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christmas gift guide 2013
With Christmas Day less than two weeks away, indie art & design's Christmas Gift Guide will help you find the special gifts you need for your loved ones.
This year, all featured products are available right here from the indie art & design online store - making ordering easier, and with the bonus of free gift wrapping as well as a free upgrade to Express Post and free shipping for all orders over $150. With hundreds of new products listed just in the last few days, we hope you find gifts you adore for your family, friends... and even yourself! Wishing you all a Merry Christmas!
AU $30 Medium Arabesque White Vessel Glazed ceramic finish, unique geometric shape. These vases complement each other perfectly as a set or work nicely displayed as individual statement pieces.
AU $145 Tree Limited Edition Papercut From the collaboration between Love Hate and celebrated artist, Emma Van Leest. Only 60 per design. Stunning.
AU $65 Double Ceramic Ginko Pendant - Coral Pink The curves of the ginko leaf make a beautiful necklace! The shape of the first leaf is repeated with the second, slightly larger ceramic shape hanging behind the coral.
AU $20 Petite Hanging Vase Simple, elegant, ceramic vase. Leather hanging string. A delight when hung in multiples or enjoy just one in a special spot.
NOW $76.50* Melbourne Bag Wishing Tree Our favourite new style! The Melbourne Bag embodies the style and individuality of its home city... and is loved far and wide. *Christmas special
NOW $67.50* 3 Fold Wallet Picasso Slim and sassy with plenty of space, perfect for those with a life at fast pace! We love the colour combination too... *Christmas special
AU $45.00 Piccolo Baby Deer on Silver Chain Who could resist this sweet hand-painted miniature fawn? Made with love by Debbie Paltros of Meow Girl.
AU $30.00 Lime Teapot on Silver Chain A hand-painted miniature teapot for your own secret tea party! Made with love by Meow Girl.
AU $54.95 Fantastic Fox A3 print A wonderfully detailed fox illustration by Dan Adams of I Ended Up Here - perfect for adults and kids alike!
AU $14.50 Queen of Diamonds Seal Notebook A fun, retro-styled illustration from the Full House collection by I Ended Up Here. Love the colour... and at only $14.50 these notebooks make a wonderful stocking stuffer!
AU $54.95 Stainless Steel Basket Earrings This Polli classic is inspired by the intricate weaving of an African basket. This design suits nearly every face shape.
AU $99.95 Sterling Silver Lotus Ring Polli's first foray into three dimensional jewellery. Love it! This sterling silver lotus pod is filled by hand with mint-coloured resin. Size adjustable.
AU $79.95 Autumn Table Lamp The illustration is revealed through the lovely timber light shade when the light is turned on, illuminating the room with a play of light and shadow.
AU $64.95 Hot Air Balloon Clock A whimsical treat with stong graphic styling. Perfect for the creative interior!
AU $40 Teapots Print on Ply Handmade screen printed artwork on ply panel. A selection of different teapots await your company. Tea, anyone?
AU $50 Three Birds Print on Ply Handmade two-colour screen printed artwork on ply panel. Three birds are silhouetted against a lazy late-afternoon sun.
NOW $89.10* Sunday Bag Zambezi Sleek black faux leather, pretty pink trim, exposed zambezi print pocket linings and cute birdy applique - perfect! *Christmas special
AU $120 Petite Two Way Bag - Ginko Made from canvas fabric which is thick and tactile and we adore Love Hate's ginko print! Can be worn folded over as clutch size, or extended to full size.
AU $36 NIght House A4 Print A mysterious image full of detail and contrast, pencil drawing and deep, dark watercolour painting by Amy Borrell.
AU $36 Cats A4 Print A delightful array of feline faces in all colours by Amy Borrell (whose work you probably recognise from some of our favourite magazines!)
AU $79.95 Pink Confetti Owl Low Voltage Lamp A wonderful 3D fabric lamp in the shape of an owl. The confetti print is the perfect finish. Made by Micky and Stevie.
AU $59.95 Little Girl Print Lamp A wonderous watercolour scene into which a child could instantly transport their imagination, by Micky and Stevie.
AU $66.00 Star Dress Pink The stand-out from this season's collection from Knuffle Kid! Your little girl will adore the Star Dress with its tiers layers of beautiful fabrics - hand screen printed / cross stitch / stripes... Sizes 2 and 4. Oooh!
AU $22.00 Hula Leggins These girls leggings from Knuffle Kid's Carny Folk Collection are fun for summer and in black and white, go with many different outfits. Available in sizes 2 and 4.
AU $69 Hello Panda T-shirt Brand new from me and amber - let your inner panda say 'hello'! Made with love in Australia
AU $69 Mens Black Circle T-shirt Cool; contemporary; understated. One of our favourite designs from me and amber's new t-shirt collection, the Circle Tee will make the perfect gift for him.
