02 48602083
Open daily 10am – 5pm

STURT CAFÉ
02 48602086
Wed-Fri 10am – 3pm
Sat & Sun 10am – 4pm

www.sturt.nsw.edu.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