Shopfront, studio, workshop, or a converted shed, creative spaces come in all shapes and sizes, depending on the artist’s discipline and are wonderful to explore and seek inspiration from. Step inside the world of five makers to see how they work and what surrounds them in order to create.
Who: Michelle Collison’s Shady Fig
What: Flower shop
Where: New South Wales towns of Berry and Nowra
Why: Both of Michelle’s shops are filled fragrant blooms and lush leaves, together with all the things Michelle loves.
We love: Timber work benches and natural twine for tying bunches, hanging jars, wrapping presents.
More inspiration: The Art of Flowers
Who: Lauren Emerson and Genevieve Hewson of Walter G
What: Textile designers
Where: Ultimo, Sydney
Why: Luscious indigo colours, bright fabric dyes, touch-me textiles and moodboards to die for.
We love: Seeing the concept for a design on the moodboard and watching the final product unfold.
More inspiration: The creative world of Walter G
Who: Ainslee Costa of My Suburban Farm and Ainslee Made
What: Wood carver of bespoke crochet hooks
Where: Melbourne
Why: A city farm, a shed oasis, a handmade craft, an escape from hustle and bustle and those chooks!
We love: The double life Ainslee leads as a farm girl in the middle of suburbia.
More inspiration: Creative escape
Who: Grace Wood
What: Wool artist
Where: Blue Mountains, west of Sydney
Why: Woolly fleeces, soft heavenly mounds of natural wool in every state – raw fleece, dye bath, thick fibres. The gentle rhythm and awe-inspiring setting of the Blue Mountains.
We love: The myriad shapes and colours Grace creates with felted Australian merino wool from her family’s farm.
More inspiration: Grace Wood’s tactile world
Who: Hannah Fox
Where: At the bottom of the garden in her Melbourne home
Why: A secret artist’s world exists away from the Hannah’s home but close enough for a healthy work/life/creative balance
We love: The paint splatters on Hannah’s shoes, her incredible landscapes, the presence of flowers as subjects in her studio, solitude in the city.
More inspiration: The Art of Colour