Posted by Audrey Lee on November 29, 2010
It’s hard to sum up Hellen Rose in one paragraph. Sieving through the highlights from her raft of accomplishments alone would fill pages. Not one to conform, Hellen has achieved admirable success and commanded high levels of respect from those in the know for more than 20 years now. While she’s not busy pushing musical boundaries, her preceding reputation has also led her to tap into other creative pursuits, including acting and opening her eponymous performing space, the Hellen Rose-Schauersberger LabOratorium. And the list goes on. For a woman who has proven her worth many times over, we’ll keep the superlatives to a minimum and have Hellen shed some light on her past, present and future.
Covered: Back in the '80s…, constant adjustments, The Hellen Rose-Schauersberger LabOratorium, Moonlight film and a one-woman show.
Audrey Lee: You've been making music for more than 20 years now and have sung alongside bands including X and Dangerous Curves back in the 80s. Care to give our readers an insight of how your career in music first began? How have you and your sound progressed since then?
Hellen Rose: I started singing when I was very young. I come from a family where one side is music and the other is… all the other stuff that I’ve never been into. I snuck into a pub at around 14 and pushed my way onto the stage and just got up and belted out a blues number I was making up on the spot! My first live show with a band called Great Dane who were totally cool about it and the crowd loved it!More...
hellen rose schauersberger, X, ian rilen, george gittoes, dangerous curves
Posted by Audrey Lee on November 18, 2010
Kluster are proud to feature a series of awe-inspiring designers selling wares at the Finders Keepers Spring/Summer Markets at Sydney’s CarriageWorks this December.
Vanessa Moule and Melissa Beal are Sydney based jewellery designers and, together, they make up the Parliament of Two. The pair’s inaugural ‘Open Book’ accessory range of brooches and necklaces are made from plastic and metal materials that are deceptively simple, yet exquisitely detailed. They find inspiration from book illustrations, old typography and aged books. Parliament of Two will be down at the FKSSM next month for their first Finders Keepers stall, and we’ll let them take it away from here.
Covered: From besties to business partners, first FK stall, bookworms, new launch of accessories.
Audrey Lee: Tell us a little about your design background. When did you first decide to venture down the path of producer of creative wares?
Parliament of Two: We have been besties ever since we met at University where we both studied Jewellery Design. Mel continued on the jewellery path and has worked as a designer and gemmologist and Vanessa went on to study graphic design and currently works in print and textile design. More...
the parliament of two, vanessa moule, melissa beal, finders keepers, spring summer markets
Posted by Audrey Lee on November 17, 2010
Kluster are proud to feature a series of awe-inspiring designers selling wares at the Finders Keepers Spring/Summer Markets at Sydney’s CarriageWorks this December.
Angie McCarthy has the unique gift of adding texture and a burst of colours to everything she set her hands to. Founder of the Materialistic range, Angie’s striking hand screen-printed pieces are specially designed to adorn special spaces in your home. From her vibrant, intricately designed tea towels, cushions and tablecloths to the humble ‘Scrappy’, a stuffed toy for kids, all products are made from natural fibres and eco-friendly materials. Here’s what she has to say about her creative experience and her upcoming FKSSM stall.
Covered: Not just ‘disposable design’, colour and more colour, Hills Hoist and a slight obsession with ceramics.
Audrey Lee: Tell us a little about your design background. When did you first decide to venture down the path of producer of creative wares?
Angie McCarthy: Screen printing was initially just an indulgent hobby, an escapism to long hours as a branding graphic designer. Then after years of being overworked in the graphics industry, I was hankering to create something more tactile and long standing not just ‘disposable design’ (which corporate graphics can be at times) and also something just for me. I had so many ideas for prints and designs, scrapbooks full of potential that it seemed a waste not to try and make something of it. We spend so much of our life working, and I really didn’t want to waste it not doing something that I really loved.More...
materialistic, angie mccarthy, finders keepers, spring summer markets
Posted by Audrey Lee on November 9, 2010
Kluster are proud to feature a series of awe-inspiring designers selling wares at the Finders Keepers Spring/Summer Markets at Sydney’s CarriageWorks this December.
Put simply, Fold Studio is a collective of young designers from Melbourne. The culmination of their creative efforts is a series of finely crafted wooden products, ranging from necklaces to coasters and waste-paper bins. With their first ever Finders Keepers Spring Summer Sydney market stall just round the corner we asked one of the designers, Roslyn Campbell, to give us the lowdown.
Covered: Three friends, same goal, using environmentally thoughtful materials and expanding the business.
Audrey Lee: Tell us a little about your design background. When did you first decide to venture down the path of producer of creative wares?
