artexpress

Art Express has hit NSW- everyone prepare to be amazed by the artistic talent that has just left school! These are truly professional, and the best kind of art show. Displayed from the Art Gallery of NSW to the windows of David Jones.
The above image is by Kiara Crofts and the lower one by Philipa Collins. They're a few favourites of mine; they have a certain something I like. It makes me wonder why I like certain styles and not others- whether it's entirely my past experiences in life or whether it is also related to something I was born with.
The moral of the story is go see art express.

designtech

Design TECH is on at the Powerhouse- everyone has to go see the young talent that has just left school and is about to hit the national and international design community. Unfortunately, I could only dredge up one picture, but it is perhaps the most photogenic. This is the Trio chair by Simon Del Favero from Trinity Grammar. However, I wish they could display more works! Visual Art Bodies of Work have so many display venues it's amazing- it really puts the students into the public limelight. Oh well, next year...

tim hawkinson

A new favourite artist. damn, he is so good! I am aiming to convey my enthusiasm without too many exclamation marks. oh what the hell. Amazing! Brilliant! Superduper!
Why?
His materials- big fan of making 'stuff' out of 'junk',
his visual concepts- more intriguing than anything i've ever seen,
his practice- out of this world (never thought of before).
They say that with modernism died the avante garde, the new and individual. But this guy has done things never done before. Ok, ok so that's not quite true- he uses photocollage and recycled materials and the idea of music in art, methods and ideas initiated in prior art movements, but his work is still entirely original. Go see an exhibition (currently showing at the MCA in Sydney), or, if you can't make one, buy a book on him. with lots of pictures.
These works are also interactive- sensors trigger motion in the pieces. There are noises and movements. they are such wonders of engineering that the audience must go and examine the works to figure out exactly how that tapping noise is made, or follow the wires from the battery through the switch to the dripping water. (my younger brother loved it) This may not all make sense, but it's all absolute brilliance.

giacometti

I wish I could create works so full of life and emotion. Until that dream comes true, I'll be quite content admiring Alberto Giacometti's work. His pieces are hard to catagorise, a value finally becoming recognised recognised by art critics who often want to place an artist in a labelled box. It cannot be denied, however, that they convey aspects of the surrealist movement and, some say, existentialist view points (both suggested by the elongated style of most of his work).

mika

Yeow! Ah, Mika makes me happy, no matter what.

thea proctor

Althea Mary (Thea) Proctor- 1879-1966. I love her style; the intensity of colour and strength of the bold line. It's sort of empowering and passionate. Which I suppose is why her works were called, 'dangerously modern' at the time. Maybe due to its feminist nature (i.e. a female artist depicting women- shock!) and, dare I say, hints of same sex romance. I also love George Lambert's (a close friend) portrait of her, middle- it's so elegant.

ginger & smart

Another label, Ginger & Smart. I can't get over the honeycomb pattern, in fact I'm having cravings for it. Largely because I can't afford it.
Hey... I went to school with the girl in the middle of the bottom photo! How funny.

yeojin bae

"Bae's earliest memory is of watching her grandfather create elaborate dresses in her birthplace of Seoul when she was about two. And from that moment on, following in her grandfather's footsteps was all she wanted to do." Migrating to Australia, Bae "enrolled for a full-time fashion degree at Sydney's Whitehouse Institute of Design, despite being officially too young."
Excerpt from Sunday Magazine Sept 07

In my opinion, that passion radiates from her pieces, and they are also very wearable. Yeojin Bae.

nel

NEL has been appearing round design blogs for a while. Therefore they are obviously rather special. Brilliant ideas.

one teaspoon one piece

I have the biggest summer crush on Aussie clothing and swimwear label One Teaspoon, largely because they satisfy my one piece cossie fantasies. Aaaand I've had the revolutionary realisation that you can wear your onepiece...wait for it...as a top (as in the second image)!! Ok, probably not the most original idea, but one whose band wagon I fully intend to jump on. Then I can learn how to surf in the safety of secure attire.

ergh- exams

Dreaded HSC exams on at the moment...
So minimal, no, non-existant posting.
But after that.... oh the possibilities!

computer camp love

Song by Data Rock. Its an addictive twist on the old Greece song. The video is just as quirky.

stuart haygarth

I cannot believe I haven't posted about Stuart Haygarth. So I'm making up for it now. He is the designer that inspired my design&tech major work, and indirectly my art body of work too. Isn't he awesome?! If you haven't seen this stuff, you haven't lived. More on his site.

From top to bottom, the pieces use; unwanted lampshades, party poppers, old glasses...My favourite is the last one- the 'Tide Chandelier' made from bits and pieces washed up on the Kent coastline. I think it adds a whole new facet to design when you create something new out of existing objects; it becomes that little bit more amazing.

dinosaur designs

Mmmm... some wonderful rings for summer from Australian jewellery company Dinosaur Designs; it will be here soon. And exams will soon be over... And I promise I will be living on the beach (schoolies!). Now I just have to wait for then... Still waiting...

archie

I must admit that I'm a big Archie fan. And then there is the post modern interpretation of Archie comics, by aussie artist Ben Frost. The last two are his (the actual Archie one may be found a tad rude, yet truly hilarious, so see it on his site) .

joseph cornell

Another 'greatest artist of all time'. I sigh in awe.
I could go on and on about the recontextualisation of nostalgia and deconstruction of societal values in these works, but, you may fall asleep. So just stare in wonder.

alphabet

Gotta love both these topography works.

First by Naoka Ebihara studying at Billy Blue School of Graphic Arts.

Second has been circulating blogs for a while, but still captivating. 'According to the original post on German typographic blog Slanted , the alphabet was created by Rienermann while studying at the University of Duisburg-Essen.'

the shins

Another great band. With entertaining music videos. The Shins

dirt

And then following links from Mollie Dash, found this from Sarah Cihat mentioned by DesignSponge. Porcelain with brass and copper chainwork by michael miller. More rather awesome chain.

mollie dash

Had a jewellery rush the other day, and rediscovered Mollie Dash jewellery!! I want all of it. But the bracelets in particular. Where does she find such bloody awesome chain?!