MEET THE MAKER: Shuh Lee of Shuh.

The work of Shuh Lee brings a smile to the face and a dance to the heart. Colour, shapes and doodles come together on a wide array of decorative objects, each one joyous and playful. Malaysian born, this charming young woman spent her childhood and college days in Kuala Lumpur before making the move to Melbourne to study fashion at RMIT. The new chapter introduced the concept of working with non traditional and available materials. And as Shuh started to develop her distinct style, it is certain that fond moments watching her father mix paints in his printing studio during her youth contributed to the kaleidoscope of colours that have now become her trademark.

Sometimes starting with only scissors, glue, paint and string, Shuh lets her work create itself into existence by following her fun. She uses a variety of techniques – including hand stitching, printing, illustration, fashion design, leaving and collage – and creates small and original lines of work under the label Shuh. that have included painted pots, oversized ropes, a Confetti Dress and a Cucumber Card. Stripes, polka dots and squiggles adorn cushions, pillow cases, gift wrap, stationary, scarves and clothing, and her hands have woven threads, beads, repurposed fabric and rope into one-off bracelets, earrings and baskets.

Shuh is closely connected to her community, with whom she has regularly exhibited and sold her work.  alongside other talented makers, and completed a gorgeous collaboration with rope artist Gemma Patford in August 2015. Looking forward, she hopes to soon launch a range of bed linen, sure to sit cheerfully alongside organic cotton pillow cases already in her collection that reference Shuh’s playful approach to collage. It’s no wonder this label has caught the eye of Frankie, Yen and Broadsheet, and with textile pieces like ‘Ugh Faces’ cushions, the ‘Burger Dreams’ print and ‘Funny Girl Bolster’ (complete with long fringe and teethy grin), it is fun to ponder where her work will focus next!

What made you move to Australia to study fashion? How did you adapt and find comfort here?

I wanted to learn and get out of my comfort zone. Before Australia, I was just having fun during my college days. It was fun but not fulfilling on the inside and I knew I needed to find my true self. I took up Fashion Design during college (they did not offer a degree back then) so I decided to further my studies in Australia. I chose Australia so I wasn't too far from my family. It was not easy leaving home for the first time. It took me a few years to adapt and feel at home. I am always grateful to the people I have crossed paths with for giving me the experience to learn about myself and through that I found my second home here.

Tell me about your study? What did you gain from your degree and what were your favourite subjects and tasks?

I studied at RMIT University, Melbourne. My favourite subjects were Tailoring and Accessories. Tailoring was hard but it is usually the difficult ones that are most rewarding. Besides drafting and sewing a jacket, we had to sketch the inside and outside of a jacket to get a better understanding of it. That was one of my favourite bits, we got to admire the workmanship of a tailored jacket in detail. I still get goosebumps when I come across a well made piece of clothing.

Accessories was an elective and turns out is not just about making an earring or a necklace with beads. We had unusual and recycled materials like plastic caps, plaster and wires to work with. Through that, I was very inspired about reusing unwanted objects and working with unconventional materials, which I still apply to my work whenever possible.

Just briefly, how do you describe your work?

My work is about playing with a mixture of art and craft, and sometimes re-purposing material objects into something usable, wearable and fun.

You have a very distinct style - how has this developed over time? Have you always made things?

It has definitely developed over time. I have picked up some elements that I am comfortable with over the years through my school and personal projects, like the use of colours. I used to sell my work and second hand goods at the local weekend market. From that I got a feel of what people like and what works for me.

Tell me a little about your process? How do you start? And how does your work evolve?

The process always starts with me just playing with paint and materials that I have. I love working with fine liner, acrylic or poster colour on paper for my prints. Sometimes, I will use vinyl or sticker to add onto the artwork. Eventually the work will start to evolve and I will pick a couple of good pieces to work on. I then transfer them onto Photoshop to develop them further. I play with the layers by collaging different artworks on top of each other. Some work is ongoing while some pieces get finalised for printing. I also try to note my ideas in a sketchbook so that I can work on them when I have time.

How has your upbringing influenced your work?

