LOUIE & I

You didn’t REALLY think by winding up the retail space, I’d lay low did you?

Some of you are aware of this, others will be hearing for the first time now! My kid and I have been getting our creative and colour on, and have come up with ‘louie & I’ handmade and homemade jewellery.

The idea kind of cemented itself when she didn’t get in to Mosman High – as a distraction, and a reminder that she was a valid creative kid and her ideas were pretty fab! I’m pretty stoked with our results so far… Hope you enjoy browsing our Etsy shop  

THANK YOU for browsing, and remember you are not just supporting Handmade, or even Homemade; you are supporting family – and that’s kind of cool on any level.

There are no corporations or entities here – simply a Mum and her girl trying to live a hardworking, creative life. Thanks for continuing to make that possible, and believing WE CAN DO IT.

Live your dreams

Mothers Day with Manly Art Gallery

Don’t miss out on this special local event. Supporting Artists and Designers near and including some of Red Olive wares, prints + cards by Jessica Watts and also our favourite textile designer Mel from the Organic Mamas… Get amongst it locals!

last day EVER!!!

I’m excitedly planning my next exhibition – focussing on Loobylou AND another little side project with my daughter, Lanya. WATCH THIS SPACE!!!

…To white, or not to white…that is the annual question!

Compare the two rooms. One on left is sparkly, fresh – where Unicorns live. One on right looks nice, but Unicorns wouldn’t live here…Written of course, without prejudice. 

Ok folks out there in blog land, followers, friends I NEED YOU!!! (I hope you had the appropriate visual of the finger pointy poster whose name escapes me). NO, I’m not trying to engage you in public warfare. Not even close. Relax…

It’s as simple as … choosing a colour!

You know that saying about how Sparkies have dodgy wiring at home, builders have countless un-finished projects etc? Well let me tell you it’s THE SAME for Designers, Stylists and ESPECIALLY when said Styling Designer specialises in colour. Purely for home you see. My record is it took me 18 months to choose a living room colour once. Oh dear lord I went through every shade of Olive known to man…18 months later, we fell for Wattyl ‘Pepper.’ Six months later we moved…but that is another story.

Here’s the real deal. We repaint the floors at the ARTspace every year (and sometimes in between). It’s important to me to maintain the space to the same level of professionalism the Artists give us along with the privilege of hanging their incredible works. It’s picky and pedantic – and I’m ok with that, they’re my middle name. I LOVE the ARTspace. I’m walking away from retail to focus on said ARTspace. I’m re-launching, and I’m doing it large! I have all sorts of ideas and plans for upcoming shows, but one thing at a time. The floors.

As you know, we’re selling of the retail wares and making way for the lovely Christine O’Hagan to join our crew. Perfect timing for a little bit of a spruce up, we have to move stuff anyway you see…Now, the dilemma is not in that I can’t choose a shade of a particular colour, it’s the actual colour.

I LOVE WHITE FLOORS!!!!!

We have a yummy neutral grey on there now. It sits at around 5 maybe on the Greyscales. It’s lovely, I picked a great shade. It doesn’t conflict or compete with any Artworks, it doesn’t take away or impinge in negative ways on the space.

It works.

OR: It ‘worked.’

In the spirit of fresh new change, I’m re-visiting my annual internal (and to anyone who listens) debate on the repainting of the floors…

Anyone who knows commercial enamel knows that it’s not going to be easy to do this. The walls are an low sheen pain in the butt regularly patching but utterly fabulous colour and solution for the Gallery. The don’t reflect OR absorb too much light. The don’t engage the eye away from the Artwork. HOWEVER white enamel cut in to said walls is a painstaking detailed job. It will require several coats from my beloved. It will looks INCREDIBLE.

White floors make everything around them look shiny sparkly and wonderful – and yet they draw your attention to the objects and works they embrace. Beauty seems to float within them…I have always always loved white floors, but at home I accept that we’re not a white floor family as a unit. Here’s why. Today my daughter arrived. There was the clunk thud of her arrival, the dropping of scooter – and then in chorus a guitar case propped against the other side of the table bang crashed to the ground. I was sending a prayer of gratitude that she wasn’t carrying paint….

But it’s the ARTspace, that’s a place of solace and beauty…

Here’s my pro-cons. Comment, vote, HELP MEEEEE because as I said to Aj today – I would imagine that the pain of dealing with this each and every year is surely now outweighing the pain and annoyance of painting the floor. Surely right? Who want’s to ‘just wonder?’ That’s not how I roll myself… Obv. I’m Team White…PRO is for white CON is not for white.

