UMBRELLA COLLECTIVE STORY…..
The Umbrella Collective is a group of five Brisbane artists working in the handmade crafts. The Collective is Shannon Garson, ceramicist, Rebecca Ward and Liana Kabel, jewellers, Florence Forrest, toys, and Kylie Johnson, poet, designer and ceramics. We have joined together to exhibit and pool our joint resources.
Our group has been slowly forming over years of connections through crafts, art, education and friendships. - Rebecca and Kylie actually went to school together and Kylie and Shannon went through the formative years doing our Bachelor of Visual Arts at QUT.
Shannon met Rebecca about 6 years ago at a Chinese restaurant when she and her partner were trying to think what to do about wedding rings for their up and coming nuptials. A mutual friend had just been telling them about a jeweller he knew "who made jewellery out of silver and pebbles and recycled things" when in walked Rebecca to get her take away. Their friendship has been strengthened over the years through mutual admiration of each other as artists and a shared passion for food!
Florence met both Liana and Rebecca through Craft Qld. She says
"It was one of those fateful meetings where you know you've found like souls." Florence had also made an independent contact with Kylie via their shared love of poetry so it was a case of "it’s a small world after all" when we discovered how we all knew one another. We all ended up coming together, discussing our feelings about the state of the craft arts in general and acknowledged a need to find an independent path to professional success.
What binds our friendship is the unshakable belief that we can develop ourselves professionally and become commercially viable while maintaining the passionate nature of discovery inherent in the artist's way. We instinctively knew that we had to find that pathway ourselves as there were few in a position to guide us. We decided to support each other and form a collective that was circle of trust within which to share new marketing ideas and knowledge. We would be there to guide each other through the numerous finer points that arise when dealing with the big world including the virtual world of new technologies that we have embraced. Interestingly, we have found that along with simple practical information, the other main component of our success has been weening ourselves off the idea of the poor starving artist that often stands in the way of most artists accepting the professional responsibilities involved in selling art.
Many artists say that they just can't handle the commercial side of things, that it is somehow grubby or too complicated. Most of the time it's that they have been shown how to make art, but not how to be a professional artist and go beyond the making stage. In contrast The Umbrella Collective has embraced this particular aspect and as we have discovered that it is yet another area into which our creative abilities can be applied.
Working together as a group is another challenge especially for such individuals who are accustomed to very solitary work environments. The putting on of group shows often tests our relationships as the pressure of the big event comes closer. These are moments, however, when our true love for each other holds the threads together and we come back together with a renewed spirit having learnt more about ourselves and about group dynamics.
We have supported each other with friendship and professional help through the birth and early years of child-raising, chronic illness, and relationship breakdowns. The Umbrella Collective has been something we have been able to count on as a source of strength both professionally and on a personal level.
We have serious meetings but also fun events where we all get together and drink champagne and laugh our head's off. Going to one another's launches and professional successes and celebrating individual achievements within the group provides satisfying highlights throughout the year.
Every Christmas we have an event annual event where we launch
new products and meet our friends and supporters. Last year at our "Delightful Things" event Shannon Garson, ceramicist and jeweller Rebecca Ward launched their range of porcelain and silver jewellery called "Nibble". Florence Forrest launched a new, (and very topical) toy called "Rain Berries", beautiful hanging drops of rain in indigo cotton fabric, perfect gentle, whimsical pieces of art for hanging above a baby's cot.
This coming year poet/artist Kylie Johnson is launching her book of poems "Count Me the Stars" published by Murdoch books. Liana Kabel, known as the "Tupperware Lady" continues to spread her particular brand of recycled, contemporary plastic jewellery around the world with exhibitions in America.
Shannon Garson will exhibit her major new series “The Magnolia Project” in Sydney. Rebecca Ward’s recycled glass jewellery is being featured in a Brisbane City Council recycling campaign. Florence Forrest continues to exhibit around the world and her “Snow Walkers” are going to Purdue University in Indiana, America this January.
The Umbrella Collective is exhibiting as a group at KickArts in Cairns and the Maleny Art Gallery. Something we are all excited about is holding the first “Umbrella Collective Invites You…” a networking event for arts and industry workers. We are hosting an evening of fun for artists and industry workers in Brisbane at a cocktail bar. The aim of this event is to create a place where other artists can meet each other and find out about professional issues, (such as how to start their own collectives!) Workers from other creative industries such as Universities, film, photography, theatre and journalism will also be attending. The Umbrella Collective believes that by sharing their knowledge and creating connections artists can build sustainable, creative practices with threads running from the studio practice throughout the whole community.
You can see more on the Umbrella Collective
blog.
http://umbrellacollective.blogspot.com/
We also all have blogs and
websites of our own where you can get a taste of our individual
approaches to life , love and art! We are
Florence Forrest
flying star toys
http://windbagandthunder.blogspot.com/
The Umbrella Collective is a group of five Brisbane artists working in the handmade crafts. The Collective is Shannon Garson, ceramicist, Rebecca Ward and Liana Kabel, jewellers, Florence Forrest, toys, and Kylie Johnson, poet, designer and ceramics. We have joined together to exhibit and pool our joint resources.
