Issue # 4 February 2014
Californian Roadtrip
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MEET THE DESIGNERS
Armadillo Co GUEST BLOGGER: THE BLOG SOCIETY
Out & About DA O R A Z I O P IZ Z A + P O R C H E T TA photographer
Leila Jeffreys
hello.
A new year brings new hopes, dreams and aspirations. As we make the shift into the year, it can be easy to get caught up in the day to day. This issue we wanted to inspire you to take time to keep dreaming, exploring and to rediscover your sense of adventure. Often to find yourself, you have to loose yourself first. Take a road trip with us through this issue inspired by California dreaming.
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Deb Morgan Jamee Huntington
contents Meet the Designers
Armadillo & Co. .
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A R C HITE C T S P O T L IGHT
Tribe Studio .
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S t o r e s po t l i g h t
Huset
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P h o t o g r ap h e r
Leila Jeffreys .
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M EET THE M A K ER
Erin Cunneen .
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T h i n g s w e lo v e
Californian Dreaming .
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B L O G W AT C H
Little Paper Tree's
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OUT & ABOUT
Da Orazio Pizza + Porchetta .
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A D VENT U RE
On the Road with Kirsten .
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T r a v e l
Californian Road trip .
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Mr & Mrs Smith Hotels .
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ST A Y
A RTIST M U SE
Thomas Jackson .
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INS P IR A TI O N
Desert Wanderlust .
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Jodie Sally
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Armadillo Co
MEET THE DESIGNERS // HOW DID YOU COME TO YOUR NAME? We rattled through a variety of names before "armadillo" popped into the picture because of the texture of the colours and the armored plated shell. The texture and tone of our rugs spoke to us the most. We were in India at the time and had been staring at the intricacies of our pebble and nest weave and the name really resonated with us.
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MEET THE DESIGNERS // ARMADILLO & CO
Your rugs have earthy and natural tones, is there a particular travel destination that inspired this for you and your team? I think the earthy natural tones are truly influenced from home, from our Australian roots in our own backyard. The simplicity of Australian interiors, the fresh clear light, our indoor/outdoor lifestyles and the natural surroundings are unlike any other country in the world. It is amazing what literally comes from the influences on your back doorstep! Part of your collection is only AVAILBLE TO InDUSTRY SpecialistS. how important do you think it is TO MAINTAIN TRADE RELATIONSHIPS? It is very important that we offer this custom service to our trade clients, as they are often working with different projects and need bespoke pieces. Most of the time our stock products don't fit the bill exactly. We also enjoy working closely with designers and stylists as it's exciting to see a product you have developed together fit perfectly into a space - design, colour and size. No rug from this collection is ever the same. What would be your advice to other small businesses, ESPECIALLY WHEN LOOKING TO GROW INTO THE INTERNATIONAL MARKET? Start slow and steady, minimize your risks, know your product, your market and your audience. Stay true to your concept of product, branding and your mission and get this well oiled before attempting to grow. Interacting with the overseas market is very difficult. You need to have a strong foundation in your home market before taking that step.
MEET THE DESIGNERS // ARMADILLO & CO
Your latest collection is based around Children and bringing fun into their rooms, what’s next for Armadillo & Co? What's next? This is actually our biggest problem - we have too many ideas and the options are endless. You will have to stay tuned to see what makes it to the next launch! Describe an item in your home to our readers that sum's up your personality? I have an antique old wooden buffalo Vietnamese water puppet. I got him when I first started travelling when I was 17 years old. He has moved every single house and country with me and now my kids love him too. I feel he symbolizes my love for the experiences which come from travel, people and culture.
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MEET THE DESIGNERS // ARMADILLO & CO
your BRAND has a focus on Fair Trade working conditions, how did this evolve from the launch of your business? Fair Trade working conditions are extremely important to us and we would simply not work any other way. The weavers are very much our collaborators and we work closely with them developing new products and maintaining the production of existing ones. All of our rugs are made by hand, by weaving communities in rural villages. It is our passion to not only value this skill, but also help keep it alive and ensure it is handed down to the generations which follow. Do you have a bond to any collection in particular? One that has struck an emotional chord? Currently I adore the Junior Collection. I think also being a mum and having 2 small children in my life right now (a toddler - 2 years and a baby - 9 months) this collection really speaks to me and where I am at. I think it was also about time Armadillo had some fun and this is really showing our kooky and bright side.
What has been the highlight of your business so far to date? Just getting to where we are at now has been a highlight! It feels amazing to Sally and I when we look around at our little company to see what an incredible team we have, along with the ranges and how they have evolved. The future is exciting!
