SMALL DOG

Art and Object for purchase from The Depot Artspace

Snug as a bug in a rug you shall be sweet readers! Well, that is if the splendid Helen Stewart gets her way! She has been busily whisking her knitting needles back and forth in order to bring our chilly hands and necks, (and those of your small companions, human children or otherwise) warmth and toasty protection against the harsh elements that have begun to invade our living, working, and walking spaces.

Small Dog has lots of lovely warmyness just waiting, WAITING to make you warm and happy once more!

Helen Stewart.  Children/Pet scarves.  Vintage Mohair. $20each

Adult Scarves.  Assorted wools. $89 each.

‘Wrisque’ fingerless glove for mens and womens. $26 pair.

Mothers Day Hurrah!


Ahh those glorious beings who gave us life! What gratefulness must fill our hearts as we consider the sacrifice and lovely love that they have bestowed upon us in order to raise us into the fine, upstanding and perfect beings we are now! 

Such love ought to be rewarded with shiny things, or printed cottony things, or soft beautiful things, or perhaps even snugly ceramic-y tea drinking things don’t you think?

Alas life is busy and hectic and full of rush so Small Dog, in recognition of this, has assembled a collection of such shiny, soft and ceramic things for your dear maman!

Pop in and experience this delectable display for your self now!

Cushion. Serena B Haynes. Fabric. $65

Earings. Helga Strewe. Sterling Silver. $38

Hearts. Margaret Sumich. Ceramic. $36

Earings. Helga Strewe. Sterling Silver. $95

xx

Artist of the Month:  Erin Forsyth

 The invariably exquisitely clad Erin Forsyth is possessed of a rather formidable creative talent.  Carefully crafting her marvelous creatures, legendary legends and intriguing characters with ink, gel and acrylic from her neat-as-a-pin studio, Erin is certainly a talent to watch.

Small Dog is excessively blessed to host this selection of Erin’s work.  With such diverse subject matter as bearded nineteen-twenties men and story-book chimera emerging from Erin’s whimsical pen each work seen is sure to delight the retina even more!

Painstakingly retelling Maori legends through a mixture of hyper-realism and
graffiti- esq treatments with an almost twist of 1950’s tattoo art Forsyth’s pen is often ironic but invariably fair. 

Owls peeping through the darkness of the wings encircling them, darkly rendered men popping children in sacks, owl eyed men whose beards drift poignantly about amongst the painstaking patterning of their scaly skin; all are here for your joyful perusal.

Erin Forsyth’s work is available through Small Dog.  Erin accepts commissions and can be contacted via her website erinforsyth.wordpress.com

 

 

 

Introducing April’s Artist of the Month: Sean Carter

Oh dear! As any Google search will immediately inform you April’s glorious artist Sean Carter shares a name with Jay-Z - an unfortunate coincidence for any of us attempting to discover more about Sean and his excellent work!

How privileged you are then that Front Room has snaffled up some of Sean’s art to present to you! And even more excitingly we’ve had a chat with the man behind the ever quirky and uniquely New Zealand art works that crafted with care from nature’s bounty (and humanity’s excess) and bring you some background information, along with some images of his splendid work!

Sean creates from his home in Sandy Bay, Northland.  Surrounded as he is by the bush and the sea it is little wonder that his work reflects the world that he sees daily when diving, surfing, fishing and hunting with Monkey his lovely doggie friend!

As a self-taught artist Carter has worked with wood in its various guises all of his adult life. This is certainly apparent in the ease with which he manipulates the material to create his natural forms. 

Of late Carter has turned his talents to documenting the ethereal fallen beauty of the bird-life that crosses his path.  Gently bringing the carcasses home to be photographed, Sean allows us a glimpse into a little-seen and appreciated aspect these tiny beings.

Sean Carters work is available from Front Room at the Depot Artspace.

Eek!  That space on your shelf is not chic and sleek! No! It is boring and empty! What better way to increase your social credibility as an interesting and intellectual human being than to fill that hole in your home with the intriguing and beautiful “Don’t put all your eggs in one basket” by Cherrie James?

Minimalists may scoff all they want but Cherrie is obviously a woman who understands the nessecity for small ceramic cliche’s in a dwelling place.  And having seen this particular one I have to agree!

