South Kids

I nearly forgot to say thanks to South Kids magazine for their help! Thanks! They did a lovely page long article on us in their recent issue - we'll have a few at the show if you haven't found one elsewhere and want to pick one up.

A little bit about Gabe Cunnett

Could you give us a hint as to what you will be exhibiting in the show?
My exhibition contribution consists of some fun, warm, fuzzy characters that I've been working on for a while now in sketchbooks and the like. Mainly elephants and giraffes! Lots of colour and (hopefully) charm.

What inspired you to make this work?
I was inspired to join get on the Ms Doody Art train after attending the exhibition the last two years. Last year I bought some great pieces and I still regret not making a purchase the year before!
The works themselves are inspired by my son Thor. He's such a warm, loving, happy kid.

Did it turn out how you imagined?
They have so far... but I won't know for sure until I a) finish them and b) get some feedback from the other artists and the public. But so far so good.

How did you get started as an artist/designer?
I joined Visual Communication on a whim, and then chose the Illustration path on another whim before really finding a style and the confidence to go beyond home sketches and develop my skills. I feel like I'm still getting started as an artist/designer.

Is there reoccurring theme in the art you make?
Usually lots of colour and contrast... plus a bit of quirkiness and humour.

How do you know when your artwork is finished?
I can usually tell an artwork is finished when I can go to bed, wake up revisit it with fresh eyes and not want to make any changes... or when I have a looming deadline and I don't have time to make changes. Happens now and then.

Check out more of Gabe's work at www.gabe.com.au.

A little bit about Ali Rodda...

What inspired you to make this work?
During a recent trip travelling the world I armed myself with a little notebook full of vintage papers and began doodling different characters as I wandered.

Did it turn out how you imagined?
My imagination imagined, then imagined a little more! I find you will always start out with an idea of how a concept will look and as you experiment happy accidents and other ideas come into play and pieces with grown and change.

How did you get started as an artist/designer?
After finishing my Honours year at Uni I started out as a graphic designer working in a small studio in Adelaide. Recently I have been working on launching my own brand, indigo fawn, with a new jewellery collection. You can check it out at www.indigofawn.com.au.

Is there reoccurring theme in the art you make?
Fun, simplicity and cuteness!

How do you know when your artwork is finished?
When you can sit back and smile.

Art is on the walls!

Hello - I didn't post here last night because we were busy putting art on walls, see?



Only a week til the opening!

Katrina Germein

Katrina Germein is a children's book author who was nice enough to agree to open Ms Doody's for us. I wasn't organised to arrange a real profile on Katrina so have borrowed this from her website...

Katrina Germein began writing books by accident when a story in her head wouldn’t go away. She wrote it down to set it free. This story went on to become Katrina’s first picture book Big Rain Coming.

Katrina has continued to write for children ever since.

She lives in Adelaide with three children, one husband and a black and white dog named Sunny.

If you'd like to find out more about Katrina, check out her website at www.katrinagermein.com or alternatively come to Ms Doody's on the 10th and you can see her then! Not long now...

A little bit about Tom Hermann...

Give us a hint as to what you will be exhibiting in the show?
I will be showing six paintings, acrylics on canvas.

What inspired you to make this work?
I've been watching a lot of Scrapheap Challenge so my inspiration is junk.

Did it turn out how you thought it would in your head?
Does it ever? A bit closer this time perhaps. I was trying to create atmosphere as well as narrative.

How did you get started as an artist?
I have always been drawing or painting, but I took an illustration course a few years ago and now I am getting started working freelance.

Is there a reoccurring theme in your work?
Recurring themes? Hmmm - strange creatures probably, tinged with a touch of melancholic whimsy.

How do you know when a piece is finished?
When the deadline comes! It's always hard to let go of a piece, but sometimes when you have a clear vision for the project, you know when it's done and anything else would be getting in the way.

A little bit about Claire Richards...

Give us a hint as to what you will be exhibiting in the show?
These artworks are made with oil paint. I got carried away melding the colours together.

What inspired you to make this work?
It doesn’t really show but I was thinking about the colours used in Russian folk art. I am also interested in obsolete technology at the moment. There was something lovely about the way the little door of portable tape players opened up like a door of a space craft.

Did it turn out how you thought it would in your head?
I’ve had the image of multi-coloured rabbits in my head for several years and it changed quite a bit.

Is there reoccurring theme in the art you make?
I like painting all fluffy animals and I can always find an excuse to draw a caravan.

How do you know when your artwork is finished?
Sometimes I think a painting is finished but then I’ll come back weeks later and fiddle, sometimes it improves but I have also ruined paintings.

Have a look at clairerichards.com.au to find out more about Claire and where you can find her work around Adelaide.

Invites are here

The invitations have arrived (very quickly thanks to the help from Pixo Digital) and are being distributed right now. Don't they look pretty?

More cardboard!

This year there will be cardboard construction fun outside on the Carclew lawns. Out of the Cot are kindly saving all their big boxes and makedo have given us a box of their great connector clips so we can make a massive cubby castle together - kids and their adults are all welcome to add to this growing artwork.

The makedo clips arrived in the post this morning and Claire has been testing them all day. Check out all the stuff you can do with them on the website www.makedo.com - I'm looking forward to having a go myself!

A little bit about Michelle Lee...

What inspired you to make this work?
Desserts, dreams, emotions and colour!

Did it turn out how you imagined?
The artworks always seem to end up a little bit different to how you first imagined them to be, as you go through quite a journey while you are creating them.

How did you get started as an artist/designer?
I've liked all things creative since I was a young one. My studies in graphic design helped further expose me to the creative and design world.

Is there reoccurring theme in the art you make?
Yes, food, togetherness and love.

You can check out some of Michelle's work at www.michelleleeart.com - or come to Ms Doody's on the 10th!

Cardboard arhitecture

Annalise Rees has been invited to exhibit because she creates fascinating cardboard sculptures – these will be displayed next to our interactive everybody play sculpture.

Check out her work at www.annaliserees.com and on youtube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CG8i36eB-gg

A little bit about Jon Marco...

Could you give us a hint as to what you will be exhibiting in the show?
Starts with a "P"

What inspired you to make this work?
I find that the most inspiring thing is boredom. If I am bored, I become inspired. The trick is to distance yourself from things that keep you stimulated. Then your mind will become inspired just out of desperation to not be bored anymore.

Did it turn out how you imagined?
I'm still imagining it.

How did you get started as an artist/designer?
My mum bought me colour pencils.

Is there reoccurring theme in the art you make?
Silliness.

How do you know when your artwork is finished?
If you listen very carefully, when you finish a painting you can hear a very faint "ding!".

Nearly there!

Hi everyone

we're nearly set – the artists lineup has been finalised and it's less than a month til opening night, so save the date Friday 10 December!

Stay tuned as we bring you some artist profiles so you can have a sneek peak at who's in this year and what they might be showing us.

See you soon,

Ms D