VISIT ARMADILLO & CO AT IDH
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Can you introduce YOURSELF AND DESCRIBE how your design journey began? I started Tribe Studio when I was in my midtwenties, doing small residential alterations and additions. I was also painting and teaching design at university and having a lovely time. In the last five years, we've really ramped it up. We are working on beautiful individual houses, some apartments and work in education. Describe your ideal aesthetic within design - how do you reflect this in your work? I love doing residential work because it gives us a chance to be responsive to the clients' aesthetic. We are not really interested in building our own dream home over and over again. Rather, we like to reflect the client and their family. I see the projects as a kind of portraiture. They are an expression of the person who commissioned them, but the hand of the painter is still visible. You have recently been a part of group discussions within Sydney, is this a path you would like to evolve, to teach the community more about design and techniques used? Yes. I think our cities have suffered from a loss of engagement with design and a reluctance on the part of politicians to talk about quality and aesthetics. I think we should all be agitating for the best we can possibly have in terms of new development.
Architect Spotlight
// TRIBE STUDIO with Hannah Tribe
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Your work has just won you two awards within the Idea Awards, describe what this achievement meant for you and your team? This was such a thrill. We are truly delighted. And we are especially delighted for the Mahers, who commissioned the Best House of the Year! We work really hard, so to be recognised at the national level, against such a strong field is really humbling. My team is incredible so it is great that we can all celebrate this win together. The Donna Hay General store exudes lux, was this the brief for the job or did you have full creative control? This is a great example of reflecting the brief. Donna Hay is an incredibly established brand, with a strong, unique design aesthetic. Our challenge was to apply this branding philosophy and aesthetic to physical space: to take something which had previously been mostly graphic and product design into the architectural realm. Which project has been a personal highlight? All our jobs feel like huge wins. There is nothing more satisfying than building a project and all of them provide that unique high for me. What kind of struggles might an interior designer or architect face in growing their business that you wish you knew when you began? If I knew then what I now know, I would never have started a practice! I don't want to say anything that will scare young talented people and prevent them from starting out. Maybe just: be proactive about learning business skills.
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Your portfolio spreads to Cultural themed work such as "Laneways By George", can you describe your design process in temporary installations compared to permanent projects? Temporary installations always have a super-quick program. We love the challenge of developing a single, clear idea and implementing it quickly. Private residential work, on the other hand, is a bit of a slow burn. It can have long approvals process, and often clients need to sit on major decisions for a while. Temporary installations also allow us to pursue more abstract ideas than other types of work, and this in turn informs our more permanent projects. At which stage of a project does sourcing begin for furniture and home wares? At the moment, we are a traditional architecture and urban design practice. We don't actually do much furnishing beyond window coverings. When we are working with interior designers, our brief stops at the joinery and theirs starts. We are thinking about interiors and exteriors simultaneously through the whole project, so we like to work with interior designers as early as possible. What will 2014 hold for Tribe Studio? We are looking forward to a very exciting year as we are working on our first really big projects: large scale multiresidential, mixed use and educational facilities. We have four totally amazing houses going into construction in 2014, as well as two delicious apartment interiors.
VISIT tribe studio for more information
// FEATURED STORE
VISIT HUSET AT In a designer home
Welcome to Huset, the premier European furniture source. Huset only sells original furniture designs that will accent any dÊcor and make a statement about your home and your own personal style. Huset offers a comprehensive collection of originally designed, European made furniture and home accessories created for the discerning customer. Headquartered in Cheltenham, Victoria, Huset is Melbourne’s leading supplier of fine European furniture. Their reputation for offering premium furniture, lighting and accessories speaks for itself. The range includes seating, lighting, tables and more in a range of colour ways to suit any style of home and interior space. You can shop the collection at IDH today.
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Leila Jeffreys // PHOTOGRAPHER
& Bird Enthusiast
Your photography is themed around birds, what began this journey for you? When I was little and living in India, my Dad bought me 15 different species of hand painted Indian birds made out of clay. They were my favourite toys and I played with them obsessively. That’s my first recollection of being in love with birds. Since then there are many moments through my life where they've had a profound affect on me. Some examples are: we had a small flock of ducks in Perth that we nursed back to health after they had been poisoned in our local lake; we had budgerigars living in a giant aviary but one used to snuggle up in bed with me. One sad memory is of an injured kookaburra sitting in my lap, breaking into song and then dying straight after – to think of it still makes me teary. Dad always noticed wildlife and often rescued injured birds. Through his eyes I learnt to notice and appreciate them. As an adult I began writing down the different birds that I would see in various areas and with a bird book in hand I started to understand all the different species. I went on two nature and bird watching trips to Christmas Island which involved volunteer work with ornithologists. I also did the same in Spain. This was when things started to turn into a serious passion as I found I loved birds.
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Describe a TYPICAL working day when working with birds? It usually starts very early. It’s best to work with birds before the day gets too hot because they’re always wearing their feather coat. So I’m often up at 4am. There’s a ridiculous amount of equipment to pack and to check that I haven’t forgotten. For example an all important cable or some other tiny item that could turn the day into a disaster. There’s usually a long drive or even a flight as most wildlife carers are not near the city. When I’m on site there’s time spent setting up a studio environment. If I haven’t met the birds I’m there to photograph there’s time to meet them and observe how they interact with me. Depending on the species, the experience can be very different. Some settle into the studio environment quickly wheras others take more time. It’s hugely important to me that the bird is relaxed for their own well being but also because that’s the best way for me to capture their portrait. I talk to them as I work and get to a point where I only see them and no one else in the room. I get to have some lovely moments. One that comes to mind was observing the difference between how an owl has evolved in flight compared to an eagle. I was photographing a barn owl and it decide to fly up onto my back roll stand. It seemed to levitate because they have evolved to be completely silent in flight. An eagle, on the other hand, almost bowled me over with the gust of wind produced by his giant wings. I have many challenges to overcome while working - the most common is working fast enough to keep the birds in focus as they often like to move around a lot. There’s an intense concentration that leaves me exhausted but exhilarated by the end of a shoot. I just get into such a zone that I forget about everything else.
