general – The Arcadian Artisan

Yeah nah…

November 9, 2021November 9, 2021 by prisoners of the crown, posted in general

We’ve tucked Arcadian Artisan snugly into the archives good’n’proper now, darlings. Between Black Summer and the Great Covid Contagion we’ve had ample iso/lockdown time to reassess priorities and get back on serious track. So, for Ging and Megxx at least, focus is entirely on our art practice, Prisoners of the Crown. The only market scenarios we’ll pop up at (with our bread’n’butter production) will be arts-crafts appropriate/orientated, like Bombala and Flourish in Pambula; which are very sweet and ‘limited edition’.

From here on in, our frou frou will be served in a cocktail glass. See you around the traps…

Action stations at Prisoners of the Crown…

October 30, 2019October 30, 2019 by prisoners of the crown, posted in general

No activity on the horizon at Arcadian Artisan, but we can report that there’s a flurry of activity over at Prisoners of the Crown, where Megxx and Ginger are in prep mode for their annual Open Studio Day. Held on the Sunday closest to the anniversary of Ned Kelly’s hanging day (11 Nov 1880), this year falls on Sunday 10th of November, a mere 11 sleeps away (gasp!)

Open from 10.30am to 3.30pm, interested peeps are welcome to a relaxed show-and-tell tour of the studios (contemporary jewellery and glass, both housed in the old stables) and the in-house Courtroom gallery. Highlight of proceedings is the Lucky Mugshot Prize, drawn at the end of the day – this year’s winner will score a pair of Ginger’s cast silver Crownie earrings.

Megan Bottari, lost wax cast Australian lead crystal oyster shells

For those of you unfamiliar with the Mugshot Files, a peek at previous Open Studio Days will put you in the picture…here and here and here.

Where: The Old Police Station and Courthouse in the village of Wyndham, a 20 minute scenic drive inland from Pambula, on the Far South Coast of NSW. Easy to find, just keep an eye out for Maurice de Ute…

Maurice de Ute

Suspended animation extended…

November 30, 2018November 30, 2018 by prisoners of the crown, posted in baked, general, handmade, harvest, little market emporium, market to market

Our little pop-up market emporium is still on furlough, dear hearts. Not that there’s not lots of action – it’s just focused elsewhere at the moment. Megsie’s on a mission in the studio, Ginger has work commitments and Jen’s ramped into remedial mode in the garden (following all that recent damaging weather.) But never fear, we’re seriously contemplating making amends by popping up in Wyndham on the 23rd December. We’ll firm that up in a couple of weeks, so watch this space.

Meanwhile here are a few snaps (by way of distraction!!) of some ‘goings on’ at our place. The politics of the day are creeping into Megsie’s current work, how could it be otherwise(!), and the owl has flown the coop…well, momentarily at least…

Megan Bottari, Lost at Sea (from the Owl and the Pussycat series), lost wax cast Australian lead crystal

Megan Bottari, Asylum (the emigre), lost wax cast Australian lead crystal, found object

Megan Bottari, Live export; not a cruise (On the Good Ship Bismillah), lost wax cast Australian lead crystal, found object

Suspended animation…

October 22, 2018October 22, 2018 by prisoners of the crown, posted in baked, general, handmade, harvest, little market emporium, market to market

Just wanted to let you all know that our sweet little market emporium will be taking a by on the November market day. We have other commitments on the go at present which have snatched priority; the following weekend (Sunday 11th Nov) is Prisoners of the Crown’s Annual Open Studio Day and so Megxx and Ginger are busy making new work for that and Jen’s gone into full summer-wedding mode, spending dawn ’til dusk in her glorious garden to ensure peak condition for the happy nuptials (it’s going to be spectacular!)

Meanwhile, here are a few snaps for those who missed the October gig (which means, oh no, you missed those scrumptious Jenny Attwill lamingtons; best ever, hands down!)

