*New In Store* Storm Bowl by Jaan Poldaas

Storm Bowl by Jaan Poldaas; Photo: Courtesy of artist

A cloud of colour gathers around foot of the storm

The Storm Bowl by Jaan Poldaas is designed to add powerful accents to any interior. These striking pieces explore traditional glass effects with a graphic, contemporary flair. Available in two colourways, warm and cool, we are all in love already! For more information check them out in our online store

*November Offers*

Hello all our lovely online friends,

We are pleased to pass on two special offers right in time for the gift giving season ahead. Firstly we are offering FREE shipping Australia-wide for items purchased through our online bigcartel store to help those of you who are time-poor and looking for gift inspiration. Also, if you live local and prefer to pop in and see us at the store in Surry Hills, we have an offer for you too! In association with the NSW Governments Summer in Sydney campaign we are offering shoppers 10% off purchases made during Summer in store. All you have to do is say the words, literally, 'Summer in Sydney'.
We have been working hard putting up many new beautiful pieces online and are very happy to pass on these two great offers :)
Let's continue to support our fantastic local artist, especially during the gift giving season ahead.
Take Care xxx Team Collect

HYPERCLAY: Contemporary Ceramics 8 October 2011- 8 January 2012

Jacqueline Clayton,

Rilke and the Autoclave (detail), 2011.

Photo: Jacqueline Clayton

A provocative and engaging exhibition of work by Australian artists using clay in unexpected and suprising ways, HYPERCLAY: Contemporary Ceramics highlights the versatility of this time-honoured material, and in doing so, re-imagines its possibilities.

Featuring the work of: Walter Auer, Roderick Bamford, Stephen Bird, Jacqueline Clayton, Andrea Hylands, Addison Marshall, Pip McManus, Paul Wood.

Paul Wood,

Guardian's of a goddess (detail) 2011, re-fired ceramics and glass.
Photo: Siri Hayes

Addison Marshall,

Satellite #3 (detail), 2011. Bisque fired ceramic, bamboo skewers, cotton thread.

Photo: Addison Marshall

On a rainy day we went to sea

So think of those evenings that you picked up a book about pirates and adventures of treasure islands and wonderful sea- folly tales. think of mermaids and sea creatures and grab a cup of tea. Now imagine them with you and feel like you are on the greatest adventure ever, how would you keep them with you? Eels by Tenille Evans is the best way to do so.
Our latest addition to the Collect family is a wonderful designer who is a lover of antiques and traditional techniques. She has brought back to life the art of Scrimshawing, which is how sailors would pass their time and use bones of their huntings and expeditions. She works on bone and makes beautiful illustrations of sea inspired images. Very Moby Dick and Treasure island isn't it.

- Is that candy you're wearing? - No it's a necklace

There has been so much talk lately about Spring and sprunging, clashing colours as a major fashion 'in' and just the wonderful warm jasmine smell going on that we just thought it was great to give it a go and be 'hip as hop' with the extremely popular Emily Green 'candy' necklaces. she doesn't really call them candy, we do and by we I actually mean me.

These polymer clay beads are absolutely enchanting and a great quirky way to cheer up any outfit without making you feel that it's a wear once only kind of accesory. It's different and it has a subtle fun feeling about it that actually just made me jump to get one for myself and then just wear it all week just because it was new and because I loved it.

Her presentation of watercolour backgrounds and the fluoro colour beads with an occasional pastel and a little neutral makes them a great twist from your everyday likings.

Come on over and make lovely colour combinations getting ready for the Art and About 2011 and the Happy Talk House project that is officially opening tonight at Sandringham Gardens, Hyde Park North, 7 pm.

A natural world of 'otherworldly' delights

Cecilie Knowles is one of our latest adquisitions in the delightful design and objects world we have going on here at Collect. From the ever traditional technique of crochet she creates these beautiful designs that could make you feel like you were a part of a forest.

Her beautiful range of knitted necklaces inspired by the bracket fungi and crocheted with hand dyed japanese wool, are truly one of a kind. Beautiful and sustainable in every way.