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"I TALK TO THEM AS I WORK & GET TO A POINT WHERE I ONLY SEE THEM & NO ONE ELSE IN THE ROOM."
PHOTOGRAPHER // LEILA JEFFREYS
We heard you speak recently at the "Women in Design" Designex discussions, how do you feel about voicing your art and do you have future discussions planned? I find public speaking terrifying but at the same time I want people to learn more about birds because for me it’s more than just a portrait, it’s a message about protecting our wildlife because in many ways they are just like us. The fact that WIRES and Sydney Wildlife relies on donations suggests to me that our politicians are ignoring the responsibility. Looking after wildlife should be part and parcel of what we do as a nation, not a burden for the kindest (and usually the poorest) people to donate to. I don’t have any discussions planned at the moment but I feel like I should talk more about these issues for the critters.
WIRES rescues many animals including birds daily, would you consider working with some of the other wildlife such as possums or snakes? Yes I would love to work with other animals. I photographed a rescued possum recently and I think snakes are beautiful. They all have stories and it would be lovely to give a voice to all of them. I would love to do an editorial story on the whole wildlife rescue network, how it works, who they rescue and who all these wonderful people are that work with animals. It’s a fascinating story and could be a way for me to help promote the services that survive on donations only. For my exhibition work though I’m still very focused on birds. I don’t think people realise how different each bird species can be and I like to be able to surprise people. Make them see that just because you’ve seen one type of bird, don’t think that you’ve seen them all. They have all evolved in their own unique way and each one is special.
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PHOTOGRAPHER // LEILA JEFFREYS
For you personally, what do birds mean to you? They mean so many things. They represent life and how hard it can be to raise young and search for food and shelter. They are just trying to survive and I try to see the world from their eyes. They don’t complain. They don’t have holidays. They don’t stop trying to live and if you’re a cockatoo they always remember how important it is to play. I love and respect them. Collaboration is important in the art and photography world, is there a collaboration you would aspire to in the future? I would love to collaborate. I wish I could work with an artist who makes sculptures. I’d love to do giant 3D sculptures of birds and wrap photographic bird portraits around them. I can imagine them dotted along the ocean in sculpture by the sea and wouldn’t it be lovely to feature the birds that are found in that stretch of coastal land? From Shearwaters to fairy wrens, white faced herons to kookaburras, a little plaque about them and their lives. Get people looking out for them as I do every time I do the Bondi to Bronte walk.
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PHOTOGRAPHER // LEILA JEFFREYS
Can you introduce to our readers one bird in particular whosE personality has stood out among others? It has to be Seisa the Palm Cockatoo. From the moment I caught her peering around the corner to see what I was up to, to meeting her and then as time went on watching her shyness peel away to reveal an incredibly intelligent bird that took in everything I was saying and showed great affection by the end of our time together. It’s her portrait that I have at home. Her crest feathers are raised and her look is composed. We went through a process of getting to know each other and she let me take a portrait that I think shows how extraordinary a palm cockatoo is. Has your work included much travel? Is there a particular country you would like to capture animals in their habitat? Yes I get to travel around Australia a lot, I love the Australian landscape and the opportunity to see different areas. I have a dream to do a series on New Zealand birds. The Kea is a type of cheeky parrot that is so smart it can solve complicated puzzles in minutes – puzzles that have taken researchers months to devise - and then there’s the Kakapo, the most prehistoric flightless ground parrot alive who is such a character. Is their something our readers will be surprised to know about you? Hmm well I love music. When I left uni I worked in Tower Records in London and also an independently owned shop called 78 records in Perth. My friends and I have a club called ‘Ladies Record Club’. It’s like book club but with vinyl. Once a month we meet at the local pub with record in hand and a portable turntable! It’s a fun way to catch up with friend and listen to good music. View leila's work leila's artwork is represented by olsen irwin gallery
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The Maker
Erin Cunneen The Collectors Room Letterpress
MEET THE MAKER // ERIN CUNNeen
How did The Collectors Room Begin? I can't honestly say there was an exact moment or reason the collectors room started. For as long as I can remember I have been obsessed with paper and this grew into an interest for typography and graphic design. When I studied design, I was more interested in set design and styling, so I moved into the magazine styling world afterwards, keeping the graphics and paper as more of a hobby. The day I stumbled upon lead type and old wooden type blocks my interest in letterpress was stirred. The idea of pressing these gorgeous pieces of type into the piles of paper I had collected from all over the world, was too much. But it was the wonderful old printing press machines, which were used for this that stole my heart. All of a sudden everything was about letterpress printing. You describe your letterpress as a behemoth, does it have a distinct personality? My press is a stubborn, unforgiving mate. We definitely have a love hate relationship. He won't budge. Ever. Which is fair enough I suppose, considering he is over 100 years old. He was in a sorry state when I found him in Melbourne. Rusted and unloved. There were plenty of nights and weekends wrestling with him to get him back to his former glory. And then came the slow road of teaching myself how to work such a beast. Sadly I haven't been able to find out exactly what press I have. The foot pedal was broken off years ago, which is where the branding would have been. He is a rare one. Even long time printing press gurus haven't been able to shed any light on his identity, he is a mysterious old man.
