ARTIST MICHELE MORCOS

Weaving and its many iterations has been gaining a place in the spotlight recently. Sydney artist Michele Morcos is one of the proponents for this intricate art form. While she creates works to exhibit, such as in her recent show at Chrissie Cotter Gallery, Michele also hosts workshops teaching others how to create woven bowls using recylced materials, including plastic bags, raffia, wool and fabric. You can see more of Michele’s work on her blog Tiny Trappings and through her Instagram feed.

Which five words best describe you? Colourful, passionate, creative, meditative, researcher.

How did you get your career start and what path have you taken since? I guess I’ve always been on a creative path, but the “career” bit has always been a work in progress. Everyone tells you there are no sustainable career pathways in the creative arts so I’ve never really focused on it. I’ve always viewed myself as an apprentice and kept doing what I love, and taken every opportunity that I can. From studying fine arts at COFA in the mid-90s, to working in galleries for 10 years, from exhibiting my work in group shows, and volunteering my time in amazing collaborative projects, it’s all been worth it. And I’ve learnt so much.

What’s the best lesson you’ve learnt along the way? Be patient, ask lots of questions, be respectful and do your research about of others in the industry, and be innovative and brave with your artwork. It’s great to admire someone’s work, but try and find your own intuitive style of making a mark.

What’s your proudest career achievement? Every time I put together a solo exhibition I always stand back and say ‘Did I really just do that?’ It’s so so hard to create a large body of work and then put it out there.

What’s been your best decision? To keep going, and back myself.

Who inspires you? So many people. From professional artists to people who teach art to people in the community. I’m constantly inspired by people who are passionate and don’t listen to what common-sense, logic or society tells them they should do.

What are you passionate about? Art and nature, and being in tune with both. Colour, travel, music and sport (funnily enough).

Which person, living or dead, would you most like to meet? Mmmm…. Tough one. Maybe Gustav Klimt as I love his art and approach to mediation within his art practice.

What dream do you still want to fulfil? To keep doing this and be an artist when I’m in my 80s.

What are you reading? When I was on holidays earlier this year I read Caleb’s Crossing by Geraldine Brooks, which was good but not as great as her earlier publication People of the book, which I still recommend to people when they ask for a favourite of mine. 

images courtesy of michele morcos

designer donna wilson

One of the great success stories out of the UK design world in recent years has been Donna Wilson. In 2010 she was crowned Designer of the Year at the British Design Awards, bridging the gap between craft and high-end design. Her wares are equally celebrated in boutique shops (including Kido Store in Sydney) as well as at design fairs such as Milan. She's also done collaborations with esteemed UK companies Ercol and SCP. Donna's success stems from her final show at the Royal College of Art in London, when all her knitted creatures sold out. That was in 2003. Today she's stocked in more than 25 countries across the globe.

How did you get your career start and what path have you taken since? I started my career straight after my MA at the Royal college of Art. I had a lot of interest in the creatures I made for the final show, and shortly after that I showed at Designersblock, London. I had a few great shops order more creatures and my show sold out, which spurred me on to create more. I never thought in a million years that I would start a business making strange knitted creatures, but that was how it happened! I then developed the range into other interior products and accessories, as well as furniture for UK manufacturer SCP. We have over 150 stockists in over 25 countries, and are still growing. We have some great stockists in Australia - like Space Furniture and Safari Living.

What’s the best lesson you’ve learnt along the way? That I can’t do everything myself and I CAN say no to things! (In the beginning I always tried to do everything, but I think I’m a lot calmer now!) I now have a fantastic team, who are all very talented and great fun to work with.

What’s been your best decision? To stick to my principles and keep true to what I do, which is make things that I love, within the UK, and celebrate the handmade.

What are you passionate about? I am really passionate about the handmade and I love and cherish the imperfections that come out of it. I also try to keep all the production done in the UK, this way we have a better handle on the manufacturing process and the quality.

