Announcing the 2017 In Conversation Creative Women lineup
Fiona Katauskas
with Sarah Macdonald
Cartoonist, illustrator and author. Her cartoons have appeared in a wide range of publications, including The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, The Australian, Eureka Street and New Matilda as well as on cards for the Ink Group and t-shirts for Mambo. Her political cartoons appear regularly in the annual Best Australian Political Cartoons anthology and the Museum of Australian Democracy’s Behind the Lines exhibition. Fiona wrote and illustrated The Amazing True Story of How Babies Are Made, shortlisted by the Children’s Book Council Awards in 2016. For more than a decade, Fiona has produced the Talking Pictures segment on Insiders on ABC TV.
Sally Campbell
with Victoria Alexander
Designer, artist and traveller. In 2005, Sally launched her eponymous handmade textile range; beautiful handcrafted textiles with a modern twist. She works directly with artisans in remote Indian desert communities who specialise in different traditional textile crafts – exquisite appliqué work and natural dye block printers in Rajasthan and Gujarat and village weavers and embroiderers in Bengal, Hyderabad and Bhuj – to create these timeless, contemporary textiles. By working with these men and women, Sally hopes to keep these crafts alive and viable. Sally worked in the film industry for 25 years, as an art director, costume and production designer. She also had market stalls in Portobello Road and Chelsea in London in the 1970s and can thank Beatle Ringo Starr for funding her wanderlust. sallycampbell.com.au
Emma Magenta
with Cynthia Sciberras
An artist, author and filmmaker. Drawings that she made on brown paper bags and taped to the front window of the bookshop where she worked not only garnered a cult following but also her first book publishing deal in 2004. The Perils of Magnificent Love was followed by A Gorgeous Sense of Hope and The Origin of Lament, books in which Emma explores the emotional world, feminine psyche, and relationships. Emma wrote and illustrated the children’s book Orlando on a Thursday and illustrated Planet Yawn, written by actress Toni Collette. She created the animation series The Gradual Demise of Phillipa Finch (a multi-platform project that included an interactive drawing machine triggered by human emotions) and her first short film Remembering Agatha for the ABC. Emma draws with her left hand.
Tracey Deep
with Amber Creswell-Bell
Sculptor and installation artist who uses organic and recycled industrial materials in her work and creates living sculptures with Australia’s native flora. Tracey initially trained as a florist and ‘apprenticed’ with talented Sydney florists Susan Avery and Alison Coates. In the past decade, Tracey’s work has moved into the realm of environmental art, sculpture and installations, where used, industrial, organic, discarded, pre-loved and discontinued materials are transformed. The natural world is her muse. She is a regular exhibitor at the Saint Cloche Gallery in Paddington and has undertaken commissions for a diversity of clients, from Aria Restaurant to RM Williams, Opera Australia and Rabo Bank. Tracey also works alongside stylists and architects, creating work for product launches and interiors.
Shannon Sheedy
with Natalie Walton
Founder and creative director The Dharma Door. The business, established in 2004, designs and sources sustainable fair trade homewares from Bangladesh and India, made by marginalised, physically or economically disadvantaged women living in remote villages. It was created after a year spent volunteering in Nepal and India in 2003. The work not only preserves traditional making methods, but also offers a means for the artisans to earn a living. Shannon is deeply committed to fair trade: she served on the executive committee of the Fair Trade Association of Australia and New Zealand for five years and was involved in establishing the Fair Traders of Australia program. The Dharma Door won Best Ethical Design at Life Instyle Gala Awards in both 2014 and 2015. Shannon is now developing a high-end ethical fashion label. thedharmadoor.com.au
Nadeena Dixon
with Kristina Karasulas
Artist, educator, musician, Aboriginal activist and founder of Murra Murra, an advocacy project that offers workshops and support to Aboriginal communities through making. Murra is a Wiradjuri word meaning to make, do, and create – the literal meaning is ‘by hand’. Nadeena, a Wiradjuri, Yuin, Dharug woman, grew up in Aboriginal ways. She follows in the footsteps of her grandfather Dr Charles ‘Chicka’ Dixon, who, among many other achievements, was the driving force behind the establishment of Indigenous arts funding programs. Nadeena is a former member of hip-hop crew South West Syndicate. She has created and run training programs for a variety of organisations, including Koori Radio, City of Sydney, NSW Department of Education, NSW Police and the Powerhouse Museum and Museum of Sydney. murramurra.com
Amy Kersey
as ‘Mistress of Ceromonies”
In celebration of International Women’s Day and following the success of last year’s full day of talks with creative women, we are once again delving into what makes creative and inspirational women tick. We will be exploring creativity, collaboration, connection, and how each woman’s practice and personal values informs her professional career.
The audience will learn about each speakers’ work and practice, as well as their philosophical and emotional responses to the broader questions in life – how they juggle life and family, what really matters, and what they’ve learned along the way.
Topics to be covered will include artistry, creative confidence, resilience, collaboration, generational change, politics, connections, and the social media and digital landscape.
The full day of talks includes lunch and refreshments by Hatrick Catering and Toby’s Estate Coffee.
Photos courtesy of Jennifer Brankin Polixenni and Yolande Grey.
Last years event sold out and we had a huge waiting list so book early
Inspirational, more more inspiration! What a fabulous day beautifully orchestrated, outstanding organisation beautiful food much laughter and a tear or three. Congratulations to one and all who were responsible for collating a day with such diverse and artistic prowess. I had the most wonderful day which will stay in my memory for many a day and look forward to an encore next year! (Sue, 2017)
I just want to thank you all for such a truly wonderful day on Saturday. Not a glitch and just a real buzz! Well done (Jane, 2017)
Click an image for full view.
