Here’s something I learnt today. During the mid-1800s, when hooped skirts
and crinolines were getting bigger and bigger, someone took out a patent “for
a garment inflated by means of bellows and deflated to enable the wearer to sit
down”. Sadly it didn’t catch on, but plenty of other wacky undergarments did
as you can see on the pages of the V&A website. If you’ve ever been lucky enough
to visit the Victoria & Albert Museum in London, you’ll know it’s full to the brim
of art and design objects – everything from classical sculptures to Vivienne
Westwood platform shoes, with collections in photography, textiles, homewares,
furniture, fashion and architecture. I’ve only just discovered their website (and
its weird undy facts), and it’s almost too overwhelmingly full of awesome stuff
to even consider logging on without at least five hours of spare time up your sleeve.

artfashion

Fat is turning 10! To celebrate their birthday they are holding a one night only
exhibition and auction called Ten on Tuesday 17 June. The Great Fat Art Auction
with all proceeds being donated to The Immigrant Women's Domestic Violence Service
– a state-wide service in Victoria that provides support and crisis intervention to women
and children of culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds who experience
domestic violence. The exhibition will include works from 13 artists such as Rhys
Lee, Matthew Griffin, Elke Kramer and Beci Orpin. There will be 16 pieces up for
auction ranging from works on paper to sculpture. The event starts at The Murray
White Room (Sargood Lane, off Exhibition St, Melbourne) with the auction starting
at 7:30pm sharp. For more info x

artexhibitionwhats on

The creative cats at weAREtheIMAGEmakers are yet again bunging canvas-loads of loveliness up on gallery walls for the general amazement and amusement of the masses (that’s you and me by the way). In their new 12x12 exhibition, 12 Australian artists show 12 artworks each, all on 12x12 inch canvases. There’s treats from Apeseven, Ghostpatrol (art pictured below), Jae Copp, James Hancock, Jeremyville, Junior, Luke Feldman, Miso, Paul Meates, Plump Oyster, Sam Smith and Smc[3] on display in two shows in Sydney and Melbourne. Sydney kids: your 12x12 is on at the aMBUSH gallery, 4A James Street Waterloo. It opens tonight, June 20 from 6-9pm and runs Wednesday to Saturday from June 21 to July 5. Melbourne kids: you can have a look at No Vacancy Gallery, 27-33 Red Cap Lane. Opening night is July 18 from 6-9pm, then it runs from July 19 to 25. All that, and we promise not to say 12 any more. Oh, maybe just one: 12!

artexhibitionwhats on

Gillian Benke's label Bencke has finally opened an on-line store with Made It. Still
being early days the little store has just a handful of unique pieces but there will be
regular additions so stay tuned as they arrive. Bencke is also involved in two exhibitions
this month. Wangaratta VIC : A Red World opened on Saturday 21 June at 4pm at
Wangaratta exhibitions Gallery. This runs until July 27. Fremantle WA : The Divided
Self opens today, June 22 and finishes July 6 at the Remedy and Footpath Gallery,
95 High Street, Fremantle.

artcraftexhibitiontoyswhats on

A few weeks ago we got an email from a nice lady called Rita from Brazil, who’d been
sent a copy of frankie through a swap organised on a site called swap-bot. We’ve had
some time to look around now and, just quietly, we’re totally freakin’ hooked. Basically,
you log in and sign on for a themed swap – art, books, craft, clothing, music or what
have you – then the ‘swap-bot’ randomly selects another person in your group for you
to mail something fun to, and someone else mails you a box ‘o’ goodness in reply.
Swappers are from all over the world and there’s all kinds of stuff to swap.
Yay and yay again x

artcraftfunpretty

The online magazine Blanket have been busy bees lately. They have been collating
artwork from around the world and have now created a giant patchwork poster. The
collectors' edition Blanket patchwork poster forms a retrospective of the various artists
that had been uncovered by them since their launch in December 2006. Each poster
comes in a sleeve with a unique origami fold that represents a blanket being turned
down. Inside the sleeve is an accompanying insert that is a quick reference guide to
all the artists featured on the poster. The poster is available for $15 (plus postage)
at the Blanket Magazine online store. What a way to keep creatively warm!

artdesignpatchwork

Melbourne artist Fleur Harris has a new website up and running. It features an
extensive gallery of her sketches book and finished artworks. She also has a limited
edition range of plush characters, Kooky Spooks that can be purchased from the
site – well worth having a squiz x

artdesign