When I was young, I have always enjoyed art subjects in school. I remember contributing artworks regularly for my club's newsletter (I was in the Interact club) or competing in local art competitions! It is always good fun when my work is chosen. I still keep some of my old work in my parent's home in Kuala Lumpur. I love going through them for a laugh and good memories.

Seeing my father work as a commercial silk screen printer has also sparked my curiosity in paint and colours. He prints on different mediums, depending on the project, which I guess has influenced me in producing a range of different products. When he took on extra commissions, my siblings and I would give him a hand in the workshop. We normally helped him move the printed objects onto the drying rack. The process can be repetitive, especially if there are a few colours! It is a lot of hard work but I am grateful for the first hand experience. My favourite time is watching him mix the paints to get the right colour.

What is your favourite thing to make and why?

One off necklaces or earrings. I treat it as a project for my play time. There are no rules or time limits; I just love putting materials together and stitching while having YouTube or SBS On Demand playing in the background. Bliss!

You produce a wide variety of products - including paper, cards, bed linen, jewellery and clothing - what motivates you to dabble in all of these forms?

I like to create a story with my work. When I work with a print, I would start to picture what product it would work well on or sometimes I would have a wishlist  product that I would like to produce. It is a trial and error but always good fun to experiment.

How are your creations transferred to textiles?

I normally use offset/digital printing and screen printing.

Tell me about your relationship with colour?

I can't work without it. The colours I work with represents how I feel and in return it gives me a lot of joy when I see a beautiful combination of colours. It adds life to my work.

What is your favourite colour?

I am afraid I have more than one! I am always drawn to indigo blue, chambray, pale grey and anything pastel.

And finally, where would you like to take your label in the future?

I would like have a more complete range of clothing and bedding. I hope to find people/manufacturers who can turn my vision into reality. Also, I would love to keep collaborating with different makers and brands.

Images courtesy of Shuh. Photography by Ben Christensen and Jem Selig Freeman.

FRESH CUTS: Bespoke Letterpress and Edith Rewa Collaboration

There is something exquisite about creating a beautifully wrapped gift. Combining well chosen paper and ribbon with a card that sings is the perfect way to acknowledge the significance of any occasion, as well as feed that creative urge. Do you relate? Then there is a good chance that the texture of beautiful paper also stirs you. Or well designed patterns and colour schemes beckon. Can’t walk past a neatly stacked pile of textiles or cotton reels without smiling? Well, imagine these worlds combined.

Throw in an exquisite appreciation for botanicals for good measure, and that’s exactly what Bespoke Letterpress has done. With the help of textile designer Edith Barrett’s masterful strokes, this traditional letterpress studio has recently added a new double sided gift wrap to its existing collection. Titled ‘Native’, each roll is adorned with Edith’s trademark hand drawn native flowers on one side, and white cockatoos floating in a sea of pink on the other. This beautiful paper is the perfect collision of design, print and illustrative skills.

Alischa Hermann created Bespoke Letterpress in Brisbane in 2007 after slowly learning the art of using her antique cast iron letterpress from a retiring printer. Staying true to the slow craft, Alischa grew her business by creating custom stationary for clients that included intricate cutting and embossing, as well as a selection of gift wrap and stationary that drew on her former career as a graphic designer and successful art director. Relocating to Bowral in the Southern Highlands, she has since collaborated with other creative, including florists and lettering specialists, to produce delightful products that give more than the icing on the cake.

Bespoke Letterpress has always been a regular at Finders Keepers, where their collection of Washi tape in tones of ‘Copper Hot Foil’ and ‘Charcoal Glitter’ hum next to gift tags printed and embossed with hues of Pistachio Green and mellow turquoise. It was here that Alischa met Edith Barrett last year as she was sharing her popular range of silk scarves under the brand name of Edith Rewa.

Edith’s fine pen drawings of Australian native plants and animals blur the line between art, design and botanical illustration. A textile design graduate, she worked as a commercial designer for three years before launching ‘Fossik’, a range of nine pure silk scarves printed with her delicately coloured drawings. Protea, banksia, grevillea and gum drift across each dreamy surface, sometimes dusted with the stars of a clear night sky. As a self-confessed fossiker Edith happily explores her craft by communing with nature, recording her finds on paper in lengthy outdoor sittings. Now based in the Blue Mountains, Edith’s portfolio also includes successful collaborations with Gorman, Pinkey Cup and a BioCup commission.