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How do you find working in the Sydney creative scene? I love Sydney's creative scene. I love that it is so open and supportive for creatives, Sydney has a great demand for hand made and design products, which has allowed a lot of creative people to successfully turn their passions and hobbies into their careers. These opportunities don't necessarily exist everywhere so it is a good place to be. Markets, like 'The Finders Keepers', and design awards encourage growth and give the small guys a chance to shine. WHAT IS THE BEST PART OF YOUR JOB? Enjoying what I do everyday is the biggest highlight of my job. I find it a pleasure to be in my studio designing, printing and creating. It is a great feeling to know that what I am making is true to myself and my style, and the fact that people love it is very rewarding. Plus I get to work with my hands.
Many creatives say the hardest part of their job is the business side of things. How Do you balance being a businesswoman with creativity? This would have to be my hardest challenge. I would like to ignore a lot of the business side of my company and go about my day designing and printing. To be honest, I think having the business forces direction and gives my creativity more purpose. I usually dedicate some time in the morning to 'office work' so I can kick on with designing and printing for the rest of the day without feeling guilty. What’s next for The Collectors Room? It is exciting times right now for the Collectors Room. I have recently moved into a new studio space in Alexandria. It is much bigger and much brighter than the 'second bedroom' studio I have been working from for the past 2 years. I have also just got a new beauty, an original Heidelberg printing press. It's a lot bigger and faster than my hand fed platen press. So now it is time for me to learn the ins and outs of the Heidelberg. MEET THE MAKER AT THE COLLECTORS ROOM
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LUSTING Californian Dreaming 02
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01 SPELL DESIGNS | 02 WINDSOR SMITH BONDI SANDLE | 03 'TRAVEL OFTEN' KIKI K. JOURNAL | 04 SPELL DESIGNS THROW CUSHION 05 BABY ANYTHING RING | 06 'FLANNEL' SCARF
BlogWatch
Little Paper Trees // Jaclyn Carlson Society // T H I S &from T HBlog AT//
" little paper trees & BLOG SOCIETY has changed my life in ways i never expected"
My blog, Little Paper Trees, was launched in 2010 and started out as a way to connect and rebuild relationships with friends and family back home (in Boston, Massachusetts) but has since changed my life in ways I never expected. More than just a space to write, ramble and remember, blogging has shifted my thinking and strengthened my creative spirit. My passion is to write about my life in all its glorious highs and lows, I document our travels, embarrassing moments, weekly happenings and expat adventures. It's a collection of memories & a place to store the words, places & the people I love most. It tells the stories of our days & threads together the small moments that make up the bigger picture. Blogging has opened doors and created a new appreciation of the boring, beautiful and mundane parts of our lives. It's taught me to look at life in a new way and value the often over looked moments as something to be remembered.
Writing Little Paper Trees has given me that sought after creative outlet that I had been searching for and because of all of these new ideas, Blog Society was born, which is a new community I've founded for bloggers & creatives here in Australia. Over the past 6 months I have been humbled by it’s steady growth and have been overwhelmed by the support from other bloggers. I aim and seek to bring liked-minded people together to create, collaborate & share. Through Instagram Meet-Ups, Kinfolk dinners, blogger picnics and more we have created a growing community and I can’t wait to see what the future holds. I see so much of what is going on in the blogging world and feel that Australia is slowly catching up but its long overdue to have the spotlight finally shine on our creative bloggers and that is what I aim to do through Blog Society. It's been a big, busy year of blogging but I wouldn't change a thing and have a feeling things are only going to get crazier. FOR MORE VISIT BLOGSOCIETY.COM.AU
hotography; Maya Vidulich
Out & About DA O R A Z I O P IZ Z A + P O R C H E T TA BONDI BEACH Maurice Terzini’s latest osteria, Da Orazio Pizza + Porchetta is a welcomed addition to the Bondi seascape. Part owner and head chef, Orazio D’Elia [Icebergs Dining Room and Bar & Popolo] has recruited a talented pizza chef, Luca Di Napoli as well as a pasta chef, Davide Vitello. The 100% handmade pizzas are naturally risen for 48 hours and cooked in the brick wood-fired pizza oven that weighs 2.7 tonnes and was imported from Napoli, it needed to be installed into the space with a crane. It has been a busy few months for Terzini who opened Da Orazio Pizza + Porchetta after celebrating a decade of success at the famous Icebergs Dining Room & Bar.
