Stockist Spotlight - Your Organ Grinder

Who are you?  Simmone Spring, the creator of Your Organ Grinder

What do you make?  Anatomical, Biological and Medical Art and Accessories, made from Wool Felt and Fleece, sewn and needlefelted.

When did you get started?  I started making my "specimens" about 4-5 years ago (2007), but have always been a "maker" and before Your Organ Grinder I was only doing my other label The Little Orchard (cute and quirky felt and fabric goodies).

Why do you make your 'thing'?  I ask myself this a lot, and cannot say for sure why I am interested in Body parts and medical oddities.  I have always liked things that are "interesting" and "detailed."  I used to collect bugs as a kid, had a microscope and wanted a telescope, and have wanted to be a taxidermist since I was about 12.  I also really love the learning that goes along with making Body parts.

Where to next for you? (what direction do you see your work heading in?)  After finding some very awesome anatomy books and making more and more specific and odd things for people I really want to continue in making more medical anomalies, as well as studies of how parts intereact and work, such as the links between the liver,pancreas and spleen.  I also want to do more bones that really look like bones and joints. I also want to do more and more large pieces.  I've made a life sized Spine and a Anatomical Woman (5ft tall), and really want to keep working on large displays.  I also want to make Zombie Marionettes!  

 

 

View Point Handmade Gallery - Hand Drawn Logo

Look at what we just had made, we're so happy with it!!

Exciting things are a-bewin'!

 

After a six month incubation period, the Next On Now Art Blast is almost upon us! Next On Now will culminate in a weekend long arts festival, the Next on Now Art Blast from 24^th to 26^th February. Showcasing seven artists throughout Bendigo in a variety of mediums.

The Art Blast features seven installations with works by artists Leonie Kelsall, Tom Pender, Kelly Robson, Christine Sayer, Katie Sfetkidis, Isobelle Sirianni, Amy Turton and Rick Whateley. You can meet the artists and learn more about their journey at the Next on Now Art Blast launch on Tuesday 7^th February, 5-6:30pm at El Gordo Café, Chancery Lane, Bendigo.

The Art Blast opens on Friday 24^th February from 6pm-8pm upstairs at Viewpoint Handmade Gallery, 13 View Point, Bendigo and runs through Saturday and Sunday. A weekend pass to the Art Blast costs $10 and provides you with a program containing locations map, cultural notes and admission to all installations and performances. Passes are available from the Capital Theatre Box Office at 50 View Street, Bendigo or telephone 03 5434 6100. For more information about Next on Now visit the artists’ blog at www.nextonnow.com. 

 

This will also be the first chance for the public to catch a glimpse of View Point Handmade Gallery's upstairs exhibition and workshop space - don't miss the opportunity to see what Central Victoria has to offer!

Stockist Spotlight - *bespoke* zine

Who are you?

My name is Jess Van Den, and I'm a full-time creative entrepreneur.

What do you make?

I'm the publisher and editor of *bespoke* zine - a magazine made for, and by, the creative and craft community. It's full of inspirational stories, interviews, features, tutorials, recipes, reviews and much more.

When did you get started?

*bespoke* Issue 1 launched in October 2010, and we're now up to Issue 5 (out in early December).

Why do you make your 'thing'?

I started *bespoke* because I decided that I wanted to create something inspirational and tangible for the creative community. I already had a blog, so I didn't want to make an ezine - I wanted to make a paper magazine that you could hold, flick through, and enjoy in a quiet moment with a cup of tea.

Where to next for you? (what direction do you see your work heading in?)

I'd love to see *bespoke*'s readership grow over the next year, to the point where I have to start hiring some more helpers!

Stockist Spotlight - Villa Hunter

Today we're spotlighting Krystle from Villa Hunter - a Ballarat based maker who is now stocking a selection of her gorgeous homewares with View Point. Make sure you check out her fabulous Christmas range.


There's still time to enter our giveaway, you have until the 24th of November to get your entries in!

Who are you?
I'm Krystle Hunter and I live in Ballarat. I have 2 babies- one Villa Hunter and 2 my 3yr old daughter who is where a lot of my inspiration comes from. The name Villa Hunter came from spending some time in Spain and loving it! And with me making home wares 'Villa' meaning house fitted nicely, and my husband said he'd like the business name to have our name in it too- So Villa Hunter was born :)

What do you make?
 Well it started off with cushions with panels that I had woven, then while I was pregnant I got all maternal and started making girls reversible pinafores. Tees, singlet and long sleeve tops were then added and I started screen printing my designs. I cut back a bit from the house wares cause I got really busy with the clothing side of things. Now the maternal side of me has gone and I have refocused back to the home wares including cushions, birdie buntings and at current Christmas decorations. I am still heavily into the screen printing side and enjoy it a lot.

