Waikato designer and illustrator Bron Alexander grew up in the midst of her family’s catering business, surrounded by wedding trimmings and inspired to one day have her own business just like her parents. Instilled early with an appreciation for the intricacies of paper doilies, Bron’s love of paper now manifests itself as limited edition prints of her gorgeous illustrations.
Wellington fine artist Rochelle Andrews has an eye for vintage, drawing her inspirations from the romantic Baroque, Regency and Victorian periods, Art deco and Art Nouveau styles – not to mention the roaring twenties, the fabulous fifties and the sexy sixties. Whilst Rochelle works on establishing her name in the art world, her Felt shop houses a collection of mini artworks in the form of greeting cards.
After eight years in the Royal New Zealand Air Force as an electronics technician, Ross Heywood completed a bone carving course at the Wanganui Summer School, which led to a jewellery apprenticeship in Palmerston North. Now based in Queenstown, Ross has achieved international recognition for his carving and in 2005 exhibited his jewellery in a solo exhibition in Osaka, Japan. He is the creative force behind Hedgehog Art and we have a stunning pair of his sterling silver earrings to give away to one lucky reader!
DUDO Design is a collaboration between Duke and Don. The duo met whilst both were majoring in design at Elam School of Fine Arts and, two years after graduating, they founded their own art and design studio in Auckland. Their surroundings and shared interest in New Zealand culture are brightly reflected in their growing range of vibrant and often quirky designs.
The last few years have been pretty tough for Brighton Mine jewellery designer and artist Fiona McDonald, with her partner suffering a massive stroke less than a year after the birth of their first child, but inspired by her family and wild West Coast surroundings Fiona has risen to the challenge and is unleashing the build up of creative energy that often follows a difficult and traumatic time.
In a house in Featherston, surrounded by second hand treasures (including a lounge suite originally given to her great-grandparents as a wedding gift), Emma McCleary crafts fabric, paper, ink and words into the unique handmade stylings of Emma Makes.
Hailing from the lovely Hawke’s Bay, Ellen Hamlin grew up crafting and will try her hand at most things, but harbours a particular passion for crochet. Her love of vintage, handmade and retro styles (“all smooshed together”) inspired her to pick up a crochet hook upon discovering that she was not alone in her tastes and “granny chic” was officially on the rise. And so emerged Alexandra Mackenzie.
Twin sisters Megan and Christie Webber from Christchurch grew up in a house that that their dad built and their mum painted. Their mother is an artist who had a paintbrushes in her daughters’ hands as soon as they could hold them, so it’s no big surprise that both Megan and Christie are creatively inclined and now work together in their crafty business, Sly Fox Jewellery.
It was a life changing event that led Cambridge glass artist Jill Matthew to make a full time job of her craft. Two years down the track, Jill’s passion for glass fusing and intrepid approach to her work keep her coming up with fresh ideas and adding new designs to her colourful collection. Read on to learn more about Jill and how you can win a set of her fabulous Black and White Waffle Coasters.
Auckland designer Shelley Dunn studied fashion design at Massey University in Wellington, receiving the award for excellence, offered to one single fashion design student in each level, in all three years of her fashion major. For this achievement in her fourth year Shelley was awarded a $1000 prize which went towards buying an industrial sewing machine to start her label, Shelley D. Read on to find out how you could win a gorgeous Shelley D neckpiece.