OPEN MON-FRI 5-12PM SAT 12-12PM, SUN 12-10PM 3/75-79 HALL ST, BONDI BEACH 02 8090 6969
OUT & ABOUT // DA ORAZIO PIZZA + PORCHETTA
Interview with part owner & head chef Orazio D'Elia WHICH DISH RESONATES WITH YOU THE MOST? At DA ORAZIO PIZZA + PORCHETTA we have a few dishes that are really simple and easy to share. The one that really resonates with me is definitely the PORCHETTA, that is why we have put it in the name of the restaurant WHERE DO YOU FIND YOUR INSPIRATION TO My inspiration really comes from the restaurant I am working in, its clients, its environment and the mood that I am in that day. I am inspired by what people tell me they like and very importantly, what mother nature has to offer that day. WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO BECOME A CHEF? Since I was young, I’ve always wanted to travel and see the world. When I finished middle school and found out that at chef’s school there was no mathematics’ I thought, “that’s it, I’m gonna become a chef” and then it worked out well because I could travel and pay for my trips while I was working. YOUR PIZZA NATURALLY RISE FOR 48HOURS, HOW DOES THIS COMPARE TO OTHER METHODS? This is one of the oldest methods still used by my grandmother and the people of her village when they make bread for the family. It means that to make our new batch of dough we use the old dough as a starter and therefore we only use a tiny bit of fresh yeast. The result will be a very light pizza, that is easier to digest. WHICH LOCATION IN THE WORLD WOULD YOU DREAM OF OPENING YOUR NEXT KITCHEN? I am from Napoli and have worked all over the Amalfi coast, I love the water and the beauty of it. I have also travelled quite extensively before coming to Sydney nine years ago and when I first arrived in Sydney it was love at the first sight. I loved my year working at Icebergs Dining Room and Bar as a head chef so I would definitely say somewhere in Sydney by the water.
Photography by Derek Henderson
" IT'S GOOD-BYE BUT WE LEAN FORWARD TO THE NEXT CRAZY VENTURE BENEATH THE SKIES" - Jack Kerouac, On the Road
ON THE ROAD CALIFORNIA
by Adventure Writer & Photographer // Kirsten Cunningham
There is nothing like a road trip to clear the mind and soul. Add a bohemian camper van, endless sunset margaritas, and deliciously scenic southern California, and you have the perfect solution to satiate your wanderlust. As the third largest state in the US, California has a lot to offer an intrepid gypsy. You could easily spend weeks exploring Cali’s highways and byways, losing or finding yourself in stunning national parks, eclectic cities or trendy towns. With so much to offer it is almost impossible to define the quintessential road trip. Instead, here are some highlights to start you planning.
Photo: forums.aaca.org/f206/palm-springs-modern-ii-264261.html
" THE STARGAZING IS SOME OF THE BEST IN THE WORLD."
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ON THE ROAD By Kirsten Cunningham CALIFORNIA GET HIGH IN OJAI
Nestled in the mountains behind Santa Barbara, one and a half hours north east of Los Angeles is up and coming Ojai. A long time artist retreat and haven for writers and creatives, Ojai is a product of its bohemian past and offers visitors some serious downtime. Amble, eat and be creatively inspired as you explore designer fashion and interior boutiques, art galleries, locally sourced organic restaurants, wineries, hiking trails or partake in a meditation and yoga retreat. EAT at Farmer and the Cook for a locally sourced organic breakfast or lunch. Try, the to die for, kale caesar salad or blue cheese, fig and walnut pizza. For dinner visit Azu, a tapas style cocktail bar that does a mean pear martini. STAY in the rustic and affordable Ojai Rancho Inn. Be sure to pick up a Get High in Ojai t-shirt designed by type based graphic genius Madeleine Eiche.
STARGAZE AT JOSHUA TREE NATIONAL PARK
Joshua Tree National Park is an incredible boulder strewn desert wilderness famous for it’s bizarre trees and the fact that U2 named their 1987 album after it. A long time artist’s retreat, rock climbers mecca and campers wonderland, J Tree has numerous hiking trails and vistas all well marked from the paved roads. A stay overnight in the park will blow your mind. The stargazing is some of the best in the world. EAT by self-catering. Shop at one of the well stocked supermarkets in town before heading into the park or to your self-catering accommodation. STAY under the stars in one of the park’s official camping grounds. For non-campers Air-bnb has a stack of great options from glamping to glamorous. SHOP at the National Parks office. Pick up a wildlife guidebook and a stargazers map.
SHOP at Summer Camp, an awesome service station conversion that sells antique camping related paraphernalia and leather goodies.
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ON THE ROAD By Kirsten Cunningham CALIFORNIA GET YOURSELF THERE
LIVE CALI STYLE ON VENICE BEACH
Conveniently Los Angeles is one of the world’s largest international airports and has numerous flights daily from all Australian capital cities. Qantas and Virgin Australia offer return flights starting from $1000.