Roslyn Campbell: Myself, Patrick and Laura all met in the furniture department of UTAS Fine Arts School a couple of years ago. Then we decided to move to Melbourne to study Furniture Design together at RMIT. We are just about to graduate. Hooray! We have always had a knack for designing and creating things, but recently decided to try our hand at making an income from it too.
AL: What can visitors expect from your stall at The Finders Keepers Spring/Summer Markets this December? Is this your first Finders Keepers stall?More...
fold studio, roslyn campbell, finders keepers, spring summer markets
Posted by Audrey Lee on November 8, 2010
Kluster are proud to feature a series of awe-inspiring designers selling wares at the Finders Keepers Spring/Summer Markets at Sydney’s CarriageWorks this December.
It's coming up to that time of year again. When dilegent individuals begin preparing a must-do list for 2011. Who says resolutions are redundant? Not Jen Allison, it was a new year’s resolution, circa 2002, that motivated her to start exhibiting her artworks in locations across the globe. Jen puts her innovative skills to good use, churning out a vast collection of one-of-a-kind, nifty origami designs. We check in with Jen as she walks us through her artistic journey thus far.
Covered: An art & craft disciple, 3D craft: origami, metaphoric BP predatory sea animals and going back to Sydney’s art scene.
Audrey Lee: Tell us a little about your design background. When did you first decide to venture down the path of producer of creative wares?
Jen Allison: I have always been an art and craft disciple, but I decided to start selling my wares in 2002 when a friend made a new year’s resolution for me. I was only 21 at the time and I suppose she had more confidence in my work than I did! Since then I have exhibited and sold my artworks in Sydney, London, Melbourne and Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. I have always worked with paper and my early works were in the second dimension – collage. However for the past few years I have moved into the ridiculously exciting third dimension through the exploration of origami. More...
jen allison, origami, finders keepers, spring/summer markets, carriageworks
Posted by Audrey Lee on November 5, 2010
Fashion fiends, Quill and Scott, are back with another The Twelfth Letter range. Brothers and sister, share your clothes.
In their SS10/11 range, the Sydney based designers continue along the path of the asexual, blurring the lines between masculinity and femininity. The label's refined pieces feature sleek textures and monochrome hews on garments that are simple, universal, and yet so intricately and uniquely designed.The collection presents an ensemble of basics redefined with sleek silhouettes and subtle adornments specially designed for both genders.
quill, scott, the twelfth letter, ls clothing
Posted by Audrey Lee on November 5, 2010
Kluster are proud to feature a series of awe-inspiring designers selling their wares at the Finders Keepers Spring/Summer Markets at Sydney’s CarriageWorks this December.
For those who aren’t in the know, The Mup is the lovechild of diehard indie designers, Matt Pike and Andrew Harrison. The Sydney pair has spawned a unique array of both blank and digitally printed T-shirts that are made from 100% Australian organic cotton. Word around the block is that a new range of boardies is also well on its way. Here, we go behind the scenes with Matt and Andrew as they spill the deets on their anticipated stall at FKSSM.
Covered: A combination of pleasure and business, 100% Australian organic cotton range, a story behind every tee, coming up next: board shorts.
Audrey Lee: Tell us a little about your design background. When did you first decide to venture down the path of producer of creative wares?
The Mup: In general, we're both little crafty bastards. We have formal graphic design backgrounds, but we have always been producers of creative wears. Throwing paint around or cutting stencils for little screen prints has been something we've both loved to do, mainly just for the enjoyment of it. A few years back though we thought why not do something that combines the pleasure with the business. That's the Mup. I don't think we'd be doing it if it wasn't fun.More...
the mup, finders keepers, spring/summer markets, matt pike, andrew harrison, t-shirts
Posted by Audrey Lee on November 2, 2010
Kluster are proud to feature a series of awe-inspiring designers selling wares at the Finders Keepers Spring/Summer Markets at Sydney’s CarriageWorks this December.
In Melbourne-based designer, Anika Cook’s label, The Gently Unfurling Sneak fashion meets art meets quirky in the most organic of ways. Her diverse collection ranges from wooden accessories to printed fabric, printed canvases and paper cuts. Anika tells us more about her designing days and her upcoming stall at FKSSM.
Covered: Starting out after uni, from Melbourne to Brisbane, absurdity and surrealism, a new range in August 2011.
Audrey Lee: Tell us a little about your design background. When did you first decide to venture down the path of producer of creative wares?