AU $49.95 Wooden Zulu Cufflinks Pink/Blue Made from sustainable plantation hoop pine ply, these round cufflinks feature graphic, tribal inspired patterns.
AU $95.00 Circle Cushion An inspired and very special gift! Hand screen printed by me and amber, 45x45cm, comes with 80% feather insert.
AU $44.00 Bear Pendant on Silver Chain A tiny bear hand-painted by Debbie Paltros on a long or short silver chain. One of our favourite pieces by Meow Girl!
AU $17.95 Faces for Baby Cloth Book Wonderful for babies in their first 6 months! Babies are drawn to look at both high contrast images and people's faces. Katey Love has cleverly combined both into a cloth book for baby.
AU $18 Make Your Own Masks Kit 4 different designs from the imagination of artist Dylan Martorell: hummingbird, squid, rangda & lion. Comes with jersey string to attach, and lots of fun to be had!
AU $42.00 Teepee with 10 Little Indians A best-seller from Growing World, each of the 10 Little Indians is numbered to help your child learn to count as they play.
AU $36.00 Bunny House and Family Growing World's Bunny House is an absolute delight! Your child will love making up stories with the Mummy, Daddy and Baby Bunnies.
AU $25.00 Glass Hanging Vase - Teardrop A stunning hanging vase at a perfect price point! Choose from 3 different shapes, or hang in a group.
AU $35.00 Ceramic Diamond Planter Horizontal in Turkish Delight Pink Love Hate's Diamond Planters are wonderful, either alone or in little groups, and the new season turkish delight pink is truly a delight!
All gifts featured here are available to purchase from our online store. We hope you love this year's selection as much as we do! Wishing you and your families a Merry Christmas from us at indie art & design.
b.sirius giveaway... + Christmas discount for all!
Our absolute favourite from this season's b.sirius collection is the Melbourne Bag in Summer Sky - and we have one to GIVE AWAY! Oh, and a matching Fly Away Luggage Tag too!! Simply COMMENT on this blog post to enter. Perhaps tell us which is your favourite style this season? Summer Sky, Picasso, Wishing Tree or Zambezi?
Since we're feeling festive, we also want to offer you 10% off our entire b.sirius range! No code necessary - just 10% off many, many wonderful bags, wallets and accessories - until the end of December 2013.
We were thrilled to see the addition of the new Melbourne Bag with its understated style; effortless horizontal stripe trim; a shape that really shows off each colour way (the contrast between solid colour and print, and of course, the print itself). It also boasts multiple slim-line pockets and what we think are the perfect dimensions - a size which is comfortable to wear but large enough to stuff in your A4 notes and plenty more. (It's a long time since I've been a student, but I'm always writing notes and sketching ideas on the backs of invoices etc!)
To match the 'city' theme of the new Melbourne Bag, we chose some of our favourite styles from this season's collection and photographed them in an urban setting. Above is the lovely 3 Fold Wallet in Picasso. Hope you love the photos (as well as the bags)!
The Tied Up Bag is a perennial favourite. The 'no fuss styling' and generous size mean you can access everything with ease, throw it over your shoulder as you run out the door, and show off your favourite print as you do! The Tied Up Bag is shown here in Picasso.
The Zip Up Wallet is one style I use literally every day - practical, perfect for me. We love how this style frames the Zambezi print so beautifully.
The combination pictured above is a real winner. The Melbourne Bag in Wishing Tree and the iPad Lover to match. The iPad Lover will surely be on many a Christmas wish list! Click here to view all our b.sirius bags and accessories, and make sure to COMMENT on this post for your chance to win the Melbourne Bag and Fly Away Tag in the gorgeous Summer Sky. We'll announce the winner on Wednesday January 15th. We know you'll adore them as much as we do! Oh, and remember, all b.sirius bags and accessories are 10% off until the end of 2013!
artist: agneta ekholm
"Untitled", 2013, acrylic on canvas, 70 x 100cm, $4,000AUD by Agneta Ekholm
Born in Helsinki and currently living and working in Melbourne, artist Agneta Ekholm paints vast abstract paintings - over many hours and using many layers of acrylic. Each work evolves on the canvas, and I see the ambiguous, organic shapes working together to form 'scapes' - not anything quite as recognisable as a landscape but certainly something just as tangible. They make me feel like I'm looking through a window, but the view is overwhelming and much larger than what I can actually visualise. Some of the works remind me of the tissues made visible in X-rays, others seem to move like something a little less fluid than water.
"Every Night's Dream" 2013, acrylic on canvas, 180 x 150cm by Agneta Ekholm
Agneta has studied art in both Finland and Melbourne, and has exhibited her work in over a dozen solo shows, as well as countless group exhibitions. Elements was her most recent solo show, held at Flinders Lane Gallery in Melbourne, from where the works pictured here are available to purchase. About Elements, she says ‘In a way nature is always the starting point. It acts as a mirror on the soul; a reflex. In nature I find something that triggers a kind of personal state of mind.’