One of LA’s most eclectic and welcoming suburbs, Venice Beach is a melting pot of art, design, surf, skate, food and crazy. Home to Arnold Schwarzenegger’s old haunt, the open air Muscle Beach Gym, Venice Beach is as famous for it’s muscles as it is for it’s boardwalk, where it is literally possible to see every type of human imaginable. With high end eating and shopping on Abbot Kinney, and fantastic people watching and dining on the Boulevard, Venice is the perfect place to start or end your road trip with flair.
STAY SOMEWHERE UNIQUE Fancy staying in a bohemian yurt, teepee or desert mansion with a stargazing jacuzzi? Hands down the best alternative to mainstream hotel and booking websites is Airbnb. Wonderfully personal and voyeuristic, Airbnb is a community focused website where people privately rent out a room or their whole house to guests. Prices start from $40/day.
EAT AT Lemonade on Abbott Kinney, a tasty and healthy diner style restaurant that serves 5 types of homemade lemonade. DROP INTO Intelligencia for the ultimate coffee hit, before grabbing a sunset vino and organic farm to table pub fare at Venice Ale House on the boardwalk. STAY IN one of hundreds of great Airbnb properties on offer at Venice. SHOP FOR paper goods, gifts and clothing at Firefly. For surf wear, ladies and gents, try Mollusc Surf, born and bred at Venice.
ON THE ROAD CALIFORNIA
PARTY LIKE THE RAT PACK IN PALM SPRINGS Two hours east of Los Angeles and the epicentre of American 1950’s modern design, Palm Springs has been a celebrity playground since the 1920’s. Made famous as the preferred party destination of 1960’s Ratpack celebrities Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jnr, Marilyn Monroe and Lauren Bacall, Palm Springs is all about style and seriously enjoying yourself. Take a guided or self-guided tour of the town’s modernist architecture, a highlight being the honeymoon hideaway of Elvis and Priscilla. After that, swim, shop, dine, go to a spa, drink cocktails…. You get the idea. Indulge! EAT and splurge at Mr Parkers, the Jonathon Adler styled restaurant of the famous Parker Hotel. Dark, sexy and luxurious. What more could you want from a Palm Springs cocktail bar? STAY at the funky ACE Hotel. With changing art installations, contemporary bohemian décor and pool parties, this is the place to be in Palm Springs. SHOP where you sleep. From totes, t-shirts, wallets, to turntables the ACE Hotel retail store is the perfect shopping alternative to the abundance of 50’s modern furniture stores.
GET YOUR KICKS Get your Thelma and Louise on with a classic car from Black Top Candys or Regent Car Hire in Los Angeles. We’re thinking a blue 1972 Ford Mustang or cherry 1965 Cadillac convertible. If a VW Camper bus is more your style, try VW Surfari who have 16 different models all equipped with camping and cooking gear. Prices start from $100/day. DRIVE ROUTE 66 One of America’s original and most famous highways, Route 66 bought the dust bowl refugees, Hollywood wannabes and Californian hippies to Los Angeles. In the 1950’s Route 66 was the main path for vacaccioners, who stopped at teepee motels, rockabilly diners, and Indian curio shops on their way east. It was gradually replaced by the Interstate Highway system between 1960 and 1985. As a result, ‘Historic Route 66’ today is stuck in a time warp of deteriorating art deco, 50’s modernism and neon kitsch. And for this, it's well worth the drive. CRUISE THE HIGHWAY 1 Running alongside almost all of the Pacific Coast of California, Highway 1 has arguably the most beautiful roadside views in the US. Start in Malibu, LA, the playground of the stars, and drive as far north as you feel like. Look for Kelly Slater at Rincon Beach, the state’s most famous surfing spot (he has a house nearby), or stay in beautiful Santa Barbara where you can take a boat to the Channel Islands and whale watch, walk or kayak. Further north, and 2.5 hours south of San Francisco, is Big Sur National Park, an incredible stretch of wilderness with equally impressive vistas.
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ACRE ON THE ROAD.
CREATIVE DUO LEANNE FORD AND BRAD SHAFFER KNOW HOW TO ROAD TRIP. THE TALENTED DUO FROM ACRE, A CREATIVE AGENCY BASED IN LOS ANGELES, RECENTLY TRAVELLED FROM PITTSBURGH TO LA IN A WINNEBAGO, PICKING UP ARTISTS ALONG THE WAY. IDH CAUGHT UP WITH THEM AND ASKED THEM A FEW THINGS ABOUT THEIR BOHEMIAN ADVENTURES.
Adventure Writer, Kirsten Cunningham Images by Laura D'Art
What was the inspiration behind this creative road trip? LIFE! Brad and I work extremely hard. We love working, creating, hiring friends, and making peoples spaces, photo shoots, videos, you name it -- "better" -- we love what we do for a living, but we believe in living even more. We believe in working to live not living to work. Two of our best friends were moving from Nashville to LA and I said one day to Brad, “why don't we drop them off!” Then we thought it'd be fun to drive them cross country, then it went to "let's rent an RV!" then of course it went to "Let's BUY an RV!" We found one on craigslist that day and bought it the next morning. Ironically it was a friend of a friend’s and it was already painted all black - we LOVED it. It was parked in the middle of a snowy field in Pennsylvania on a farm. Pulling that thing out of the farm, onto the road and out of there, was one of the best feelings! I was laughing so much. The best part is it worked perfectly. We drove it to Nashville that day. We grabbed our dog Tom, called our friends and said "pack up, we are on our way!"
