Hi everyone
The Hive currently has an exhibition by Lilian Widmeier- see photos below. It is a beautiful show of finely crafted woven and knitted natural fibre vessels. It will continue until 24 February and so come and have a look. I love the fact they are miniature sized rather than the more conventional basket size.
Lilian is fascinated by the wealth of difference in the various plant fibres. This has made her highly experimental and curious to find ways to ‘tame’ and prepare dry and tough plants such as Gymea Lily, Cordyline and Muehlenbeckia or softer ones like Red Hot Poker, Ginger and corn husk (just to name a few). She says she learnt from trial and error and that each plant has to be treated differently. Some of the plant materials she grows her self, some are donated by friends or others like the corn husk, are specially prepared by the staff of her local greengrocers.
She loves her craft and that there are still plants for her to discover and work into weird and interesting shapes. She happily says “The sky is the limit!”
I am busy trying to source some new ranges for the Hive. I have already taken delivery of some fabulous felted cushions. They are designed by Jodie Fried of Sydney and hand embroidered by traditional Gujarati women artisans from remote desert communities in India.
I went to Sydney yesterday, to view as many jewellery exhibitions as I could fit in a day. They are showing at the moment to coincide with the annual JMGA conference. I also met and visited ceramicist David Edmonds in his studio, wearing his orange Rocs (I love him already!). He has over 30 years experience, he told me he sold his bicycle when he was 15 to buy his first kiln. He does the most divine ceramics- fabulous colours, rounded (pebble like) forms and very durable (microwave and dishwasher safe). I can’t wait to get them in! This leads me to the MUD range I’ve carried for many years. I’ve decided to clear it, to make way for David’s ceramics, and so have marked it down 30%....so be quick!!
I also have some new little novelty items in. A whole collectible gang of string dolls. I got them from USA. The company gets Industrial Design students in Thailand to create each design from one piece of string. There’s Sid the Punk, the mummy, the red devil and lover boy to name a few and they are really gorgeous.
Anyway that will do me tonight. Cheers Jenny
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