Iced Vovo

'First registered as a trademark in 1906, Iced VoVo biscuits have become one of Arnott’s most famous biscuits. An Iced VoVo is a lovely biscuit topped with two strips of pink fondant and a strip of strawberry jam, all sprinkled with coconut - a symphony in pink!'

http://www.arnotts.com.au/our-products/products/fancy-and-fruit.aspx

And I think it also makes a fantastic cushion as well, the iconic Arnott's Iced vovo's have been a part of many people's childhoods for over a hundred years.

Above a real Iced Vovo

Above my Iced Vovo

The reasoning for creating a large Iced Vovo as a cushion was to create iconic items associated with Australian culture in large but realistic forms. My Iced Vovo is made from upholstery fabric, upholstery foam, 3D puff paint white, red cotton, fake pink fur and then all hand sown together to create a usable piece of art.  

Arnott's biscults have been part of Australian diet and culture since 1865. 

'1865, a small bakery opened in Hunter Street, Newcastle, north of Sydney, New South Wales. It supplied bread, pies and biscuits to the local townspeople as well as to the crews of the many ships that docked at the port to load coal. From these humble beginnings rose a company whose name is now synonymous with Australia's favourite biscuits and snacks.

Today, Arnott's employs thousands of people and supplies biscuits to more than 40 countries around the world. Millions of Australians have grown up on Arnott's and for them, Arnott's is more than a food company, it's a piece of Australia's history.'

http://www.arnotts.com.au/about-us/arnotts-heritage.aspx

Tea towel furniture- Suzie Stanford

http://www.suziestanford.com.au/thestory.htm
(for some reason her website has been taken down)

Suzie Stanford

Is a Melbourne based commercial designer, mainly she works with jewellery and has also done installation work with furniture creations and pendant lights.

Her work is based on her love of collections and vintage and old items, some of her works are furniture covered in vintage souvenir tea towels which she has turned into upholstery.

 
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwLoq2YPiNz_FJ8G2eQ0MPxBhSnUIDAloV0VACt1f1335VGEVT7Tojq1fK0eo65z7B0lW8uq79GtIVKZt8a7CZkC4WVib2Pg5xRMwOuS_iFUhxoQbjD5TRMBGunoqD7gDwBrq0BVDtcJJ1/s1600/Suzie+Stanford+upholstered+wing+chairs.jpg


https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUbi4W0KibN6yUS0BA7J9wIn9VCbsn85_T77StCnrfEf-hD6__KJWj194vsl4a9sbqgoSDxVRR3BHXhGlbDepxRqBMTgU2AFcag40q97c6_vRwOHTOCkmPbukpRKXeCm9qTjKvLWdhyphenhyphenMY/s640/suzie+stanford3.jpg

I like Suzie Stanford's work and the materials she has used, like myself I tend to collect things and her upholstered chair are fantastic. I have done something similar except the choice of chairs I have re-upholstered are to fit into the Scandinavian heritage concept.

60's scandinavian style and kitsch style #2

Howard Holt christmas reindeer
The type of kitsch items I have been influenced by in my own work.

 Even through the cermanics by Howard Holt co are made on mass production and are from America the style fittes into my idea of Australiana.




Sweden folk horse pattern:  A Dalecarlian horse or Dala horse (Swedish: Dalahäst)^[p] is a traditional carved, painted wooden horse statuette originating in Swedish province Dalarna.


Images from Pinterest.
 


The Dalecarlian Horse was created as a past time and turned into a souvenior the carved wooden horses and also other animals were then painted with trditional motifs. They have one from the 1600's and has become known as a iconic image of the swedish handicrafts. 

Kitsch

I am thinking about the idea and defination around the work Kitsch and how that is relivent to my work.

The word kitsch is also german in origin.

Kitsch (google search Kitsch define)

noun

noun: kitsch

1. 1.

   art, objects, or design considered to be in poor taste because of excessive garishness or sentimentality, but sometimes appreciated in an ironic or knowing way.

   "the lava lamp is a bizarre example of sixties kitsch"

adjective

adjective: kitsch

1. 1.

   considered to be in poor taste but appreciated in an ironic or knowing way.

   "the front room is stuffed with kitsch knick-knacks, little glass and gilt ornaments"

   
   

Change of plan scandinavian style and kitsch style

I am still interested in vintage items but I am finding it differcult to have a plan for my installation or what I would create. I have decided to continue with my last semester's theme of Scandinavian and Australian cultural themes and my own connection to the cultures. Items like below have always interested me even though it is neither Nordic or Australian the look is pretty much what I am thinking of going for the kitsch mid-century Scandinavian look. The artwork will show hopefully the influence and the cultural significance of Australian iconic imagery connected to Scandinavian minority immigration and memory. My personal motivation for the concept is my connection to my ancestral Scandinavia heritage, having been born and raised in a English based Australian society. The exploration of cultural identity is a personal motivation by discovering my background and influence these cultures have had on Australia. My work will hopefully have Scandinavian motifs and Australian cultural references which are then melded together to create hybrid objects, which are still recognisable as iconic images of Australia.   Holt-Howard was an importer that started working in New York City in 1949 and moved to Stamford, Connecticut, in 1955. John and Robert Howard and Grant Holt started Holt-Howard, whose first products were Christmas items made and sold in the United States. The company sold many types of table accessories, such as condiment jars, decanters, spoon holders, and saltshakers. The figures shown on some of its pieces had a cartoon-like quality. The company was bought out by General Housewares Corporation in 1969. Holt-Howard pieces are often marked with the name and the year or HH and the year stamped in black. The HH mark was used until 1974. There was also a black and silver label. Production of Holt-Howard ceased in 1990. Similar pieces are being made today by Grant Holt, one of the founders, and are marked GHA .http://www.kovels.com/Price-Guide/Pottery-Porcelain/Holt-Howard

Vintage style...

What does vintage mean?

Sometime of high quality made in a by gone era.

Does that still ring true?

When the western world is flooded with 'Vintage' items which are often poor quality and often produced in its millions.

Vintage style fashion, homewares, photography, food, adverts.

Then there are the items which were made in main stream fashion from the 1930's to the 1990's which is considered vintage. Weather it was made by channel or Target they label them both as vintage but the price tag will be very different. Often the items are just poor quilty when the were made on mass and just happen to be old.

Claus Oldenburg - ideas

Looking over my last blog the piece of work which I really loved was a early piece by Claus Oldenburg. The piece is made up of many objects made from plaster and burlap then painted with enamel paint. I am really keen to make my own plaster creation.

I have been collecting 50's and 60's items which could be called kitsch. I have recently found a donkey and cart which is not your tipical ceramic piece. For one the 'donkey' is not even a donkey it's a horse well more like a toy horse.

I would like to create a large size version of this in the burlap plaster or out of fabric.