PRO: It’ll look pretty spectacular, let’s be honest.  CON: It looks really nice now.

PRO: When white scuffs it looks all charming and shabby. It works. CON: Mud.

PRO: When grey scuffs and wears it looks unkempt and poorly maintained. CON: It’s already there and easy to keep.

PRO: It’ll look pretty CON: So would I if I wasn’t painting floors…lol.

PRO: At least I’ll know. CON: White = 3 coats, Grey = 1

PRO: At least I’ll see when the floors are dirty. Dirt is gross – if I see it I’ll clean it. CON: It hides a multitude of sins now, and I don’t enjoy mopping. Nope, not a fan.

PRO: We love putting love and energy into the ARTspace CON: We could be reading, talking, hanging in Lola.

PRO: My husband loves me enough to support my kind of crazy. CON: I love him too, and I’m sure he’d rather surf.

So there you have it…Do YOU have white floors? Are they as bad as I am anticipating? Should I just stop blogging and start painting…???

x

P.S. STOKED to have a drama of this (lack of) calibre to bring you after the last few years – let me tip you reader!

$5 FRIDAY!!!

Utter madness. Instore only…HEAPS of other items included in $5.00 Friday. We have leased the spot where the Retail is – so we’ve gotta get out!!!

What I am now I’m a grown up (with a side serve of super cheesy)

This week a creative mate posted a status on FB looking for women working in a creative/arts field within certain perimeters for a potential mag interview with a well known rag. Nothing to lose, I put myself forward. Basically he asked me to provide a brief description of what it was that I did.

Uh oh.

What the?

Put a name on it?

Now, what is it I’m trying to be now I’m (just) a grown up…

Here’s what I came up with. So much cheese I wasn’t sure if I wanted to slap my own face, or hire me Stat. Amusing none the less. What do you guys think?

“Sometimes people know what they want and like, but often don’t quite know how to pull it all together. This can vary from major space planning, interior and retail styling, to the commissioning and even creation of a customised Artwork.

This is where I come in…’the creative coordinator’ or somewhat of an Artistic Director who helps you turn the space you have, into a space you love..”

x me

What creative life do YOU want for Sydney?

Right Sydney creatives – we all say we don’t have a voice in wider Sydney . Well I hope you’ve got lot’s to say, cause now you do… Get amongst it folks. And don’t think I’m shouting out to Artists only. Musicians, jewellers, fire twirlers, hell – carni folk if you will.

Any creative innovators out there – let’s BE a part of the ideas that become policy…

http://sydneyyoursay.com.au/creativecity?module=forum

endofwork13

Howdy Peeps,

I hope you’ve had a marvellous Easter break filled with all the important stuff. We hightailed it to Jambaroo, so there was laughter a’plenty between freak storms of course!

I always thought that if a time came where I sent an email of this nature, I would do so with a heavy heart. Though it is in fact possibly long overdue and maybe even expected, it’s with lightness and vigour I write to you about the winding up of all things retail. As you know the last 2 years have been … confronting for me to say the least, and something had to give. With a keen eye, I’ve been paying attention to all the hats I’m wearing, and balls I’m juggling (no, don’t be rude!) and something had to be shifted. Lately going to the ARTspace has felt a little like being pulled from 4 different directions. It’s 2 years with Easter weekend to when I first “checked in” at RNS Hospital, and stayed there for 5.5 months of that year. I’ve had a lot of time to think about what’s important to me, and the kind of future I want to create. In deciding, I threw it all up in the air, and it landed like this…

1) ARTspace itself, the studios, Gallery, my return to Art+Craft classes (for young + old). The ARTspace makes my heart sing, it always has. I want it to return to a place that inspires, not overwhelms me. I want to facilitate creativity again, play, learn, be reminded of the joy of being creative. I went to the Talhouse-Lautrec Exhibition recently in Canberra, and Lanya asked me why I always cry in Galleries (this time it was a Monet that started the tears). I explained that these people made it possible for me, my peers, my buyers – they gave us permission to set free that part of us that can’t help but create.

2) My own Art + Design stuff, which is constantly on the back burner to everything else. I miss painting, the smell, the texture, the sense of oneness it’s always been for me. I really am un-settled by this very long period of paint free clothing. I don’t think its a long term ‘look’ for me. And I miss you guys! I miss Exhibiting, and I miss Decorating. I’d like to be back on the road soon. I love taking your forgotten treasures and making them stars again. I love changing your spaces from being something you reside in, to something you ‘live’ in, with your favourite memories around you, somewhere you show love, entertain – or work for my old Commercial clients…whatever that case is. To me Design/Decorating was always all about making a space synonymous with its intended use…I see more value in that than ever having been stuck in mine for 2 years, let me assure you! I have a Solo Exhibitioned planned in my head, and I can’t WAIT.

