Show at Chapman and Bailey

I'm taking part in another show, this time all entrants are given a 35 x 35 cm stretched Bell Arti canvas as the starting point of  their artwork. I can't wait to see what the other entries look like, it will be interesting to the different approaches and mediums used. 

"above the clouds" By Sai-Wai Foo

I managed to snaffle a lovely natural linen canvas as the base for my piece. Here's  a sneak peak of my piece. I have to admit I had a blank canvas for months in my work space just lurking & glowering at me. Typically it came together quite quickly once the deadline was looming - after all the paper folding. I think the process of cutting and folding a paper helps me think through ideas and I find the whole process to be very relaxing and a bit a meditative state.
My piece above is a small flock of cut paper birds circling above a mass of pleated paper clouds. It's titled "above the clouds" and below are images of the work in progress - the canvas was blank for quite a long time....

2012 Belle Arti Prize hosted by Chapman and Bailey

12 December – 26 January at 
Chapman & Bailey Gallery, 350 Johnston St, Abbotsford  
Opening on Wednesday December 12, 2012 between 6-8pm
Facebook event page here

Love Miss Foo XXX

The weekend that was... markets as far as the eye can see

To be honest it seems like everywhere you turn there is a pop up store or market happening! I managed to make it to two of these events that ran over the weekend. One was  The Design Files  Open House which ran for 4 days in a private residence on Eastbourne Street in Windsor. 

The other was  Peoples Market in Collingwood, which could be summed up as shipping containers, hipsters as far as the eye can see! Food, drink, music, flea market & crafty finds. 

64 – 68  Stanley street, Collingwood, VIC 3066. Those in the rag trade would know the Max New warehouse on Stanley street it's next to that! It's operating from Thursday to Sunday through summer & is basically open from breakkie through to dinner. December 1 to April 28 2013.

I used to work in Collingwood in the about 15 years ago so it to see the changes in the buildings & the street scape. In terms of retail it is exciting that there are these events being put on & interesting use of space. Spaces that have been idle that have been re-purposed. So it must be asked it is all getting to be too much the same? How is this affecting bricks & mortar retail spaces? Also what's going to be next?

Needless to say I think it is giving retail a shake up and giving consumers more variety. I do think mass market retailers need to give their customers more credit as they are savvy. Certainly the sameness & cookie cutter mass produced has made shopping just a bit dull in stores of late. Even with the economic climate it seems that if something is special enough there will be some one who wants it & will spend the money on it. 

There is also another market being run by the same organisers of Markit at FedSquare called The Big Design Market coming up. I'm not taking part but will definitely be going along to check out the goodies on offer - some buddies have stalls there. Will be nice to go as a shopper as will actually get to see the market. The Big Design Market runs 7/8/9 of December at the Royal Exhibition Building Carlton.  Facebook event page here 

I would encourage everyone to try to buy local and handmade this festive season if not the present maybe the card, wrapping or an element of the gift. There is some amazing talent & crafts people locally so get out there & shop!! 
 
Love Miss FOO XXX

World Aids day & Toy to the world!! Beware the bear!!

Today is world AIDS day & I thought it would be timely to mention a project I am involved in.

I am decorating a 15-inch vinyl bear! YAY! Which is part of  a campaign named  "Toy to the World".

My blank bear has been sitting by the telly all white and naked in its vinyl glory. I am working through some ideas on how to decorate this little darling I think it will involve glitter, sequins & pleated paper...

my currently very naked bear...

There was an artist day on 17th of November at Section 8 where artist were doing live workshops & painting demos. Was I a bit miffed I will not be able to be there for that one :( but after all a large family event is taking place that day to I can't beg off to paint toys and drink beer! Have a look at the pics of the launch from their Facebook page. 

The event is being run by the dynamos at Pencil Neck Productions and it is the 2nd year of the this event. Monies raised are going to the Aids Council of Victoria and funds go towards projects like HIV prevention, treatment, research and education .

During the Midsumma festival here will be an exhibition of the bears in early January culminating a silent auction which will run during the duration of the show. I've taken part in charity auctions like this before & I have to admit I do get a bit competitive when it comes to the funds that my work raises!! Ok I admit it I am competitive but it's for a good cause so there!! 

Also to help fund the project they are crowd sourcing funds via Pozible so get in before the 22nd of December to show your support!! 

Stay tuned for pics of my bear!