"Distance and Prescence", 2013, acrylic on canvas. 85 x 150cm, $6,900AUD by Agneta Ekholm
Agneta's Artist Statement gives us an insight into the creation and meaning of her artworks:
"My current work is by definition abstract and it is built entirely from imagination and engagement with my technical process. Each painting evolves on the canvas: no working drawings exist.
The viewer is immersed in the luxurious ebb and flow of paint and mysterious forms which might be suggestive of radiological images, landscapes, light-play, water flow or movement: many personal associations may be provoked. The scope of individual response to the paintings reflects an indefinable quality that is essential to the work's ultimate success.
The paintings result from the exploration and discovery inherent in a technique honed over the last number of years.
Working with fast-drying acrylic and water, I use a sponge to apply layer upon layer of shapes and gestures with solid pigment and transparent washes, while continually washing and rubbing sections away until the final complex image is built. I may work for days on a small isolated section of the painting. It is an obsessive and fastidious process and the work travels a complex journey of twists and turns before I have found the 'solution' which is that paintings final incarnation..."
"Train of Components", 2013, acrylic on canvas, 180 x 150cm by Agneta Ekholm
"...A spare use of colour focuses attention on a sense of movement in the forms framed by a still surround. In these works an inky blue creates a cool, dark and sensual space.
It seems paradoxical that the work, while time consuming and re-worked attentively over weeks and months, should appear at first glance simple and immediate.
The strong fluid and organic core stilled by the gentle ground , contributes to vague figurative and emotional qualities that the audience just cannot pin down."
Agneta Ekholm - 2013
"Unfolding Sequence", 2013, acrylic on canvas, 85 x 150cm by Agneta Ekholm
Agneta Ekholm is represented by Flinders Lane Gallery in Melbourne, and you can learn more about her work at www.agnetaekholm.com. I feel I could get lost looking into these incredibly beautiful and moving artworks. At once, they speak so loudly and whisper under their breath.
baby camille
We've been a little quiet of late at indie art & design... Behind the scenes, though, it's been anything but!
She's at now at that incredible age where she can sit up and move around a little - and just wants to be a part of everything.
We wanted to share with you a few photos, and also let you know that we'll be adding many new products to the indie store over the coming weeks.
We already have lots of indie goodness waiting to be listed online, and some of our favourite labels are currently releasing spring|summer collections so there will be many more lovely surprises just around the corner.
christmas gift guide 2012
With Christmas Day fast approaching, this year's indie art & design Christmas Gift Guide will give you inspiration for giving! Our favourite designs range from ideal stocking fillers (from just $6.95!) to special somethings which will be treasured for years to come. Enjoy and happy shopping this holiday season!
AU $159 Porter Purse featuring Mushroom Forest in Stone Leather. A functional and gorgeous purse with kisslock compartment and plenty of room for cards and cash by Oktoberdee.
AU $49 Capsule Necklace. Gorgeous limited edition and handmade necklaces which are all one of a kind by Oktoberdee.
AU $50 Vintage wallpaper flying ducks. These flying ducks will take you back to nan’s lounge room. Available in a range of colours, they have an Australian plywood base and are covered in upcycled vintage wallpapers. By Delilah Devine.
From AU $65 These one-off origami decorations from Hideyo are meticulously folded from old, damaged novels, out-of-date atlases and other discarded books.
AU $35 Made By White cuckoo clock brooch. Lasercut from wood with hand painted details such as cuckoo lovebirds and little forest friends. All hand made in Sydney, by Made By White.
AU $24 This tea towel is based on our 'I love you just the way I am' card. It features a cute cat that may or may not be a little bit lazy. Printed in Melbourne on 100% linen by Able and Game.
AU $125 Reflection Earrings Made from recycled sterling silver, these funky yet elegant earrings bring a soft sparkle to the every day, by liminal jewellery.
AU $160 Serendipity Necklace Two complementary shapes, one beaten, one brushed, on a chocolate leather cord. Elegantly simple, by liminal jewellery.
From AU $60 Colour Collector Cushions Fancy a cushion with different prints and colours on either side so that you can easily change the look of your home? The 'Colour Collector' cushions are screen printed and made by hand in Sydney at The Print Society.
AU $78 Diamond Clutch Gorgeous hand screen printed clutches with leather paneling, perfect for a night out or every day use. Hand made in Sydney by The Print Society.
AU $85 Sterling Silver Origami Crane From the "Folded Silver" range. Hand folded paper, coated and cast in Australia and hand finished. Made in Australia, inspired by Japan, by Kimono Reincarnate.
