AND WE'RE BACK! We have been MIA for a while but rest assured we are back and ready to start things off with a bang. We're very excited to kick off a brand new series on The Boroughs blog today with our first post of 'Meet the Maker'!
Every fortnight we'll be bringing you interviews, updates and reviews from some of our favourite, designers, collaborators and craftspeople as we find out how they came to create their products and what the future may have in store for them.
This week, we'll be meeting not one, but two designers who have come together to create a special collaboration just for The Boroughs!
The Brunswick based ladies from Wirely Home, Anne Davies and Emer Diviney, have joined forces with Erin Devenish of Zin + Bert to transform their signature plant stands with a spray painted twist.
If you were inspired to have a bit more greenery in your life after a recent visit to the International Flower and Garden Show then you ought to pay us a visit and The Boroughs and check out one of our 'SPRAY' plant stands! First though, let's meet the makers…
ANNE DAVIES, WIRELY HOME
Your wire plant stands are popular at The Boroughs, what drew you to designing them in the first place?
The plant stands started because Emer was stocking a store at the inaugural 'Supergraph' and she wanted some plant stands as shop props and I have a couple of vintage ones that were my grandmother's. We noticed that they went really well so we thought 'why don't we start a business?'
How did your collaboration with Zin + Bert come to fruition?
We love Zin+Bert's stuff and it's urban feel, that looks like it's been inspired by urban architecture. We've been wanting to do some collaborations for a while and at a market Alasdair, after seeing both of the products separately, had the idea to sort of put it all together in celebration of the International Flower and Garden Show.
As a local designer, what do you think makes the 3057 such a great place for creatives?
Well I think real estate prices were the main reason that everyone moved to the area, it's bit less expensive up here! The concentration of creatives in the area is great, I love the architectural mix too because you've still got the old brick veneers and newer stuff as well.
Which plants do you like to see with the Wirely? Any recommendations?
Anything with a drapey aesthetic really to complement the design of the stand. We're inspired by mid-century design, particularly mid-century Danish design and we've found that anything that's a bit drapey looks quite good. Succulents and cacti also look nice!
Lastly, who are some of your favourite designers at The Boroughs?
I really like Emily Green and also the ceramics from Ingrid Tufts, Cone 11 and Tara Shackell.
ERIN DEVENISH, ZIN + BERT
What inspired you to create your signature paint spray style?
I grew up in west of Melbourne spent my teens involved in the graffiti/ stencil scene before going off to University and getting my degree in Graphic Design. When painting up a piece ‘overspray’ was something which sometimes was such a negative element for me and was a painting technique I couldn’t visually master. When I first started Zin + Bert I worked with many different effects and ‘overspray’ through painting seemed to be a reoccurring theme throughout my pieces. ‘Overspray’ which was a thorn inside some years ago has now become my signature whenever I create pieces.
What are your favourite colours to spray your products in? (I notice you use some lovely metallics!)
All the colours I have chosen for my pieces have been favourites in some way due to the emotions which are attached to them.
I'm a huge fan of metallic's at the moment and everyone seems to be loving it. Sorbet and Neon Orange will always be my favourite due to that fact it was the first colours I choose when I first started Zin + Bert and they represent some memorable times.
Which plants do you think complement the style of your collaboration with Wirely? Are there any you'd recommend?
I have always loved any type of plants from the succulent/cacti family as they are visually stunning and very hardy. However for the collaboration Wirely has introduced me some alternative's which look beautiful and compliment our collection well such as Cordyline from the Asparagaceae family or Birdsnest Fern.
Can you tell us a little bit about your process in creating vases, wall hangings and bowls?
To get an item to the finish line is quite long because once the idea is in my head I have to research first all the issues that may arise. Sometimes the item cannot be created due to too many road blocks or its just not physically possible. Then once I have formed my piece through mould designing such as bowls and artworks, setting and sanding the colour process starts and decorating e.g: Artworks which is always fun times!
Who are some of your favourite Boroughs designers (apart from yourself of course!)?
Wirely home are designers who I admire and getting to work with them has been a fun time, The Hungry Workshop I have been following through social media since they set up in Melbourne and find their story very inspiring along with their work which is amazing. All the designers within the boroughs family are so unique in every way and all their works are amazing its always hard to single out just a few.
If you'd like information of the designers, people and events mentioned, follow the links below.
Wirely Home, Zin + Bert, International Flower and Garden Show, Emily Green, Ingrid Tufts, Cone 11, Tara Shackell, Hungry Workshop, Supergraph
Written by Claudia Long @ClaudiaLongsays — Images courtesy the Wirely, Zin&Bert