country style cover

It all started with a friend's holiday shack. I was staying there over the summer holidays. Resting. Reviving. Renewing myself ahead of the new year. Every day, sometimes many times over, I walked along a bush track to an isolated beach. On this journey I passed a little white cottage and every time I had to slow down to admire its charm and poise. I could see the outlines of a towering bookcase beyond the front door, and I was intrigued as to what else lay inside, and who owned such a place.

I wrote a note, folded it in half and left it under a gumnut on the cottage's front terrace. Days later, when I was back in Bondi, I received a call from the owner. When we met months later she told me that she called because I had chosen a gumnut as a paper weight. It was a fortuitous decision. I was to learn that the owner, Cherie-Christine Curchod, painted them as part of her art practice. In fact, she often has the florist Grandiflora in Potts Point source particular varieties from Western Australia for her botanical paintings.

The result of our meeting is in the latest issue of Country Style. It was one of the first batch of homes Chris Warnes and I shot for Warnes & Walton, and I was thrilled to discover yesterday that it had made the cover of the latest November issue.

image courtesy of country style and chris warnes/warnesandwalton.com

in memory of david band

adriane strampp

david bromley

kirra jamison

david band

David and Alfie

Earlier this year I was saddened to learn that Melbourne artist David Band had lost his battle with cancer. He was an artist and graphic designer who I admired greatly. You can read his Daily Imprint interview here.

To raise funds for his son Alfie, friends and colleagues of David have donated works to be auctioned on Sunday 30 October at Deutscher Hackett. (You can make absentee bids if you're not in Melbourne.)

View the catalogue here. For more information email info[at]deutscherandhackett.com.

designer julie palmer

I don't think I've been into a more well-organised home than when I visited the Queensland house of Julie Palmer a few months back. Not only that, but it was thoroughly well designed and perfectly groomed. I was even treated to a home-baked quiche. Julie and I had initially been in contact in relation to her design business olive & joy but when we got talking homes, I just had to see her place. Soon I was on a plane and shooting it with photographer Chris Warnes. It recently appeared in real living magazine.

During the visit, it was also great to see Julie's studio for olive & joy, and get a demonstration of how she screenprints her cushions, tea towels, artworks...

Which five words best describe you? Intuitive, loyal, procrastinator, creative, dreamer.
How did you get your career start and what path have you taken since? I studied interior design at uni, but since then the path has wavered in many different directions. From renovating properties for our own boutique development company and building our own homes, to learning to screen print and starting my own business with olive & joy.
What’s the best lesson you’ve learnt along the way? Everything takes longer than you think it will, but with a little patience and time, anything is possible.
What’s your proudest career achievement? I believe my proudest moments are yet to come – which is quite a lovely, exciting feeling.
What’s been your best decision? To marry my husband Andrew, hands down my favourite person on this planet.
Who inspires you? People who know where they are going in life inspire me immensely. Those not afraid to dream and then make it happen.
What are you passionate about? Ooh, hard one. I’m passionate about so many things – the handmade, screen printing, vintage furniture, interior styling, learning new things, texture, colour, and of course my family and friends.
Which person, living or dead, would you most like to meet? My great grandmother Olive, and my husband’s grandmother Joyce – olive & joy’s namesakes. I think they would be very proud of what we are creating here.
What dream do you still want to fulfil? Start a family of our own, and enjoy a margarita in Mexico (not at the same time!).
What are you reading? My attention span is far too small for a book right now, so lots of magazines and design blogs. In saying that, I recently enjoyed reading Pattern by Orla Kiely, I loved learning about her journey in pattern design.

images courtesy of olive & joy

artist marise maas

Marise Maas is a Melbourne-based, Dutch-born artist who explores the ordinary and everday in her works. "It blows my mind how much there is to see and so many ways of looking at the world," she says. Her paintings respond to this wonder, but she doesn't allow herself to overanalyse it. "I start a painting in an almost meditative state; this is appealing because it’s like forgetting yourself. A beautiful moment of freedom." But if you look at the details, you'll find larger stories, she adds. Influences include: Luc Tuymans, Francesco Clemente, Carol Rama, Susan Rothenberg, Noel McKenna, Richard Lewer, George Baldessin, Carlo Zinelli, Sam Doyle and Cy Twombly. She is exhibiting at the Flinders Lane Gallery in Melbourne until October 29.