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How did you meet the artists that travelled with you? We coined the RV trip BUDDYTOUR - buddytour.org. It was really a rotating cast of amazing characters over the next two months, but there was a crew of six core buddies that we travelled for two weeks together. We had all rented a place on the lower east side for a month together and had such a blast that we decided to take it to the streets. We have a lot of friends that are freelance and can work from wherever, make their own hours and create wherever, so it was perfect. We had a hair and makeup artist, a web designer, a musician, a filmographer, a stylist, a creative director and a dog! Others that joined us for random legs of the trip were tons of musicians, photographers, pro skaters, designers, furniture designers! Where did you end up taking the RV? We decided to have New Years in Nashville. The RV was a hit in Nashville. We decided to take the southern route and that we would stop wherever and whenever we wanted. We went to Pittsburgh, Nashville, Birmingham, New Orleans, Austin, San Antonio, Marfa, Phoenix, El Paso, Sante Fe, Las Vegas, Palm Springs, and LA. We ended up staying in LA for the month, living on the RV, drove to Park City for the Sundance Festival, then headed back through the middle of America, picking up and dropping off friends along the way.
By Sally Rhys-Jones
" A BIG LIFE INSPIRES GREAT A RT" Has the journey resulted in any new collaborations or projects? YES, for all of us! We started working with Fecht Designs on some furniture concepts for ACRE after that, we did an Among Savages music video which is coming out soon, Madrid the web designer is now designing our new site for ACRE, not out yet, and we shot with Laura D’Art! We also made videos with the filmographer.
When you get that many creative people in a small space and are driving through weeks of constant inspiration, you can consider it a work trip. Everything we did, said, created, saw, bought, talked about, laughed about, all of it, was inspiration for how and what we create. A big life inspires great art.
Can you tell us a little about your travel style and the van? We decided we could and would stop whenever anyone wanted to. We had a bathroom on the RV so all our stops were for fun! A great beef jerky truck stop, old El Paso rugs, the Marfa lights, we stopped wherever. We were in no rush. Every day we had "happy hour", when the sun was setting we would pull the RV over wherever we were to some off the beaten path and all get on the roof and have a beer. We were grateful constantly for this time, this opportunity, these friends, this countryside. Sunset was when we really noticed how lucky we were. Along the way the RV became more and more decorated. In San Antonio we painted the country and our path on the side of the RV, in El Paso we bought it some new rugs, in Marfa it got some new art, bumper stickers, postcards, winning gambling tickets, dream catchers started making their way into the RV, it was our home. We even all had our own assigned beds at night. We ripped pages out of an old bird book I found and glued them to the back of the
RV like wallpaper. I brought all the bedding from our house and all the great pillows and down comforters, scrabble and it came with candy land - we were set. We had Christmas lights strung inside that we would ride down the highway with on - whoever was in the back not driving would be sitting at the table hanging out and playing games or working or reading, and after sunset we would almost always have wine flowing. Even as I write this I shake my head thinking about how ideal it all was. I thank our crew often for being so cool and chill and fun to be with. We got along amazingly. There was one other girl, Julianne representing the women with me, and four guys - it was a perfect gang.
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" W E K NEW THIS WAS JUST A R EPR ESENTATION OF HOW W E LI V E OUR LI V ES A ND WA NTED TO CONTINUE TO LI V E OUR LIFE"
Photographer Laura D’Art met you in Malibu just before you finished the trip and drove into Los Angeles. How were you feeling during the photo shoot as you came to the end of the project? We were on our trip high when she jumped on board - we were in our happy place! We didn't think of it as the trip coming to an end honestly - we knew this was just a representation of how we live our lives and wanted to continue to live our life. Inspired, excited, joyful, this was going to happen whether we were in our RV or an old apartment in the lower east side, or in our house in the woods, it was just a part of all of that. If you could do it all again where would you travel to? We now have a house in Venice Beach, CA and ironically enough we are literally around the corner from where we parked the RV the first night we rolled into town. But while on the trip we were talking about "buddy tour international" and joking about how we were going to ship our RV over to Europe and do it all over again. Though to be honest I think that none of us were actually joking‌. I'm pretty sure we will actually do it. How do we find out more about ACRE and the project? www.acrecreative.com we run around the country and the world, really, creating things with friends - www.buddytour.org
Images by Laura D'Art
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PALM SPRINGS WITH MR & MRS SMITH HOTELS
Ace Hotel & Swim Club STYLE Hipsters Canyon South of Downtown RATES Double rooms from AU$119.52 ($109), excluding tax at 16.5 per cent. Please note the hotel charges an additional resort fee of $25.00 per room per night on check-out. Rates exclude breakfast (US$10 each). FACILITIES Vinyl record library, spa with poolside treatments, barbershop, gym, WiFi throughout. In rooms: flatscreen TV, Rudy’s Barbershop bath products, iPod and MP3 docks. Poolside There are two outdoor pools, a Jacuzzi and hammocks to lounge around in. The pool at the Commune is quieter and more relaxed, and it has trampoline-like circular parasols (but jump on these at your peril). Check-out 12pm, but flexible based on availability (half-day rates apply if you check-out after 4pm). Earliest check-in, 3pm. Children Welcome but the pool party atmosphere may be best for older kids. Baby cots and extra beds can be added to rooms, and the restaurant is happy to cater to tots at any time. Also Pets are allowed for an extra US$25 a day; there’s even a park for them to play in. Awards Runner-Up: Best Budget Boutique Hotel Smith Hotel Awards 2013
FOR MORE BOUTIQUE HOTELS VISIT WWW.MRANDMRSSMITH.COM OR CALL THE EXPERT TRAVEL TEAM ON 1300 896 627 for money back on every booking, best available rates and a Smith extra on arrival.
