Mosaic photography project and exhibition

Sign up for this year's MOSAIC Capture Day by midnight Friday 25 September, so you can be part of the collective experience and have your image displayed at an exhibition at 140 William! 

On Saturday 26 September, Propel Youth Arts WA once again invites you to join in documenting 24 hours of life in WA directly through your eyes!

For the past three years, hundreds of people in WA have simultaneously captured and submitted an image from their day to MOSAIC, a community-based photography project and exhibition.

Anyone and everyone in WA who can set aside a couple of minutes on Saturday 26 September to capture part of their day can take part. 

Once again in 2015, the person who takes the most popular photo as nominated by the public will win a prize pack worth over $150, which is another great reason to take part!

It's really easy (and free) to get involved in 2015. You can even submit photos as part of a group or an organisation. Register now! 

Blogger(s) wanted!

Made on the Left is looking for volunteers to help with our blog dedicated to promoting handmade WA design.
We require bloggers for a few different areas:

Gift Guide blogger
It will be your job to collate gift guides comprised of WA made products for various occasions e.g. Mothers Day. It would be useful if you are familiar with WA makers and their products. You will be required to compile the image to accompany the post.

Profile blogger
It will be your job to create posts centred on people in the WA handmade scene. You can email them questions or interview them personally, it's up to you. This would suit someone interested in writing/journalism/photography.

Opportunities blogger
It will be your job to inform WA makers of upcoming opportunities or items of interest e.g. market stallholder callouts, interesting exhibitions, crafty workshops, etc. You will need to make slight edits to text and source or create appropriate accompanying images.

If you are enthusiastic about WA arts and interested in being part of our volunteer team, please email admin@madeontheleft.com with the area(s) you would like to help us with.

Thanks for your support!

About Made on the Left
Made on the Left is a not-for-profit association founded by independent designers in 2008 to support Western Australian creative talent. The association aims to support all WA-based creative designers, artists, craftspeople and independent labels, by sharing information and creating events.

Lomomatrix - Film photography day

Time to get out your cameras, film rolls and creative spirits to celebrate Film Photography Day on Friday 13th April, 2013!

Lomography is a worldwide community sharing the passion for analogue photography. Saturday 13th April is Film Photography Day - celebrate with this LomoMatrix* event!

Perth Meet Up Details:

Location: Hyde Park, Vincent Street - by the water playground.
Date: Saturday 13 AprilTime: 11am - 1pm

Bring your cameras (35mm is best for LomoMatrix), and we will supply the film… Don't forget your funny hats, party balloons, streamers, inflatable friends, cosplay outfits and water pistols.

*LomoMatrix - Gather a bunch of Lomographers together, create a massive circle and let them shoot a picture right at the same time of somebody who makes a cool move in the middle. The outcome? A 360 degrees ‘Matrix’ – Lomography style.

Click here to register your attendance so they know how much film to bring. RSVP essential! Limited places.

Mosaic photography project 2014

Each year, Propel Youth Arts WA invites people from across Western Australia to capture a single image of their day for MOSAIC, a unique community based photography project. On Saturday, 4th October 2014 you are invited to capture a single image of your day. 

Photos will then be printed and shown in a massive exhibition showcasing 24 hours of life in Western Australia. There is no age limit, so everyone can take part. If you would like to get involved, make sure you REGISTER to take part before 30th September to go into the running to win a $30 Pigeonhole voucher!

MOSAIC taps into the popularity of digital image sharing, encouraging everyone, from amateurs to experienced photographers, to submit images from their day. Participants are encouraged to use smart phones, compact digital cameras, DSLRs or any other tools at their disposal to take the photographs.

Every photograph reveals an individual story and every story forms part of our collective memory, providing an incredible snapshot of life from the perspective of hundreds of people around our state.

Any questions?  Email hello@propel.org.au or call Propel on (08) 9328 5855.

MOSAIC is presented by Propel Youth Arts WA and is proudly supported by the City of Perth, Department of Culture and the Arts, Perth Theatre Trust and State Theatre Centre of WA. 

2014 City of Subiaco Photographic Awards

The 2014 City of Subiaco Photographic Awards are here again and closing soon!

Entries close at 5pm on Friday 25 July. The awards are open to all photographers in the Perth metropolitan area aged six and over.

Entries will be accepted into one of the two categories: open or Subiaco. Photographs entered in the Subiaco category must be taken within the City of Subiaco and represent an aspect of the local community. 

