MIKE ID

Treasure Hill Arts Village

2011-09-12T01:29:00.000-07:00

You would never expect this quaint little neighbourhood to be tucked away behind the hustle and bustle of Gongguan. Treasure Hill was formerly a settlement for KMT veterans in the 1940's. It has since been rejuvenated as an environmentally sustainable arts village.

It almost has a Mediterranean feel, as you wander through the jumble of lanes, stairways and rooftops arbitrarily connecting the buildings stacked like building blocks. The hill overlooks the Xindian River and there are many vantage points to appreciate it from.

It remains a residential community, with a few of the homes still inhabited. Other buildings have taken on a new lease of life, some are galleries, studios, cafes and there is even a youth hostel. It is a very welcoming environment, I felt at ease to wander around and experience some of the interactive elements.

(left) View of the village from the base of the hill. (right) Interior of one of the cafes.

(left to right) Wandering up the hill through one of the lanes. Another cute cafe. Making origami

rabbits and eating PB&J sandwiches in the cafe.

(left) Designing an evening lighting display for the village skyline. (right) A painting class

painting landscapes of the village.

(left) Detail of a humourous art installation. (right) Getting interactive and tryingto be

humourous with another installation.

Mike's 100 Fav Films

2011-08-28T22:46:00.000-07:00

I'm a bit of a fan for compiling lists of personal superlatives. It's a fun way of organising your personality into list form. I've wanted to make my own top 100 films list for a while, mostly to see what it looks like as a complete entity and what it reveals about me. Also, because I love to recommend films.

So what does it reveal? A few things. The most obvious is that I have a penchant for sentimentality; coming of age films, underdogs overcoming obstacles, geeks becoming heroes, ugly ducklings, etc.

It's interesting to note the majority of films are from the 80's and 90's, my formative years. On this note, I have to point out that I called this list my 'fav films', as opposed to 'best films'. Films I like, rather than films I think are 'good'. Hence, a lot of films on this list I have significant emotional connections to. But then others I just find particularly entertaining, gripping or plain funny.

The other interesting thing that came out of this exercise, was noting where and when I saw these films. I was able to categorise the films according to specific periods of my life. For instance; the 80's, on video in my childhood neighbours' living room; early nineties, late teenage years and the independence to decide what films I watch; mid 90's, when I first started working in the cinema in Canberra; late 90's, working in the Prince of Wales Cinema in London; early naughties, the Palace Cinema in Brisbane, late naughties; the Sun Cinema in Melbourne. The films I've chosen from these different periods often reflect who I was and what was going on in my life.

Despite this predominately being an exercise in self indulgence, I hope you enjoy my fav film list. I'm sure it will tell you something about me. I hope it might encourage you to see one of the films. Even better, I hope it might encourage you to make your own list. And if you do, please share it with me!

