It is our upmost pleasure to introduce you to this year ART SUPERSTAR - Claudio Kirac @claudiokirac !!!

Ooohhhh it's time for a SUMMER FIESTA with Jessie Feitosa! This exhibition is full or good times, and great summer memories. Don't miss out on your favourite piece!

You may have seen the exciting and energetic artworks of Kezz Brett adorning the walls of Jumbled - some of you may have been lucky enough to get your hands on one of her pieces...they never seem to last very long. 

Kezz has been working with colour and design all her life so to give more time to painting seems a given. In recent years she has really notched up the 'brush mileage' to supply fabulous fresh abstracts to Jumbled.

What makes your paintings different to others around?

A true love of colour, painting with no rules and just an innate quality of what works and what people want. Most of my work can be hung any which way - and that's why I don't sign the front. You can always make them fit your space!

How would you describe your artwork?

Each painting is a happy accident, which goes with the flow. I add and subtract as the painting develops and often I am surprised with the outcome. Colours and shapes are determined by whim.

Each painting is made up of multiple layers which add all the depth and definition, vim and vigour!

Do you have a favourite artist?

Yes, Van Gogh for his colour and vision - he painted under such dire circumstances. And Brett Whitely for his fluidity of stroke. 

Who or what are you most inspired by at the moment?

Everything! I love flowers, lighting in nature, perfume from Paris, Marimekko fabrics...the list is never ending! I love the soft mint green and turquoise which looks amazing with pinks and oranges, lime and mauve. I love using house paints (the Dulux dog and I are great mates!) The bigger the tin, the bigger the brush, the bigger the canvas, and the bigger my involvement. I love using clashing colours and pushing the paint around the canvas.

How do you fit in your painting with your life?

I don't have to make time because I simply let everything else slip back a notch or two. Housework, ironing, paying bills etc don't seem to have priority when it comes to anything artistic. 

Yes, I do get 'writer's block' and just have to ride it out (without resorting to drugs!) It's frustrating but unavoidable in a creative line of work - or in the pursuit of happiness. Paintings can take from 4 days to 4 weeks to complete and they can never duplicated (one of the main reasons I don't take on commissions.)

Describe your studio and your painting process.

I've got a huge studio at the back of my shop, where I stop and start depending on the flow of customers. I often help customers with paint up to my elbows and mint green in splatters on my shoes. It's a juggle but fun (and much better than book work) I'm lucky enough to have a light filled studio at home too so I can paint to my heart's content. 

Your favourite place in the world?

This would have to be India and that is simply because of the colour – my heart beats the whole time I am travelling around India. The oranges, reds, saffron and hot pinks are so stunning and vibrant and I am moved when I travel there.

Orange’s best kept secret

I'm not telling! But we all love Orange for so many reasons!

It's not often that we get to meet such amazing artists and find out about what makes them tick! Stewart Russell is the man behind one of our most loved art and design houses - Spacecraft - which is located in Melbourne.

The works he produces are rich and varied and, while it is hard to pinpoint an actual description of a backing cloth artwork, Stewart refers to them as 'complex' and if they had a personality it would most definitely be a split personality!

We had a chat to Stewart about his latest venture and the love he has for his art form.

Your current job title: I am the founder of Spacecraft and witihin that I wear both hats that involve the art practice and that of the design practice.

Something from your childhood that shaped who you are today: I was brought up in a rural Scottish village, and from a young age I had a sense of adventure. I knew that coming from such a small community meant that I wasn’t going to stay. I began to imagine from a young age where I was going to go in the world.

A typical day for you: It is certainly mixed due to the large breadth of what we do. I am currently working on a large new show for National Gallery of Victoria, as well as many design projects including an artwork plan in Nagasaki, Japan. With so many projects I feel I have to 'flip about' and be across all of them.

Where you are currently gathering inspiration from? It largely is dependant on what I’m working on. My artistic projects are are all ideas led. From the sight of something amazing, actually almost anything can (and has) provided inspiration. Inspiration for the design work often comes from day to day life, generic textiles, high street movement and how it creates an understanding of the world.

Do you use Pinterest, Facebook, instagram or the like? The people around me do – I am aware of them! We have our own accounts and social media is so valuable in reaching out and getting your ideas known.

The best thing about your job: The practical elements are by far the most enjoyable. But I have to ensure that they are built in to the day to day (rather than being drawn in by the administrative side of business.) The physical structure of the store facilitates this creativity (however I do lock myself away to finish off backing cloths at night so I am not interrupted!)

A Spacecraft backing cloth: Is a complex diary piece of what happens in the studio - so there is very little control over the finished product! A backing cloth is the fabric that covers the felts on the tables (we have 3 x 8m tables covered with felt.) Over a period of 3 months the backing cloth becomesso saturated that they are no longer flat enough to function as a print table - so they’re taken off and that becomes the starting point for paintings. A backing cloth is amazing as they are actually the the sum of many parts – individually the projects are amazing, however the final result is even more interesting and intricate.

We currently have 2 amazing Spacecraft backing cloth artworks in store. Shop Spacecraft at Jumbled online here.

Andrew Howells is the amazing artist behind our beloved Zebra, Elephant and Rhino profiles. Howells is an Australian illustrator who has fused Science and Art beautifully to create these incredibly, accurate masterpieces.

As a PhD canditate in Natural History Illustration at Newcastle University, Andrew spent countless years researching, sketching and observing the form of the animals he later transformed into pieces of art.

He spent many hours at Taronga Zoo in Sydney observing and photographing the elephants which in turn has allowed a thoughtful insight into not only their form but also their personalities.

"To have reproductive success here, and to watch the playfullness of the calves, and the natural instinct of the mum's, was really special," Andrew says.

His artworks are either:

Framed - printed on artist grade paper and framed using contemporary exhibition framing.

or

Canvas - printed on 100% cotton canvas, stretched and wrapped around a quality wooden frame.

We find the pieces so life-like and full of personality. Simple colours, elegant design and an emotional connection - the key ingredients for the perefect piece for any home.

Shop online here.

We have a new artist at Jumbled, both in store and online - Meet The Land of Fig.
Inspired by daydreams, coloured fish, tall castles, magic mountains and all things whimsical, Nicole creates her work with various mediums, focusing on handmade.

Each work is carefully crafted with initial illustrations and then by hand-stitching the paper.

We are lucky enough to have three different works in store - Dream Catcher, Fishy Tales and Way Up There. Each one is beautiful and unique.

Images via The Land of Fig