‘Don’t put all your eggs in one basket’.  Cherrie James.  Ceramic.  10cm x 17cm x 7cm.  $22.

Oooh, look i have taken a photo of a photo! I am excessively ironic and talented indeed! Fortunately for me, the photo I photographed was taken by the softly spoken and widely traveled Camille McCawley (which means automatically that it will be amazing and thought-provoking).  Whilst many visitors to Melbourne may find themselves happily snapping beautiful old buildings and suchlike, Camille searched harder and found a bicycle tree! Fancy that! Evidence of such a feat of horticultural excellence should be snapped up by you immediately, taken home, framed and marveled over by all and sundry forever more! xx ‘Melbourne Attractions’ Camille McCawley.  Black and White Photographic Print.  $65.

Oooh, look i have taken a photo of a photo! I am excessively ironic and talented indeed! Fortunately for me, the photo I photographed was taken by the softly spoken and widely traveled Camille McCawley (which means automatically that it will be amazing and thought-provoking).  Whilst many visitors to Melbourne may find themselves happily snapping beautiful old buildings and suchlike, Camille searched harder and found a bicycle tree!

Fancy that!

Evidence of such a feat of horticultural excellence should be snapped up by you immediately, taken home, framed and marveled over by all and sundry forever more!

xx

‘Melbourne Attractions’ Camille McCawley.  Black and White Photographic Print.  $65.

I just had to put some images of Katherine Batchelors shiny new Artist of the Month section which we installed yesterday! Her fantastic and thought provoking work is already proving very popular so time is of the essence if you want any of her pieces!

xx

Artist of the Month: Katherine Batchelor

 

What joy! Batchelor’s mixed media works are sure to surprise, delight and provoke deeper thought than one may usually indulge in!

 

Juxtaposing fragility with commonplace and/or nostalgic elements that hark back to simpler times, Katherine Batchelor subtly and sweetly slips under one’s defenses, waiting patiently for the questions posed by her suggestive titles to emerge.

 

With names such as ‘Specimens of War’ and ‘Battle Wagon’ Batchelor clearly has an interest in the less palatable side of human nature.  This can be seen in the lovely and eye catching ‘SOS’.  An army of ceramic torsos with loosely stitched-together metallic breast plates, seems to hint at isolation and the tenuous hold humanity has on self-preservation.

 

Working from a studio in Red Beach Batchelor brings into being works reminiscent of her creative education at Hungry Creek Art and Craft School; in that her imaginative and innovative approach to personal experiences and environmental and social issues speaks strongly of an independent and inquiring mind.

 

Katherine Batchelor’s work can be purchased from Front Room in The Depot Artspace.

Valentines Day…

So!! It’s that wonderful time of the year again! Where those lucky in love celebrate with joyful abandon the glorious glory’s of their delightful feelings for each other!  Personally, I think love is so lovely that it should be celebrated every day, but for those needing an excuse, February 14th always seems to be a pretty good one!

Of course life doesn’t follow the predictable path of a happily ever after fairy tale, but this is no reason not to celebrate Valentines with a unique wee gifty from Front Room for Brad, or Nana, or Squiggles, or your soul is it?!!

Because I love you (…and I know the feeling is mutual), I thought I would compile a few wee suggestions for a special person/pet/shelf that is in need of a reminder of how much you love them/it!

          

                        Ceramic Heart (various sizes). Margaret Sumich $14 - $36

          

                            ‘Lily’ Necklace. Hand Knitted Wire. Laura Foote $55

          

                 Handmade, unique Pens. Various metals, Woods and Polymer Clay.

                                            Jon Boggs $50 - $400

          

                                            Lizzie and Finn Dickie. Felt. $30

          

                                 ‘Hairy Man’. Robyn Gibson. $290 15x15cm.

          

                ‘Lad 3’. Ceramic and fabric. Chanel Breen. $59. 20cm tall approx

          

                 ‘In Winter II’. Claudia Recorean.  $40 for 6 pieces. Total 40x30cm

          

                           ‘Hokey Pokey’. Graham Downs. $130. 20x15cm.

This may be an eclectic and unusual list for presents given because of love but, after all, are we not all perfectly unique? Hearts may be a perfect symbol for some…but for others what says love better than a small painting of a hairy man?

Regardless of how you do it, or who you spend it with, have a glorious Valentines friends! xx

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