1	Ferris Bueller's Day Off	John Hughes	1986	USA
2	The Piano	Jane Campion	1993	NZ/AUS
3	The Color Purple	Steven Spielburg	1985	USA
4	Amelie	Jean-Pierre Jeunet	2001	France
5	Magnolia	Paul Thomas Anderson	1999	USA
6	LA Story	Mick Jackson	1991	USA
7	Little Miss Sunshine	Jonathan Dayton	2006	USA
8	Once	John Carney	2006	Ireland
9	Not One Less	Yimou Zhang	1999	China
10	Lost in Translation	Sophia Copola	2007	USA
11	The Princess Bride	Rob Reiner	1987	USA
12	Cactus Flower	Gene Saks	1969	USA
13	Bring It On	Peyton Reed	2000	USA
14	A Room with a View	Merchant/Ivory	1985	UK
15	Amateur	Hal Hartley	1994	USA
16	Edward Scissorhands	Tim Burton	1990	USA
17	Bullets Over Broadway	Woody Allen	1994	USA
18	Everybody Famous	Dominique Deruddere	2000	Belgium
19	The Big Blue	Luc Besson	1988	France
20	Love Serenade	Shirley Barrett	1996	AUS
21	Orlando	Sally Potter	1992	UK
22	Wonderland	Michael Winterbottom	1999	UK
23	Fargo	Cohen Brothers	1996	USA
24	Parenthood	Ron Howard	1989	USA
25	Secrets and Lies	Mike Leigh	1996	UK
26	Anne of Green Gables	Kevin Sullivan	1985	Canada
27	Tootsie	Sydney Pollack	1982	USA
28	Breakfast at Tiffany's	Blake Edwards	1961	USA
29	Run Lola Run	Tom Tykwer	1998	Germany
30	The Dark Crystal	Jim Henson	1982	USA
31	Remains of the Day	James Ivory	1993	UK
32	Brokeback Mountain	Ang Lee	2005	USA
33	The Ice Storm	Ang Lee	1997	USA
34	Baraka	Ron Fricke	1992	USA
35	Stand By Me	Rob Reiner	1986	USA
36	The Party	Blake Edwards	1968	USA
37	Cyclo	Tran Anh Hung	1995	Vietnam
38	Slumdog Millionaire	Danny Boyle	2008	UK/India
39	All About My Mother	Pedro Almoldovar	1999	Spain
40	The Muppet Movie	James Frawley	1979	USA
41	Priscilla Queen of the Desert	Stephan Elliot	1994	AUS
42	The Castle	Rob Sitch	1997	AUS
43	A Fish Called Wanda	Charles Crichton	1998	UK
44	The Breakfast Club	John Hughes	1985	USA
45	Happiness	Todd Holondz	1998	USA
46	Inception	Christopher Nolan	2010	USA
47	The Year My Voice Broke	John Duigan	1987	AUS
48	Trainspotting	Danny Boyle	1996	UK
49	Bend It Like Beckham	Gurinder Chadha	2002	UK
50	The Blues Brothers	John Landis	1980	USA
51	Aliens	James Cameron	1986	USA
52	Pulp Fiction	Quentin Tarantino	1994	USA
53	Terminator 2	James Cameron	1991	USA
54	Being John Malkovich	Spike Jonze	1999	USA
55	Eternal Sunshine on the Spotless Mind	Michel Gondry	2004	USA
56	The Lives of Others	Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck	2006	Germany
57	Pan's Labyrinth	Guillermo del Toro	2006	Spain
58	Hedwig and the Angry Inch	John Cameron Mitchell	2001	USA
59	Happy Together	Wong Kar-Wai	1997	HK
60	Brazil	Terry Gilliam	1985	UK
61	Rocky Horror Picture Show	Jim Sharman	1975	USA
62	The Wizard of Oz	Victor Fleming	1939	USA
63	The Shining	Stanley Kubrick	1980	USA
64	ET	Steven Spielburg	1982	USA
65	Heathers	Michael Lehmann	1988	USA
66	28 Days Later	Danny Boyle	2002	UK
67	Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon	Ang Lee	2000	Taiwan/HK
68	Mary & Max	Adam Elliot	2009	AUS
69	The September Issue	R.J. Cutler	2009	USA
70	Naked	Mike Leigh	1993	UK
71	Reservoir Dogs	Quentin Tarantino	1992	USA
72	Pleasantville	Gary Ross	1998	USA
73	Annie Hall	Woody Allen	1977	USA
74	North By Northwest	Alfred Hitchcock	1959	USA
75	Like Water for Chocolate	Alfonso Arau	1992	Mexico
76	Life of Brian	Terry Jones	1979	UK
77	My Neighbour Totoro	Hayao Miyazaki	1988	Japan
78	9 to 5	Colin Higgins	1980	USA
79	Happy Gilmore	Dennis Dugan	1996	USA
80	Driving Miss Daisy	Bruce Beresford	1989	USA
81	It's a Wonderful life	Frank Capra	1946	USA
82	Steel Magnolias	Herbert Ross	1989	USA
83	Cocoon	Ron Howard	1985	USA
84	Ghostbusters	Ivan Reitman	1984	USA
85	The NeverEnding Story	Wolfgang Petersen	1984	USA
86	Chitty Chitty Bang Bang	Ken Hughes	1968	USA
87	Mighty Aphrodite	Woody Allen	1995	USA
88	Husbands & Wives	Woody Allen	1992	USA
89	This Is England	Shane Meadows	2006	UK
90	City of God	Fernando Meirelles	2002	Brazil
91	Man On Wire	James Marsh	2008	USA
92	Soapdish	Michael Hoffman	1991	USA
93	Fried Green Tomatoes	Jon Avnet	1991	USA
94	Napolean Dynamite	Jared Hess	2004	USA
95	Opposite of Sex	Don Roos	1998	USA
96	American Beauty	Sam Mendes	1999	USA
97	Mulholland Drive	David Lynch	2001	USA
98	Babel	Alejandro González Iñárritu	2006	USA
99	Notes on a Scandal	Richard Eyre	2006	UK
100	Best in Show	Christopher Guest	2000	USA

VVG

2011-08-20T22:20:00.000-07:00

On the Saturday morning after Fred's surprise birthday t-shirt party, we went for a birthday brunch at VVG Bistro in DunHua.