Which person, living or dead, would you most like to meet? I would love to have some more time with my grandma, who taught and inspired me so much when she was alive.

What dream do you still want to fulfil? I would like to create a world of pattern and colour and make it a happier place!

What are you reading? I don’t read enough I’m afraid; I think I am more of a visual person. I spend a lot of the time on blogs and flicking through magazines, and I find films very inspiring. I loved The science of sleep when that came out, which was directed by Michele Gondry. The cardboard scenes were very inspirational.

images courtesy of donna wilson

xmas wreaths

Christmas is fast-approaching, although for those who work on magazines it seems like a fleeting memory. We're about to finish the JanFeb 11 issue of real living and are already working on our March and April issues. But, this year, I feel more prepared for Christmas than ever before. After all, I have about 6 Christmas wreaths I can hang from almost every door in my home. The pictures above are wreaths I created for the December issue of real living (on sale now). Any favourites?

images real living (photography armelle habib (floral); pablo martin)

textile designer shannon lamden

I thought it would be good to kickstart this year's interviews with a local talent. Shannon Lamden is a Melbourne indie textile designer, known as Aunty Cookie, who also produces homewares such as cushions and tea towels. All the while raising three children - the youngest was born only in November. Shannon downplays the combination of being a mother and continuing to create, but it's quite an achievement.

Which five words best describe you? Busy, crafty, slapdash, relaxed and hungry.

How did you get your career start and what path have you taken since? I have had a few jobs which have most certainly influenced the way I work today - although at the time I hated most of them! I have a Bachelor of Fine Art where I majored in drawing from Victorian College of the Arts. Straight after uni I started working in the advertising and marketing department for a big fat fabric company creating their junkmail. From there I worked for a nursery company creating kids bedding; it was there that I started creating patterns and really learning how to design commercially. I left there to have my oldest daughter and began freelancing. Doing pattern creation, corporate design, food packaging and book illustration. Since those days I've had more kids, moved away from freelancing and am now at the point where I can focus solely on my own business - AuntyCookie.

What’s the best lesson you’ve learnt along the way? Stop trying to find a work/life balance, it doesn't exist… And keep all your contacts, be nice to everyone - especially the ones that irritate you!

What’s your proudest career achievement? Seeing my "Addition" cushion on the cover of a magazine. Even if it was small and, okay, maybe I was the only one who could spot it.

What’s been your best decision? To start a blog. Working from home can be quite isolating but having the blog has introduced me to so many ace people, projects and crafts. It kickstarted my business, it forces me to stay creative and connects me to my customers.

Who inspires you? My influences come from everywhere - I am inspired by so much stuff I see! Blogs, blogs and more blogs, walking about my neighborhood, flicking through kids books at the library, getting lost in people's photographs flickr.com, loitering in the newsagent. I am endlessly inspired by my real life by crafty mates, handmade wares, music and TV, stupid conversations - anything! I lean towards the graphic and typography so I'm attracted to signage and text based artwork. I'm not a "take a walk in nature and collect leaves" type of gal. on

What are you passionate about? Eating cake, laughing with mates, making dodgy crafty items for my kids, designing with a sense of humour.

Which person, living or dead, would you most like to meet? Tina Fey, David Sedaris and Heather Armstrong. All of whom I find totally hilarious, witty and awesome.

What dream do you still want to fulfil? To design a full colour fabric range for a hipster fabric company - and for it to sell out in no time! But in my fantasy life it's to be Goal Attack on the Australian Netball team. Never, ever going to happen.

What are you reading? A pile of trashy mags from my sister. Sometimes the paper. Most of the time blogs and my daughter's school reader.

images courtesy of shannon lamden

sculptural basket maker harriet goodall

It is an ancient art form yet one that is resulting in international commisions for Australia's Harriet Goodall. She describes herself as a sculptural basket maker. The work incorporates craft, knowledge of plant materials and design. As part of her oeuvre, Harriet also collects discarded industrial farming materials to shape into objects such as light shades. She also co-founded Warp & Weft in 2005 with her husband. Together they import organically dyed, hand spun textiles from Peru and Argentina. The couple live in the Southern Highlands, an area of countryside south of Sydney. Harriet has a studio there, pictured above, which is a former milking shed. She also runs workshops on basket weaving.

