creative designers in tasmania

last weekend I had the opportunity to fly to tasmania; in and out of launceston.  what a fabulous place.  we visited the design center and were fortunate enough to encounter an exhibition of the entries from the tasmanian design award.  the objective of the award was to encourage innovation in ideas and action. tisit the Tasmanian Design Award website for full details.  HTTP://WWW.TASMANIANDESIGNAWARD.COM.AU/CATEGORY/FINALISTS-BY-YEAR/2011-FINALISTS/    the diversity of material, function and the resourcefulness of these young entrants was amazing.  here are a few pictures of my favourites:  

Michelle

on the street with a pink fluffy chair

i found myself on my street corner this morning taking photos of our very pink and fluffy chair.

it was quite amusing!  2 people stopped to ask me for directions and one guy asked us "what on earth we were doing on the road".  everyone else just drove by trying not to make eye contact, yet having a good stare.  the things we do for art!

michelle

i'm still learning how to use photoshop ...  
but this is what the photo shoot was all about.
the pink and black fluffy chair!
www.FunkedUpFurniture.blogspot.com

more street art

i've been in west end (brisbane) a few times this week. we sat and had noodles at JACKPOT DINER http://www.jackpotdining.com.au/ on boundary st.  i think it is the best value, best noodles with fast friendly service in brisbane.  we love it!  my daughters also did an art and yoga class at the ART SHED. http://artshedbrisbane.com.au/ also an absolutely fantastic program for children. i recommend highly! and will share more in a separate blog posting.  BUT what i  also love about west end is the STREET ART.

this is what i found around the ART SHED.  there is so much more tucked on the side of buildings, in car parks and on fences.

its inspiring me to somehow incorporate this style on the fabric for one of our FUNKED UP FURNITURE pieces.  see www.funkedupfurniture.blogspot.com . i dont quite know what...i'm still working on the inspiration!

best wishes for today
Michelle

a day at GOMA

today i went to GOMA with my daughters class.  before today i had not been to see the surrealism exhibition: the poetry of dreams, nor the torres strait islands exhibition: land, sea and sky.  i highly recommend both before they finish on the 2 October.

i was absolutely amazed at the print makers works in the land, sea and sky exhibition.  they were so incredibly detailed, incredibly huge, they just blew me away.  i was well into the exhibition before i thought to take a photo (no flash) as a memento to share with you.

this just blew me away, it is a lino print

the surrealism exhibition was also excellent.  it was wonderful to see works so well known in one place. the interactive area for kids was captivating and so well organised (as it always is!) and the book: surrealism for kids, is a direct reflection of this area.  a worthwhile buy.

the artwork grace and i did ...

for more information on the exhibition the poetry of dreams go to http://qag.qld.gov.au/exhibitions/current/surrealism_the_poetry_of_dreams/the_origins_of_surrealist_art

i hope you enjoy them as much as i did.

best wishes
Michelle

art on the street

it's my favourite subject at the moment.  i find myself driving all over brisbane looking down the lanes, checking out fences and back of buildings!  photographing as much as i can ...

i love it because it is a fluid beast encompassing art which is found in or inspired by our urban environment. its undertones originated from rebellion, and for those that just make marks on a wall, they still do, but now in some cases it is a means of urban beautification and regeneration and there are some absolutely fantastic work that can only be understood by seeing it.   what i also love is that we can't own it.  it is not for the gallery and it cant become a trophy. it is a form of communication...asking difficult questions and expressing concerns!

whether it s vandalism or public art, street art really has caught the interest of the art world and lovers of beautiful things.

i have been working on a program for anyone that is into street art and i would like to get it out there in the near future (check out my program page).  would love to know if it is something of interest.

Finally have a look at what i found on the weekend...if you like it please follow me (there will be more coming) and share it with your friends...

best wishes

michelle

loveday+silabon: peeling back the layers

follow this link to read and see more.


loveday+silabon: peeling back the layers: "The Church at my children's school recently reopened as a Church after a year and a half of being used as a classroom, and with it came some old and very interesting pieces of furniture (also some not so old and not so interesting).  All I have done here is recover the cushion in a tasteful warwick fabric, but what I wanted to show you was the interesting layers of fabric this cushion has endured over the years.  Vinyl;  green and then gold.  Every layer was still there.  In it original state (rather well worn and very dirty).  I did remove the vinyl (which seemed like a shame given the history underneath) but I left the original covering, just incase it is still being used and ready to be recovered in another 30 years."

michelle

What I found underneath 

The finished product

my favourite sculpture

The most favourite piece of artwork I own. A sculpture called Michelle by Monte Lupo. They are amazing. Have a look http://www.multicap.org.au/mon​telupo/art_therapy_program

it's time to share something big

so i have been working on restoring, or should i say reliving, furniture for a while now.  it is an interest, a hobby i have enjoyed.  but now it is no longer just an interest.  we are coming out, and i want to share it with you.


http://lovedaysilabon.blogspot.com


our workshop is open and our blog is all about our furniture, the things we like and the things we are working on.