Which five words best describe you? I am tall with opinions.
How did you get your career start and what path have you taken since? After studying printmaking in Hobart I travelled a lot. But it was back in the motherland, during the poor years in Amsterdam, that printmaking equipment became a hassle. So I took up painting, starting on old ceiling boards. The initial years of painting were supported by a large variety of shit jobs on the side. Kept painting and painting.
What's the best lesson you've learnt along the way? Don't just talk about it, do it.
What's your proudest career achievement? Painting full-time.
What's been your best decision? Starting a relationship with the man I'm still with 16 years later. We make a good team and have two beautiful sons.

Who inspires you? People who build houses or boats, good piano players, and people who have an idea or vision and follow it without the worry of social constraints.
What are you passionate about? Good food.
Which person, living or dead, would you most like to meet? Johann Sebastian Bach or Willie Nelson.
What dream do you still want to fulfil? To live long enough to see my children grow up into happy independent adults.
What are you reading? Carry Me Down by M.J. Hyland.

images courtesy of marise maas and flinders lane gallery

photographer william waldron

William Waldron is a New York-based photographer who shoots extensively for the likes of Elle Decor as well as publications such as Harper's Bazaar, Vanity Fair, InStyle and Vogue. He also shot the book Flowers: Cheap and chic by Carlos Mota (who I interviewed here).

Which five words best describe you? Visual, determined, loyal, funny, stubborn.
What was your first job/career and what path have you taken since? I have actually never been anything but a photographer; I've never held a job. So the only questions have been what kind of a photographer would I be, and in what city would I work. I moved to New York immediately out of school and I've never left. My career has been almost exclusively editorial, I barely do commercial work.
What’s the best lesson you’ve learnt along the way? Not to over think things. I need to concern myself with the viewers first impressions by making pictures that feel a certain way as well as look a certain way.
What’s your proudest career achievement? My editorial career. I am so fortunate to work for such good magazines with such talented people.
What’s been your best decision? To be married and have a family.
Who inspires you? Ellsworth Kelly and Cy Twombly. William Eggleston. The writers Jim Harrison and Michael Timmins.
What are you passionate about? The way thing look. Really; I'm a bit of a maniac.
Which person, living or dead, would you most like to meet? Crazy Horse.
What are you reading? Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury.

images courtesy of william waldron

fashion designer kym ellery

After four years working at cutting-edge fashion magazine Russh, Kym Ellery crossed the print line and became a designer, launching her brand. But it's not altogether surprising given that she had completed a certificate in fashion design in Perth, where she was born, prior to moving to Sydney. Kym had also studied fashion illustration and sketchbook building at the acclaimed college Central St Martins in London. Most recently Ellery was nominated for the Quintessentially Awards Asia Pacific in the Emerging Fashion Designer category.

Which five words best describe you? Opinionated. Energetic. Ambiguous. Specific. Ambitious.

How did you get your career start and what path have you taken since? I began when I was quite young and started out working for an independent magazine called RUSSH. I worked in the fashion department and it was a fantastic place for me to be exposed to fashion both in Australia and internationally. I then decided to start my own brand almost five years ago and have been working towards perfecting it ever since.

What’s the best lesson you’ve learnt along the way? To work as hard as you can and always do the right thing.

What’s your proudest career achievement? Starting the E L L E R Y gazette. A bi-annual book-zine that I cannot wait to distribute worldwide in the coming year!

What’s been your best decision? To skip too much studying and jump straight into working on building a brand. The lessons I learnt along the way no college could teach.

Who inspires you? My mother and Amy Child, my assistant.

What are you passionate about? Art. Values. Visual stimulation. Helping people feel good through dressing.

Which person, living or dead, would you most like to meet? Andy Warhol. I simply love reading his books. I think his take on life is so unique and I really relate to so much of his work.

What dream do you still want to fulfil? Having a showcase in Paris. I hope that it is not too far away!

