The Artful Business Conference

Running a creative business is hard work. Whether you're making a full time job of it, or you have a crafty sideline gig, staying focused and inspired can be hard (especially if you're working in isolation). Joining the crop of fantastic events for creatives this year is The Artful Business Conference - a virtual conference hosted by Australian based business development team, Robyn and Elle, who have pulled together 8 incredible speakers from Australia and around the world.

Designed to educate and inspire, the two-day conference promises to give you the tools to take your business to the next level – providing a great source of information and inspiration for those running (or thinking about starting) a creative business – here's the low-down:

Jessika Hepburn from Oh My! HandmadeGoodness is going to show attendees how to make and build online communities around your brand. She will start with why community is important, how to start your own and how to cultivate it. On day two Jessika will demonstrate how to run a twitter chat.

Karen Gunton runs build a little biz, working with women in business to help them shine. She will speak about being authentic, bringing your YOU to your business and then get into some practical tips to rock out some amazing DIY visual marketing of your own.

Simon Walker, Nicole Fende and Mark Silver all touch on various aspects around money in small business and how to overcome the emotional hurdles and mind-blocks that are often associated with money. From the very practical to the emotions behind it all these guys will get you thinking about cash in a different way.

Jacqui Pryor will be explaining how to protect all your creative and wonderful business ideas. She will talk trademarks and copyright in a way that is easy to understand.

And Shayne Tilley and Monica McCarthy get into the nitty gritty of how to sell yourself authentically online from video, interviews, email marketing and just online marketing in general.

Check out the videos on their profile pages to get a taste of what they will be speaking about.

Some key info:

- Tickets start at AU$99

- The event is streamed live online September 3rd and 4th. If you grab a Gold or Premium Pass you get 6 months access to all the sessions so you can come back and watch them in your own time.

- You can download the full program here.

Inside number twelve

Some inside spreads from the latest issue - out this week in all your favourite shops!

The Tall Tales issue

Issue 12 is out soon and now available for pre-order at Felt & Big Cartel. Hope you love Erica Harrison's cover art as much as we do!

Auckland Art & Craft Fair

The Auckland Art & Craft Fair happened on the weekend and organisers Jess & Kylie and their team did an amazing job, yet again.

As well as joining me behind the table for a good few hours, two pre-fair late-night sewing sessions and a packed lunch delivery, Sonya Nagels caught a few images of the EC stand. Big thanks to Matta for making my magazine stand too! I owe them both big time. And that's my illustrated market money, below – it was so fun being paid with money I designed.

The fair was busy and buzzing the whole time, and I didn't have much time for shopping but we both managed to snap up a few hand-screenprinted cards by our next cover illustrator, Erica Harrison. Her prints and cards are beautiful and tactile – you can feel the thick layers of ink and the colours are rich and delicious.

Look out for Erica's illustrations and interview in the next issue, out July 31st.

Stockist Series: The Family Design Store

Recently opened in Gisborne, The Family Design Store is our newest stockist. They are (you guessed it) family owned and run and bring together a beautifully curated array of goods from New Zealand and further afield. Co-owner Chelsea kindly sent us some photos and answered our questions...

What will customers discover at The Family Design Store?

The store is a space (and site) where we have brought together products made by us and our extended family + lots of gorgeous things from near and far. Lovely Fog Linen from Tokyo, children's wallpaper from Hibou Home, Rifle Stationery from the US, Flatout Frankie children's toys, Willowsong Organic baby clothing, Chelsea Thorpe clothing, Willowolf T-Shirts, + lots more.

Gene has a painting studio and print gallery upstairs, he also markets our premium wine label 'The Family Company', while my mother has a room dedicated to her craft (book-folding). The store is an extension of our lives, a place where we're surrounded by things we love.

Chelsea, Primrose, Gene and little baby Coco.

What's the best thing about coming to work each day?

We literally live just around the corner. So every morning we walk to the store with the girls, stopping for coffee on the way. Whoever wants to go to work does and the other stays at home with the girls. We are very lucky to be able to have such a great lifestyle. We meet interesting people every day and get to be surrounded by lovely things all day.

What is one thing you learnt from opening your shop?

That a business takes lots of work and dedication, we already knew this from each owning businesses in the past but the reminders come back thick and fast!

What's the best-kept secret in your local area?

US! We have only been open for a couple of months and as we are out of the main CBD we are still very much a secret, hopefully not for too much longer.

The Family Design Store

147 Ormond Road, Ballance Street Village, Whataupoko, Gisborne

Shop hours: Tuesday - Friday 10 - 5, Saturday 10 - 2

www.thefamilycompany.co.nz

Contributor Series: Melissa Wastney

Plantago by Melissa Wastney for Extra Curricular

No doubt many of you will need no introduction to Melissa Wastney's work. Melissa has been keeping a blog for nearly six years now, where she writes about creative and family life in Norway, Nelson and Wellington (Melissa is originally from Nelson). Tiny Happy is popular around the world and perhaps it was because of her large US readership that she was noticed by a publisher in the States.

Melissa's first book Sweet and Simple Handmade: 25 Projects to Sew, Stitch, Knit and Upcycle for Children published by Stash Books (C&T Publishing) has just been released (and should be available in your local bookshop right about now!) Long-time fans will be excited to see that she's included patterns for her much-loved baby shoes, velveteen rabbits, and her popular bag design among the 25 projects. The book is divided into three sections- babies, preschoolers and school-aged children, and comes complete with full-size tissue paper patterns.

Melissa has contributed her particular brand of Tiny Happy goodness to the magazine several times over the past few years – most recently you will have seen her illustrations in issue 10 alongside Anissa Ljanta's article on plant medicine. 

Not one to rest on her laurels, she's also recently completed a post-grad journalism diploma. Bravo Melissa!

And just in case you don't have it bookmarked –

www.tinyhappy.typepad.com 

Contributor Series: Kate van der Drift

Kelly O'Shea – Glue Gallery

Kate van der Drift makes art and works as a freelance photographer. A chance photographer emergency and Facebook introduction had her coming to the rescue and taking some great photographs for the latest issue (she photographed Kelly O'Shea and the folks of Glue Gallery). Unfortunately, we wrote her surname incorrectly in the credits (terrible, but true - and coming from someone who's always going on about proofreading!) A thousand apologies Kate!

Remains of Their Music and Laughter Float In The Air

After graduating from art school in Dunedin in 2010, she spent time travelling through Europe, the Middle East and South East Asia... then ended up back in Dunedin for a bit until the City of Sails called... and now Auckland is home. 

Over the past year Kate has been teaching photography and working as a freelance photographer doing portraiture, events and fashion photography, and says she's excited about the creative possibilities in Auckland, with so many new people to collaborate with.  

Kate's most recent photography exhibition was called They Could Have Stayed Forever. Under the name We Are Optimistic, she has been collaborating with Clare Fleming, working across performance, installation and curation to make hopeful art that inspires social change.

They Could Have Stayed Forever

There Will Be New Life (But Not In This Sea)

Up next is a performance and exhibition called One Day Wonder at Pearce Gallery (in front of the Whitecliffe College of Arts). We Are Optimistic will be doing a performance and artist talk from 5.30pm on the 10th of May (the exhibition will be open from 10 – 1 on the 11th of May).

Kate will also be part of a show of new work at the Morrinsville Wallace Gallery at the end of July with Rohana Weaver and Clare Fleming. Sounds like an exciting show – featuring sculpture, drawing, watercolours and large scale photographs.

Check out more of Kate's work at www.katevanderdrift.com 
and www.katevanderdriftphotography.com

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