GRRL+DOG we are hunting you...

We popped into the Artisans' Market at the Eveleigh Carriageworks on Wilson Street to visit family and took a stroll around the stalls. There's always heaps of fun and funky, arty and amazing things to see, smell and taste. They also have a farmers' market every Saturday. http://www.eveleighmarket.com.au/sydney/

This Sunday it was our pleasure to meet Denise Litchfield aka GRRL+DOG. Denise is a very crafty woman, creating dolls, knitting and street art. Her work is fun, colourful, and quirky.

 

Her website states:
"Denise Litchfield is inseparable from her dingo kelpie, rescued as a pup from a plastic bag.
Going by the name grrl+dog‚ they form a six legged fibre collaborative that includes street art, knitting and community projects. They love to scrounge for vintage fabric and scraps to recycle."

She places fibre and street art in "unexpected places, guerilla fashion"  and says "it is better to ask forgiveness than permission".

 

It is one of our pleasures to 'find'  her fabulous knitting around a street sign or on a tree limb. I first saw her street art in Newtown and it just amazed and thrilled my sense of fun and colour. You have to look for it, it's not always easy to see, especially if you aren't aware of it's existence! See more of our photos here at http://www.flickr.com/photos/64292272@N07/sets/72157627315082560/

There's much more to see at www.grrlandog.com or you can buy at http://www.etsy.com/shop/grrlandog or see her guerilla knitting photos at http://www.flickr.com/photos/dneese_l/sets/72157610868899993/

 Find art in the unexpected,
J from JAM

The Extraordinary Mr Will Coles

Sydney based artist and sculptor Will Coles is an absolute favourite of ours. The magic of his art for me is the objects themselves, the idea attached to it, PLUS the quirky hunt for the sculptures. You never know where you just might find one!

 
Born in Warwickshire, England in 1972, Will's website says he "grew up in the Suffolk countryside and spent several years in London and Glasgow before moving to Sydney, Australia."

His grandfather, Norman Sillman, is a sculptor allowing Will ready access to art and art theory. Further experience was gained at the Ravensbourne College of Art, Wimbledon School of Art and the Glasgow School of Art.

Even though the sculptures are interesting visually, the product is less important than the ideas and thoughts they try to generate. Will's sculptures 'ask' you to stop and think about things such as consumerism, our individual purpose in life, our wastefulness, our adherence to an unsustainable way of life.

Will has written:

"Think, about the waste of every day life, of the things you throw away as waste, of the life you throw away doing something you hate, of wasting your life away.

"Think, about a better way of living, a better way of life, maybe doing something else, somewhere else."

Thank you Will Coles for giving me the pleasure of your public art!

Cheers,
J in JAM

Dunlop Factory Adventure

It all came together yesterday. Both with an afternoon free, sunny weather, cameras, batteries, tripods and enthusiasm....Though I was momentarily distracted by the promise of discount shoes and handbags at the nearby factory outlets, the promise of a photographic adventure easily won.

It was our first, long overdue visit to the Dunlop Factory in Alexandria. It's an amazing place as many street artists and photographers already know. Spoilt for places to aim the camera.

Getting in can be 'interesting', but the gates were open on the afternoon we visited as a fashion shoot was underway. Security looked at me but decided I was with the fashion shoot. Luckily I have a face that says "school teacher". Comes in very handy some days.

Even though it was unplanned we were ready in our sturdy shoes and jeans and the camera bag now has spare batteries, memory cards and the car boot is the permanent home for our tripods.

 
Yesterday there were heaps of tags, some murals, lots of pieces, some stencils and a fabulous car. Some may have been fresh as the smell of aerosol was very strong in a couple of spots.

We are very happy with some of the shots, but are already looking forward to our next visit where I will grab all the shots that didn't come out the way I wanted. I am still learning the manual settings of my bridge camera. And auto focus drives me nuts sometimes!

Have a great weekend whatever you're doing,
J in JAM