Bird House

Arts Mad, Lady Land Studio, Nat & Mim's

Property Owner: The GPT Group

Shop 20, Mezzanine Level, Market Square, Hunter St Mall, Newcastle

Update Jan 2012: The Bird House has now closed. Nat & Mim have flown back to their hometown and Madalyn will continue making and selling via the monthly Olive Tree Markets.

Bird House is a collective of 4 diverse female artists and designers, each following the philosophy of creating handmade and innovative works of art, clothing and jewellery. As a collective our works are inspired and influenced by the cultural and vintage world of abstracted motifs, patterns and intricate designs.

:: ArtsMad – by Madalyn Ward – is inspired by the spiritual and botanical world with designs reflective of linear and abstracted illustrations and paintings symbolic of cultural motifs. The designs are reproduced and manipulated into functional design features for soft furnishings, wall pieces (sculptures & wallpaper), textiles, stickers, resin pieces and cards.

:: Lady Land Studio – by Rachel Steel – is inspired by vintage dress patterns, vintage objects and intricately designed rice paper, which are utilised in creating a series of original jewellery pieces, including, glass pendants and earrings. The range also includes a stationary line incorporating Yuzen Washi paper and an expanding range of hair and wedding accessories.

:: Nat & Mim’s – by Nat & Imogen Numeyer – is inspired by everything vintage and second hand, up-cycling already made clothing and vintage material into wearable art, including an accessory range of textile based brooches.

What inspired you to get involved in Renew Newcastle?

Renew Newcastle is an exciting opportunity not to only sell and showcase our ‘products’, but to develop new arts business skills which will support the sustainability of our individual and collective practices. It has provided us with the confidence to reach that next level of our career, to represent ourselves within a professional and commercial context. Also, being so historically connected to Newcastle, it will also provide us with an opportunity to place Newcastle on the cultural map.

What will you be doing in your new space?

The space will be an eclectic emporium, featuring our originally designed and crafted items. It will be a reinvented space, filled with our own vintage and up-cycled items, as well as utilising props, and display objects which represent and inspire us and our work. The space will also become a working studio, inviting customers to come and view how and what we create, as well as organising a monthly event for the community to participate and enjoy.

Bird House are putting final touches on their preparations of the space and are due to open their doors in July 2011. Join them for their opening party on Sunday 10 July 2011, 12-2pm.