The birds have flown down to PAPER PEAR on Gurwood Street, Wagga Wagga! Yey! They are now in the hands of the talented Stephanie Day and her gorgeous gallery.
It took an entire day of flying to get there. It was one of the roughest flights
ever so the birds and I took a pit stop at Three Chefs (aka the Tourist) to
refuel.
The birds also brought a colourful series of funky hand-printed button earrings
and brooches. All unique and made up on the Northern Rivers of Australia in an
outside studio, just inland from Byron Bay, in a little village called Kyogle.
Alleva printmaker is very excited to launch these pieces into the world. It was
hard to let them go as they are loved so much but we know Stephanie Day, the
owner of Paper Pear will take good care of them as she sets each bird off to a
new home.
This is an example of what you will find at PAPER PEAR - a unique 57mm
hand printed GALAXY brooch.
These are the birds (see above) that traveled from the North Coast to inland
Wagga Wagga. A most special series of birds. Why? Because almost all of the
birds are unique state prints containing an array of techniques. Below is a
rather large blurb about how they were made.
Paper, Print & mixed Media Techniques
Katie Alleva has been machine stitching on paper and specifically her prints for
fifteen years. It has become her trademark. Katie is also known to create
timeless imagery where the space around the central shape is considered to be
just as important as the central image.
Black bird: embossed retro doily on Fabriano Printmaking paper – creates a
luscious textural quality to the work. The blackbirds have been hand cut and
consist of the same emboss but have been hand painted using ink. The bird has
been machine stitched onto the embossed paper. These pieces are ‘unique
state’ prints -only three made but they are all different.
Rainbow bird: The background is an embossed doily collograph print with a
machine stitched bird and twig cut out. The bird has been hand screen printed
with original designs by Katie Alleva onto reclaimed linen fabric. This is a
‘unique state’ print or artist’s proof. Only one made, (A/P means artist’s proof
and is the most collectable print of any limited edition).
Landscape Bird: An original photograph digitally printed on 300 gram
Hahnemuhle Paper (known as one of the highest quality printmaking papers).
The bird is a hand paper cut from an original lino cut emboss. The bird is
adhered to the landscape image and floats perfectly as if suspended in time.
This piece is a ‘unique state’ print – only one made.
Blackbird Singing (red dot): Katie Alleva has hand screen printed the red
dots onto 300 gram (heavy weight) Hahnemuehle printmaking paper. Then a
hand cut image of the bird was hand screen printed on top. This print is part of
a limited edition of 5 prints.
Crochet Bird – Essence Series: Katie Alleva’s love of cloth, paper and print
fuse to create these stunning works on paper. The bird is a timeless symbol
that reminds us to take time to slow down and find quiet in our busy lives. The
doily reminds us of stories told of a feminine kind passed down from our female
ancestors.
The work consists of a collograph print a hand cut bird, reclaimed doily, and
machine stitch on high quality Hahnemuehle paper.
Only 5 made in a limited Edition called Crochet Bird – Essence edition.
This year Katie Alleva has launched a new series of hand printed cloth brooches
and button earrings. Her love of collected cloth and all things 'textiles' ignited
here in Wagga Wagga in her second year of university, (at Charles Sturt
University) when Katie completed two years of textile subjects with lecturer
Julie Montgarrett.
and button earrings. Her love of collected cloth and all things 'textiles' ignited
here in Wagga Wagga in her second year of university, (at Charles Sturt
University) when Katie completed two years of textile subjects with lecturer
Julie Montgarrett.
Katie found herself immersed in dying fabrics utilizing Japanese Shibori
techniques, screen-printing onto cloth, machine stitching onto her prints and
papers and even onto goat’s skin.
After a burst of creativity Katie Alleva now offers a unique range of colourful
hand printed fabric button earrings both stud and drop options presented on a
hand printed embossed dot circle tag. The earrings are hand assembled in her
North Coast studio by Katie herself.
The above image, is the 'Tree of Life' original illustration brooch and drop earring set, by Katie Alleva. The fabric has been digitally printed onto 100% cotton fabric.
way to brighten up a neutral top or dress. Each one is unique. Printed with
water based ecofriendly inks by hand in her outdoor North Coast studio in
Kyogle NSW. A small range of digitally printed original illustrations is
also available (see above). More stock, (images printed on silk and cotton) is
being made and will be available in early March.
Katie utilizes her original designs to create simple prints on collected cloth
surfaces. She often layers a multitude of screens in different colours creating
an interesting interplay of depth with vivid colours.
Each brooch is hand pressed using a badge maker and then attached to a
handmade embossed card.
Quite a lot of thought, time and practice goes into making these special one off
pieces. Next on the list is a collaboration with an Australian silversmith, hand
printed silk scarves and cloth necklaces. Stay tuned for their release in Winter.
pieces. Next on the list is a collaboration with an Australian silversmith, hand
printed silk scarves and cloth necklaces. Stay tuned for their release in Winter.