Followed by a wide range of lichens with hand made beads and of course always presented in their very own tin can to keep them safe amongst a beautiful paper background made from vintage nature encyclopaedias, hand crocheted as well, from 100% merino wool.

Pop into Collect and see check them out during one of these amazingly warm and sunny days.

A whole new world

So word on the street is that there is an amazing exhibition going on at Object Gallery and it's totally up to date with the Sydney Design Activities that are going on at the moment, as well as other design events.

This exhibition is Now and When! Australian Urbanism and it is the entry that was submitted to the Venice Architecture Biennial last year. This amazing 3D experience in a 15 min. movie will take you to a hypothetical world in which the australian population has to adapt itself to the geographical reality of an over used territory.

2: Creators of wonders

2 by Lyn and Tony is a project that Australian photographers Lyn Balzer and Tony Perkins have been working on after a collaborative project with designer Konstantina Mittas for Rosemount Sydney Fashion Festival in 2008. As a result these hand made leather, precious stones and cotton thread became alive. They have also worked with prominent names such as Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Georg Jensen and Ksubi, amongst others

Working primarily with Australian materials Lyn and Tony have created a contemporary and exquisite range of unisex body adornment. Inspired by the Australian landscape and the beauty of the human body they look to reinterpret nature and it's textures in their creations.

Spring blossoms

Spring has sprung and with it we wish our two spring girls a very happy birthday, Happy birthday Michele and Kylie.
Have a lovely blossoming season and while you are at it drop by and check out the amazing Amanda Louden glass works we have with us, just as colourful and bright as the season, and of course full of Australia's beautiful blossoming flora.
Check out her work on our online shop

With Spring new blossoms broaden the colour palette

Brenda Factor and her anodised magnetic brooches perfect for a spring morning at a coffee shop or the beach

Now that spring is starting to appear in different forms and fashions it's quite common to see different little things that just make you realise how it will poop around the corner anytime soon and so it has in our lovely cabinet of treasures at Collect shop.

Check out Alida Cappeletta who explores nature and it's textures and reinteprets them in geometric shapes

Sterling silver studs that remind of blossoms .

Seedling love

Making a bit of an introduction to our support for Spring we bring to you a little note on a ton of Seedling Love, the season of blooms and everything that comes with it is soon to approach and with it different things are born like little buds and in other cases love.

A big congrats to one of our artists jewellery Bonny Lad who got chosen to be a part of a very important date, one of our customers decided to purchase some very Australian pieces for the flower girls of her son's wedding. the beautiful bangles with silver cast gumnuts are one in a million and definitely give us a bit of a tweak when thinking of accessorising for a wedding.

These will be travelling all the way to England for the occasion and will be a 'little something' for girls to cherish and enjoy for life.

So if you are looking to make a bit of a statement on an important date take a stroll with a tea in hand and check more of Bonny Lad's range.

Insects

I have a love for insects, they are beautiful and tiny and even though they roam around almost unnoticed, they are a big part of the enviroment and help out with the general maintenance of the earth.
Ants and bees are amongst my favourite, little hardworkers who make our life very pleasurable too with polinisation and honey.

In my ant obssessed world I started making and drawing ants a while ago so when I discovered Sandra Bowkett a Victoria based artists who work with porcelain and creates these little marvels my day got a little ray of light brighter.

Her porcelain and ceramics range is made up of a bunch of different images that remind you of every day life. Porcelain brooches of insects and of course including ants. I confess that when I discovered them i gave in and got myself a double ant and a bee. The bee just came in yesterday and I jumped at it before we even put it out with the rest of her display (sorry it was love at first sight).

If you want to check out some of her blue nature and leaves range click here, for lovely insects and crochet pop into our lovely shop if you're in Sydney I guarantee you'll love them.