Love Miss Foo XXX

Markit & sculptures hanging out at Quirk & Co

Pleatybunny by Miss FOO stall at Markit

I've had couple of busy weeks preparing for Markit at Fed Square, but if you didn't get a chance to get down there my regular stockists will have a selection of new stock time for all your Christmas shopping. With all that organsied I am looking forward to getting back to making some new works. 

As with the last Markit it was really well run by the organisers & as always it was a lovely crowd. Here's some pics from the day on my Facebook page. I had great company on the day with Peaches + Keen, My Mother Mabel , Betty Jo, and Gleaners Inc being very fun stall neighbours!

Also I have a couple of paper sculptures installed at one of my favorite stores Quirk & Co. in North Melbourne.

Paper sculptures by Sai-Wai Foo instore at Quirk & co.

One of them is the sister piece to my Yering Station sculpture show piece which will be in show until the 2nd of December at Yering station then will be off to the its' new home in the Bayside City Council's art collection. I am pretty excited that a piece is now part of a public collection!

See my previous blog post here about the Yering station show & there are pictures of the opening of the show on my facebook page 

"ships and sealing wax. of cabbages and kings" by Sai-Wai Foo

There are 3 pieces which have been shown at the Toyota gallery & the other piece has not been shown publicly until now.... up till now it has been residing on my dining table! It is titled "Rime of the seasick mariner", a bit of my homage to my love of nautical fiction & my penchant for feeding the fishes when I'm a sea. 

"Rime of the seasick mariner" By Sai-Wai Foo

Pop by and have a look. Quirk & Co. also stock my illustration work and has a great range of designer wares & goodies in store. It's a briliant place to pick up pressies. I've had a look at the new stock they have in for x'mas definitely worth a visit!! Besides I am also dropping of some new stock to all my retailers over the next week so get shopping!

Love Miss Foo XXX

Quirk & Co. 

466 Victoria Street, North Melbourne VIC 3051

(03) 9329 7057

info@quirkandco.com.au
quirkandco.com.au

Opening hours

Monday: 11am - 6pm
Tuesday: 11am - 6pm
Wednesday: 11am - 6pm
Thursday: 11am - 6pm
Friday: 11am - 6pm
Saturday: 11am - 5pm
Sunday: noon - 4pm

Markit & A brave new world a sculpture show

*** UPDATE***
the show opened last night & there is an album of images on my Facebook page

I think part of my problem is I think most things are possible, underestimate the amount of time that things take and sometimes over estimate my own abilities.
I had submitted and been accepting into a sculpture show on the based on drawings. So going from sketches to a 3D object, which needed to stand up to scrutiny and an show of this caliber was challenging to say the least. This time I was working with a materials I didn't have any expericne with as well as having a looming deadline, nothing like a but of pressure to get me going.

I submitted the maximum number of concepts for the show thinking "oh I'd be lucky to get a piece in" whoops is all I have to say now. I've been up to my armpits in cut & pleated paper & the onset of RSI and some sort of glue overdose is imminent. Needless to say I am finding glitter in some odd places.

I had to give up knitting a couple of years back as combined with being a on a computer all day & drawing it was causing me a few issues. I think I am going to have gnarled claws when I get to be an old grumpy lady, never mind I will be poking people with sticks & running over the toes of young people in my souped up nanna mobile...

I'm thinking glitter finish flames, a canopy trimmed with pom poms & and big shiny chrome pipes! Yes I have a plan and it's a good one.

But I digress I have work in the upcoming Toyota sculpture exhibition called "brave New World".... its a pretty big show & the calibre of artists taking part are making me feel just a little bit anxious. 

I have installed the sculptures at the Toyota Community spirit gallery and the show opens on the 27th of November and runs until March next year.

SCULPTURE 2012 - BRAVE NEW WORLD

the eighth annual exhibition showcasing the diversity and excellence of sculpture practice in Victoria

Opening Tuesday 27 November, 6:00 to 8:00pm

to be officially opened by Professor Callum Morton
Head of Fine Art, MADA (Monash Art Design & Architecture)