We hope that, like us, you’re enjoying your homescapes after all that wonderful rain. What a difference, eh…

after the rain.jpg

It’s Jack-in-a-box time @ the Crossing, Candelo…

October 3, 2018October 5, 2018 by prisoners of the crown, posted in baked, general, handmade, harvest, little market emporium, market to market

our little market emporium

The October Candelo Market has snuck up on us again(!) and so it’s time for our little pop-up market emporium – just a hop, skip and a jump across the bridge from the park. Lordy knows what the weather will be like, but we’re indoors so it hardly matters.

We’ll have our regular yummy treaties, our limited edition handcrafted objects (glass, ceramic and textile), contemporary jewellery and trad country wares; timeless, classic, with a touch of the iconic. Garden sourced comestibles. Everything locally made. What could be nicer!

Ginger Bottari, Dancing Queen earrings, silver

Ginger's, Royal Garland brooch, saw pierced silver and titanium, gemstone

Megxx lost wax cast Australian lead crystal oyster shells

crownie earrings (fancy), silver & pearl

Ginger's Boom Boom brooch, saw pierced silver and titanium

dancing queen earrings, saw pierced silver

yardbird earrings (king parrot), fused glass & silver

yardbird earrings (painted parrot), fused glass & silver

On the social side of things (always of utmost importance in a country context), Jen’s just back from tripping the light fantastic through Old Blighty and so we anticipate entertaining tales of convivial derring-do.

The lack of rain hasn’t been kind to the gardens, but we’ll pull together whatever seasonal produce we can. Meanwhile here’s a wander around our backyards over the last couple of days, some elements of which will make an appearance on Sunday…

wild onion flower, our fave Spring salad ingredient

See you there, from 9am – 1pm.

Winter’s upon us…

June 2, 2018June 2, 2018 by prisoners of the crown, posted in baked, general, handmade, harvest, market to market

Time to gather in the stores and cuddle up for the duration. For our June pop-up we’ve ramped up in the kitchen, putting together some very naughty pantry fillers to add fireside cheer to those bleak nights ahead (…you would have made these goodies yourselves, for sure – but hey, why not let us do it for you…)

Indulgent treats include: Jen’s rich spiced rum boiled fruitcake and her beyond killer brownies, melting moments (be still our beating hearts!), monte carlos and utterly delectable nougat; Megxx has supplemented the Rocky Road Royale with a bushranger variety (yes, Neddie – who else!), and added scrumptious crostoli (because every moment should be a celebration) and rempeyek kacung (just for when that savoury urge kicks in – because, yes, it really is okay to enjoy a beer in winter!!)

Megxx crostoli

Stand and deliver; Bushranger Road

Sweet Neddie; homage to Sid

Ernesto’s critters

drop dead killer brownies

winter’s coming

Grey skies

macadamias

Wyndham macadamias

bleak days

Megxx rempeyek kacung

swinging in the wind

Megxx’ wild birds

Jen’s beanies

Ratsutra greeting cards

cosy fires

Jen’s nougat

Sangmi’s silk wrap

Jen’s spiced rum fruit cake

From the garden we have lavender lane and garlic…and other produce that we’ve not actually checked as yet today (because it’s been too windy and chilly to go outside!!) We have jams and cordials and pickled all-sorts – and Wyndham macadamia nuts!

Jen, concerned for your winter well being, has knitted more beanies and her gorgeous mosaics will lend instant classical charm to your dun winter gardenscapes. Megxx has added top flight colourful pop with her wild bird/Yardbird series. And Ginger’s brought her signature eye-candy – and with Queen’s Birthday coming up she’ll be showcasing some of her top-shelf pieces. [SPENNY ALERT!! although, in the event you can’t resist, we do have PayPal!!)

Sangmi’s elegant embroidery and Ernesto’s darling ceramic llamas enrich the general charm of our regular handcrafted/limited edition/small batch items.

This Sunday 9am – 2pm @ the Crossing, Candelo.

Never mind the weather – we’re indoors.

These are a few of our favourite things…

May 4, 2018May 7, 2018 by prisoners of the crown, posted in general

Our pop-up this coming Sunday is a riff on our fave tune − manna from the garden, luxe kitchen treats and beautiful goods that are, lets face it, little short of life enriching. Big call? Not really.

