Soul Safari Sydney: Makers And ChangeMakers

Ken Done, one of Australia’s brightest creative heroes, shares a candid, colorful look back and forward in the keynote session at Soul Safari: SYDNEY.

Ken’s first solo exhibition was held in Sydney in 1980. Since then, he has held over 50 one-man shows, including major exhibitions in Australia, Europe, Japan and the USA. His ebullient work has been described as the most original style to come out of Australia, and his paintings are in collections throughout the world. Ken’s work is now widely recognised as holding a unique position in Australia’s cultural heritage. In 1992, he received the Order of Australia (A.M.), for services to Art, Design and Tourism. In many parts of the world, Ken Done has come to symbolise Australia and Australians: creative, optimistic and bold. 

Instagram: @kendonegallery

At Soul Safari: SYNDEY, Sasha Titchkosky of Koskela shares the extraordinary collaborative work she's doing within and in support of indigenous communities in Australia. Learn how that work began, the impact that it has had on her personally, and the stories of the communities in which she works.

After a career in the corporate world, Sasha Titchkosky founded Koskela in 2000 with her husband Russel Koskela. Koskela is an innovative designer and supplier of furniture to some of Australia's leading corporations, educational institutions, public buildings and private residences. Koskela is committed to manufacturing their range in Australia and using their design skills to effect social change. The Yuta Badayala project is very close to Sasha's heart and reflects the key values behind Koskela. A collaboration with the indigenous weavers from Elcho Island in Arnhem Land, these design projects also include Tili Wiru with the Tjanpi weavers and Durrmu with renowned indigenous artist Regina Wilson. 

Instagram: @koskela_

At Soul Safari: SYDNEY, stylist, shopkeeper and scene-maker Sibella Court shares how her curiosity and passion for global craftsmanship have lead to a remarkably diverse career and extraordinary adventures along the way.

Sibella Court is an interior stylist, best-selling author, and creative director. Her eclectic eye and energetic pursuit of new horizons infuses all of her projects, including concept, design and styling for commercial and residential interiors for private clients & the Merivale Group. She also heads The Society Inc, her own retail brand and store. Part pirate, part gypsy and an avid supporter of craft traditions and craftspeople, her wanderlust has seen her accumulate over twenty years of global inspiration from frequent trips, which she has shared in a series of best-selling books, Etcetera etc, The Stylist’s Guide to NYC, Nomad, Life Of A Bowerbird and Gypsy.

Instagram: @sibellacourt

Author and commentator Karen McCartney – along with designer Khai Liew and Sarah O’Neill of Small Spaces – discusses the realities, risks and rewards of starting out, building a business, establishing a successful career as a maker and executing your own vision.

Karen McCartney is known internationally as an editor, curator and avid supporter of exceptional architecture, interiors, craft and design. She edited marie claire lifestyle and was founding editor of Inside Out, before becoming Editorial Director (Lifestyle) at News Corp. Most recently, she was the editorial director of online retailer Temple and Webster. She is also the author of several best-selling architecture books: Iconic Australian Houses and Superhouse, which have been translated into successful exhibitions at the Museum of Sydney. Her new book, Perfect Imperfect (created with stylist Glen Proebstel and photographer Sharyn Cairns) will be released by Murdoch Books in April.

Instagram: @mccartneyk

Sarah O’Neill of Small Spaces – along with author and commentator Karen McCartney and designer Khai Liew – discusses the realities, risks and rewards of starting out, building a business, establishing a successful career as a maker and executing your own vision at Soul Safari SYDNEY: Makers And ChangeMakers.

Sarah O’Neill established her store/gallery Small Spaces in 2011 to enable small space dwelling with a philosophy of mindful consumption and considered design. Small Spaces now shows artworks by both emerging and established Australian artists guided by a mission to support artists in their practice and make fine art more accessible to the market.

Instagram: @small_spaces

Khai Liew – along with author and commentator Karen McCartney and Sarah O’Neill of Small Spaces – discusses the realities, risks and rewards of starting out, building a business, establishing a successful career as a maker and executing your own vision.