Total prize pool of $2500:

• Overall winner                                          $1000
• Winner open category                                $500
• Winner Subiaco category                            $500
• People’s choice award                                $200
• Subi Voice of Youth high school award          $150
• Subi Kids Crew primary school award            $150

All photographers are eligible for the overall prize regardless of which category they are entered into. Photographers who are school aged are also eligible for the special high school or primary school awards in addition to the open, Subiaco and overall prizes.

Finalists’ work will be exhibited from Saturday 25 October to Wednesday 18 November at Subiaco Library, corner Rokeby and Bagot roads, Subiaco.

For more information, conditions of entry and judging criteria please visit the city’s website www.subiaco.wa.gov.au

Guest post: 10 Qualities That Attract Wholesale Buyers

You’ve spent years perfecting your products, they sell well at markets and you’ve built up a loyal following. But how do you know if you’re ready to start selling wholesale? 

Getting shops to take you seriously as a potential wholesaler can be an uphill battle. What do they want? What are buyers looking for but they never tell you about? Below are 10 qualities that you as a business possess which will separate your products from all the competition and show buyers that you are a brand worth taking seriously.

1. You Make Products That Will Sell In Stores: 
Seems just a little bit obvious but sometimes what sells well in a market or online will not sell well in a retail shop. Personalised items or products that do not display well (made to fit clothing or un-stretched canvases) will probably be rejected by a wholesale buyer because they won’t be able to display the products well enough to get a sale.

Before approaching a shop ensure that what you are selling is something they can display and sell on the spot.

2. You Look Like A Business – Not A ‘Hobby’: 
Shops will be less likely to take you seriously if they think this is just a phase you’re going through. Always give shops every impression that you are a business; return emails and phone calls promptly, have answers to questions they might ask you at the ready, know what kind of delivery time you’ll need, have your wholesale policies in place and stay friendly and approachable but refrain from talking about personal subjects until your relationship reaches that level.

3. Your Branding Is Cohesive: 

Make sure everything about your brand tells the same story of who you are. This includes logo, packaging, website design, business cards, brochures and more. Try this exercise to see if you have cohesive branding: grab one of everything you have that relates to you business that wholesale buyers and customers will see. Spread it all out in front of you and take a good look. What does your brand say? Does everything flow together and look like it all belongs to each other? If not, revise the aspects that do not work and redesign them so they do.

Ella & Lily Photo by Brian Hadwin

4. You Have A Unique Selling Position: 

What is it that you do that sets you apart from everyone else? Do you:

• Create eco friendly products? 
• Use materials that are locally sourced? 
• Use special/unique packaging? 
• Donate to charity with profits? 

Try and refrain from simply stating “my unique selling point is that each item is handmade”. In a world full of handmade products for sale that isn’t a unique selling point. Instead find one aspect that you do that other artists aren’t doing. For example: “My cupcakes are made using only locally sourced ingredients”, “I donate one item I make to a local charity for every dozen I sell” or “My bath salts, including the packaging are 100% biodegradable”

5. Your Products Can Be Consistently Produced: 
From now on when selling to shops you need to be able to ensure that every item is the same as the last so wholesale buyers never get a shock when opening up your latest order. In some occasions you won’t be able to make identical items, necklaces featuring wood found on the beach will never be identical but customers should easily be able to tell the difference between the large wooden necklace and the small wooden necklace. Features such as clasps and wire/chain should always be consistently reproduced.

6. You Have Thought About How Your Items Will Be Displayed: 
You’ve thought long and hard about how each of your items will be displayed and worked on making changes so shops can get the best bang for their buck. Can your products be stacked on top of each other or can you use different packaging so they take up less space? Is everything eye-catching as a display? Do you need to display information with your products and is that noticeable as well?

Don’t be afraid to go back and rethink your packaging if it isn’t working for you.

Fluid Ink Letterpress

7. You Have Amazing Photos You Can Give Shops: 
Always have a collection of images you can give a shop in the chance they request one. Shops will sometimes request images so they can put them on social media, send with a press release or add to their website.

You will need at least one image per product with a plain white background and one image per product which includes props and/or people. Make sure they are crisp and clear, show special details, illustrate packaging and show who you are as a brand.

8. You Can Offer Your Products At A Price Which Allows The Shop To Add A Profitable Mark-Up: 

It may seem unfair that a shop gets to make as much if not more money than you and all they do is selling. But don’t forget the point that they are actually selling your products, without them you would have to sell the items yourself, a costly and time consuming undertaking. They also have many overheads that they need to pay in order to sell your items. If you cannot sell your products at a reasonable wholesale price then you’ll need to change some aspect of your production/costs in order to do so or forgo being able to sell your items at retail outlets.