I would describe the interior as stylish kooky/comfort. It is furnished with the usual mish mash of op-shop treasures that always do their part in making any venue halfway charming. The stand out features though, would be; the huge floor to ceiling windows at the front of the venue looking out into the patio garden, the open modern kitchen in the centre where the on-view food preparation adds to the lively bustle of the venue, and the use of unusual objects as wall decoration like, marbles, elastic bands, pasta, vacuum cleaner tubes, grappling hooks.

We ordered one of the famous set menus each. They were served on huge ceramic trays and consisted of a collection of dishes. Each dish is served in its own unique way, in small portions but together it all adds up to a very generous meal.

VVG encompasses a few venues; the VVG bistro, a restaurant VVG Table next door, a VVG B&B upstairs and an art and design bookstore VVG Something across the road. Their combined presence makes this patch of Taipei real estate ooze with style.

Chefs busy in the kitchen and a full house of dining punters makes for a lively atmosphere.

Huge windows looking onto the garden patio make for a conservatory feel.

Overwhelmed by the size and presentation of our lunch sets.

VVG Something, the art and design book store across the road.

T-Shirts Just Keep On Coming

2011-08-13T01:37:00.000-07:00

Yet another t-shirt party. This time a surprise birthday party for Fred. More of the same; food, fun and creativity.

Designs this time included; squid head, lollipop wielding stranger, embracing kangaroos and the latest in Jason's 'b/d' series, binosaur.

Finished products hanging out to dry, and a weary screen taking a well-earned break.

Taipei Pottery Class

2011-07-30T20:15:00.000-07:00

Recently, I mentioned to Fred that I had a hankering to take a pottery class. I wasn't expecting much, maybe just an opportunity to sit at the back corner of a community college and fumble my way through with my limited Chinese.

One evening, Fred asked me to meet him after work in the Zhongshan area. He had a surprise for me. I had a hunch it might be a pottery class, probably at the Museum of Contemporary Art which was in that area. But my suspicions were dispelled when we headed into the shady little lanes off the main street. So curious!

The studio, when we found it, was a pleasant surprise. It is tucked away on one of the many unassuming, non-descript Taipei lanes with no sign, lighting, paintwork, nothing to distinguish it from anything else. It is not big inside, but the space is used economically and comfortably. Everything has its place. The walls are lined with shelves of work in various stages of completion. There are three pottery wheels, a kiln, a sink, bins of clay and glazes, and a work table.

We spoke with the teacher and got a run down on how the classes worked. Simply, you could come in once a week and work on whatever project you wished. He would walk you through the process. He suggested starting with the basic pinch pot and working toward throwing pots on the wheel. This was exactly what I wanted. The only problem was that he couldn't speak English. So Fred was roped into coming along as well. We signed up there and then, and started our classes a week later.

We've been attending our classes for a couple of months now. It is a welcome escape from the tedium and toil of the working week. Just last week, Fred took home our first completed piece, a vase. For an absolute beginner I'm impressed with his skill.

Fred's first two pieces were a mug and bowl using the pinch pot method. Great shape for only using his fingers and thumbs.

Finished pieces set out to dry.

I made a tea set for my first piece. I am in Taiwan, after all.

The tricky part, attaching the spout.

T.Loafer

2011-06-25T20:35:00.000-07:00

Inspiring Venues IV

This little cafe/bar was a lovely surprise. Unassumingly tucked away on one of Da'An's many lanes. T.Loafer is an incey wincey place that is big on coziness and charm. It is owned by a group of young friends who share the responsibilities of running this sweet little venue.

Primarily it's a hang out, a place to have a cup of tea, coffee, a beer or a bite to eat. They also sell the wares of local creative types like, jewelery, zines, potted plants, postcards, etc.

The main design feature of both the exterior and interior is the mosaic mish mash of windows. There's something about the ramshackleness and the cosy glow from inside that feels fairy tale-ish. Like you've discovered Red Riding Hood's house in the middle of Taipei.

You can find T.Loafer here: No.20, lane 141, sec. 2, Jinshan S Rd, Taipei.

Inspiring Rooms V

2011-06-11T02:38:00.000-07:00

Margaret Shiu's Residence - The Bamboo Curtain

This beautiful space is currently where Margaret Shiu, the director of The Bamboo Curtain (previous post) resides. It will soon be converted into living quarters for prospective artists in residence at the Bamboo Curtain when Margaret moves into a new home nearby.

