I have a pal, Patricia Fernandes, a potter I kept bumping at clay events, and soon we became friends. We talk 'technical', troubleshooting things that aren't panning out in our work, materials, firings etc. She has been developing her distinctive brand of porcelain brooches and decorative items utilising ornamental elements from her family's culture and contemporary methods of working. The girl has drive, and it seems to be paying off. She has a humourous, honey'd tongue, as you will see on her website http://www.patriciafernandes.com.au/ and blog http://prettiesallinarow.blogspot.com/
Patricia's 'Pretties' as she calls them, are made from Southern Ice - the whitest porcelain you can get in Australia, which she imprints using antique Indian wooden and brass textile printing blocks. These coloured using ceramic stain and fires to 1280C to translucency. I am lucky enough to own two of her brooches, they zing up any outfit using magnets to attach them to clothing without leaving any holes or marks. Patricia is also developing a small range of household wares, each as pretty as the next. This weekend she will be at the Perth UpMarket, at UWA in Nedlands, a remarkable artisan market showcasing the enormous range of design talent in Western Australia. University of Western Australia, Winthrop Hall. Sunday 28th November 2010, open from 10am-4pm. Free entry, easy access and plenty of free parking. http://www.perthupmarket.com.au/retailers.html
This isn't meant to read as an infomercial, but anyone wanting to break from commercialism and support the local creative industry should do their Christmas shopping at the UpMarkets, especially at Patricia's stall. The food at the UpMarkets is always way above the norm too.