All of our wares are meticulously handcrafted from quality materials and made with genuine enjoyment; our intent being to enhance the personal environment with discretionary items that are scrumptious and uplifting and much too precious to be destined for land-fill (…not to mention that we’re seriously philosophically opposed to imported mass produced tat made on the exploited backs of poor faceless and unfortunate others.)

We love Autumn in a big way, climate change notwithstanding; particularly the pervading sense of harvest, and the light, and the presage of winter. It’s a time to set store and prepare for those chilly months ahead.

At this coming Sunday’s pop-up we’ll be featuring all of the following and more…

From the garden; Mick’s garlic and bunches of spinach, belladonna bulbs and blue iris rhizomes, salvia roots and potted lavender, rhubarb and bay leaves and Wyndham(!) macadamia nuts…

From the kitchen; jams and condiments and cordials, melting moments and monte carlos, luscious brownies and rocky road royale…

From the workshops; crownie bling and studio glass, exquisite hand embroidery and darling ceramics, nostalgic mosaics and heartwarming knits…

venetian by Megxx

Rose of Sharon

crown jewel bling

the kitchen door

mosaic stepping stone

Jen’s mosaics

Courthouse bay leaves

Jen in the workshop

more autumn beanie time

autumn in the garden

Mick’s vege patch

Megxx in the workshop

Ginger in the workshop

Yardbird Chevron (kookaburra)

Ginger’s zodiac tags

reconstructed ‘famille rose’

Ernesto’s ceramics

Jen’s gorgeous knits

delightful Salvia

glorious pistachios

Sangmi’s embroidery

autumn beanie time

We’ll be open this Sunday, May 6th, @ the Crossing, Candelo, from 9am to 2pm.

The Guest List…

April 29, 2018April 29, 2018 by prisoners of the crown, posted in general, handmade

While reiterating that the Arcadian Artisan is fundamentally an in-house venture – Jenny and Megxx & Ginger/Prisoners of the Crown – we do like to enrich the experience by including irresistible work by empatico others – work that is so adorable that you just want to hug it.

Most of you will know Ernesto San Juan for his pastries, and the fabulous cake stall he shares with his darling wife Olga; both as sweet and warm-hearted as their delectable fare. But perhaps you won’t know that as a young man he went to Art School in Argentina, that he is inherently creative and that, above all, he loves to sculpt…

Ernesto with the pack

Llama bowl (large) & Lady sugar bowl

Llama jug and bowls (small)

His ceramic critters are wonderfully folkloric in nature; so characterful and charming, so endearingly sweet, that on the richter scale of seismic appeal they are totally want-want.

Available exclusively from The Arcadian Artisan; next pop-up Sunday May 6th.

(Entrée to the Guest List now closed.)

Hey ho away we go…

April 3, 2018April 7, 2018 by prisoners of the crown, posted in baked, general, handmade, harvest, market to market

Easter Sunday saw the launch of our little pop-up shop at the Crossing in Candelo – and what a lovely day we had! Friends old and new have been so curious to see what on earth we’re up to – and our first reveal is a fair signpost of things to come.

The Arcadian Artisan is the purveyor of a sweet country state of mind, reflecting the deep contentment we find in our rural preoccupations; the garden, the kitchen, the handcraft, the artwork. And, more particularly, the very diligence of it all (handed down from our beloved grandmothers!)

More importantly, The Arcadian Artisan is our line in the sand; a repudiation of mass production and an homage to the natural industry of a (relatively!)tranquil lifestyle. Our ‘wares’ reflect our varied interests and our dedication to the preservation of genuine quality in our lives. We’re not stuck in tradition – rather we find ourselves constantly reinvigorated by it. If we had a ‘theme song’ it would be Nigel Kennedy’s Vivaldi’s Four Seasons (particularly the 2013 BBC Proms performance) though, of course, we’re not so highfalutin!

Thanks to everybody who dropped by (we only managed a few early and late snaps – once the crowd turned up we were too busy to take pictures!) We’ll be back next month, popping up like a veritable Brigadoon! See you on May 6th.