3) Loobylou – the candle biz. I’m loving it! Emma and I have created something really special and it deserves more of us. We’ve begun retailing, selling online – and are really enjoying the ride. It’s nice being at this end of the production line, the creating side of it, rather than the selling of someone else’s creativity. It just makes sense to me, and to be creating something unique in a market that seems to be filled with sameness, and something we’re truly proud is a nice feeling. I have the first candle we ever poured on Jan 15th 2012 in a special nook in loobylou HQ. It’s a wonderful reminder, that big old Moccona Jar of how far we’ve come (and also how AWESOME our wax and oils are, you’d seriously think it was poured this week it’s so fresh!)

4) That leaves Red Olive – the retail side of things. I set up the shopfront initially more as a platform to meet your fine selves, and a billboard for Interior Design stuff when I first moved to the area. I’d gone from being a busy retailer and decorator in the Inner West to being a stranger on your shores. And what made perfect sense then, doesn’t really anymore. The shop became an entity unto itself, and almost got in the way of design and Art, and it wasn’t supposed to be that way, so… I’m taking the reins back.

The Retail side of Red Olive has got to go. It makes the most sense. It brings me the most peace. For 4 weeks following Easter, we will be there from 10-3pm, Fridays and Saturdays. EVERYTHING MUST GO. We have some interest in the space already by a pretty spectacular Artist we’d be thrilled to offer a space to. Everything will be 50%+ which for a lot of products it’s MUCH LESS than wholesale as for many things we’ve sold at below retail, and they’re already reduced. Some jewellery now if about 80% less than RRP. Essentially, I’m paying you to help me take it away… so go on, stock up. Go Christmas shopping. You know how I feel about being super organised – there’s no such thing as being ‘too organised.’ My old work colleagues will have a little chuckle here – I was WORSE in the corporate office Insurance days…

Sales will extend online, but do keep in mind we will be updating the online shopping platform as fast as we can, but be aware of the odd occasion where something may sell minutes before you try to buy it online and still show as being available. In the situation you REALLY want something, I would possibly call or email in this situation as I have a feeling these weekends are going to be bonkers. But weekday online sales are a good way to stock up on your favourite ranges while you still can, at prices unheard of! I’ve still got a little Jaye Niemi, Aunty Cookie, Have you met miss Jones, some Outliving, and lots and lots of vintage and even more jewellery! Because it’s a US dollar site, I’ve reduced everything 40%. The extra 10% will come from exchange rates, and often better off for you. Plus this way there’s paypal and Credit card as an option, whereas instore it’s cash only, or direct deposit for larger/bulk purchases (or paypal in store).

ONLINE DISCOUNT CODE: endofwork13

So, like the very talented Artist Videographer, Marijose Cruz likened this to last week, was a personal renovation. We all need to renovate our lives and souls, and this is me working on mine. Rather than juggling many things badly – I’ll do less of them and be great at them. Red Olive will still exist, but it reverts to being the Design + Art + Curating Business it used to be, with the odd personally custom made and created item or two…

So tell your friends. These prices will be unheard of, insane, and for a limited time only. We have to move out of the space at the end of April, so let’s get cracking!

Creating I shall go… Watch this (evolving not ending) space xxx

FInal Clearance Sale – Art + Soul Furniture (Pete Smart)

After more than 13 years in Geringong designing and creating bespoke pieces of furniture, Art + Soul Furniture is having aCLEARING SALE on Saturday 23rd AND Sunday 24th March 2013. 9am @ The Gerringong Dairy Co-Op  18 Belinda Street, Gerringong.

On offer will be a range of recycled timber, woodworking tools and machinery, hardward, work benches, wooden foundry patterns, industrial and railway antiques, old furniture and many other items.

I’ve set this invitation up for a couple of reasons…

1) Pete was one top bloke, and a genius at what he did. I met him at a time when I was still studying Design/Decoration and I was a little jaded by the … industry, and those within it. Then I met Pete on a random road trip down south, and found absolute legend in his field. Pete’s to this day is my favourite restorer and designer. My friends/ex clients will recognise some of his wares from my home and shops. My big industrial coffee table – the old railway trolley many of you would wheel out of my home if my back was turned, my business card holder sanding planes, some of the industrial signs I used to feature – I’ve lost count. Pete didn’t believe in hiding the scars and layers of time, he accentuated them – his work told a story. I clearly recall being there one day and he has this huge Sewing table from the Country Woman Assoc. full of tiny little scratches from the tiny needles hitting the table. His eyes would shine when he spoke of the history of each piece. He knew he was working with treasure, and he treated his work as the prize that it was. This is my way of tipping my hat to a true craftsman, and a true professional.

