Join Neale Whitaker, Michael Reid, Sandy Edwards (creative producer of Arthere) and the Belle team for an evening of fine food, wine and photography at Kitchen By Mike.  The evening will feature a discussion of contemporary art, photography in Australia and a three-course dinner and canapés, all by Mike’s usual seasonal standards.  Matching wines will be supplied by Fine Wine Partners, with Belle Property sponsoring the event, which will show and discuss the work of photographic artists such as Marian Drew and Deborah Paauwe and illustrate the diverse and interpretative medium of photography.

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KEY DATES

Belle Readers Dinner
with Neale Whitaker, Michael Reid, Sandy Edwards

Thursday 31st May
6:30pm

$125 per head for canapés, three courses and wines

Kitchen by Mike + Koskela
1/85 Dunning Ave
Rosebery NSW 2018

TO BOOK:
p. (02) 9282 8634
e. bellebookings@acpmagazines.com.au

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/ ARTWORK FEATURED

Regina Wilson (top) / Syaw, 2008, Acrylic on linen, 200 x 120 cm & Durrmu, 2008, Acrylic on linen, 200 x 200 cm
Deborah Paauwe (below) / Purple Mountain & Silent Hour, Giclee prints

/ Belle Readers Dinner at Kitchen by Mike in Belle Magazine June / July 2012

Koskela recently had the pleasure of hosting four remote Aboriginal Art Centre workers through ANKAAA as part of a skills development program.  The talented Art Centre workers were selected to participate in an entrepreneurs program as a result of their dedication and commitment to the Art Centre, as well as their hard work and high achievements.  Their visit to Koskela allowed us to offer them insight into the workings of a retail showroom, build industry networks, and enhance their presentation skills.

It was a great experience for all at Koskela to meet these lovely ladies and also to reconnect with Dion Teasdale who is working with ANKAAA on the program.  Dion used to manage the Art Centre at Elcho Island and was instrumental in getting the Yuta Badayala collaboration off the ground.   It was an absolute pleasure to share some of our experiences and retail knowledge with Dora, Janice, Jennifer & Marilyn and we thank ANKAAA for helping make it all happen.

Visiting the Koskela showroom wasn’t the only thing these ladies got up to…

We wish them the best of luck with their entrepreneurs program and hope to see them again sometime soon.

/ Pictured from left to right

Dora Griffiths from Waringarri Aboriginal Arts in Kununurra WA
Janice Murray from Jilamara Arts, Tiwi Islands
Jennifer Dickens from Mangkaja Arts at Fitzroy Crossing, NT
Sasha Titchkosky from Koskela
Marilyn Nakamarra from Mimi Arts, Katherine NT.

Next up in our calendar full of exciting events will be the Paper Cut Screen Printing & Embroidery workshops, run by the amazing Prints Charming.  Both workshops will provide an great opportunity to learn from super talented Kirsten & Cath (the brains behind the brand) in an inspiring environment with other like-minded creative folk.  With all materials provided, you only have to book in, and then show up with an open mind!  Further course outlines can be found

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// Paper Cut Screen Printing

all ages : all materials provided
Cost: $140.00

• Thurs 17th May :: 10am-1pm
• Sat 26th May :: 1pm-4pm
• Sat 9th June :: 1pm-4pm
• Thurs 14th June :: 10-am-1pm
• Sat 30th June :: 1pm-4pm

The Paper Cut Screen Printing classes will cover:

• Learning how to set up your own print table at home.
• Motif design in relation to this technique of screen printing. ie positive and negative designs, as well as floating piece designs.
• Applying motif to screen and printing using the over lapping of colours and screens.

By the end of the class you will have an understanding of this technique and will be able to further develop at home on a small or large scale.  You will print on white “prepared for print” fabric with up to four colours.  Please wear clothing you won’t mind getting inky!  Bring along some simple motif ideas of your own or we can help with ideas on the day.  No experience necessary, prepared to become hooked!