Which five words best describe you?

Expressive, loyal, feisty, open-hearted, restless.

How did you get your career start and what path have you taken since?

My work-life path has been full of twists. I don't think I had one defining kick-start. My country childhood was crucial to my aesthetic perspective. I coasted academically at school, struggled with authority and wasn't ready to commit to being 'one thing' so I chose a degree that was theatrical, practical and fun. I studied communications in theatre/media at CSU Bathurst - a shout-out to the fire-breathing unicyclists of Australia.

I spent the next 10 years working mainly to fund travel. I had jobs briefly in radio, then media, in recording studios in London, the Edinburgh International Festival, the Sydney Olympics Ceremonies production team and then after a mid-20s soul-search, in not-for-profit organisations and teaching English to adults. Global travels and a love of textiles and markets led my boyfriend and I to start up a small ethical business working with less privileged but highly-skilled weavers from Peru and Argentina importing textiles. We still do this part-time.

When we had our first child I allowed my creative side to be completely in charge. Perhaps my inner-child came out to play when I felt I didn't have to justify my education. It turns out I do need all the left-brain skills I gained from years of office jobs so that I can run the business side of my creative practice. Having stood up in front of adults as a teacher for a few years also helped when I was approached to take my first basketry workshops too. Now my focus is on three things: workshop, commission and exhibition.

What’s the best lesson you’ve learnt along the way?

Don't sit on echidna quills! (it's particularly stupid when you upholstered the chair with them just the day before). Seriously, I've come to realise that I am writing my own story and while things happen to you that you can't control it's entirely up to you how you deal with disappointments and make the most of your opportunities (and we here in Australia have many). Ultimately I have to be brave and I have to be proud of what I do.

What’s your proudest career achievement? I finished my first international commission of a cluster of big sculptural pendant lights and a five-metre stick dividing wall (Rwith the help of Joe Vinks & Nick Goodall), and they are now in a restaurant in California.

What’s been your best decision? Steering clear of city life, living simply with one of the world's finest men.

Who inspires you?

Mother nature first and foremost. Contemporary Australian women fibre artists, assemblage artists and sculptors; Shona Wilson, Jade Oakley, Virginia Kaiser, Tanya Stubbles, Rosalie Gascoigne etc.

What are you passionate about?

The subtle colours and aged surfaces of found objects wearing the marks of time and place. Bark, nests, eggs, leaves, vines, cocoons, pattern, patina, rust, feathers. My babies, sleep.

Which person, living or dead, would you most like to meet?

Jesus. I am not religious at all but I need a carpenter who can perform a miracle in my kitchen - and he must have been the most charismatic man who ever lived.

What dream do you still want to fulfil?

I feel like I am just at the beginning of this chapter of my story so there is a list but I have a strong idea for a beautiful and much-needed book and I would love to take basketry and textile tours to some of the places I have been in the far-flung corners of the world. I just missed out on a fantastic new studio and workshop space so that goes back on the list. To help my children become kind and adventurous people is also important to me.

What are you reading?

I have just read India Flint - Eco Colour cover to cover - I am learning about vegetable dyeing. I just started Geraldine Brooks, Caleb's Crossing and am halfway through listening in the car (talking books are perfect when I am too tired to read at night) to John Steinbeck - Grapes of Wrath. My family had to leave our family farm due to financial hardship in slightly less depressing circumstances but the story does resonate. Our four-year-old must be picking it up by osmosis because he asked me in the bath the other night, "Mum, are our houses us? I mean, are we our houses?" I hope not my love, that makes us a delapidated weatherboard.

images courtesy of harriet goodall, todd sutherland & sohi (studio shots) and stuart cohen (portrait)