AU $30 Hand-embroidered pendant by edward & lilly. A limited edition hand-embroidered pendant necklace inspired by life at a beautiful tree house in the country.
AU $25 "Love at First Sight" Illustrated Pendant. A beautiful way to wear Alisha's art wherever you go! The image is encased in real glass, framed in a decorative vintage bronze pendant setting. By Alisha Hinds.
AU $6.95 each Pocket Mirrors - A perfect little gift of sweetness! Always handy to have in your pocket or purse, and available in a multitude of designs. Made by Love Hate, from indie art & design store.
AU $12 Folk Cloud Magnet Card - An ideal budget-friendly gift! On the front, the card reads "May all your clouds have silver linings". Made by Bird of Play, from indie art & design store.
AU $45 Tangram Necklace V Neon Multi - A limited edition necklace based on the tangram puzzle, hand-painted in colours which bring the geometrics to life. Made by Bird of Play, from indie art & design store.
AU $70 iPad Organiser - With this season's gorgeous Magnolia print lining, carry your iPad along with notebook, papers, pen, cards and all you could need for technology out and about. Made by b.sirius, from indie art & design store.
AU $92 iPad Clutch - This design is so clever - an iPad carrier styled as a clutch bag! Perfectly practical, and so pretty with cut out detailing and butterfly feature. Made by b.sirius, from indie art & design store.
AU $35 Rhino Kids T-shirt - This soft kids' tee is made from 100% baby combed cotton and features a red screen printed rhinocerous illustration from the wonderful imagination of Dylan Martorell. Sizes 1-4. Made by Sunday Morning Designs, from indie art & design store.
AU $18 Make your own masks! Much more than your average kids mask designs - these artworks are by Dylan Martorell! 4 different designs: hummingbird, squid, rangda & lion. Made by Sunday Morning Designs, from indie art & design store.
AU $19.95 Eco Deco Kit - This limited edition Christmas kit comes in red and silver and is so versatile! Use the cardboard designs as gift tags, Christmas tree decorations or string together with the supplied twine (with silver thread) into a garland. Made by Polli, from indie art & design store.
AU $49.95 Wooden Flag Cufflinks Neon Blush - A pair of flags - one colourway the reverse of the other! Contemporary, sleek and stylish. Perfect for the man in your life who deserves something special. Made by Polli, from indie art & design store.
AU $120 Magnolia Traveller Bag - The perfect travel companion - compact but featuring many easy-access pockets for all your needs... and so pretty in Magnolia! Made by b.sirius, from indie art & design store.
AU $84 Tree of Life Zip Up Wallet - With rounded zip sides for easy access, this wallet is the perfect shape to fit comfortably in your hand. Featuring cut out detailing and an adorable floral and birdie print in earth tones. Made by b.sirius, from indie art & design store.
AU $89.95 Four Piece Rainbow Enamel Necklace - Such a delicate, whimsical design - in colours perfect for summer... sunshowers or sunshine! Made by Love Hate, from indie art & design store.
AU $55 100% Linen Sun Hat - The perfect soft hat for keeping your face and neckline out of the sun, and looking so pretty too! Made by Love Hate, from indie art & design store.
AU $15.95 The perfect gift for a family with a newborn. This renowned design offers the visual stimulation so important for babies' early development. It's a great start for baby's first year! By Tina Matthews, from indie art & design store.
AU $29.95 Edge Cutting Board Small - Made from highly sustainable carbonized Bamboo, this sleek design with cutaway edge is great for cutting, beautiful for serving and so tactile you won’t want to put it down! Also available in large size $39.95. Made by Ute, from indie art & design store.
AU $39 Sensu Recycled Leather Necklace Glossy Brown - Each soft piece of leather has been stitched onto a length of dark brown leather thonging. The lengthening pieces create a beautiful shape, and you can wear this piece with either the suede or leather side showing. Handmade by Mainichi, from indie art & design store.
AU $30 Mushi Brooch Medium - A dusty yellow leather off cut, lime green felt and vibrant floral white, orange and green fabric have been stitched together using yellow thread and Mainichi's signature and inspired approach to colour & texture. Handmade by Mainichi, from indie art & design store.
AU $28 Mismatched Icy Pole Enamel Studs - Summer's perfect little studs... stay cool with these gorgeous tricolour ice block stud earrings! Made by Love Hate, from indie art & design store.
AU $25 Linen Pencil Case Pink Triangle Print - A sweet little case for your pencils, pens and brushes. Be equipped for pretty pictures (or just random notes to self or jottings) wherever you go! Made by Love Hate, from indie art & design store.
Thank you to all the gorgeous labels who accepted our invitation to support the indie art & design Christmas Gift Guide 2012.
The second half of gifts featured here are available to purchase right here, from the indie art & design online store - if you see something which has sold out, drop us a line & we can most likely order in more. As always, we love hearing from you!