Enter the Paper Attic: Benja Harney's paper creations

We are very lucky to be able to bring you an incredible show currently showing in Object's Project Space. In connection with Design Week, Benja Harney, a well known and highly respected paper artist brings to life objects that one might find in their attic. You will find an old wooden rocking horse, much loved ice skates, a discarded umbrella, piles of dusty books and even a mouse hole in the wall, all of which is intricately made out of paper. This exhibition allows viewers to marvel at Benja's incredible talents for all things paper and reflect on their own personal hidden treasures they might have tucked away in the attic or under the stairs.

These objects have a certain nostalgia about them in their uncanny realistic nature. It feels almost as if you have stumbled upon hidden away treasures that bring back childhood memories.




Benja describes himself as a paper engineer and a very apt title it is too. His paper creations are beautiful, intricate works of art. Each objects is carefully hand crafted to transform this humble medium of paper into curious reliquaries.

The exhibition is curated by Tara D'Cruz-Noble and will be showing until 25th September. During Design Week Object will be staying open on Thursday nights between the hours of 5-8pm on the 4 and 11 August.

To see more of Benja's work go to http://www.paperform.com.au/

On ya bike!

It's time to jump on that bike and get out into the fresh air and explore Sydney's art scene...

Cycling is a fun, healthy and sustainable way of getting around the city, and the craze is catching on. City of Sydney have been busy developing 10 regional cycling routes, and Object Gallery is located in the middle of one of its most popular bike networks.

The Inner East Circuit has an abundance of cosy cafes, vintage shops and galleries – so you will be pressed for time trying to fit it all in!

ART & DESIGN

OBJECT GALLERY
(417 Bourke St)

BRETT WHITELEY STUDIO
(2 Raper St)

OUTRE GALLERY
(Shop 7/285a Crown St)

Metalab (10b Fitzroy Place)

and EATING OUT ....

BOURKE ST BAKERY


After battling the hill climb up to Bourke St, you'll be ready....

*Online Store Update*

We have been busy lately updating Collect's online store!

Check out some of our beautiful pieces of Australian craft here

Object Loves Paper

On Saturday 4th June Object was pleased to host a workshop 'Works on Paper' by Bianca Chang as part of the A4 Paper Festival (31st May-5th June. ) Bianca is a Sydney-based emerging paper artist who taught the group techniques for creating layered paper sculptures-such as planning, plotting and cutting.

image from http://blog.paperconvention.com/

Although the A4 paper festival is officially over, you can check out the Paper Convention Collective website and blog for more information on this group of artists dedicated to the documentation of paper expressionism!

http://blog.paperconvention.com/

And for more papery goodness, we have copies of the first edition (May 2011)of Paper Runway Magazine which is sure to inspire DIY crafty paper projects.

Lastly, here are some of the lovely paper works from the pop up exhibition in the Manga-Pod during the festival.

Annual Manual-Showing until 19th June

Well it sure is a woolly winter Tuesday here at Object! It's been chilly of late, but we are cosy up in the gallery with the aid of our trusty heaters and so there is definitely no excuse for not visiting us especially with Annual Manual: A Guide to Australian Design Now in its final weeks! This exhibition curated by Office for Good Design is a significant award show of Australian emerging talent. 8 outstanding finalists have been judged by a panel and the winners have been awarded the opportunity to have a solo exhibition in Object's Project Space in 2012. Apart from the 8 finalists, there are also 10 more names to watch playing on the gallery AV. You will have to come in and see the winning pieces for yourself but for now, here are some pictures that show the breadth of design in this show.

Thomas Llewellyn (VIC) DRAWING BOARD

Emily Nam (VIC) BODY, CLOTHING,OBJECT,EXPERIENCE

Daniel Emma (SA) D.E

Meredith Turnbull (VIC) EARRINGS, OBJECTS, SCULPTURES

Esther Stewart (VIC) PORTABLE COMPACTIBLE

Kristel Britcher (SA) SUSPENSION SERIES RANGE & CRYSTALLINE COMPOSITION 1

In-ah Shin (NSW) ANOTHER: BEING ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE RIVER

Aly De Groot (NT) GHOST NET BASKETS

All images from Annual Manual: A Guide to Australian Design Now 2011

All Photography: Jamie Williams