The Art Deco grandeur of the Blue Mountains YHA in Katoomba proved the perfect backdrop for the inaugural Blume Illustration Festival on the weekend.
The festival brought together illustrators, caricaturists, artists and creatives from the Blue Mountains and beyond for a weekend of panel discussions, talks, workshops and cheerful mingling.
“The original idea was to celebrate illustration, and the Blue Mountains creative community,” said illustrator and Blume Illustration Festival creative director Faye Wilson.
“Culture comes from the roots – kind of like a petri dish, where you bring ingredients together, and watch how they interact. You give them nourishment, and help them along. The most fantastic part of the festival was to see how new relationships developed, and how wonderful new connections were made.”
Saturday’s “Wildflowers in Blume” discussion gave insight into why an authentic, creative life is still important in a fast-changing world and industry. As paper engineer and illustrator James Gordon explained his experience: "Don't stay in your own paddock, gallop off and try new grass."
The “Art with Teeth” panel discussion gave the packed audience much food for thought regarding the role of satire and politics in illustration, and design as an instrument for social change. It was run by NSWAG 2016 Archibald Prize People’s Choice winner Nick Stathopoulos and included the likes of Chips Mackinolty, Kathy Herbert, Michel Streich, Michael Agzarian, Rocco Fazzari and Mandy Schoene-Salter
Mackinolty explained how satire and politicised illustration are fighting an ongoing war, and mentioned how symbols such as barbed wire, relevant decades ago, are unfortunately still meaningful.
Fazzari touched on the importance of knowing the person you’re caricaturing: "To draw a caricature, you have to know the person. And while getting to know them by drawing them, bits of them keep appearing until a whole is formed."
The panel discussions were interspersed with short talks from artists and illustrators explaining their take on creativity. James Gordon touched on his great love of violets and how one should appreciate the masters while still having fun with them, while Sydney-based artist Nettie Lodge charmed the audience with her experiences of the great Wandering Albatross. Paul Mosig and Rachel Peachey from Racket Design and author and illustrator Tohby Riddle explained the importance of ideas in their work. Michael Agzarian, founder of Advision and design disruptor, had the crowd in stitches with his talk on creating the notorious Tony Abbott “Hopeless” and Malcolm Turnbull “Fizza” posters.
The Winsor & Newton art supplies expo proved to be a great hit with young and old alike, judging by the amount of artful scribbles and illustrations happening on any paper surfaces available. Festival-goers also had the chance to engage with Natalie O’Connor and Carla Hananiah, resident artists at Winsor & Newton, to learn more about their products.
Sunday’s workshops saw Emma Magenta, Jude Martinez, James Gordon, Anne Bowman and Ward O’Neill guide festival-goers on an immersive experience with Experimental Illustration, Paper Cut Illustration, Illustrating nature and the art of political illustration.
“We live in a very branded environment, where a lot of what we do is commodified,” said Wilson. “But if artist all come together like this, we can work from a place of abundance, rather than scarcity. I’m extremely proud of the weekend’s success, and the great feeling of positivity.”
For more information and to share in special moments from the weekend, visit the Blume Illustrated page on Facebook: www.facebook.com/blumeillustrated/