Needless to say, this pairing is a match made in present heaven, and inspiring to see how textile designers can work across disciplines to create beautiful hand made products. Here’s what Bespoke Letterpress Studio Manager, Renee Bennett, had to say about the collaboration.

How did the collaboration come about?

We discovered Edith and her beautiful work at The Finders Keepers markets where we exhibited together last year. We started chatting about each others work and the possibility of collaborating on a project arose not long after we returned back to our studio.

What do you most love about Edith’s work?

Her subject matter was definitely a major drawcard. Her illustrative style is reminiscent of vintage botanical drawings that we have loved and worked with in the past. How Edith incorporates colour to add a modern vibrancy to the traditional native subject matter is what increases the appeal of these products.

And how does this fit with you and your work? 

We are always looking and working on new ideas to add and compliment our ranges. By working with illustrators who both understand a little about our land of print, as well as being completely ridiculously talented, allows us to collaborate and put two different mindsets together and hopefully produce some amazing work! We love the challenges that designing for gift wrap brings, and working with Edith was a joy to be able to share a little of our processes with her and for us to be able to see her magic as it unfolded!

Can you share a little about the process you both followed to get to the finished product?

Initially we identified various native subject matters that we felt would suit the style and direction of our new range. Discussions with Edith commenced pretty soon after and she also worked on various ideas and options, sending us quick sketches of her thoughts and opinions.

From there it was refining the illustrations, their scale, adjusting and trialling accompanying foliage illustrations and testing colour options.

With any new product design we are very conscious of what we know our customers like, but use new products to evolve our ranges and to always provide visually exciting products. The refinement stage is often involved. Working with an equally passionate craftsman to ourselves has definitely resulted in a beautiful product that our customers are equally loving.

And how is the finished artwork transferred to the paper?

Our wrapping paper is offset printed in Sydney on 100% recycled paper.

Do you have a fondness for textiles? If so, please share how this appreciation plays out in your life and work!

As letterpress printers our fondness will always lie with paper, as it’s feel and smell always delivers a tactile experience. However that being said we do love seeing what is happening in the land of textiles and especially what clever illustrators are creating to suit the land of fabric!

And finally, what have you learnt from this collaboration, and the process of working with a textile designer?

We have been fortunate to have collaborated with many artists, illustrators, designers, calligraphers and hand letterers in the past, and it is always an experience we enjoy! We get to learn about another land, and hopefully get to share a little of our letterpress process as well!

All photos courtesy of Bespoke Letterpress. 

SCROLL: The month that was

As you probably well know, Instagram is like a garden of earthly delights for anyone who loves creative expression. Whether you are a maker, or like to see and use the products crafted by talented ceramicists, jewellers, furniture specialists, crafters and, of course, textile artists, we all have the capacity to curate an feed that inspires and informs us.

Which is why this post has been put together. Some days the scroll on Instagram reveals gem after gem; others can be a little more quiet. Here's six of the top shots liked by Threadbound during the past month, along with a little about the work flowing from these fantastic accounts. So grab a quiet moment, check them out and enjoy your scroll!

The Vallentine Project
@vallentine_project

Bianca Vallentine creates “soft beautiful things” – bed linen, homewares and clothing – with each one of a kind item painted and stitched by her own hand in her leafy space at the Pop and Scott Workshop in Melbourne’s Northcote. 

Anna Joyce Design

@annajoycedesign

Based in Portland, Oregon, Anna describes herself as “an artist, designer, author, and mother of two”. Her feed features fashion and homewares products with a distinctly modern shape, all crafted using textiles she dyes by hand and a sewing machine that was given to her as a wedding gift.

Natale Gerber Studio

@natalie_gerber

Originally from South Africa, Natalie is now happily ensconced in Canada, where she works across art disciplines and cultures to create homewares and handbags adorned with her own designs. She screen prints natural cloth by hand; the Lotsa collection in this shot is inspired by “playing with a variety of more organic shapes and marks to develop repeats intended to work together as a series.”

Shuh
@shuhlee

This clever lady is trying her hand at many things associated with threads. From jewellery to clothing to bed linen, Shuh’s work is adorned with her unmistakable appreciation of colour and shapes, all curated in lively and uplifting arrangements that can’t help but make you feel joy.