Our group has been slowly forming over years of connections through crafts, art, education and friendships. - Rebecca and Kylie actually went to school together and Kylie and Shannon went through the formative years doing our Bachelor of Visual Arts at QUT.
Shannon met Rebecca about 6 years ago at a Chinese restaurant when she and her partner were trying to think what to do about wedding rings for their up and coming nuptials. A mutual friend had just been telling them about a jeweller he knew "who made jewellery out of silver and pebbles and recycled things" when in walked Rebecca to get her take away. Their friendship has been strengthened over the years through mutual admiration of each other as artists and a shared passion for food!
Florence met both Liana and Rebecca through Craft Qld. She says
"It was one of those fateful meetings where you know you've found like souls." Florence had also made an independent contact with Kylie via their shared love of poetry so it was a case of "it’s a small world after all" when we discovered how we all knew one another. We all ended up coming together, discussing our feelings about the state of the craft arts in general and acknowledged a need to find an independent path to professional success.
What binds our friendship is the unshakable belief that we can develop ourselves professionally and become commercially viable while maintaining the passionate nature of discovery inherent in the artist's way. We instinctively knew that we had to find that pathway ourselves as there were few in a position to guide us. We decided to support each other and form a collective that was circle of trust within which to share new marketing ideas and knowledge. We would be there to guide each other through the numerous finer points that arise when dealing with the big world including the virtual world of new technologies that we have embraced. Interestingly, we have found that along with simple practical information, the other main component of our success has been weening ourselves off the idea of the poor starving artist that often stands in the way of most artists accepting the professional responsibilities involved in selling art.
Many artists say that they just can't handle the commercial side of things, that it is somehow grubby or too complicated. Most of the time it's that they have been shown how to make art, but not how to be a professional artist and go beyond the making stage. In contrast The Umbrella Collective has embraced this particular aspect and as we have discovered that it is yet another area into which our creative abilities can be applied.
Working together as a group is another challenge especially for such individuals who are accustomed to very solitary work environments. The putting on of group shows often tests our relationships as the pressure of the big event comes closer. These are moments, however, when our true love for each other holds the threads together and we come back together with a renewed spirit having learnt more about ourselves and about group dynamics.
We have supported each other with friendship and professional help through the birth and early years of child-raising, chronic illness, and relationship breakdowns. The Umbrella Collective has been something we have been able to count on as a source of strength both professionally and on a personal level.
We have serious meetings but also fun events where we all get together and drink champagne and laugh our head's off. Going to one another's launches and professional successes and celebrating individual achievements within the group provides satisfying highlights throughout the year.
Every Christmas we have an event annual event where we launch
new products and meet our friends and supporters. Last year at our "Delightful Things" event Shannon Garson, ceramicist and jeweller Rebecca Ward launched their range of porcelain and silver jewellery called "Nibble". Florence Forrest launched a new, (and very topical) toy called "Rain Berries", beautiful hanging drops of rain in indigo cotton fabric, perfect gentle, whimsical pieces of art for hanging above a baby's cot.
This coming year poet/artist Kylie Johnson is launching her book of poems "Count Me the Stars" published by Murdoch books. Liana Kabel, known as the "Tupperware Lady" continues to spread her particular brand of recycled, contemporary plastic jewellery around the world with exhibitions in America.
Shannon Garson will exhibit her major new series “The Magnolia Project” in Sydney. Rebecca Ward’s recycled glass jewellery is being featured in a Brisbane City Council recycling campaign. Florence Forrest continues to exhibit around the world and her “Snow Walkers” are going to Purdue University in Indiana, America this January.
The Umbrella Collective is exhibiting as a group at KickArts in Cairns and the Maleny Art Gallery. Something we are all excited about is holding the first “Umbrella Collective Invites You…” a networking event for arts and industry workers. We are hosting an evening of fun for artists and industry workers in Brisbane at a cocktail bar. The aim of this event is to create a place where other artists can meet each other and find out about professional issues, (such as how to start their own collectives!) Workers from other creative industries such as Universities, film, photography, theatre and journalism will also be attending. The Umbrella Collective believes that by sharing their knowledge and creating connections artists can build sustainable, creative practices with threads running from the studio practice throughout the whole community.
You can see more on the Umbrella Collective
blog.
http://umbrellacollective.blogspot.com/
We also all have blogs and
websites of our own where you can get a taste of our individual
approaches to life , love and art! We are
Florence Forrest
flying star toys
http://windbagandthunder.blogspot.com/
Shannon Garson
Porcelain
http://strangefragments.blogspot.com/
Kylie Johnson
paperboat press
http://instinctandgrace.blogspot.com/
Liana Kabel
plastic girl jewellery
http://www.lianakabel.blogspot.com/
Rebecca Ward
jewellery
http://rebeccathewrecker.blogspot.com/
This is our website it is full of photos of our latest work and information about each of the artists.
http://umbrellacollective.blogspot.com/
Image: Kylie Johnson, 2008. Cloud Brooches, ceramic.
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