Asahi Art Machine

So I've been busily making these little pieces for the Asahi Art Machine (a big vending machine full of art!) that's going to be part of the Living Lounge Festival which is taking place this weekend at Western Park, Ponsonby. It's going to be awesome! My kitsch idol Judy Darragh is a part of it too so I'm sure going to be getting some of her work.. The way I understand it to work is that you buy a beer and get a token for the machine, so basically I'll just be getting drunk!

I've made knitted tampon brooches, plaster brooches and nipple tassels! It'll definitely be interesting to see how well they go down!

Knitted Lightbulb Cosies!!

For the second issue of our fabulous zine Cardboard Box I knitted 4 lightbulb cosies (well 5 but the fifth got somewhat damaged after I left the light on for too long - they are a bit of a fire hazard as it turns out!) and popped them onto a page.. I have recently been offered the chance to do it on a much larger scale by the lovely Lou who owns OUi Boutique in St Kevins Arcade!

So here's the 9 cosies I've whipped up in the last few days.. they only take just over half an hour each to knit which is great. I've also been given free rein with colours!

So in three weeks time 30 lightbulb cosies will be hanging in the window display area of OUi Boutique. I think this is the most excited I've ever been! It will also co-incide with Sally Shand, one of our Issue Three featured artists, showing her work on the exhibition wall inside!

Feature in 'Herald Homes'

My knitted cheeseburger got a wee mention (and image!) in the homes section of the Sunday Herald. Quite a cool feeling I have to say!

Made for Aotearoa

This is some work of mine installed in 'Made for Aotearoa' a show that opened last night out at Papakura Art Gallery. They are all items from my daily routine that I've been working on for a while now. They are all titled according to what time I apply/insert/use them each morning, I do the same things at the same time everyday, give or take  a few minutes.

Mascara, Tampon box with tampons and hairties..

Probably my favourite item of mine in the show, my tampon brooches that I make were mentioned today on bfm as part of a Kraftbomb interview so I am feeling pretty pro-knitted tampons right now!

Size 14 knickers and size 14B bra.. honesty is always the best policy!

It's quite a weird feeling to be exhibiting simply the knitted objects, the C I got for Sculpture in first year at art school pretty much demonstrates how much I suck at the medium, while I love this show and the objects in it it's really inspired me to get back into the photography of knitted objects - it's not something anyone else's doing (as far as I know!) and I think that's pretty cool.

Oh and I had the pleasure of participating in an epic three car crash on the way out to the gallery! 

This is quite possibly the greatest family photo of all time - that's me on the left there trying to pull out my eyeball, that's my mum with one spectacular mullet, my little sis Elizabeth is there chilling out stroppily on her lap, and there's Dad with the comb-over he's had since before my birth which has now thinned out to a few lone strands but back then was thick and luscious.

And yeah.. we're all wearing Mickey Mouse tee shirts.. Excellent.

CARDBOARD BOX - our brand spanking new zine

One of my besties Nicola  and I have started a zine. It's pretty much been a dream of ours since we started art school and it feels so good to finally be doing it and not just because I can now say 'Yeah.. I edit a zine'. We are very excited that we now have an excuse to ask prying questions, get together with our buddies and contributors and have a cool creative outlet outside of our own practices and work. There's nothing like the pressure of a deadline to get you motivated, something that I think I've almost missed since art school.

We want to cover anything and everything arts related and with production well underway (it's getting printed in a matter of days!) here's a sneak preview of what's on offer. We are very cut and paste, as in literally cutting with scissors and pasting with glue sticks so these are all our pages ready to be scanned.

I interviewed the lovely ladies behind Kraftbomb about all the essentials - what goes into running one of Auckland's best craft fairs and favourite cupcakes. Cardboard Box will be on sale for a mere $5 at the next installment this Sunday, Grey Lynn Community Centre 1-4pm so come along!

We placed an ad on The Big Idea for contributions, Lisa Black is one amazing artist who got back to us - she creates 'Fixed Animals' - essentially real taxidermy animals that she then inserts mechanical bits into. We were a bit creeped out at first - I've never seen anything like it.

My friend Jennifer Mayer is in her final year of a BVA at AUT (where I also studied) and she's making some pretty great work. I am so proud!

Ahh.. the sweet hook-ups of working in the printing industry - got some awesome stickers made for the cover pages which will simply be brown paper with a sticker stuck on.

bra and knickers set

This is a knitted bra and knickers set that I have finally completed in preparation for 'Still. Industry' so three objects down, three to go - next up is hairties, mascara and a bottle of perfume.

nipple tassels

I am going to be selling knitted nipple tassels, amongst other things, at Kraftbomb which is coming up at the end of the month. Here they are photographed on a bust.

wool is the new cool

Our half stall at Craftwerk selling all the essentials - brooches (allsorts, tampons and plasters), necklaces (acorns, tampon and allsorts), beanies and cushions. Such a good night!

In Detail

I am currently collaborating on a show to be titled 'In Detail' with Nicola McNabb and Karen Michaud. Here are three images of what is to be expected at the show, while the subject matter the three of us deal with is diverse we are all drawn to techniques and art forms that are time-consuming in their detail and meticulous in their execution. I am working on a piece that involves cross-stitching with hair, Nicola has cast native plant roots in silver and Karen will fabricate a cotton crochet choker. Exciting!

kraftbomb!

Kraftbomb is a monthly fair that's just starting up - the first one is happening at the end of the month and I will be selling some of my knitted merchandise - brooches, donuts and necklaces..Exciting! It's run in association with toggle.co.nz.

craftwerk!

Craftwerk is happening soon! Yuss.

tampon box

This is the first object of about five from my daily routine that I am knitting for 'Still. Industry' a multi-media show that opens mid-September at Papakura Art Gallery.