Philippa Taylor

@philippaataylor

Philippa Taylor is an artist, porcelain smith and weaver who is currently bringing her skills together in the form of beautiful mixed media jewellery. These neck pieces are a true labour of love – it takes up to 15 hours to weave together delicate stitches and strands of silk, cotton or paper – with each item emanating the time and care she devotes to her craft. 

Tiff Manuell

@tiffmanuell

Tiff Manuell handcrafts handbags and accessories from canvas she has emblazoned with lightning bolts of colour. When her paint is dry, she cuts, glues and sews an eclectic mix of shapes, with no two pieces ever the same. Joined by her tribe of helpers, Tiff’s world is a non-stop riot of colour, resulting in statement pieces that ooze summer fun.
















All of these images have been provided with permission from the artists, please refer to their sites for more details.

TINKER, BY PRINTINK STUDIOS

The streetscape quickly changes from shop fronts to industry on the gentle slope leading away from Melbourne’s Smith Street. Home to both merchants and mechanics, the eclectic mix of shopping and dining disappear, lined instead by simple facades housing some serious repair and manufacturing. It is the perfect home for Printink Studios, the collaborative creation of husband and wife duo, Jason Cesani and Nadia Husiak. For over 10 years they have honed a rare level of skill by responding to fabric decoration briefs from clients in the fields of fashion, furnishing, craft and design. Centred around two vast 22 metre printing tables, this decade of experience has also culminated in the eventual formation of their own label, aptly titled Tinker.

The couple met while studying textile design at RMIT. Both drawn to creative vocations, they each explored a variety of mediums before settling on cloth. They developed their drawing skills and understanding of repeats in a time prior to computer assisted imaging, then honed a variety of dying and print skills at Vixen Clothing during the brand’s hey day, before eventually opening the doors to their own textile printing business.

Jason and Nadia have printed client work as well as their own textile designs ever since. The screens of many well known fashion, furnishing and yardage labels have been pulled across the Printink Studio tables, including Lumiere Art & Co, Fable Baby, Midas Shoes and Alexi Freeman. By meeting countless client briefs, the pair have have developed a multitude of fabric decoration skills that including devore and foiling. Now primarily focused on pigment printing (water soluble Permaset inks), they also continue to draw from a wealth of dying skill, working with silk, wool and every type of fibre in between.

“I think the first few years were just discovering and experimenting with what we wanted to do. Working out what direction we wanted to go,” Jason reflects. “We started doing a lot with fashion because we found there was a need for it. A lot of people wanted to do textile printing for their own fashion labels. I guess that is part of our background too, with our time at Vixen. Then we wanted to start our own work, so we kind of needed the other printing jobs to keep going.”

They built their brand Tinker alongside printing work for their Printink clients. “We always ended up doing a lot of print work, rather than working on our own stuff,” Nadia explains. However, over the years this focus has slowly shifted in response to changes in industry and technology, allowing the couple to prioritise designing and printing for Tinker. “We have changed our approach in the last few years,” explains Jason, “so we have focused a lot more on our work, and we are doing ranges and getting new stuff out every six months and doing trade shows and that kind of thing. In the end doing our own work has helped us, as the printing work has slowed down a lot,” he adds.

Jason attributes this slow down to the ease at which labels can now have their work digitally printed overseas. “That was always a factor, but I think it is more so than ever before now,” he says. “Brands are much more cautious now with money,” Nadia adds, “so for a designer to spend money on doing their own printed fabric, it is an investment, where they may decide to hang off for a season. Printing your own fabric is an extra. If a designer has a range already, then to have their own print, they have really got to back that as well.”

She explains that a custom print is often unaffordable for brands who compete against cheaper imports. “So we are finding a lot of clients that we do do work for, especially prints, are usually smaller labels,” Jason expands, “or a bit more bespoke – a bit more one off. Which is kind of nice, that way we can work together on projects.”

“It is nice that you can work together on smaller things,” Nadia echoes, “and do work that is a little bit more specialised. We have done all sorts of bits and pieces – you can work with film people for costumes or do a lot more bespoke things, where you get to do a few more techniques, and things that you can’t do as production – or do smaller printer runs, which is nice. It mixes it up and you get to to tap into all those skills you do have,” she says.