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// Embroidery Class

all ages : all materials provided
Cost: $90.00 (for both classes)

• Thurs 31st May :: 10am-12pm
• Thurs 21st June :: 10am-12pm

Thread a needle and start stitching!  Embroidery adds so much colour and texture to fabric, it is the most creative way to paint with thread.  The “sampler” has long been the method of learning  your embroidery stitches.  Come along to these two workshops, learn the stitches and you’ never look at fabric the same again!  Cost includes hand printed linen sampler panel and threads for class.  Extra threads can be purchased to suit your colour choices.

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// Kids Screen Printing

ages 8-12 : all materials provided
Cost: $50.00

• Sat 9th June :: 10am-12pm

It’s the kids turn to screen print!  Come along to this class and print your own calico bag with your own one colour paper cut design.  After printing you can embellish your bag with some simple stitching, buttons and braids.  You may not get the bag decorated completely, but you’ll have everything you need to carry on at home, impressing all who see!   Just bring your imagination.

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TO BOOK: info@koskela.com.au
(02) 9280 0999

Bookings essential as spaces are limited and all workshop bookings are to be accompanied by full payment.  No refunds will be given if you cancel within two weeks of a workshop.

/ Image by Prints Charming

We are counting down the days now until our next exciting event is taking place in the Koskela showroom.  The Tjanpi Desert Weavers book and lampshade launch is happening on Thursday night (have you RSVP’d?).  Further to the launch, and since the NPY Women’s Council encourages sharing within the community, we will also be hosting a Tjanpi Desert Weaving workshop, run by two amazing Tjampi weavers who will be traveling from Alice Springs, giving you an opportunity to learn some of the traditional skills from the weavers first hand.  We think this is a pretty special opportunity.

Spots are filling fast, so if you are interested don’t delay in letting us know.  All the details are below, and we hope to either see you at the launch, workshop, or both!

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// Tjanpi Weaving Workshop

all materials provided

• Sat 19th May 2012  :: 10am-12pm

Cost: $80.00
TO BOOK: info@koskela.com.au
02 9280 0999

SOLD OUT

Bookings essential as spaces are limited and all workshop bookings are to be accompanied by full payment.  No refunds will be given if you cancel within two weeks of a workshop.

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/ Martha Protty and Nyinku Kulitja at Docker River 2010
Photo by R Hammerton©Tjanpi Desert Weavers, NPY Womens Council

Last week we had the exciting pleasure of hosting the Zimmermann Cruise 2012/13 Fashion Week runway show.   The late night bump in and early morning start was a little bit of a shock to our slightly-more-laid-back system, but it was an fashion adrenaline rush that we were glad not to miss!  It seemed that the breakfast treats served by Kitchen By Mike created just as much hype as the fashion, and it was amazing to see the Kitchen & Koskela showroom filled with so many people!  Getting to the important matter at hand, the fashion was amazing, and the soft, airy pieces were quite a contrast to most of the showroom surroundings.  We must say that the lovely folks from Zimmermann chose their location well!

Even though turning our showroom upside for a quick injection of fast fashion was a lot of hard work, we thought it was worth it, if only due to the fact that we had an amazing view of the whole show from our mezzanine office!  Our video superstar Pat pulled together this great time lapse of the show being installed and then pulled down again.  It is crazy to see two days of hard work shown in a matter of minutes!

By the way, how hauntingly beautiful are these images taken by Oyster Magazines Ryan Kenny.  So pretty!  You can see more coverage at Grazia, InStyle, Pages Digital, Capture the Castle and Thread.

/ Video by Pat Abboud : Photos by Ryan Kenny of Zimmermann Cruise 2012/13 at KOSKELA

We are all still beaming here in the kitchen from Terry Durack’s review in the Sydney Morning Herald not so long after we opened those our kitchen few months ago.  So you can imagine how we felt when the latest the(sydney)magazine landed in our hands.  If you can’t, it is safe to assume that we were very very excited!

A huge huge thank you to Terry Durack for once again offering amazingly great feedback about Kitchen by Mike.  Being a new business, it is expected that we are still learning and growing (we love your feedback, we do), but to have received such a warm welcome from Terry Durack, Good Living, the(sydney)magazine and all the amazing bloggers, tweeters and facebookers out there, well, it really means a lot to us.  So thank you.  You are amazing!

Terry Durack has featured our Pizza Margherita, which you can find a variation of pretty much every day in our kitchen.

