“Everyday Life” – New Fabric Collection by Sue Michael
Next up as our feature artist in The Designer Project is prolific artist Sue Michael who hails from South Australia! Sue began her working life as a Registered Nurse but later completed a Bachelor of Visual Art and Applied Design in 2004 and has continued working and studying in the creative space. Most recently Sue completed her PhD in Visual Art researching the wider understandings that painters can consider when exploring the meanings imbued within places.
Sue is a painter of everyday life using lived experiences and field studies rather than imaginings and we are so thrilled to be sharing her work with you! The artist has made a range of her stunning hand-painted works available as print-ready artwork in our Fabric Shop online through her “Everyday Life” Collection. Differing from a lot of our previous feature artists, Sue’s collection is predominantly made up of captivating placement prints rather than yardage designs. Below we’ve shared a little about each of the designs as well as the different types of projects we think each would be perfect for.
“Carol’s Garden” is inspired by Sue’s friend Carol picking flowers from her garden in Clarendon, South Australia. “We used to raid her family’s dairy farm for ‘black gold’… the large nuggets that grew the most incredible vegetables back in the city.” “Carol’s Garden” is a placement print design 30x30cm in size.
“Carol’s Garden” is a fantastic design to use for cushion covers and tote bags.
“Beach Shack Green Fields” is inspired by a scene from a mid-20th century 35mm slide. The location of the beach is unknown. “Beach Shack Green Fields” is a placement print design 32x32cm in size and is an accompanying piece to “Beach Shack Fields”.
“Beach Shack Green Fields” would be perfect for cushion covers and tote bags.
“Beach Shack Fields” features an aerial view of beach shacks from another era when there was plenty of space between the structures. The soft grey shacks really pop out from the emerald background. “Beach Shack Fields” is an accompanying design to “Beach Shack Green Fields”.
We think “Beach Shack Fields” would be a stunning design for slip dresses and garment lining.
“Eyre Beach Shack” features the interior of a beach shack on Eyre Peninsula, South Australia. There is comfort in these simple dwellings, that seem to beckon and welcome the playing of board games whilst the summer flies buzz and the sunshine streams in. “Eyre Beach Shack” is a placement print design 32x32cm and is an accompanying piece to “Eyre Polka Ovals”.
“Eyre Beach Shack” is a perfect design for cushion covers, backpacks and tea towels.
“Eyre Polka Ovals” features delicately painted framed ovals reminiscent of traditional picture frames and elaborate buttons. “Eyre Polka Ovals” is an accompanying design to “Eyre Beach Shack”
We think “Eyre Polka Ovals” would be a fantastic design for soft accessories, full-piece swimsuits and bags.
“Second Valley Shells” is inspired by Second Valley; a secluded seaside village, seemingly untouched from the commercial modern world. It still hosts small, quaint shacks just a short walk from a view of endless ancient hills. “Second Valley Shells” is a placement print design 31x31cm and is an accompanying piece to “Second Valley Pebbles”.
“Second Valley Shells” would be a gorgeous choice for cushion covers, scarves and throws.
“Second Valley Pebbles” is also inspired by the secluded seaside village Second Valley. Here the grey stones can have white cake icing like marks. “Second Valley Pebbles” is an accompanying design to “Second Valley Shells”.
“Second Valley Pebbles” is an excellent choice for soft accessories and garment lining.
“Shack Bay” features the old shacks well-known to travellers south of Adelaide. The shacks are surrounded by ancient hills and have only a dirt track to their doorways. “Shack Bay” is a placement print design 32x32cm in size and is an accompanying piece to “Polka Dots Shack Bay”.
“Shack Bay” is a great design to use for cushion covers and tote bags.
“Polka Dots Shack Bay” features delicately painted, organically shaped dot motifs. The polka dots set against a navy background feel like stars against a dark sky. “Polka Dots Shack Bay” is an accompanying design to “Shack Bay”.
We think “Polka Dots Shack Bay” would be an excellent choice for bikinis, evening hair scarves and garment lining.
“Wendy’s Garden” features a petal arrangement made by keen gardener Wendy. The flowers were picked from her home in Adelaide. “Wendy’s Garden” is a placement print design 30x30cm in size.
“Wendy’s Garden” would be a stunning design to use for cushion covers and panels for quilting.
“Squatter’s Dream” is inspired by the early Australian, Alistair Clark bred rose of the same name which has just a handful of soft yellow and blush petals. Featured in the design is a petal arrangement, which are often made when there are only a few flowers left in the summer garden. “Squatter’s Dream” is a placement print design 33x33cm in size.
We would love to see “Squatter’s Dream” used for cushion covers and picnic throws.
“Island Spray” features a stunning landscape painting with a graphic monochrome border framing the scene. “Island Spray” is a placement print design 30x30cm in size.
“Island Spray” would be a perfect design for cushion covers and tote bags.
“Cloud Puff Bay” captures a scene of early beach shacks at Willunga, South Australia and is inspired by old 35mm slides. There isn’t as much space between the shacks now. Once upon a time you could see the slight curve of the earth from your window here as it was an endless view. “Cloud Puff Bay” is a placement print design 30x30cm in size.
“Cloud Puff Bay” is a fantastic design to use for cushion covers and panels for quilting.
Each of the designs in Sue’s “Everyday Life” Collection is available to be printed onto any of our stock fabrics. Simple head to our Fabric Shop online, choose the design and then select the base cloth that’s right for your project!