What are you reading? Charles Bukowski's Pulp, Paris Vogue and lots of business Excel spreadsheets!

images courtesy of ellery (portrait daniel nadel)

artist guy maestri

How do you top winning Australia's highest profile art prize, The Archibald? For Mudgee-born artist Guy Maestri, whose portrait of musician Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu won in 2009, you focus on doing what you always have done - creating art. He is about to showcase some of his most recent works in a satellite exhibition from the Tim Olsen Gallery at the Christine Abrahams Gallery in Melbourne. "No Man's Land" will run October 28 - November 13, 2011. Guy has also been a finalist in the Dobell Prize and the recipient of the Brett Whiteley Travelling Scholarship.

Which five words best describe you? Reasonably normal, unreasonably particular, driven, childish, short-ish, happy, simple.
How did you get your career start and what path have you taken since? I got picked up by the Tim Olsen Gallery whilst at the National Art School. This allowed me to keep up the momentum and enthusiasm gained whilst studying, and just keep painting. I was lucky, because post art school can be hard for a lot of people. There's no real reason to keep painting, you get a job, etc, and life takes over. I was just lucky that this became my job.
What’s the best lesson you’ve learnt along the way? The thing with learning lessons is you forget them along the way. I've re-learned most of them two or three times already. I don't remember which was the best. Follow your instincts. Do what you know you have to do, but don't be in a rush, although I'm always in a rush. Try to remember the lessons you learnt.
What’s your proudest career achievement? I'd like to be cool and say something other than winning The Archibald, but basically that was it. I was way proud. My mum and dad were too. My grandma cried. It was a great time for me and my family. We were all very proud. But the pinnacle of proudness came when my mate was doing pub trivia and "Who won the 2009 Archbiald Prize?" was one of the questions. I was a pub trivia question!

What’s been your best decision? Quitting my job as a boatbuilder and going to art school. It was a tough decision "throwing away my career" to become an artist, but I knew there was no other path for me to take. It was the only thing I really had a passion and drive for. I wasn't prepared for my passion to be something I did on the weekends and after work. My work and my life are basically the same thing. I don't need to retire or take holidays, what I do is what I love doing.
Who inspires you? My friends and family. I tend to surround myself with people who inspire me. Mostly they are other painters (people who understand the obscure world I live in) or musicians. Enthusiastic people energise me. My family too. I'm very close to them. Every Saturday afternoon we all meet in my grandmother's house and hang out in my grandfather's work shed. We installed a commercial coffee machine in there and it's sort of like a cafe/workshop. We also roast coffee and are always fixing some old machine. It's a very energetic environment. Caffeine and grease.
What are you passionate about? Music, art, nature, coffee, collecting things, doing stuff, etc.
Which person, living or dead, would you most like to meet? I really don't know; sometimes meeting your heroes can be dangerous. You might realise they're just humans, or maybe they're a dickhead or something, and that could be terrible. Like my friends and I agree: we never want to meet Bob Dylan; he's better off not being human, or a possible dickhead. I don't know. I'm happy with the people I know.
What dream do you still want to fulfil? My mate keeps saying when we are all drawing and painting together that "these are the good old days", and he's right. You could say we're living the dream right now. And I'm happy enough with that.
What are you reading? I just read a couple of Cormac McCarthy books. The road and No country for old men. He is a beautiful writer. The road is gut-wrenchingly bleak, but it's written so well I keep telling people how beautiful it is. It's about empty landscapes too, which is what I'm painting at the moment.

images courtesy of guy maestri

photographer natalie mccomas

Natalie McComas is an up-and-coming Brisbane-based photographer who has been highly praised for her documentary work too. She was commissioned by the Museum of Sydney on behalf of the Historic Houses Trust to create a documentary called Tails of the city. Natalie has also been recognised in competitions such as the Moran Photographic Prize, The Leica/CCP Documentary Award and NOISE/Qantas Spirit of Youth Awards. Her photographic work has been published in the UK's Monocle magazine and Australia's delicious magazine. She's currently travelling around Europe documenting her journey via her blog.

Which five words best describe you? Quiet observer, perfectionist, water-baby.