Anika Cook: I studied Creative Arts at uni but found it more fun to make strange little things in my own time - things that I didn't have to explain in reference to historical and cultural contexts! I started selling a few tees at a local design market to cover the cost of some screen printing equipment I'd bought, and just kinda kept going. Those early markets were my training ground, and I eventually branched out into accessories, other clothing and small artworks. Now I run The Gently Unfurling Sneak as a small business and also do some freelance web and design work.More...
finders keepers, spring/summer markets, the gently unfurling sneak, anika cook, carriageworks
Posted by Audrey Lee on October 19, 2010
The sold-out Falls Music & Arts Festival in Lorne, Victoria has announced a series of artists to perform in the Grand Theatre Overnight - an on-site festival party space which, as the name suggest, goes all night long. Richard in Your Mind, Thundamentals, The Revenge, Danimals, Flight Facilities and Opulent Sound are just a few of the acts currently billed to fill this unique space.
Beyond the good music attendees will also be privy to arts performances and entertainment, as well as free camping during the course of their stay.
The artists join an already impressive line-up which includes Interpol, Joan Jett And The Blackhearts, The National, The Living End, Public Enemy Performing ‘Fear Of A Black Planet’, Klaxons, Angus And Julia Stone, Tame Impala, The Rapture, Ladyhawke, Cold War Kids, Sleigh Bells, Peaches Dj Show, Hot Hot Heat, Paul Kelly, Ash Grunwald, Children Collide and The Beautiful Girls.
For those who have missed getting their tickets for this event, fear not. The Falls Music & Arts Festival is also setting the atmosphere in Marion Bay, Tasmania from December 29 to January 1.
The Falls Music & Arts Festival Lorne, Victoria takes place from December 28 to January 1. For additional details, check out their website.
falls music & arts festival, richard in your mind, opulent sound, andy murphy & chardy, the grand theatre, lorne, marion bay
Posted by Audrey Lee on October 13, 2010
Talk about girl power. Brand new blog Tough Titties is aimed at sharing ideas and sparking innovation among emerging and established female creatives. It is a unique space designed specifically for women to show off their knack for creative expression. The blog features a mound of awe-inspiring content, including top-notch interviews with like-minded individuals, as well as your regular fix of all things art, design, illustration, photography and more.
Tough Titties is sounding the call to you ladies for submissions or suggestions of original works of pretty much anything you’d like to have featured, really. Pop over to their website to find out more.
tough titties
Posted by Audrey Lee on October 12, 2010
In celebration of its launch, the Monash University Museum of Art proudly presents Change, an exhibition that heralds a modern approach of Australian contemporary art and architectural design. This unique exhibition will feature a cherished collection of more than 75 various artworks inspired by 50 years of modern art practice. This includes photography, painting, visual art installation and performance – all of which have been selected from the Monash University Collection. Change will bridge the gap between leading and emerging artists, showcasing eminent works by the likes of John Perceval, Charles Blackman and Roger Kemp, as well as recent works by homegrown talents such as Mike Parr, Tracey Moffatt and Daniel von Sturmer, just to name a few.
Monash University Museum of Art: Change opens its creative doors from October 27 through to December 18, at Monash University, Caulfield Campus, Ground Floor Building F. Opening hours are from 10am to 5pm on Tuesdays to Fridays, and from 12 to 5pm on Saturdays.
monash university museum of art, change, john perceval, charles blackman, roger kemp, mike parr, tracey moffat, daniel von sturner
Posted by Audrey Lee on September 30, 2010
Sydney band, Songs have a knack for creating soulful pop-indie tunes that skip you off to faraway wonderlands. The Sydney based quartet quickly found their way into the hearts of many (including ours) with their rousing eponymous debut. Needless to say, we were pretty bummed when we recently heard that Jeff Burch and Steve Uren would be departing the band. Mark your calendar folks: Songs will also be bidding farewell to fans at This is Not Art festival in Newcastle, on October 2, making it the band's final show in their current incarnation. 'Nuff said. We’ll let Jeff, Steve and Ela Stiles take it from here.
Covered: The birth of Songs, ‘My Number’, the last gig and the future of Songs.
Audrey Lee: For the benefit of our readers residing in the UK and USA who may not have heard of your band, how did the Songs come about? And why ‘Songs’?
Jeff Burch: Max and I met when I first moved to Sydney from New Zealand as I really wanted to work for his magazine Doingbird. I ended up doing a bit of work for him, we became friends, did a few other projects together, then talk of starting a band entered the conversation. We wanted to do a pop band in the vein of some of the bands from our homeland, New Zealand. Obviously it has grown to incorporate a lot of other ideas but those groups were central to it at the start.
Songs because we live in an era where we should probably be exploring new/other ideas with guitars and maybe it’s an admission that troubadour music is not new but it can be fun to write and play.More...
songs, jeff burch, ela stiles, steve uren, max doyle, my number, this is not art