Posts Tagged ‘new work’

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A Hidden Place with Kat Macleod

Thursday, April 18th, 2013

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as you may know – for the past few months, i have been working on a collaborative exhibition with fellow illustrator kat macleod. (some WIP shots above, last one by ameila)

i was nervous about this collaboration at first – yes, i have worked on colabs before, but usually with companies in a commercial context. working with one of your peers in a purely creative context is quite a different experience. lucky for me it was a completely amazing one.

Kat is nothing short of a mega-star. so talented. so lovely. so organised (did you know she is part owner of ortolan?!). and on top of that a mum to 2yr old jimmy, and on her way to having twins!

the process of deciding how to go about the colab was an interesting one – kat and i started by sending pictures of things that were inspiring us to each other, from that we decided on a theme. then we drew up 2 lists of words, relating to the theme and also things we both liked to draw, and then divided the words in 2 jars and picked them out randomly. these random picks became the titles of each piece of work.

what have we made? 10 collaborative pieces – 5 pieces which kat started and passed on to me to finish, and 5 the reverse. we have also produced 8 solo pieces each, and 4 collaborative editioned prints. all the original work is the same is (76cm x 56cm), and for me, it is the largest scale and most amount of original artwork i have ever made for a show! we also put together an installation in the middle of the gallery, of  hand-dyed and spray painted streamers and garlands. after installing it for the last few days (with some help from alice oehr and amelia leuzzi - thanks ladies) it has turned out to be one of my favourite parts of the show.

i am so happy with this show – i cant tell you how much. even though kat and my styles are so different, the works have turned out beautifully, and feel very special too.

the exhibition opens tonight, from 6pm-9pm and then runs for 5 weeks:

‘A Hidden Place’, by Beci Orpin and Kat Macleod. April 19 – May 25. Lamington Drive, 15-25 Keele St, Collingwood. ph: 03 8060 9745

i will post some more detailed pics of the works a bit later, but if you are in melbourne please come to the opening tonight and see for yourself! in the meantime you can see some here, here and here.

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lately…

Tuesday, March 19th, 2013

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- put together some easter DIY projects for german NIDO magazine. the bunny was our favourite and least-well-behaved prop.

- started working on a very fun and special collaborative project with kat mcleod. more details next week.

- sweltered through 2 record-breaking heatwaves. at one point i was so fed-up with my constant sweaty state i checked our family into a hotel for the night. it felt ridicoulsy excessive but our evening of swimming and a night of air-conditioned comfort (and my prevailing return to sanity) was worth every cent.

- discovered this super great new app.

- tried to keep up with ari’s creating frenzy. he is an art-making whirlwind at the moment.

- re-organised my studio (several times) in an effort to get the year started properly (it didn’t work).

- ventured on my annual pilgrimage to golden plains. it was SO HOT but i still had so much fun. i love you toro y moi and moody man.

- designed and put together 3 new mobiles for isetan in tokyo (and new chocolate boxes too). once again, all organised by the lovely folk at GAS.

one thing i haven’t been doing – you may have noticed – is blogging. not intentionally. other things have just been getting in the way – a ton of work, kid’s school schedules, piles of washing and a whole lot of ‘Girls‘(AKA best series ever written. ever). i’m not going to beat myself up over it. that’s just not the point of this here thing. and i do have a few things close to completion in my drafts folder. one or 2 might even make it to published folder pretty soon.

hope your enjoying the last of your summer (or winter) days…

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beci orpin for urban outfitters + giveaway

Wednesday, January 23rd, 2013

yes that would be me for urban outfitters. how E X C I T I N G. what a dream project.

one of the frustrating things of running a small-time business (and yes, it is very small time – sometimes i get email’s addressed to “the beci orpin team”. that team would be me, 2 part-time trusty helpers that i call in when i need/can afford them, and those other lovely ones who help out for free) is having loads of ideas for products and not the finance nor the time nor the people-power to make it happen. you can see evidence of this in the current very lack lustre state of my webstore.

but designing products is one of my favourite things to do. so when urban outfitters approached me to do a co-lab and design some items for their apartment section of course i said a big YES PLEASE. and it only got better from there. i sent a bunch of ideas thinking that the collection would get cut down to a few pieces, but to my dis-belief they just kept saying “lets do it” to most of what i sent through – with no changes at all to the designs! totes amaze.

and  here are the results:

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lots of fun things hey? and of course they are all for sale on the urban outfitters site (and some on the UO UK site too). australians note: UO offers ridcously cheap shipping to aus – free for purchases over $50 even. (also note – there has been some trouble getting rugs shipped – although some peeps have succeeded. if you have trouble but are keen try a shipping service like this one or if you have buddies in the US get it sent to them and then on to you). i also did a little interview on the UO Blog over here.