How did you get your career start and what path have you taken since? My grandfather gave me his old, all manual Pentax film camera in high school. I spent hours taking pictures, guessing all the settings and loved the magic of the darkroom and seeing how they all turned out. Since I shot those first few rolls of film I have always felt being a photographer was the right path for me to follow. I’m so glad I never questioned myself and whether I could do it, I just went about making it happen. I moved from country NSW to Brisbane to study photography straight after school and in hindsight it was a big move; going from the cruisy, beach lifestyle to the city. But my entire world opened up - I was a sponge for everything photography and couldn’t get enough of it. In 2005 I graduated from Griffith University with my Bachelor in Photography and First Class Honours in Social Documentary Photography. Straight out of uni I worked part time jobs and did freelance work on the side. For a while I worked full time as the in-house photographer for a local magazine but it got to the point where I couldn’t keep working for other people and freelancing at the same time. I went out on my own and everything flowed from there. One job has always led to another and I’m always looking forward to what comes next.

What’s the best lesson you’ve learnt along the way? There are a few good lessons I’ve learnt in the last couple of years: there's nothing to lose in trying - just have a go! One of my favourite quotes is: "What would you attempt if you knew you could not fail?" - (Robert Schuller). The biggest lesson has been to balance my love of photography with everything else in life. I love photographing so much, it’s never felt like work – and therefore I have the tendency to take too much on!

What’s your proudest career achievement? That the majority of my work is from word of mouth.

What’s been your best decision? To follow my heart.

Who inspires you? There are so many people I draw inspiration from. Photographers: Mikkel Vang, Sara Remington, Derek Henderson, Dean Sewell, James Mollison, Jodi Bieber, Rineke Dijkstra, Narelle Autio, stylist Sibella Court, author Tim Winton and philosopher/writer Michael Leunig.

What are you passionate about? Documentary photography and films; seeing the way other people live and learning about them; the ocean, surfing, swimming, volunteer work, yoga, learning, growing, traveling, finding vintage treasures.

Which person, living or dead, would you most like to meet? Hmm, it would be great to meet any of the above photographers who inspire me, but I am a bit of a David Attenborough fan. He would be so fascinating to talk to.

What dream do you still want to fulfil? To travel and see as much as I can.

What are you reading? I'm halfway through Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts and also My Heart Wanders by Pia Jane Bijkerk – I love books with pictures.

images courtesy of natalie mccomas

coffee table idea

I got a surprise when I opened the latest issue of real living magazine. It included a shot from a shoot that I did earlier in the year. The idea was to use a lamp shade as the base for a coffee table and top it with a piece of painted MDF, cut to size. The project is in the October 2011 issue.

image courtesy of real living (photography: chris warnes; styling natalie walton)

artist monique lovering

After living in Europe - flitting between Italy and the UK - artist and art director Monique Lovering is now based in Sydney's Bondi. She's almost back to her roots - as she was educated in Australia after being born in England. When she returned to the country of her birth, she spent many years working in magazines and for design companies. While Monique continues to work as an art director she also dedicates much of her time to her art, such as these collage works. Interestingly, she showcases her work on Saatchi Online, a place to "Discover Art. Get Discovered".

Which five words best describe you? Passionate, creative, curious, dreamer and traveller.

How did you get your career start and what path have you taken since? I began my career as a graphic designer working for a small film company in Brisbane. After working for the company for 2 years I booked a ticket and went to London to work. In London I worked for a small design studio, I learnt so much about typography and being ordered in my work practise. I was so untidy when I arrived, when I left every pencil was sharpened, no scraps of paper were left under my desk. My dream was to work on magazines, I loved photography and type. In time an opportunity came up to work on a fashion magazine and from there I went on to work for Australian Vogue, British Vogue, Elle Decoration UK and World of Interiors. I worked in London freelancing for lots of magazines and also small design studios. I enjoyed directing photo shoots and designing concepts for brochures, catalogues and magazines. Travelled to Italy as much as I could as it was so inspiring to be there. I took photos, sketched and painted. Often bringing material back to London to work on larger canvases. When possible I would be in my studio in Clapham working away, in this environment the pencils became blunt and paper filled the floors...

In time I moved to Palermo, Sicily and set myself up there, spending months painting and then flying back to London to do a contract for a few months. I moved to Australia almost 15 months ago and have been freelancing here as an art director. My art making has changed a little as I now use collage in my paintings and I have created some illustration work for more commercial projects. This practise of cutting up magazine images or book pages has been something I have actually done all of my career. So it seems natural that it has come back to me. Only now with more focus and I feel it has a voice in my paintings. Currently I am building a body of work and will have a pop up show asap.