When did you get started?
 6 years ago I had a foot injury that made me stop my work with Nicola Cerini. After a while of trying to rest I started to feel like I was going to go crazy if I didn't start doing something. I started weaving and making cushions and then it has moved and changes since.

Why do you make your 'thing'?
hmm why not :) I enjoy making things. I also feel that it is important for Children (and adults) to learn by using their sense of touch, so I try and incorporate texture into my work and I like to encourage people to touch my work.


Where to next for you? (what direction do you see your work heading in?) :) I'd love to one day have a studio space away from my house (so household chores etc aren't a distraction) with at least a couple of people, either working for Villa or sharing the studio space. Being around other crafties helps and inspires new ideas grow. Also I'd love my work to be in more shops :) But this still might be a couple of years off with a little one at home- but that's the aim :)

Stockist Spotlight - Neekie Noo

Today's Stockist Spotlight is Amanda from Neekie Noo - she makes beautiful accessories with a floral, whimsical style.

Don't forget to enter our giveaway, you have until the 24th of November to get your entries in!

Who are you?

My name is Amanda and I live in Melbourne with my husband, 3 yr old girl and little boy on the way. At the moment I divide my time into being a mother, casual teacher and estimator but my passion (the thing I spend a lot of time thinking about but not enough time doing!) is designing and making accessories.

What do you make?

I make accessories i.e. neckpieces, cuffs, purses, brooches. I love materials such as felt and fabric, ribbons, twine and beads both new and re-purposed and I am particularly drawn to vintage materials, fabrics and craft techniques. Hence, my latest addiction to the flower loom from the 1960’s which I have used to make my accessories for spring. I strive to create beautiful things out of inexpensive materials and I enjoy for example, breathing new life into an old vintage floral sheet or using something unusual like pink builders string in one of my designs. I must also mention I am addicted to daisies and any flowers really!!

When did you get started?

I have always loved textiles a spin off from many years working as a commercial interior designer. It all started however, with designing & making a dove and daisy mobile for my little girl after she was born- we had doves nesting in our courtyard trees at the time and well the daisy motif I’ve already explained! That led to sewing felt purses and learning the craft of needle-felting which expanded into brooches and led to the exploration of different crafts and designing accessories such as cuffs, neckpieces etc. I really enjoyed the hands on activity of making things after many years of designing interiors and drafting on the computer. My love of vintage has always been there also, I just love objects that have a history and I would rather spend money on an object that has a history and a bit of character (a crack or imperfection tells a story) I also remember as a child I loved spending time with my Nana looking at her jewels, mainly the costume pieces form the 1960’s and being delighted by all of her treasures! Exploring vintage crafts now and giving them a new spin is all just an extension of this.

Where to next for you? (what direction do you see your work heading in?)

I don’t really have a major plan for my craft, I am really just enjoying living in the moment with it and going with the flow of wherever this takes me. I am starting to teach myself macramé at the moment so who knows what will be next!

 

Celebratory Giveaway

View Point celebrated it's 2 month birthday yesterday, with cake (well, tart... but cake is more traditional) Since opening we've been overwhelmed by the amount of support we've received from the Bendigo community and the Art and Craft community both locally and further afield.

We don't just have a successful first 2 months of trading to be excited about - we're also making progress on the renovation of the rest of the building, the eventual arrival of our EFTPOS terminal (we have entered a new age!) and we're creeping up to a milestone 350 fans on facebook.

We'd love to celebrate with all of you by doing what we do best, sharing a little handmade love around!

We've decided to host a giveaway, with some gracious donations from some of our wonderful stockists, here's more about the prizes and details on how you can enter.

The Prizes:
I couldn't decide what to pick for 1st, 2nd and 3rd prize, so instead have opted for THREE prize packs of equal awesomeness. More prizes are likely to be added over the course of the competition, but here is a terrible photo (I really must remember to bring my camera in to the store) of one of the prize packs as they stand currently. (as a side note, how adorable is our christmas fabric in the background??)

Each pack is worth around $40 (currently) and contains:
- a vanilla chocolate cupcake soap from Urthly Organics
- a metal or cord bookmark from Mrs Monkei Jewellery
- a badge pack from Badger & Coyote
- a blank card from Able & Game

Stay tuned to our facebook for details of the additions to the prize packs!


How to Enter:
Perform one of the following to earn an entry into the competition. You can enter as many times as you like, but please leave a separate comment below this post for each of the following actions:

• Like our facebook and leave a friendly message! (Note that only likes from your personal page count!)
• Publicise View Point in some way- and let us know how (Tweet, blog, shout-out…whatever!)
• Follow our blog (that's where you are now!) and comment on one of the other posts.
• Tell us about something you’ve already bought from View Point, customer appreciation photos earn extra points - upload a photo to our facebook or email us a copy.
•  Follow this blog (or say hello if you already are!).

The competition will run until the 1st of December, 2011 and the winners will be drawn randomly from the comments below. Good luck!