Hey guys! Could you tell me a bit about yourselves?

Henry - I’m 25 years old currently residing in North Bondi. Having lived all over I have found a deep passion for travelling, modern art, architecture, designing and surfing. I studied Architecture at the University of Melbourne and currently work with Young Henrys, based in Newtown. Working alongside some incredible talent in my life I see power through bringing like minded individuals together to collaborate. Pickled Love is the house in which this happens. 

Emma - I am a ‘creative’. I’ve always been interested in how we can challenge ourselves and others through the lens of art, music and fashion. I studied Graphic Design at RMIT whilst working for Vision Hound, a Melbourne & Berlin-based company specialising in event concepts for festivals such as Rainbow Serpent, Let Them Eat Cake, Chi Wow Wah Town and Subsonic Festival. Continuing my desire not to be bound to only one creative platform, Pickled Love combines an exciting and eclectic group of creatives in one place…yay!

Georgia - I am an architecture student who did my bachelor's degree at RMIT and currently completing my Masters in QLD. My background is in art and design, founding and managing 'Nu-De Projects, 'a prototype, baby version of Pickled Love in Melbourne. The difference is Pickled Love has three people and has been more than three times as successful so far. I will be exhibiting my neon signs at the event. 

Could you tell me a bit about the upcoming event you're hosting on May 28th?

The space itself is a self-contained artist hub - Flow Studio 88, which comprises of three exhibition spaces surrounded by 20 in-house artist studios. The exhibition is themed 'Street' showcasing six artists in various mediums and five djs. 

The event kicks off from midday till around 7 pm, with complimentary drinks upon arrival from our sponsors, Angove Organic Wines and Young Henrys. Wholly Schnit will be feeding the hungry crowds available (at an additional cost). All art on-site will be for sale, so come looking to fill a bare wall in the house. 

We only have a few tickets left to the event up for grabs, so follow the link below and get yourself over to Camperdown for some fun.

How has the planning experience been? And, what has been your game plan for managing event budgets?

Planning the event has had its ups and downs in the face of covid. Our initial ‘sold-out’ exhibition was postponed three times due to lockdowns. We (and our ticket holders) have had to be very patient. The time is finally here!

The experience was a great learning curve for us all. It was difficult juggling many different balls at times; however, with our three minds put to work and fantastic support from our artists and community, it has come together really well. 

The budgeting has been relatively seamless, and we haven't been shocked with drastic overheads as we're keeping it relatively simple.

How did Pickled Love come to be?

Having all come from design backgrounds, we share a passion for creativity. In Melbourne, we had experienced numerous exhibitions combining various art forms. Coincidentally, each of us moved to Sydney prompting us to join creative forces in planning a multi-disciplined art event. Many young, emerging artists are going out on their own, so we wanted to create a platform to support and showcase their work. Stemming from the underlying themes of community, exploration and inclusion, Pickled Love was born. 

It's super cool to see more arts-focused groups popping up in Eora. What is your main aim for the project?

We aim to connect local artists to the broader community. We strive to facilitate artists to push the boundaries, supporting them each step of the way and helping bring their visions to life without the 30% commission fee of a gallery. Being an immersive experience, the wide range of mediums helps us curate a dynamic setting that breathes life into an otherwise empty space. 

You've got such a range of talent coming in for this event - from digital artists, DJs, and fashion designers to tattoo artists. Could you give me a little introduction to some of these creatives who will be participating?

We are super fortunate with the talent showcasing in our premiere event. A year in the making, the artists have worked long hours to produce some crazy good works for the community to feast upon. Some of our artists include;

Sam Doughty (aka ‘Mango’) is a young illustrator and artist who works primarily using inks, acrylics, spray paint and a wide range of markers. Having a keen eye for detail, Sam creates carefully thought out works both big and small, which fascinate his audience.

Drawing most of his inspiration from music, other local and international street artists and graphic artists, imagery in books, and from the people closest to him, he creates artwork, which strongly shows who he is as a person and as an emerging artist.

Harry Murdoch is an up-and-coming digital designer, muralist and painter. Aged 23, he began exploring drawing in his teenage years, quickly finding his talent and love for art. His graphic works and expressive style harmonise colour and patterns to depict fun and creative narratives of his everyday experiences and ideas. Murdoch's work reminds us of 80s Mambo.

Visual artist, Isaac Elias aka Boogiewithsatan, is a trained tattoo artist and designer. Isaac's pieces consist of flash sheets, original designs and watercolour works. Paying homage to old school tattoos, he is known in the local community for his insane skill set and unique designs. 

Several other creatives such as visual artists Rose Morgan and Rosie Eliza, designer Georgia Mactaggart will be showcasing on the day. We’ll be releasing more closer to the date…stay tuned!

It's been a particularly hard few years for the arts sector in Australia, with lot's of groups like yours have seen their dreams (and events) stifled by under-funding, restrictions and lockdowns. How do you stay motivated when things go wrong? 

This project has been a great learning curve. Despite setbacks, we rely on approaching situations with flexibility, a chilled mindset and taking everything with a grain of salt. We recognise these events don't come together overnight. The community support has been overwhelming, and despite lockdowns and issues arising along the way, we've managed to keep a positive attitude whilst keeping our vision in sight. 

What are your hopes / plans for the future?

We hope to develop and grow as a collective. We are learning from our mistakes and experimenting as much as possible. From working with a range of artists and talented people who care, we constantly feel more supported each step of the way. We hope to ignite the broader community's passion and appreciation for art and help young emerging artists grow and have fun doing it!

For future exhibitions; artists of any nature, please drop us a line to discuss inclusion in upcoming Pickled Love events at: info@pickledlove.com