I fell in love with the potential of this space. It has a rough and ready warehouse conversion feel to it, high ceilings, open plan, exposed steel framework, industrial style drop pendants, plywood cladding. It has huge windows that let in lots of natural light, which is such a rarity in Taiwan. They also permit fantastic views of GuanYin Mountain.

With a little nurturing during its tranformation this place could blossom into quite a special artists' haven. I'd love to get my hands on it and provide some interior design TLC.

Fred contemplates the Goddess' profile (GuanYin Mountain).

Wooden Chinese chairs with a simple modern table, and a grizzly bear on the toilet.

Open. Tall. Light.

A peek into the bedroom. The window ledge beckons, 'grab your book, sit down!'

Huge windows in the bedroom, overlooking the mangroves of the Danshui River.

Little Cookin'

2011-06-11T02:27:00.000-07:00

I've been involved in writing new 'Fun Time' lesson plans for Kindy. The last half hour of every Kindergarten day is devoted to 'Fun Time', an opportunity to learn English by doing. For the teachers, it's an opportunity to be creative, inject their own personality into the lesson, and have some fun doing it.

The objective is to augment and expand upon the English they've been learning, and also to provide a well rounded education by teaching and developing other skills like P.E., Maths, Art, Drama, Social Studies and Food.

I was assigned the Social Science and Little Cook lessons. Social Science was no problem, but the Little Cook lessons threw me at first. I'm OK in the kitchen, but definitely no chef. I was a pleasant surprise to find that when I applied myself, it wasn't hard to get the creative juices flowing.

Theme: 5 Food Groups. Make a picture of your teacher using food from all 5 food groups.

Theme: Occupations. What do you want to be when you grow up? I want to be a dentist.

Theme: Natural World. Do you want to play in the snow? Yes, I do!

Theme: Animals. Yummy fruit peacock.

Theme: Space Travel. Watermelon juice rocket fuel.

The Bamboo Curtain

2011-06-11T01:20:00.000-07:00

Fred started a new job a few months back, he is the Marketing/Communications Manager of an Arts Centre called The Bamboo Curtain. The site used to be a chicken farm until it fell into the hands of Margaret Shiu. She has transformed it into a friendly and peaceful venue for artists to create and share their work.

The goal of the venue is to promote cross-cultural exchanges in the Arts by providing artists with spaces and tools to pursue their work. Not only can artists use the studio spaces, but they can also set up a temporary home in one of the artists' residences for short stays.

It sits beside the mangroves of the Danshui river and the Danshui line of the MRT runs along the other side. The Danshui River bicycle path runs right by it. From the venue you can admire the profile of the the Goddess' face in the outline of Taiwan's holiest mountain, GuanYin Mountain, which sits across the river in Bali.

Secretly, I am rather jealous. I would love to work at a venue like this.

Bamboo Curtain is home to permanent residents Sunson Theatre, a percussion performance and workshop group.

A sweet little herbal tea stand set up in 'The Lab', one of the studios available to artists for residency.

Permanent resident, Chen Cheng-Hsun's ceramics studio.

Birthday Treat

2011-06-06T03:00:00.000-07:00

I had a fantastic birthday this year. We had people over in the evening for our T-Shirt party (previous post), but that was merely icing on the cake. For lunch, Fred took me to a beautiful gourmet Tonkatsu restaurant. Possibly the most delicious Japanese meal I've had.

After, we wandered over to DunHua, to Undercover. It's a trendy fashion retail store with a sexy bar/cafe attached. The most striking element of the design is the use of recycled timber doors as cladding on the walls. Throw in some classical French furniture revamped in shiny black, a few well chosen retro treasures and a touch of kookiness here and there, and the whole effect gives the place the feel of a modern-day Alice In Wonderland.

Fred reposes in a Jacobsen-esque retro armchair.

The window behind is made up of a mish mash of recycled window

frames.

My favourite Taiwanese dessert, DoHua. A soft tofu, sugar syrup and peanuts.

This recycled timber table is the standout piece of the establishment.

The wall-cladding doors in the retail area have been left their original colour. Whereas, as you move into the cafe/bar they're painted black.

Black glass chandaliers juxtaposed with a kooky neon teddy bear.

Sleek black surfaces of the repro Louis furniture reflect a violet glow from the neon teddy bear.

Behind, the punch of colour from the fruit and the natural tones and texture of the huge, chunky timber countertop of the bar offer a contrast to an otherwise sombre palette.