What is the best lesson you have learnt along the way? To follow your heart. I feel it is important to do what you love. Even if you are only able to dip into your passion from time to time it is worth the experience. For many years I resisted painting/fine art, I had always been curious about making marks on canvas. It wasn't until I had a chance meeting with a New Zealand artist Louise Henderson almost 15 years ago now, that something within me wanted to start painting. I recall her saying to us all - painting gets into you blood and it eats you. My time in Italy taught me to appreciate the simple things in everyday life. To take time out to share food and celebrate being together. Sicily taught me patience, just when you think something will happen... oh, domani signora.... allora! Somehow it always worked out.

What is your proudest career achievement? Letting go of expectations! Being able to see the bigger picture when dealing with very challenging individuals.

What has been your best decision? To travel - I am so grateful for the opportunities I have had to travel personally and with work. I treasure those special meetings when you meet strangers and you share stories. I was in Rome in via Margutta having a coffee in a small bar, in walked Fellini's costume designer who dressed Anita Ekberg in La Dolce Vita, he told me all these stories about Fellini and of course that famous scene at the fountain. Minutes later I met an artist with his dog and I was invited for super at his house... I still wish to continue travelling although it is time for me to have a home here, and maybe another elsewhere for pleasure.

Who inspires you? My friends and family; their support has been amazing. I am so lucky to have such beautiful people in my life.

What are you passionate about? 1. Art - I adore making it and also visiting galleries to see exhibitions. 2. Food - I love fresh food and cooking for friends. My neighbours in Palermo always had an open door and a place at their table for me. Eating was a ritual and so pleasurable... I know that there is a place at the table for me and it is wonderful to know we will share food and many stories on my return. 3. Music/concerts/opera - I love the ceremony and the joy to the senses. 4. Laughter.

Which person living or dead, would you most like to meet? Gandhi

What dream do you still want to fill? Two homes, one in Sydney and the other in Italy. To exhibit nationally and internationally and set up a charity.

What are you reading? Street fight in Naples by Peter Robb.

images courtesy of monique lovering

designer neisha crosland

One of the most successful UK textile and wallpaper designers of recent times is Neisha Crosland. She studied graphic design at Camberwell School of Art and completed postgraduate studies at the Royal College of Art, where he degree show led to an invitation from Osborne & Little to create a collection for them. In 1994 she launched her own label and has produced many ranges of fabric and wallpaper but also rugs and ceramics. Neisha's work has also been collected by the Victoria & Albert Museum in London.

Which five words best describe you? I really do not know.

How did you get your career start and what path have you taken since? I specialised in printed textiles at The Royal College of Art, and Osborne and Little commissioned a collection from my degree show. I then freelanced and sold designs painted up on paper to fashion houses and fabric houses. I became increasingly frustrated with not getting the designs to look like I wanted them to, by not finishing the process on to cloth, so I started my own line of scarves. I am now doing a variety of products with pattern on everything from wallpapers and fabrics to stationery and rugs.

What’s the best lesson you’ve learnt along the way? Try to go one step at a time but keep stepping!

What’s your proudest career achievement? The goal posts keep moving, but I suppose the first time I saw one of my scarves worn by a woman in Sainsbury’s supermarket. It was in 1996 and my first collection - I remember following her around the dairy aisle like a groupie.

What’s been your best decision? To have children, to move my studio next to my home, and to book holidays well in advance so you have plenty of time to enjoy looking forward to them.

Who inspires you? Mothers who cook, garden and look after their children in a completely selfless way. When I was younger it was artists like Popova, and Matisse now.

What are you passionate about? After my family, work, after that food, wine, paintings, the sea and the mountains.

Which person, living or dead, would you most like to meet? Matisse.

What dream do you still want to fulfil? Cook really well with great aplomb rather than flap and stress.

What are you reading? The World of Yesterday by Stefan Zweig.

images courtesy of neisha crosland

"the only way to do great work is to love what you do"

"Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle. As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on. So keep looking until you find it. Don't settle." Steve Jobs, 1955-2011.

stylist lucy weight

Donna Hay Magazine has just turned 10 years old. One of the stylists who has been a big part of the publication has been editor/stylist Lucy Weight. While she is now freelancing, for eight years she was the talent behind a whole host of features, including the ones picture above. Lucy also styled the "Welcome to Sydney" party for Oprah Winfrey when she was in town last year.

