Every day we hear about another craft market, art fair, and exhibition opening being cancelled and it’s going to be a while until normal activities resume. It’s time to stay at home and in the studio. To hunker down, stay safe. This enforced ‘residency’ provides us with some opportunities to focus on our practice, we […]
Hi all, Real to Reel – coming to a screen near you soon. See our events page for upcoming dates in March 2020 for screenings in regional centres in South Australia, Western Australia and New South Wales.
Yes, it’s true, we are calling for short films about craft, makers, making and materials for the inaugural Makers’ Film Festival. **Due to COVID-19, we have deferred the inaugural Makers’ Film Festival to 2021 and will widen the call-out to Australasia, New Zealand and countries of the Indian Ocean Rim.** Following the, increasingly popular, Australian […]
‘Real to Reel: The Craft Film Festival’ is touring Australia with more dates being announced… The next screening will be on Friday 1 November 2019 in Cowra (NSW), hosted by Cowra Regional Art Gallery and showing at Cowra Civic Centre Theatrette. Here’s the ticketing link and see our Tour Listing for more details. It’s really […]
Read our most recent newsletter about what happened over the last fortnight (1-14 August 2019). Which films were voted favourite film at Real to Reel: The Craft Film Festival? What did people learn in the Hand & Lock embroidery classes? And what’s next for Maker & Smith? More opportunities for films, conversations and workshops? We […]
Justine Bonenfant shares some of her experiences as a couture embroiderer working for international designers and celebrities with Ed Ayres on The Art Show on Radio National. We are delighted to host Justine in Perth to deliver Hand & Lock‘s introductory classes in some haute couture embroidery techniques. You can download and listen to Justine […]
Justine Bonenfant will join us in August to deliver extraordinary workshops in Goldwork and Tambour Beading. She ordinarily works at the Hand and Lock atelier in London where the British Royal Family and many eminent fashion designers commission embroidery projects of the highest calibre. We are delighted to partner with Calico & Ivy in Mosman […]
Craft on Screen! The international film festival with a difference is back again in Perth. Real to Reel celebrates the diversity of craft, materials and makers in 33 short films shown across two screenings. We are delighted to continue our partnership with the Crafts Council UK to again host ‘Real to Reel: The Craft Film […]
At the ‘Driven to Adorn’ forum jeweller and gallery director Katherine Kalaf shared her journey as she sought to promote contemporary jewellers in Australia. Setting herself a challenge, Katherine opened the first dedicated gallery in Perth to showcase studio jewellers – in Cottesloe. Now closed since 2007, it has left a hole that has not […]
At Maker&Smith we set out to inject energy into the craft sector, here, in Western Australia. As well as bringing in skilled makers from overseas to share techniques and networks, we also run workshops and talks delivered by local makers and smiths. We’ve spent quite a bit of time lately with the good people of […]
In July 2017, Maker & Smith was founded by Mary Ellen Cliff and Carola Akindele-Obe. Their primary objective was to fulfil their strong desire to elevate the professional craft industry in Western Australia. Maker & Smith operates on a volunteer basis and aims for self-sustainability without compromising standards. We rely on partnerships and pay fair fees to skilled artisans and designer-makers who participate in our programs.