9. You Can Deliver Your Wholesale Orders On Time: 
To do this you’ll need to perfect your manufacturing process, work consistently until the order is completed and ensure that no matter what else is happening in your professional/personal life you can fulfil the order.

10. You’re In This For The Long Haul: 
Realistically, most businesses take 2 – 3 years of wholesaling before they break even and much longer to turn a decent profit. This means you’ll spend years selling wholesale to shops before it becomes financially worthwhile for you. The personal benefits will kick in almost immediately but perseverance and hard work will get you through the long years. This is good news for retail outlets who will need to know that you will stick around and that the time and money they will invest in you will pay off for them long term.

Jacquie Hughes is a former committee member of Made on the Left. Find her here: delightsociety.com.au

IGA Perth Royal Show Photography Competition

Planning on visiting the IGA Perth Royal Show this coming week?

Make sure you take your camera and enter your best show photo, for a chance to WIN $150 in-store voucher!

Submit your original photos by the 6th October: https://www.facebook.com/LeedervilleCameras/app_179923992195011

The winning image will be announced on the 7th October and showcased throughout the Leederville Camera House online network.

MOSAIC: 24 Hours

Anyone and everyone in Western Australia is invited to set aside a couple of minutes on Saturday September 28th to capture a moment from their day on camera for MOSAIC, a unique photography project which captures 24 hours of life in Western Australia. All submitted photos will then be used to create an exhibition in Brookfield place this November.

Unlike traditional photography exhibitions, participants are able to use the tools at their disposal to capture their photo including smart phones, DSLRs, tablets and point and shoot cameras. There are no age restrictions, as long as you are in Western Australia on September 28, you are welcome to participate.

Here's how to get involved:

REGISTER
August 27 - September 27
Register your interest in the project. You can opt in to receive a free text message reminder about the photo day. Register here. 

CAPTURE
September 28
Capture a highlight from your day on your camera, smart phone, tablet or any other tool at your disposal. Use the hashtag #mosaicprojectwa to share your photo through social media.

SUBMIT
September 28 - October 4 
Submit your image via our website or email your photo to hello@propel.org.au with your name and contact details. Check out the FAQ Sheet for troubleshooting advice and more information about what you can send in.

VISIT 
November 4 - 15
Visit your image in the exhibition at the Brookfield Place Lobby.

2013 Subiaco Photographic Awards entries open

Calling all photographers! The 2013 Subiaco Photographic Awards are here again for another year with entries open from Monday 12 August until 5pm Monday 9 September. The awards are open to all photographers in the metropolitan area aged six and above.

Entries will be accepted into one of two categories - Open or Subiaco: meeting place with a total prize pool of $2500.

The finalists' work will be displayed in an exhibition at the Subiaco Library, corner Bagot and Rokeby roads, from Saturday 9 to Sunday 24 November 2013.

For more information, conditions of entry and judging criteria please visit the city’s website.

Help Tell the World About Etsy

Want to be part of sharing the Etsy story?

Take a picture of yourself or someone you know holding an Etsy item in front of a local landmark and post it to Instagram with the hashtag #EtsyEverywhere or our new Flickr pool by June 18, 2012 (US TIME) for a chance to be included in a new video project.

To find out more about the project click here.

Help us show the world our wonderful Etsy community — a incredible network of creative small businesses and passionate shoppers.

PCP Photography Workshop Series applications open

Table Talks is a new Perth Centre for Photography initiative containing a series of 4 artist talks and fortnightly interactive workshops set to inspire young photographers to develop their art practice and make invaluable connections within the Perth art scene.

Running from 4th July through to 31st October, 2012, Perth Centre for Photography will be hosting fortnightly workshops to a group of 15 local photomedia based artists who will be invited to show and discuss their work. On a Monthly basis where workshops and artist talks coincide, the guest artists will attend the workshop prompting discussion and allowing Table Talks members to gain invaluable feedback from industry professionals.

