Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Creative Women's Circle - Monique McNamara & Jessie Fairweather


image; gertrude st association - artist; ian de gruchy


image; measure by the foundry

As always, I thoroughly enjoyed drinking in the creativity of some very talented women at Creative Women's Circle on Saturday morning. I mean, I was sitting between some lovely creatives before anyone even opened their mouths! (ie. shannon, susan and tess, better known in blogland as aunty cookie, spin spin handmade and metremade)

Monique McNamara started proceedings speaking about her eco-design business Up and Up Creative...now, there is eco and there is ECO, and this woman is definitely the latter, having set up her business 12 years ago when she realised that her concern for sustainability and eco-friendly practices were not being met elsewhere. There was a million things she said, a million notes I wrote, but really, this quote pretty much sums up where Ms. McNamara comes from "This is why we're here - we're here to innovate." (Oh, and if she isn't busy enough directing her company she is also a founding member of The Gertrude Association.)

Jessie Fairweather is all the things in a person I tend to gravitate towards, because it is so far from who I am (!) - calm, considered, organised, determined and calm. (oh sorry, did I say that already?!) This girl had a dream and ran with it, studying graphic design in Europe before returning to Australia, writing her ideas for three months and then creating her company 'The Foundry'. 'Measure' seems like an extremely apt title for Jessie's latest project, written in five languages, it consists of every conceivable measuring chart from seasonal foods through to the lunar calendar. I am predicting world domination from her little space in Daylesford, quite frankly.

Well done, Tess McCabe on another great meeting, keep the inspiration coming!

4 comments:

Shannon said...

hey there! nice little round up and totally agree , ms foundry was very calm. I wish I saw her talk before I spoke, I would have been trying to channel that calmness!

see you at the next talks.

Tess said...

Shelley, I am hereby nominating you for position of Chief CWC Event Reviewer - thanks again for a lovely roundup on your blog!

Even I didn't think Monique and Jessie would have such complimentary ideas and be such a great speaker 'match'. Very inspiring indeed... Thanks for coming along!

Spin Spin said...

Hi Shelley! Great wrap up. I've been thinking about some of the things ms foundry said all week, such a great insight into how someone else has "forged a path", for want of a better phrase. CWC is soo good - go Tess, can't wait for the next one :)

Shelley Trbuhovich said...

awww girls, this is a little bit of a love-fest, isn't it?!! thanks for dropping by. see you at the next cwc event.....i hope the safety in art project went well. x