Exhibitors: George Alamidis, Anne Anderson, Emma Anna, Alan Annells, Marynes Avila, Mohd Khairi Baharom, Rob Ball, Don Barrett, Drasko Boljevic, Carolyn Cardinet, Albert Yi-Fu Chen, Bruce Cleal, Mark Cowie, Mimi Dennett, Paul Dew, Sean Diamond, Andy Dudok, Frank Duyker, Sai-Wai Foo. Sione Francis, Avis Gardner,, Kate Gorman, Mandy Gunn, Tegan Hamilton, Owen Hammond, Rowena Hannan, Matthew Harding, Dana Harris, Anton Hasell, Brian Helmkamp, Liz Henderson, Mark Henry, Nick Ilton, Melanie Irwin, Amelia Johannes, Cath Johnston, Stephanie Karavasilis, Andrew Kimpton, Jennifer Leggett, Sally Lie, Joanne Linsdell, Georgia MacGuire, Katherine Marmaras, David Marshall, Sheena Mathieson, Andrew McPherson, Samantha Menzies, Martin Moore, Mutsumi Nozaki, John Owe Young, Sherry Paddon, Norian Paicu, Anuradha Patel, Kirsten Perry, Jackie Ralph, Geoffrey Ricardo, Robyn Rich, Anna Robertson, Shoso Shimbo, Jeremy Shub, Adrian Spurr, Jenny Steiner, Kerry Strauss, Tul Suwannakit, Ronak Taher, Kim Tarpey, Brendon Taylor, Christopher Taylor, Pimpisa Tinpalit, Liz Walker, Carmel Wallace, Brook Winfield, Keren Zamir

Curator: Ken Wong

Toyota Australia

155 Bertie St, Port Melbourne

[Mel Ref 2E B11] 109 Tram, Stop 127, North Port Station/Lightrail Port Melbourne

Open Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm or by appointment

Exhibition continues until March 2013

Composite image of my sculptures

This series explores fashion, identify and self adornment . In this case it's a group of 4 rather magnificently coiffed & decorated beasts: a goat, deer, dingo & a cat. 

Even more excitingly I am expanding on this body of work with a related exhibition in March 2013. It's going to be part of the LMFF L'Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival Cultural program I believe the full program gets launched in December of this year. The lovelies at Quirk & Co in North Melbourne will be hosting the show and there will be an opening night with drinkies & shopping. The show is titled "Dedicated Followers of Fashion"(yep it's a reference to the Kinks song!)

I am in the process of planning the show and working out opening dates stay tuned to my Facebook page for updates of shows, new work and photos.

Also Markit at Fed Square is coming up on Sunday the 25th of November. It will be one month to Christmas so get a jump on the pressie shopping. If you do I think you should  pick up something for yourself as a reward for being so organised!!

Pop in for a visit I am on Stall A32 with is in the Atrium, I'm close to the NGV book shop!

It's a fun market and the quality of products and variety is amazing also it gives you an opportunity to meet the makers & also the chance in some cases discuss & place an order for a custom made piece. I will have market specials but if you can't make it you can always go to my regular stockists as they will be all be getting a restock just before X'mas.

Also if  you are after a custom made piece I can be contacted via email on pleatybunny@gmail.com or an order can be placed through my stockists!

See you there
Love Miss Foo XXX

Day of the dead... an exhibition not a zombie movie!

As much as I love zombie films, it is my favorite genre of horror and George A Romero is  a genius! This blog is about an upcoming show at Gleaners Inc. The lovely Liz Jones is again curating & hosting a super fun show! (The last Gleaners show was "feather your nest", previous blog post here)

This time the theme is "The Day of the Dead" or Día de los Muertos the Mexican holiday which gathers family and friends to pray for and remember friends and family members who have died. Held on November 1st and November 2nd, All Saints and All Souls Day - info on the festival here

 

Detail "flor de muerto" by Sai-Wai Foo

Above is a pic of my piece for the show title "flor de muerto" (flowers of the dead), a mixed media piece with pen, ink, watercolour, pleated paper and sequins. The show runs from 2nd to 30th of November at Gleaners Inc. 2 Ballarat St Brunswick.

An official opening Party on Friday 9th November  from 5.30 pm. There will drinks and nibbles and discount shopping on the night! hope to see you there!
 

While I am at it I am going to provide a list of some of my fave zombie movies... no particular order...Braaaaaaiiiiinnnnsssssss.

Day of the Dead

Dawn of the Dead (1978 & 2004 versions)

Return of the Living dead

Night of the Living dead 

Diary of the Dead 

Brain Dead

Dellamorte Dellamore (english title was Cemetery man) 

[REC] (the original Spanish version)

Evil dead (all in the series)  

Zombie Strippers

Shaun of the dead 

28 days Later (technically it is an infection movie but it's on my list!)

Dod Sno (Dead Snow, Norwegians & Zombie Nazis)
La Horde (The Horde)

Pet Sematary (for the Ramones song!)

Zombieland (BILL MURRAY.... nuff said)

Love Miss Foo XXX