/ the(sydney)magazine May 2012 review by Terry Durack for Kitchen by Mike

Kitchen By Mike is the brainchild of renowned chef Mike McEnearny in collaboration with us here at Koskela. With a super unique set-up, together we’ve established a new canteen style dining experience at our new Rosebery showroom in Sydney.  Through this snapshot video of a ‘match made in heaven’, Koskela‘s creative force Sasha Titchkosky and Russel Koskela share the secrets of how this partnership – perfect relationship with Mike came to life!

/ You can view more video content in the TV section of our website.

We are not going to lie.  There were a lot of smiling faces in the Koskela office the day the new issue of Monocle hit the shelves.  We are pretty proud of this achievement and thought it would be nice to share it with you too.  Along with the new showroom, Monocle have featured the lovely Regina Wilson cushions, and that is the Jake Chair pictured with Russel & Sasha.  You can click on the image to read the full article, or of course grab a copy for yourself.  It really is a beautiful issue.  A huge thank you to Monocle for the great article and to fantastic photographer Derek Henderson who took some amazing shots of our space.

 / Monocle May 2012

We are so excited to be announcing our next little party.  Keeping with the theme of book launches, the amazing NPY Women’s Council will also be releasing a book, Tjanpi Desert Weavers.  Those who have been visiting our showroom for some time will be very familiar with the beautiful work of the Tjanpi Desert Weavers, and for those who are not,  this is a perfect opportunity to learn more about this historic, innovative and evolving artform.  In addtion to the book, and following on from the success of the Yuta Badayala project we are now launching our second lighting collaboration, the Tjanpi range of lampshades.

To celebrate the launch this exciting collaboration, we invite you to join Koskela, Neil Balnaves AO, Founder of the Balnaves Foundation and the NPY Women’s Council here in the Koskela Showroom.  Further to the launch, and since the NPY Women’s Council encourages sharing within the community, we will also be hosting a Tjanpi Desert Weaving workshop, run by two amazing Tjampi weavers who will be traveling from Alice Springs, giving you an opportunity to learn some of the traditional skills from the weavers first hand.  We think this is a pretty special opportunity.  Details regarding the workshops will follow.

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KEY DATES

Tjanpi Desert Weavers
Lampshades + Book Launch
Thursday 17th May
6:30-8:30pm

Koskela Showroom
1/85 Dunning Ave
Rosebery NSW 2018

RSVP by 15th May: marion@koskela.com.au

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Suddenly it feels like this weekend has turned into a bit of a festival here in the showroom.  We have so much on we are not even sure we can get our heads around it!  In case your calendars are not synced properly, this Sunday is Mother’s Day, and we are giving you the perfect opportunity to spoil your Mum this weekend (while having some fun along the way!).  Firstly the Koskela Showroom is full of beautiful, lovely gifts, so may we suggest you pop in before Sunday to sort out something special for your Mum.  Of course she might like a browse just as much as a present, so maybe you can suggest a visit together so she can pick out something extra extra special.

While you are here, keeping with Sunday tradition, Mike and the team in the Kitchen will be cooking up a storm so to speak, serving a deliciously hearty Sunday Roast (see what we mean about spoiling Mum in more ways that one?).  Fingers crossed the weather stays as lovely as it has been so you can enjoy a wine or two in the garden while enjoying the deliciousness from Kitchen by Mike.

Adding further excitement to the Sunday celebrations, the fabulous Megan Morton will be holding a White Elephant Stall (including free gift with purchase) and of course the beautiful Tamara Maynes will be holding a Make a Tassel Garland workshop at The School, and if you ask us we think that it looks like a lot of fun.  Did we mention this is all happening under the one roof? 

Head to Rosebery this Sunday for a relaxing and exciting day.  Since it is a weekend there will be plenty of parking, or of course there are lots of public transport options too.  We really hope to see you and your Mum here then!

/ products featured from top: Cinematic Lightbox (back in stock!) $369.96 : Mason Jar soy wax candle from $49.90 : Leif body products from $19.95 : Hand carved wooden necklace & bangles from $450.00 : Flower Brooch $5.00 : Selected books (new titles in store!) from $35.00

all images Koskela other than the last image via Megan Morton