INSPIRATIONAL STUFF – EXHIBIT A: Letitia Green

Thanks to the wonderful women at ‘The Design Files’ at http://thedesignfiles.net/ and their Instagram feed I, and I’m guessing a whole bunch of other design file followers, have been lucky enough to have discovered Letitia Green. Letitia’s designs on her scarves make my eyes dance, a crazy kind of jungle dance with some fist pumping and air kicks. I really love this kind of work and this year I have endeavoured to look at more colour and shape as inspiration. Coming from a Mauritian and Sri Lankan background has meant that I have always been surrounded by coloured and patterned fabrics, tropical plants and the brightness of freshly ground spices. I want to look more at these things now to help make work that is more alive and kind of hynotising.

You see once upon a time back in Art School I was obsessed with all things minimal. I realise now that I’m not really a minimalist at all.  This kind of design is pretty fashionable and popular right now I know, but I think these pieces by Letitia are like artworks, and therefore, will stand the test of time.

Letitia has totally inspired me to work with bolder imagery, play with colour and layer up my stuff. And as it turns out she owns a Whippet (lucky lady) and once lived along the Crocodile River in South Africa – how amazing.  You can find her stuff at http://www.letitiagreen.com/.

This image was taken from http://www.letitiagreen.com/, another beautfiul piece.

INSPIRATIONAL STUFF – EXHIBIT B: ‘Express Yourself’ exhibition by Romance was Born at the NGV International

I don’t know what not to say about this exhibition. All I know is I keep making excuses to go back and see it (or rather play in it) again. Romance was Born as I understand is made up of fashion designers, and in my eyes creative gods, Anna Plunkett and Luke Sales who met whilst studying fashion design and launched their Sydney based label in 2005.

Their clothing is seriously special and super duper playful. For the exhibition they have created 3 different spaces to negotiate through. Each space is different with a unique interactive component for kids (or anyone who has a pulse) to work with. I think this exhibition is one of the best I’ve seen for a while. It’s not pretentious, it’s just really jammed packed full of colourful, crazy, creative spunk and who doesn’t like that. From the photos you can see that I embarrassingly loved it so.

INSPIRATIONAL STUFF – EXHIBIT C: Mirka Mora

Last year I was lucky enough to go to the Heide Museum of Modern Art. I don’t get to go to this splendid place very regularly and I had forgotten what great gifts they had to offer. Of course Mirka Mora is an artist whose work totally seduces you and her work was on display on the day I went to Heide. Her choice of colour, freedom of gesture and cheeky characters make for a most wickedly fun art experience. I also had the great opportunity to view a retrospective on Gunter Christmann, but I’ll discuss his amazing work another time.

Since that day I have been wanting to read the Mirka bio, but I didn’t buy it and couldn’t find it on the internets. Luckily one of Luke’s friends has lent it to me. It’s taking me a while as I am terrible at committing myself to reading time, but boy is it interesting. The way she writes is I’m guessing how she speaks – either that or I’m just weird as a strong French accent is in my mind in every word I read. Her energy and playful nature is captured in this book, as well as her insatiable appetite for men and their cute bottoms. It’s really very fun.

That’s all for now folks. If you have any tips or things you think would help inspire me even more I’d love to hear about it.