Khai Liew draws on his cultural heritage and his experience and knowledge as a specialist conservator to design and produce furniture informed by the old and the new, the regional and the international. The production of small editions and one-off furniture commissions takes place in Liew’s Adelaide studio and workshop, founded in 1996. Liew’s designs have been exhibited at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, Design Museum in London and the Triennale di Milano. His work is represented in the permanent collections of the National Gallery of Australia, Powerhouse Museum in Sydney, Art Gallery of Western Australia, and Art Gallery of South Australia. Liew is Adjunct Professor, School of Art, Architecture and Design, University of South Australia and a Fellow of the Design Institute of Australia. 

Instagram: @khailiew

At Soul Safari Sydney: Makers And ChangeMakers, Bettina McIlwraith and members of The Nest Creative Space share the story of how they came to work together, what that looks like in practice, and why they believe that collaborative work amplifies your creative process and impact.

Bettina McIlwraith is a creative director, brand consultant and stylist. She works alongside her collaborators, the design tribe at The Nest Creative Space – a small and mighty group of interdisciplinary artists, makers, stylists, photographers and musicians creating a completely new collaborative model in Sydney. They see creativity as a vital communication tool for better ways of living, always in support of sustainable, ethical art forms.

Instagram: @appetitefordecoration

At Soul Safari: SYDNEY, Megan Morton of The School and Jacqueline Fink of Little Dandelion share how they’ve built a global community, one class at a time, extending the reach of The School beyond its classroom and across the world. Learn how to use technology with a personal touch to connect people around their passions.

Megan Morton garnered international attention and accolades when she established The School in Sydney. Her ex-marketing roles merged with her styling career to create the tipping point for sharing her experience. Megan writes books, consults on atmospheres and can deliver an a-grade flat lay. From a family of teachers, now one herself, she teaches transferable styling and making-based skills. The School lives to join many social, physical and art dots into a global community of makers and changemakers.

Instagram: @megan_morton

At Soul Safari: SYDNEY, Jacqueline Fink of Little Dandelion and Megan Morton of The School share how they’ve built a global community, one class at a time, extending the reach of The School beyond its classroom and across the world. Learn how to use technology with a personal touch to connect people around their passions.

Jacqui Fink is a fibre artist based in Sydney, Australia. She works predominantly with high-grade and naturally-coloured merino wool from Australia and New Zealand. Through the lens of her bespoke studio Little Dandelion, Jacqui focuses on creating installations and textiles, both extreme in their scale and the physical challenge they represent for a single pair of hands. Each piece is as much a feat of endurance as it is a loving creative expression. As her quiet rebellion against mass production, she ensures that each piece is a one-of-a-kind creation: something very personal for the client, lusciously tactile to the touch, highly textural by nature, and meticulous in its construction.

Instagram: @jacquifink

Artist and designer Beci Orpin on inspiration - how to seek its spark, make it richer through research, and build on it to bring new ideas to life.

Beci Orpin is an internationally respected designer, illustrator and author based in Melbourne, Australia. Having graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Textile Design from RMIT in 1996, she has brought her signature playful graphic style to diverse multidisciplinary projects - from artwork to textiles, stationery, homewares and accessories - for a wide range of clients. She has published a number of books around the themes of craft and creativity including Find and Keep, Home and Make and Do, and has exhibited artworks across a range of mediums in over 40 shows across Australia, the UK, Spain and the US.

Instagram: @beciorpin

Founder and Director of Soul Safari: SYDNEY, Vanessa Holden shares the story of her creative life, the power of making and the path to creating transformative work by traveling outside yourself. Vanessa believes in a creatively-fueled future. Her mission is to celebrate, elevate and enable the artful and handmade. She connects people to real things made by real people all over the world, and shares their stories and work. Hear her speak to the reasons we choose handmade, how to live with it, and the massive impact we can have when we do.

Formerly the SVP, Creative Director of US retailer west elm, Editor-In-Chief of Martha Stewart Living and Martha Stewart Weddings, and Creative Director of Real Simple and Donna Hay Magazine, Vanessa has focused on the art of visual storytelling throughout her diverse career in publishing and design. She is known for her optimistic, inclusive visual signature and editorial voice. A graduate of the University of New South Wales College of Fine Arts in Sydney, Vanessa lives in New York City with her husband and their two children. 

Instagram: @vanessaholden