and now it’s time for A GIVEAWAY. thanks to the generousity of urban outfitters i have a set of my colab products to giveaway. this is how it’s gonna roll: there will be three prize packs -

PRIZE PACK ONE contains: 1 x floating geo duvet cover and matching shams, 1 x stripe tribal rug, 1 x triangle cushion and 1 x dream-catcher

PRIZE PACK TWO contains: 1 x stripe geo duvet cover and matching shams, 1 x kilim rug, 1 x bear cushion

PRIZE PACK THREE contains: 1 x patchwork quilt and matching shams, 1 x geometric wall hanging

PLUS 3 runners up will receive a copy of my book “Find and Keep” (thanks to the champs at hardie grant)

to be in the running leave a comment below before 5pm monday 28th january (melbourne time). i will select all winners and match them with prize packs by random. winners will be notified early next week. good luck!

NB: there are some items which have currently sold out in the collection, but i have been informed UO have re-ordered and new stock will be arriving march/april.

- – -THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED! THANKS FOR THE OVERWHELMINGLY INCREDIBLE RESPONSE! winners will be announced shortly – - -

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new work for justine clarke + giveaway

Friday, December 14th, 2012

one of the perks of my job is i’m never quite sure what i will be asked to do next. so when justine clarke and her team asked me to design a 3mt high inflatable dinosaur, some giant letters and some giant books to be stage props for her current “pop-up” tour - i was only a little bit surprised. it did take a minute to get my head around – i’m more used to designing in the A3-size realm. but it was great to stretch out onto large scale. i commissioned my dad to build the books. he used to make props for the melbourne theatre company so he whipped them up in no time. and everything else fell into place from there. here are some pics of the making and on set:

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i also designed the ginormous bookcase backdrop and all the visuals too. as per usual justine was an absolute champ to work with. fun times all round. justine’s ”pop-up” tour finishes this weekend in melbourne and perth. some tickets are still available (from here).

and now for a giveaway: justine’s tour was book-themed as she has just released her own book through penguin! it’s titled “the gobbledegook is eating a book”, and is written by justine and arthur baysting and illustrated by tom jellet.

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i have 5 copies of ‘the gobblydegook‘ to giveaway. if you would like to be in the running, please leave a comment before 5pm (EST) tomorrow (saturday 15th). winners will be notifyed on sunday.

oh and if you are yet to see my urban outfitter’s colab stuff  you can see some of it here or here!  M E G A  giveaway  involving many of those items (!!!!) coming up early next week.

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the big design market

Thursday, December 6th, 2012

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i seem to be closing the year with a few big massive events – this weekend we will be having a stall at the big design market in melbourne. perprations have caused pure chaos in the studio – much desiging, cutting, pasting, stringing, packaging (and not much sleeping) has been taken place. but it was all worth it as (with the help of a few others) i have made  some brand new things! here are some photos of the WIP chaos:

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on offer we will have some collars, travel pouches, gift tags, prints, wooden mushrooms (just a few!) and a whole bunch of new diagonal cushions (colours are so good in this lot – i even printed some fabric for them). plus i will be selling copies of my book ‘find and keep’, as well as some old favourites beci orpin items too.

please come and visit us at stall 25! but be quick as all my things are in limited quantities.

The Big Design Market : the royal exhibition buildings, friday 10am-9pm, saturday 10am-5pm, sunday 10am-5pm. for more details please see their website

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the design files open house

Tuesday, November 27th, 2012

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this year i am lucky enough to be included once again in the design files open house. as with last year, lucy from the design files has taken over a whole house for 4 days and filled it with an outstanding selection of art and objects, including pieces from kirra jamison, jardan, dawn vachon and daniel emma - just to name a few (for a full list of contributors see here). everything in the house is for sale – possibly the best christmas shopping experience ever!  here are some (very average) pics of the 3 new original pieces i will have on display (and for sale!) at the house:

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they are respectively titled “up“, “down” and “around“, and have been framed by the lovely folk at neo frames too. for more details on the design files open house, check out the website. (ps awesome design files flyer by georgina perry)

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frankie 50th issue and fete fun times

Friday, October 19th, 2012

a long time ago, when i only had one child, (and he was small), and i worked from a tiny nook in my  richmond home, i remember my friend beth saying to me  ”these girls i know are starting this magazine. it’s called frankie. i think it’s going to be really good“. and boy, was she right.

since the first issue, frankie magazine has gone from strength to strength, and has become somewhat of a revelation in women’s magazine publishing. and here they are now – all grown up and successful, with their 50th issue hitting the shelves. frankie have also been a great supporter of my work, and have played an important role in helping me (and many others) along my way. so this milestone makes me well-up with more than a little pride. i was exceptionally pleased when they asked me to do an illustration of my desk for the aforementioned 50th issue:

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this illustration is right up my alley at the moment – getting into the detail of the bits and pieces – i could have happily worked on it for a week (and just quietly, i might be putting together some similar images for another exciting project quite soon…). frankie have also given my book ‘find and keep’ (12 days til take off!) a very nice plug, and features my “peg board cross-stitch” project (pictured above!) in the issue as well. frankie issue 50 is at all good newsagents and bookstores now (look out for the extra special embroidered/embossed cover).

on to other happenings: this weekend it is ari’s kinder fete. i will be having a stall of my stuff (i.e products) and selling many of them REALLY CHEAP as quite frankly, i’m sick of the sight of them. in the next few weeks we will be taking down my current webstore, and replacing it with a new one, so this could be the last chance to buy some of these products. plus, raph is holding a taco stand, and there will be all the other fun things that a kinder fete has to offer. details below – come visit!

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john gorilla mural

Wednesday, August 22nd, 2012

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over the weekend a painted a mural at new local cafe john gorilla, which opened it’s doors to the public yesterday. this was exciting for two reasons: 1. i now have a cute cafe with decent coffee and seemingly delicious food and treats within metres of my house, and 2. this was the first mural i have both designed and painted, and i found the whole process incredibly satisfying. admittedly my painting technique leaves much to be desired, but at the same time i’m learning to love my own wobbly lines (just i don’t look too close).

john gorilla: 49 pearson st, brunswick west. open 7.30am – 4pm everyday. more info here. if you visit keep your eyes open for a table which i also painted. (last photo stolen from three thousand).

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risographica 2

Wednesday, August 8th, 2012

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last week i created a new print for the risographica 2 show, which opens at lamington drive tomorrow night. i think because i’ve been rather lazy of late (so many cafe dates, so little time) i really laboured over this one. i’m much better at working when i have a million things going on – something to be said for momentum i think. in my laze-about state i actually created 4 prints, but the breif only allowed for one – fingers crossed i’ve made the right choice.

anyway, the show is set to be AMAZING, with prints by many other JW artist including eirian chapman (that’s a sneak peak of her’s in the corner), kate banzai and kat mcleod. all the prints are editions of 10 and are only a gobsmacking $50 each! $50!!! i’d get in quick if i were you. plus a percentage of sales will be going to vision australia.

risographica 2 opens 9th august 6pm-9pm, and then runs until september 29. lamington drive – 15-25 keele st, collingwood. opening hours etc on the lamington drive website. (while your there you can pop into the new miniscapes shop too – it’s so good!)

in other news: like everyone in melbourne at this time of year i’ve been dreaming of warmer months. it’s having a strange effect on me and i’m developing an urge to make some clothes again. just 1 or 2 summery dresses, possibly with a custom print, to sell on my (soon-to-be-updated-in-many-ways) web shop? what do you think? should i enter the nightmare that is clothing production and go there all over again?

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photo shoot fun

Monday, May 28th, 2012

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this book is taking over my life. every-single-living part of it. and then more. but it’s a good thing.

all of last week was a particularly fun bit – a photo shoot for one section of the book. having never done anything like it before, i was nervous. but thanks to my very very amazing book designer michelle and the calmest photographer in the world chris – it ended up being one of the best experience’s of my working life.

plus as a prelude to the shoot i got to play stylist for a day and borrow props from my favourite shops – THAT was awesome. half my house came along for the ride too. it was pretty chaotic in the studio at times, but nothing compared to the mess that fills my home studio now. it’s like a gigantic craft bomb has gone off in here. and it’s not pretty, it’s just downright embarrassing.

anyway, photographs are all finished and look beautiful – i can’t wait to show. there is still a ton of work to be completed before the final goes off to press, so for the next 6 weeks or so i may be not around so much. i promise, it will be worth it (at least i hope so anyway).

oh, and PS –  last week was also one of my first daily experiences of having to be somewhere 9-5 ever (actually was more like 8-6). i’m in shock myself that i have been working for 15 years and never been in a situation which required me to do it. so,  i wanted to send a BIG SHOUT OUT to the 9-5er’s out there. here am i whinging about the trails and tribulations of running my own business when comparatively my shit is footloose and fancy free. only now do i value the luxury of being able to duck down to the post office/go for a bike ride/start dinner/drop in on a friend of a cup of tea at my leisure. how you guys get any non-work type things accomplished i do not know – but obviously you do! you guys are amazing!

PPS i also had many great helpers last week and i am indebted to you all!!! you guys deserve your own blog post so i will be doing just that closer to when the book comes out. here are some blog kisses for now xxx

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