Calm, unassuming and entirely approachable, these two completely play down their shared wealth of experience. As they start sharing their vast and industrially beautiful space, they point out paint racks of ink stacked in colour groupings and labelled with the correct Pantone code from jobs gone by, machines to expose screens, a small heat setter, large wash trough, industrial fans and a generous storage space for large screens that hold their own work, as well as that of their clients. These guys have been tinkering with these tools of the trade for more than a decade. They casually share details of each intricate process and boxes of samples from countless jobs without a trace of ego – perhaps even awareness – of just how much they know.

But it is the 22m tables that dominate the long space. Bordered by extensive frosted glass panes and vast industrial ceilings, a subtle light fills the studio, making the considerable space feel friendly, even on a winter’s day. During the summer, the pair love to throw the windows open and “let the outside in”, especially on a Saturday morning, where they often find they do their most creative work.

As with most labels, the proportion of this creative time is slim in comparison to the time spent managing their business and making products. “We would love to sit there all day and just design, but we literally give ourselves a week to come up with a new range,” says Jason. “It’s a little longer than that,” says Nadia, “but you do churn and burn when you are in the process. It is a very intense zone – one thing flows after another – quickly, because not only do you have to design, you have to experiment with your printing and how you are going to then take it to product, so it is a whole stage.”

In this fast and fleeting space, Jason and Nadia often start their designs with hand drawings, referencing the inspiration wall they have been drawing together on boards in their upstairs office space. They both believe that first touch by hand adds a level of depth and integrity to their designs, which are then scanned and manipulated using Photoshop and Illustrator. Jason describes Tinker’s designs as “a celebration of colour, nature, imagination, nostalgia and the mesmeric beauty of patterns.” Bright colours, shapes and florals stretch across canvas, cotton and linen, often interspersed with flashes of special finishes, like gold metallic dots, that ultimately “imbue environments with lightness, spark and cheer.”

The couple recognise that they are in an an enviable position. With all of the tools, skill and space they could ever need at their disposal, they sample many finishes, colours and fabrics before settling on their final designs. This process of trial and error leads them to determine the product line they will make from each new fabric.

“Designing is one element,” explains Nadia, “but I think we always look to see, within our product range, what can we offer that not everyone else has. Especially when you are competing in a market like this – there are a million, trillion cushions out there – not only is it the design that has to make it different, but what else is going to make it seem a little bit different as well. So we try to use a few different techniques – such as using a little bit of foiling – just to make it a little bit different.”

“We’ll choose a palette, and then work back with a few things. We are very tactile, in that we print every single sample, as opposed to some of our clients, who come to us and say ‘here’s my design, and I’ll have that Pantone colour’.”

As with most designers, these swatches ‘travel’ before being finalised, often “going home” with the pair to see how it plays out in a different environment. The couple decide what type of product the samples are most suited to, before integrating them into a new range, which includes table cloths and runners, cushions, scarves, totes, children’s wear, baby blankets and the eventual placement of every design on a limited range of fancy wallpaper.

With ideas constantly in mind, an eclectic mix of client designs continue to cross their tables each day, a sight that is surely a wonderful inspiration for the couple’s ginger haired little girl, who has been with the couple at the studio since “day one”. Completely at home with their local community, and the ever changing nature of their work, this is truly a family venture, which perhaps explains why it feels so comfortable and relaxed.

Although admitting that the industry is not always easy, Jason and Nadia seem to be leveraging all of their experience and know-how into directions that continue to delight and inspire them. Jason acknowledges “the endless possibilities” with an obvious fondness for their chosen medium, with plans to expand Tinker’s product range and reach in the coming years. Paying “special attention to the kids and accessories ranges,” Tinker’s children’s wear will soon be found in Japan, and their wallpaper is set to “get a total overhaul with all new designs and colour ways added to the range,” says Jason.

One thing is for sure. These guys won’t stay still as they continue to draw from the past and look to the future. Just like the neighbourhood hive of activity that constantly surrounds them.

Photos by Jodie Cheetham @threadbound. If reposting, please also share these credits.