Hello!

 It's mid Winter in the Southern Hemisphere, and in downtown Brunswick we are having all weather extremes. From cheery  to miserable- often in the course of a day!

So when the sun is shining I'm cheery too. Because it really makes a difference to business. Customers are happier ( maybe it's because they are getting their vitamin D hit), and the general shopping vibe clicks over to buying mode. Sun = Gleaners Success!!

 In keeping with the name of the shop, I have been *Gleaning* some furniture for displaying our wares.
Hello ladder (from the naturestrip), a chest of drawers and an old table to sit on my vintage trestles (from the tipshop).

 And if it's a bit quiet these blue eyed girls keep me company!

Craft Cubed presents "Feather Your Nest"

The "Feather Your Nest" exhibition at Gleaners Inc. is a satellite event of Craft Victoria's Craft Cubed Festival!
There will be lots of exciting exhibitions, open studios, workshops and more in this years festival.
I have created installations for the Craft Cubed Festival over the last two years at The Curious Oyster and Pussycat Black, and I'm very excited that in 2012 I will be able to host an exhibition in my own venue!!
It's not too late to submit work for the show. All the details are here.

Keeping warm at Gleaners Inc.

 How do you keep warm in wintery ol' Melbourne town? 

I go with woolly hats and jumpers ( and lots of propping by the heaters)

 We have a rack bulging with pure wool knits from the Sister Outlaws in hipster retro stylings...I'm looking at you Design Files guest blogger boy!

You could choose some cosy fingerless gloves by Shara Lambeth,

or some rainbow tights by Melanie from Textile Allsorts.

We've got Winter covered at Gleaners Inc. xxxx

Craftamatic!

One of my favorite things in Gleaners Inc. is my Craftamatic Mark 1 typewriter. Not a day goes by with out a customer admiring its retro goodness, a kid has a tappity tap or a earnest young writer promises to buy it when his royalty cheque arrives! I'm kind of hoping it doesn't sell. I'll miss it.
It was originally sold at Bundoora Typewriters, but I can guess that place in no longer in existance. I found the last remaining typewriter repairer in Melbourne via here. Tom the Typewriter guy sells ribbons and gives these beauties another life!

Did you know Woody Allen has written EVERYTHING he has ever produced in the last 50 years on his Olympia typewriter. Well you would if you watched the awesome doco on his amazing life last night!!!!

Feathery Details.....

Here are some important details about Gleaners Inc.'s next exhibition entitled "Feather Your Nest".

- The exhibition will be part of Craft Victoria's Craft Cubed Festival. 

- The show opens on Friday August 3rd at 5.30 pm. We will have drinks and nibbles and discount shopping on the night!

-The theme of the show is "Feather your Nest". Creatives are invited to interpret this common idiom in their own way and either create a unique piece or submit a previous work that  references the theme.

-Both 2D and 3D work will be accepted

- Please remember that the space is quite small, so keep this in mind when creating your masterpiece.

- Please email Liz at gleanersinc@gmail.com to submit your work . It can be an expression of interest with your idea, pictures of your past work or an image of the piece you wish to submit.

- All work for the show is to be delivered to Gleaners Inc. by Friday July 27th. If you are out of town email Liz for the mailing address.

- All work can be for sale. The gallery will take a commission on all sales in the vicinity of 25%, so price your work accordingly.

- We have decided  to avoid  commercially produced feathers in any artwork. "Windfalls" or naturally shed feathers are fine.

- After the roaring success of the "You say Doyley, I say Doily" show in March , this coming event should not be missed!

- Go forth and start Nesting! Any other questions, just ask Liz.

 

 Exquisite nest by Louise Saxton from the Gleaners Inc. Doily show. We can't wait to see Louise's new work for "Feather your Nest" !!!

Childhood Revisited

We have been revisiting childhood at Gleaners Inc. this week.There are toys and teddies galore gracing the window and some vintage Golden books to tempt you. If you swing by, say hello to Mr Squiggle in the window hanging with his owl posse.

Unreal Feathers

Just a heads up regarding the up and coming exhibition "Feather Your Nest" at Gleaners Inc. in August. We love feathers here, BUT we love them on living birds!
So if you are planning a work for the show using feathers, please keep them "Unreal"!
If you want to use found shed feathers from a happily living bird, that is fine, but those of the plucked variety wont be accepted.
  
The best kind of feathers in art are those made from recycled materials. Pictured above is the divine work of local sculptor Liz Walker. Liz's award winning pieces utilise discarded man made materials to create breathtakingly delicate assemblages. We will be exhibiting a piece of Liz's work in the Gleaners Inc.show which is very exciting.
So get to work and help Gleaners Inc.embrace our avian friends!