2) My friends know that Pete passed away in October of last year. He left behind 3 sons who he loved even more than all the furniture in the world, a loved dog, a family/friends and a space filled with treasure. Without Pete, there’s not really much ‘Art + Soul’ and a lot of this will be offered in this clearance sale. This is it folks, your chance to come find treasures…This is the sort of stuff that you proudly tell stories of, marvel over the craftsmanship and hand down for generations to come. This is lifetime stuff, family heirloom stuff – with equal parts rough edges and perfect detailing, a little like Pete….

Hope to see you there.. x

Fab Feb + the Fire Snakes…

Long time no hear folks – I hope you all had a wonderful colourful Christmas and New Years.

 We’re in the Chinese year of the snake again – a BIG year for creativity and learning of all kinds. I can’t wait to see what amazing works will be created this year. Interestingly my daughter and I are not only both Snakes, we’re both Fire Snakes at that! Has always made for an ‘interesting’ family dynamic…And Valentines Day Thursday. I’m always amused by peoples take on Valentines and I find a lot of people for or against. I’m Pro-Valentine. I kind of think it’s nice to have a day where you pause, be grateful and appreciate your loved ones.

Lot’s of building and learning and planning from this end last year. A year of working out what to focus on, and what ideas to let go of. Often people think it’s wonderful having a head full of ides – but in can actually be a pain in the butt at times. We’re almost at max. again in the ARTspace which is nice. Lot’s of wonderful creative energy bursting from the place – just how we like it. It’s been a slow and steady return to exhibitions and public events in the space. I’m making a conscious separation of the underground ARTspace, and Red Olive Studios this year, which will culminate with a website launch and corresponding Exhibition of our featured Artists, ‘underground ARTspace HAND PICKED’ which we’re really excited about. Further to that a few of us ARTspacers are in the Early stages of planning a Product Launch – which is perhaps the most exciting part about managing the ARTspace – witnessing the ideas that come out of it, and the growth and transformations that happen there. So many ideas have been conceived and born, and ultimately introduced to you. There’s been a real shift, and as always change can be wonderful.

One of those was an idea from yours truly born in a hospital bed and bought to fruition with my good friend and family member, Emma Rush. ‘Loobylou – candles with conscience’ has been long in the planning, but we had to be confident we were bringing you something truly wonderful. I’m attaching more info for those interested – but it was important to Emma and I that we created a product that actually lived up to what it said it was, at a price point that made it accessible. Too often candles are promoted as being Environmentally aware, thoughtful, and the like – and then they come with so much packaging which looks pretty for thirty seconds – before it (hopefully) hits the recycling bin. Too often someone actually will have a great candle, but package it in cheap glass which splits or overheats and ruins your furniture. Too often inferior candles with inferior materials are bought in from China – then marketed as Australian Made – What the?. Oh, and my personal favourite – ‘organic’ or ‘pure’ candles filled with more Emulsifiers and stabilisers than there is fragrance! Our candles are not 100% essential oil (we have created our own blends) but a mixture of essential and high quality fragrance. Our wax is pure organic Soy wax (food grade) and our wicks are cotton with no lead or harmful chemicals. The jars are thick strong pharmaceutical glass which retains the heat better than any other candle I’ve ever burned, and the re-use options are endless. Our candles are about the experience, the time you set aside when you burn a candle – and each fragrance features a quote or creed we try to apply in everyday life. Our candles are about contributing to thoughtfulness, both for the Environment and your homes – because, above all else – they smell AMAZING!!! And we are 100% Australian made – as in the first few batches were poured in our kitchens until we could set up in the ARTspace. The website will be launched before the end of the week, but if you want to know more it currently re-directs to our online shopping site www.loobylou.com.au

Loobylou is taking a very public step forward by having a stand at the fabulous H.E.A.L Network event, the Healthy Happy Family Expo’ next weekend in North Balgowlah. I’m attaching the invitation, and strongly urge you to come along and support this wonderful event. Bring along your open mind, and there’s something for everyone! We’re really proud to be invited to take part in this event.

So much to say, so little time. Stay in touch though …I miss your faces.

xxx  Kere + the Red Olive rangers