Which five words best describe you? Dramatic, peaceful, excitable, passionate, (and a little bit) cheeky.

How did you get your career start and what path have you taken since? My family members are all artists in some form or another, but being ever rebellious, I took on bookkeeping, a safe and reliable career in NY for 3 years. After September 11 I realised how much I missed the ease of Australia – parks, beaches, good coffee and, of course, my family. Not sure how I could combine my love of food, creativity and (believe it or not) structure and routine, I spent some time working in my uncle’s shop The Chefs’ Warehouse.

Donna (Hay) would often come in looking for real French kitchen equipment. We had a friendship from the start, so when her merchandiser/stylist at the time – Vanessa Austin, also a great friend – came in I talked about the possibilities of doing some assisting work for free for experience.

I remember on my first day, a location shoot in Darling Point, two things happened: I broke a prop and fixed another with some improvised glue – nail polish from my bag. It was an adrenalin filled day!

I continued to work with the dhm crew for another 8 years. Part of my role there was merchandising for other stylists’ (along with my own) stories. It enhanced my ability to interpret a brief everyday – an invaluable skill in this line of work. I am now working freelance and loving the adventure.

What’s the best lesson you’ve learnt along the way? To really stay alert creatively. You never know when something will inspire you and to stay true to that vision and in the end the harder something is to achieve, the more worthwhile and satisfying it is likely to be. Oh, and there is no such thing as too much bubble wrap.

What’s your proudest career achievement? To date that would be styling the welcome to Sydney Oprah party with Donna Hay as creative director for the event. It was an experience I will never forget and an opportunity rarely available (who wants to say never!?). It was 24/7 fingers on the dial type work: emails and phone calls taken at 2am when ideas would come to mind. I loved every minute of it, as I was able to work along side Sydney’s most significant and respected companies and brands to create an event that would essentially be part of one of the biggest Australian tourism campaign’s in the USA. I met some amazing people on this job who helped change, support and inspire the direction of my career.

What’s been your best decision? The most recent, best decision I made was to embark on a freelance stylist career. I’m in month two and it has already been so rewarding and empowering. People may not realise, it requires lots of determination and confidence to get out there amongst it alone in this world whatever you do. I’m really proud to be doing it.

Who inspires you? Wow, so many people. For their souls: my Dad and my partner Andrew and my son. For their creative approach and vision: Steve Pearce. Sibella Court. Donna Hay. Glen Proebstel. Sue Fairlie-Cunningham. Saskia Havekes. David Starck. Deb McLean. The Remodelista team. Lynda Gardener. Gaye Chapman. For their rebellious and voracious approach to life: my mum and Charlotte Weight.

What are you passionate about? Tones, texture, movement, light; all of these things in a still image can take my breath away. Taste and smell would have to be my top two senses. Taste is my indulgent one, but scent is completely magical for me. It’ll stop me in my tracks and take me back and even forward in time. Family; I am fortunate to have one that I love to spend a lot of time with – they really make me laugh and feel full. I also feel that respect in all forms is key to a better career and can transform all aspects of our lives. It’s a very underrated trait that was such a huge part of societies history, but somehow now, not so much.

Which person, living or dead, would you most like to meet? Currently Tim Walker. I say currently because I still have the chance.

What dream do you still want to fulfil? My career goals and dreams will be ever changing. But I have always wanted to buy a space, rip its interior out and create the perfect home. A place that has outdoor areas inside, inside areas outside, light from the sides and above, smooth hard floors, levels that aren’t always directly above/below one another. A place that has little areas that you can drift between through day and night. One day, I will be surrounded by rubble and dust with a sledgehammer in hand and it will be so exciting.

What are you reading? Dad, my brother and I swap crime books – I enjoy absent-mindedly following their path. I am constantly reading the gutter or on-page credits in any design/interiors mag: InsideOut, Belle, (Inside), CASA Vogue (any issue will do!).

images courtesy of lucy weight photography blackbird wallpaper & circus party anson smart folded linen william meppem, tartan rosette chris court