Heart and soul.

A recent conversation with my beautiful Greek Yiayia (grandmother) brought me to understand that from as early as the late 15th century, women have constructed beautiful lace. She told me stories of the traditional white cotton crochet techniques the women in her village on the island of Lesvos used to make and sell as means of an income. Days of heavy farming and long nights of tedious looping and stitching were her limited options as a young wom- an trying to make an income. She showed me beautiful sheets of original crochet, needle and bobbin lace... her heart and soul had gone into every cotton thread. The digitally printed, fabric I have designed is machine stitched and hand beaded. Its intention is to be used to upholster a wooden chair. At first glance this repeat pattern indicates conventional floral lace ornamentation. However this illusion disappears at a closer glance. Each piece to the pattern is made up of women’s anatomy, literally reflecting the heart and soul which hand made lace embodies.
The motive behind the colours used in the fabric is to mirror wallpaper characteristics of the 1950’s. This symbolises the notion of home interiors and the women’s role related to being a 'housewife', typical of that decade. Lace metaphorically signifies means of independence from this typecast role and embodies a chapter in the story of women and their supporters who campaigned and have finally accomplished equal standing to men.

Sydney Summer of Love.

Goodbye Sydney.
'Memories' developed from my experimental HOLGA 120 film camera, capture the essence of a free and warm summer in Sydney, Australia.

Head in the Clouds...

Sydney Harbour Bridge through Windscreen Wipers.

Avifauna Liberty

The meaning of my self-directed title 'native birds freedom' is what i intend to capture visually. Alluding to Australian fauna is evident in the figurative organic forms and structures that make up the piece.
The pendant itself is designed to reference the feelings of self-expression and freedom, which Australian native birds embody.
This statement neck piece is made entirely of copper metal and silver solder. Each panel of copper was hand-sawed from sheet metal, annealed and rolled through a rolling mill with the appropriate materials to suit the desired textures.
Some feather panels have real birds feather rolled into the metal to give a realistic/ fossil-like impression. Other panels have thick fabrics like lace and tule rolled and imprinted into the copper to give the pendant the allusion to the tail feather of a bird.
The front panels have copper tubing soldered to the back allowing them to be threaded onto copper chain, which i also hand crafted along with the clasp at the back of the neck.

A Figure Study

"An ode to the beautiful and fantastic Maria.
A true female inspiration throughout my life... You are my rock."

A celebration of the female form, conducted through a collection of woodblock and etched prints originating from my own life drawing sketches. Black ink on white paper they are very large and impacting on the wall with each print standing at 40 x 56 inches.
Some have been etched into persex by hand and others have been carved into wood by hand to get the lovely organic textures that the ink gives when rolled onto the paper.

Mikromegas

'The idea is that the placement of the planets at any given moment in time reflects the nature of that moment and especially anything which is born then.'

My design development began at the quirky notions and ideas tale of 'Micromegas' by Voltaire. One thing that struck me as particularly interesting is his reference to 'the Gemini'. This brought about thoughts in understanding the commonly regarded astrological sign throughout humanity. Even in this fictional tale written in 1752, our human race had a common understanding of zodiac signs.
This jewellery piece includes the materials brass metal and Perspex and uses techniques such as cold rivets (pin riveting, hollow riveting), hand sawing, sanding, hammering and chain forming.
The specific colours used symbolize the four elements in the zodiac system:
Blue: Water
Pink: Fire
Transparent: Air
Orange: Earth


They form a very structural geometric shape representing the outside universe and the zodiac system, which exists both physically and spiritually in the force of the planet alignment and astrology.
Connecting these geometric elements are the loose chains. These symbolize us as humans on the Earth. Our behaviour and movement is fluid and controlled by the outside universe.

Significant Rings

CONCEPT: When a significant other moves away a great sadness is felt.
The primary issue i wanted to identify in this project is the effect of the people who surround us everyday and the joy they bring to our lives by emphasizing the underlying affiliation this idea has with the sense of touch.
Initially this concept is explored in my pair of rings through the large scale of the ring and its predominant placement on the hand itself. The concept of tactility evolves even further via the rings surface treatment in a more literal sense.
The two rings depict different sensations through touch. The wire is harsh and sharp while the thread is soft and smooth. This evokes different feelings to the wearer, heightening the concept of the significance of tactility and how it can capture a feeling or emotion; the sensation of the thread appeals to a more comfortable softness, while the silver, twisted wire is uncomfortable and harsh.
This idea of connection to emotion is also evoked through a spiritual way. As the rings are a pair, a psychological connection is made between the two wearers. They are reminded that a significant other longs for their touch.

TECHNIQUES: coiling, sawing, drilling, annealing, soldering, doming, oxidizing

MATERIALS: copper, silver and thread

Lady In White

From as early as the late 15th century, women have constructed beautiful and amazing lace. There were limited jobs available for women of that time, and going down the avenue of lace making was seen as one of the only means of an income.
As we take a glance at society in our current 21st century, it is evident that the role of women has grown. Women and their supporters have campaigned for the same rights as men and today they have finally accomplished themselves as having an equal standing to men.
Lace continues to be produced today and can be seen as a metaphor, telling the story of the journey of women’s role in society, from the late 15th century housewife expectation, to today’s modern woman.
My ‘re new lace’ project is a visual contradiction between the original wedding gown lace used as the basis for construction, to the contrasting surface application and object manipulation through self-designed pattern, into a modern blazer style jacket which symbolizes the modern career driven woman we are accustomed to today.
As a result, these opposing ideas of traditional and contemporary women’s garments tell the viewer of the drastic ideas and expectations women face today and how they have changed over time.

A Dreamtime Story

Design 1


Design 2


Design 3


Design 4


Design 5


Design 6


Design 7


Design 8

Transcending into the story of the historical world of Australian flora fills one with fluid, comforting thoughts of home. From the whimsical tale of the falling leaves, to the movement of each dot as you spiral around the petals through each chapter.
From buds to flowers, we see a botanical world blossoming, marking a point in time and capturing such intricate tales of a land so far away.
The path of the leaves speaks nature's language of Australia's indigenous. One can step into this world and inhabit all its native flora, and consequently, tell their own dreamtime story...

I am proposing a range of eight contemporary fabrics for the winter 2010 women’s fashion collection of the Brisbane-based design label ‘Easton Pearson’ titled ‘A dreamtime story’.
Through following Pamela Easton and Lydia Pearson’s same ‘fluid and adaptive’ working practice, I present to you a range of eclectic designs inspired by the traditional art practices of our own indigenous Australians.
Each piece reflects Australia’s beautiful flora through the artistic key rituals of aboriginal culture and consequently tell their own dreamtime story.

Techniques in these fabric designs include Polysol dying and transferring onto fabric, beading, drawing and painting, hand sewing, machine sewing along with collage cutting and pasting of papers and fabrics.