Guest lecturers will include: 

• Dr Juha Tolonen (incredible urban landscape photographer)
• Claire Martin (Photojournalist - had a show 'Slab City' in foto freo 2 years ago which put her firmly on the map. She's now being published all around the world and working for some amazing agencies)
• Daniel King (Melbourne based portrait photographer. He's coming over to talk about indigenous culture and the arts)
• Bo Wong (kick ass perth photographer, just had a show in foto freo)

The workshops have been designed for artists to create the strongest body of work they can throughout the four month long series utilising feedback gained from peers and professional artists. The program will culminate in participating artists exhibiting selected images for a month long group exhibition in November at PCP.

The criteria for selection will focus on people who possess a sound understanding, enthusiasm and a commitment to the art form of photography; people who are willing to have a say to assist other artists develop their practice and reach their artistic goals; established, burgeoning and emerging photographers are also welcome to apply. We are strictly limited to 15 places.

To be considered for this exciting new program please submit an entry form by Monday 25th June 2012, 12 pm (WST). Submission is free.

Cost of series including exhibiton, for successful applicants, is $200 or $190 for existing PCP members.

Click here for to register your application.

For more info, email tabletalks@pcp.org.au or 'like' the facebook page 

Paper Chain

We love the idea behind this project, so thought we would share it with all of you like-minded people!

collage by sarah jane pell for her paper chain project recipient 

Anyone is welcome to join in. The first Chains began in April 2010, around twenty people became part of the first “chains”. These participants have been making/receiving collage artworks through the post, that's snail mail - old school style! Collages are not limited to paper, (some suggestions have included fabric, photo montage, literary, video or sound collage & assemblage) the only restriction is post-ability!

The lovely folks participating in Paper Chain either create a new work as a “chain starter”, or they are creating work in response to artwork they have received in the mail, as a chain link. Each person is given an address to send their piece to, and so the chain links up. Each person has 4 weeks to create their work.

Paper Chain began as a response to social media, and was first experimented on Facebook. We had such a great response to Paper Chain that we expanded the idea outside of the realms of FB.

We currently have eleven chains creating and mailing artworks across Australia and worldwide! We are interested in the concept of networking/connecting and the physicality and joy of receiving mail. A project where people who are friends, acquaintances and friends of friends interact online, in real time and in their creative capacities. 

To find out more, and see the collages so far, visit --

http://thepaperchain.tumblr.com

and/or

join us at the Paper Chain facebook group
Please feel free to pass this email on to anyone you think may be interested.
If you would like to join the Paper Chain please send an email to clairebushby@gmail.com

Got questions? Ask Claire B clairebushby@gmail.com or Claire C bbearlair@gmail.com 

Photographing Flat Products : Help from Etsy.com

photo from letterhappy

"Taking great photos of your work is key! How you present your artwork is just as important as the work itself, and more often than not it's what makes the difference between someone understanding/buying your work. Flatness is one of the biggest obstacles to overcome when photographing 2D work and presenting it online. Context is everything; it is important to remember the item isn't just an image on a screen! For flat 2D objects, such as drawings and prints, show a scanned version of the work, but also a shot with space around the work. You want to give your viewer an idea of the size of the piece, as well as its presence!"

Read the rest of the article HERE. Its really good, and has made me realise that I usually purchase prints that are well photographed more frequently than "flat"images.

xx Lauren & The Team

Have you got a great image of your product range?

Have you got a great image of your product range, where it shows off all the different styles? If you havn't, GET OFF YOUR BUTT! Its a really important and great marketing tool, and is much better to hand out at markets than a boring business card, because people will actually remember why they picked it up in the first place!

If you're a WA artist, and have a really nice product range image, share the link to it in the comments and I'll pop it up on the blog... a little reward for putting in the work!

I really love this one by Janice Law over at little miso who belongs to the super-wonderful Made of Awesome collaborative - click to see it big.



EDIT :: there seems to be a bit of confusion, we're after images that show 3+ DIFFERENT items in the one images; i..e the one above shows 16 in one image. xx

Photos from the July Made On The Left Market

Here are a few photos from our previous Made On The Left market. Unfortunately we couldn't get more photos (to be honest we forgot!). I think in the future we may hire some budding young photographers around Perth to come along and take some photos.

We are so proud of the last event, and can't wait for more in the future.

Bunbury Made On The Left

A short while back we had a Made On The Left Market in Bunbury - the first time we've gone regional. It was fantastic to see so many participants = both in sellers & buyers. We had a great time and can't wait to go back, making it even bigger and better then before!

Here are some photos from the previous event -

July Market Photos

Our first event was an amazing success. Did you miss it? Here are some photos to remind you of how much fun it was!

Want to see more photos of the event? Have some photos? Then visit & add them to our flickr group!