LOVEDAY+SILABON is the creative expression of a designer and a craftsman and a collection of interesting, but unwanted furniture.

from our workshop we convert this furniture into unique pieces of useable art.  you can visit by appointment, just send us a message.

there is lots more coming soon so please follow us!

my little entrapenuers

my 4 little entrapenuers made $19.50 today selling fruit from nana's grapefruit and lemon trees.  they stood near the road and they made most of their sales when they jumped up and down, waved the sign and wiggled the fruit around.  

it made everyone smile.

the message:

1. advertising works.  wave that sign and wiggle that fruit!

2. effort counts.  when they were there, looking after the store they got customers, when they walked away....nothing happened!

3. good ideas are simple, and profits are high when the fruit is free!

4.  have fun, smile, even when no one is around!

5.  finally, don't have too many bosses!

they will be back tomorrow.  so if you are looking for fruit on kureelpa falls rd ... there are some creative kids working hard.

my inspiration today

i've been totally inspired this week by a wonderful group of women ... entrepreneurs ... with amazing business ideas.  my biggest take home today was "notice what you notice".  yesterday it was "no idea is silly".  so i am going to share with you my idea ... my business ... and i would love to know what you think.

firstly let me tell you something i noticed, and i noticed it because my friends were asking me for help with fundraising for organisations they were involved in.  it was:  "what can we do to raise funds for our organisation that is creative, useable, noticeable, it is actually something that people want not what they feel they have to buy, what is something that they are going to keep using and is branded but not in your face???"

now i have a background in marketing, so i thought i would have a good answer these questions ... but it probably wasn't until today that i really thought a lot more about it ... and have come up with a solution ...

"a heart to give" which is all about creative fundraising.

my first project under this banner is a line of branded clothing, that people want to wear and keep wearing "a heart to wear". the second, "a heart to use", is a project that i have personally been working on since the floods in brisbane: reusable functional art in the form of chairs.

i will write more about these projects another time ... so watch this space ...
and keep watching for more inspiring birdie stories ... the motivation behind "a heart to give".

i haven't got a problem, i've been given an opportunity

want to know what the birdie said?

so while the bird sits way up high and sings that lovely little tune, she is thinking, wondering, contemplating: fly and be free or sit and sing.  it's really nice to have the choice. not a problem, but of course.  an opportunity is open wide, she just needs to look inside.

i would love to know what you think of this story.  how does it make you feel?  have you ever thought this way? does it make you think about things in a different way?

thought for the day

there shall be an eternal summer in the grateful heart.

I thought that was beautiful and wanted to share it with you.

more birdies

thought you might like to see some more birdies.  my children found my visual diary this morning and all of a sudden i am drawing birds and hearts everywhere.  no one has lunch or bags packed for school but they have birds .... i am sharing the ones i did for daniel.

birdies and hearts

i have been working with birds and hearts and thinking alot about how to expand the theme through a "heart to wear".  from a design point of view the curve of the heart is inspiring me.  the same curve is in the bird. if you have read my earlier blog you know why i have a heart.  but why a bird?  well let me tell you a little story....

there is a small little bird with a sweet little voice.  it sits all alone high up in the branches of a beautiful tree singing a love song. for a long time it was the same song, but today her song is different, she's singing "please notice me, i am happy".  and with that lovely song, came lots of friends.  all singing the same song.  happiness attracts happiness.  it starts in our mind and flows through our body.

and so that is the story of the little birdie.  i hope she inspires you, because one day you will be able to wear her near your heart.

new design, old design

the heart is a stylised m for michelle and represents a theme of "a heart to wear"

i started the year with so many great ideas on how i was going to take my designs forward.  but  as for many of us, the year started quite unexpectedly.  i am however back on board now, fundraising and designing.

my designs to date have been specifically created for organisations, which is a great place to start, but what i would like to do is create images around my slogan "a heart to wear".

i'd like to do a lot more with the love heart: which mind you was not designed by me but a friend, bryce white.  he stylised it from the m in michelle and of course with a last name of loveday, where else could we go!  and I would like to do something with my little birdies ..... they were designed for a dress i made last year.

i'm going to spend the next couple of months working on a bunch of new designs, so i will keep you up to date and i would love your input.

 

little birdies were printed on a dress i designed last year.

hello

my name is michelle loveday.  i'm an australian artist and an advocate of random acts of kindness.  2 years ago i decided to combine these 2 things together and start raising funds for organisations.

printmaking is my "thing" so among other various works that i was undertaking i started printing tshirts and donating a % to organisations that my friends were involved in.

in this blog i will share with you the things that i like, the designs i am working on, and the organsiations i admire.