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Artist Muse // Thomas Jackson with Create or Die
Thomas Jackson lives in Sydney Australia, and has a studio at the Tate gallery studios in Glebe. He was born in Bolton northern England, then moved to the middle east before settling in Sydney Australia at age 7. In 2005 he moved to Melbourne where he studied and really grew as an artist.
Tell us a bit about your upbringing I suppose my upbringing was pretty normal. Both my parents worked really hard and gave my sister and I the best start any person could ask for. Although I was the “black sheep” due to being interested in artwork and creative pursuits, but every one is super supportive and love seeing what I've come up with next. What is your background in the arts/creative industry? Mostly Illustration, but within that I have worked in many different fields. I have worked in animation for TV shows and apps/games, advertising, print poster design and at the moment I’m teaching. WIt’s been a fun road so far. WHERE ARE YOU TEACHING AND WHAT ARE YOU TEACHING? I’m currently teaching Illustration at CATC Design College down in the Rocks. I teach both the traditional elements (hand illustration) and digital.
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Have you discovered something about yourself through this experience of having students? My students are so full of hopes and dreams of doing the work they love when they finish study... but to be brutally honest it's not always the way. Sometimes you have to do work that wouldn't be your first choice (to pay the rent!). When you're out in the 'real world' you have to strike your own balance between art and commercial work - it's different for everyone. I always try to keep a good focus on creating my own work and the dream of course is to only being doing your art and/ or working with good clients. But you have to reconcile that in your own way until that day comes. You include sharks a lot in your artworks, tell us about your fascination with these creatures. How do you feel about the recent shark culling initiative in WA? I painted a wall in Erskineville on Hive Bar recently, publicly showing my outrage in the stupidity of the people making these decisions. I think its such a shame that in this day and age people in powerful positions can take such carless and uneducated actions. I think they are beautiful creatures, the way they move and their design. I like most under water animals for the same reason.
there is a little wooden house that features heavily in your work, can you tell us about this and the meaning behind it? I like seeing things that people have made and then moved away from or forgotten. They look beautiful when these structures become overgrown and a are given a new home or habitat for wildlife. It happens both on land and under the sea. Nature always reclaims forgotten relics. The structure also gives a context for the creatures and I’ve now created real life sculptures of the little hut that appears in many of my works.
what is your favourite medium to work with/on? Acrylic on wood is definetely my preferred way to work. I like the way it feels to work with and the way it looks at the end. What’s next for Thomas Jackson? This year I have 2 solo exhibitions coming up, one at ‘The Tate Gallery’ in Glebe on the 7th of May and one at ‘China Heights Gallery’ in Surry Hills in August. You can check out the details on my website closer to these dates. I also would love to exhibit in the UK as I have a lot of friends and network over there so it would be awesome to spend some time there, working and exhibiting.
Keep in touch with Thomas Jackson on his instagram @thomasjjackson, website thomasjackson.com. au & facebook www.facebook.com/thethomasjackson
Aside from art, what are your passions in life and what do you wish you had more time for? As a teenager I skateboarded a lot, I’m trying to get back into that, but I’m not a teenager any more. There’s a long list of things I wish I had more time for: Travel, Graffiti, Gardening, Swimming, Galleries, Museums, the list can go on.
FOR MORE WEEKLY inpiration, LIVE events & story-telling visit createordie.com. au
INTERIOR INSPIRATIONS // Desert Wanderlust
D r e a m o f lo s i n g yo u r s e l f i n t h e s p i r i t o f C a l i f o r n i a w h e r e Yo u r j o u r n e y b eg i n s o n t h e o p e n r oa d. s t e p i n to A wo r l d w i t h THE d e s i r e to e x p lo r e AN D t h e f e e l i n g o f f r e e d o m BENEATH t h e d e s e rt S K Y. N ot a l l t h o s e w h o wa n d e r a r e lo s t.
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INSPIRATION IMAGERY VIA PINTEREST