Mikael Maüs – Artists I love

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Examples of the beautiful pen and line artworks that Mikael Maüs shares across his Instagram feeds, with a common thread of masculinity, physicality and golden accents.

In case it is not already obvious, I have something of an Instagram obsession. I was originally opposed to Instagram as a platform because I thought that it was blogging for idiots – a platform where you could post with immense ease but little actual content.

Now that I have been using Instagram for a while and discovering amazing bloggers and content creators out there who both inspire and challenge me on a daily basis, it is very easily that I admit I was completely wrong about the medium.

The thing is, for every amazing artist or content creator that I discover through their immense followings or notoriety outside of Instagram, there are scores out there who are still fighting to share their gifts with the world. It is a paradox of social media, the ability to be connected to billions of users through a hashtag and still struggling to get your work noticed.

This idea has inspired me to try something a little out of the ordinary in the digital age, which is to tell people about the people I discover online that are important to me. When I find someone whose work speaks to me, or that gets me laughing along with their post or responding to a call for action – I tell my friends.

In turn, this has inspired me to start a new series here on the blog called ‘Artists I love’.

The whole point of this series will be to showcase the talent of artists and creators that I have discovered through Instagram, as a way to share the work of those artists I love with my readers.

First up is my divine friend Josh Munoz and his amazing drawings under the pseudonym of Mikael Maüs. (more…)

Fashfest 2017: A nervous morning at Canberra’s biggest model casting

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Serious business – hopeful models strutting their stuff at the 2017 Fashfest model casting last Sunday.

On Sunday morning I was up early, dressed, showered and on the road by 10:00am. While I didn’t have far to go, I was nervous.

It was not the paralysing sort of nervous that usually has me curled up in a ball on my lounge watching re-runs on Netflix to distract myself. No, this was the frenetic sort of nervous. The type of nervous reserved for first dates, public speaking, or the dentist waiting room, manically searching for any task to try to wrangle my nerves under control.

But I had a task already – I had to drive myself to the 2017 Fashfest Model Casting at the National Convention Center Canberra. (more…)

Latin American Flavours Festival: Hyatt Canberra

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Latin America Flavours Festival opening Gala at Hyatt Canberra

The Hyatt Canberra, a Park Hyatt hotel, always know how to dazzle their guests and to live up to their mantra that Luxury is Personal. On Wednesday evening last week I was fortunate enough to join a full house of Canberra’s Latin American community in celebrating the launch of the Latin American Flavours Festival in the Federation Ballroom.

Now in its third year, the festival sees thirteen of Canberra’s Latin American embassies joining forces with the amazing chefs at Hyatt Canberra to provide Canberran and inter-state diners with a taste of their culinary treasures this June. For the next three weeks Hyatt is hosting a series of buffet dinners featuring six to eight dishes chosen by each embassy to showcase their country, prepared by executive chef Nitin Kumar and his team in the hotel kitchens. (more…)

Autumn Inspirations – JORD Wood Watches

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There is something about the season of Autumn that just makes me want to immerse myself in nature.

Now, obviously just from looking at me you can tell I’m not exactly the rugged woodsman you probably think of when you hear something like “Autumn makes me want to immerse myself in nature”, but I really do love this season, and all the treats for the senses that it brings with it. The cold bite of the wind on my cheeks, the smell of wood smoke in the air, and the visual spectacle of the leaves bursting into brilliant colours before dropping to the ground. And then of course we have all the different wardrobe tune-ups that we make for the cooler seasons.

This autumn I have been lucky enough to be given a beautiful wooden watch from the babes at JORD wood watches, and it couldn’t have come at a better time. The design of the unique watch makes it a perfect addition to my wardrobe for autumn and winter, and gives me all the feelings of immersing myself in nature without actually having to go outside.

Because yes, I am that prissy that I avoid going outside as much as possible. (more…)

Meet the Makers – Cellarmasters event at QT Canberra

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What would you say if I told you there was going to be more than 20 leading Australian winemakers, with over 100 Australian wines available for tasting, all in one place with fantastic food; and you could win yourself a double pass to attend?

Cellarmasters and QT Hotels are bringing the fantastic Meet the Makers event to QT Canberra on Friday 19 May 2017, and I have five double passes to give away to Ink & Leathers readers!

Meet the Makers is a fantastic combination of winetasting and speed dating that gives customers the opportunity to actually speak with the brilliant minds behind their favourite tipple. You might have a favourite wine from a Vineyard that’s a little too out of your way to visit in person, or you might be like me and refuse to drink anything that isn’t a desert wine. Meet the Makers give you the opportunity to actually discuss the wines available on tasting with the people who produce them, from vine to glass as it were.

Cellarmasters have been running the Meet the Makers events for 4 years now, and the popular events are now finally on their way to Canberra. As we’re in the midst of Autumn, I can’t think of a better way to spend a chilly Friday night than sampling a selection of wines in good company, with great food and the opportunity to pick the brains of some of the industry’s greatest.

But, how can you win yourself a double pass? (more…)

Millennial Watches: The Royal Treatment

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Blogger Grant Heino wears Millennial Watches latest model The Royal - Canberra, Australia

The Royal is the latest model from Millennial Watches – a sleek and elegant offering in navy and rose gold, available now.

 

In late 2016 I shared a story about Millennial Watches, an exciting venture by local Canberra talent Riley Tanton.

Since I last told you about Millennial Watches, Riley has not only met the first stretch goal of his Kickstarter campaign and had to order more watches; but he also placed as a finalist in the category of fashion in the Australian Champion Small Business Awards, the Oscars of small business in Australia. (more…)

CARDIF Collective Fashion Alley Giveaway

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Would you be interested in attending a showcase of local Canberra Fashion talent showcased in a gritty industrial space held for a fantastic cause? Well, you’re in luck! Local fashion collective CARDIF will be hosting an event on the evening of 8 April 2017 to support the Heart Foundation of Australia boyandgirlco’s Lost and Found initiative, and I have two tickets to give away!

CARDIF Collective Fashion Alley is part fashion show, part art exhibition, part auction, and promises to be a whole lot of fun.

The event will be held in Highgate Lane, Green Square, Kingston. This is the first time that the service laneway will be used for a catwalk event, providing a fantastic juxtaposing of raw industrial service with the polished elegance of designer fashion.

 

To give you a taste of what the evening will include:

  • New label Thunder Thighs will be launched.
  • Hunter The Label will launch a new autumn/winter 2017 collection called ‘Norwegian Wood’.
  • Zilpah Tart will showcase their new autumn/winter 2017 collection, called Illuminate.
  • CARDIF Collective will present a segment featuring pieces from their in store designers.
  • An art exhibition with works by artists from M16 Gallery.
  • A live auction will be held with auctioneer Richard Luton, with all proceeds going to the Heart Foundation.
  • A silent auction will be held with all proceeds going to the Lost and Found initiative.

(more…)

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