You have to duck your head as you enter the bathroom. Inside, you find a mosaic collage of disproportionate checkerboards on the floor. Another well-used recycled timber door for the bench top. And a couple of quirky characters to keep you on your toes.

Inspring Rooms IV

2011-05-21T04:23:00.000-07:00

Beautiful Chinese Hostels

My sister, Kristy and I travelled through China in November 2010. We stayed in some lovely places. We stayed in two hostels, one in Beijing and the other in XiAn. I'd thought I had crossed a line, having left my cheap hostel dorm room days way behind. The pics on the websites looked fantastic, but I was dubious. We were more than pleasantly surprised when we arrived.

Not only were both hostels very reasonably priced and situated, but their interiors had me swooning.

The Peking Youth Hostel in Beijing was situated in one of the city's historic Hutong Neighbourhoods, five minutes walk from the Forbidden City. Originally, it was a traditional courtyard house and they've managed to maintain its charm whilst providing modern conveniences and a cosy atmosphere.

Some of the design features that stand out in my mind are; the glass conservatory style extension of the common room, the heavy army style 'doona doors' hung over entrances to help keep out the cold, the blue and white patterned ceramic basins in the bathrooms, red and green tones and lots of timber. I could have stayed here for our full three weeks, calm and comfortably tucked away in our haven from the sharp Winter cold. Oh, and their lemon honey tea was to die for.

Similarly, Shuyuan Youth Hostel in XiAn was originally a traditional courtyard house, though on a larger scale with three interior courtyards. It is a stone's throw from the city's South Gate and walking distance from the Bell Tower and Muslim Quarter.

Features of the Shuyuan Hostel; the generous proportions and natural light, the luxury of the lounge setting in the foyer, simple and elegant traditional chinese furniture, grey tones on the walls. The foyer lounge setting was my inspiration for this post.

The common area of the Peking Youth Hostel.

The lounge setting in the foyer of the Shuyuan Youth Hostel.

One of the three interior courtyards at the Shuyuan Youth Hostel.

Impromptu T-shirts

2011-05-09T07:41:00.000-07:00

A hot and humid Sunday afternoon inside led to an impromptu screen printing session. Regular blog visitors will recognise these as a couple of my earlier designs.

Ms Ku's House

2011-05-07T22:54:00.000-07:00

Fred and I spent a long weekend in Dulan, a small town thirty minutes north of Taitung with a strong arts community. Fred's family are native to this part of Taiwan so we took the opportunity to make the most of our time off and to visit his grandparents' tombs on Tomb Sweeping Day.

It's a beautiful part of the world. Small villages dotted sporadically amidst rice terraces, with a dramatic mountain ridge to the west and the Pacific to the east. Pace of life is relaxed and people are friendly. From the moment we arrived, wildest daydreams of buying some land, building my own house and setting ourselves up with a sweet idyllic existence, entered my mind and refused to leave. Even now as I type I have to pull myself back to reality.

I can only call it providence, that we ran into one of Fred's ex-dance teachers, Ms Ku. What's more, ten years previous she had bought herself some land and built herself a house here in Taitung County. So, the following day we visited her for lunch.

I had no expectations, but when we drove up her steep driveway and her home came into view my jaw dropped and I got a little teary. This woman had stolen my dream. I have been dreaming of designing and building a small, eco-friendly house somewhere beautiful near the beach or mountains (here she had both) for many years now. The similarities with the layout of some of my designs and my ideas for colours and finishes were uncanny.

Ms Ku, thank you for inviting us to your beautiful home and for the lovely lunch. I am totally envious of what you have created for yourself. You've inspired me, I want that too.

Just an idea of the Taitung landscape.

Blue and Grey. Sigh.

Mountain view behind, ocean view out front.

Inside: A drawbridge connects the loft bedroom to the balcony.

Outside: Huge sliding doors conceal or reveal.

They've used local timber throughout that has a

warm amber colour.

T-shirt Party

2011-05-07T01:50:00.000-07:00

For my birthday this year I invited friends round to my apartment to screen print t-shirts.

My wonderful housemate, Helen was a chef before she came to Taiwan so she provided the food. An amazing array of fruit, cheese, and antipasto. All the guilty pleasures which we take for granted back home, but are a rare treat here in Taiwan.

We set up a make-shift work room in our Japanese tearoom and people got busy sketching designs, cutting stencils and printing.

Fred acting as official squigee handler.

Marie hard at work while others observe amidst the finished t-shirts hanging about like a Chinese laundry.

Jason and Marie's designs. Designed, cut and printed by themselves.

Inspiring Rooms III

2010-06-04T08:11:00.000-07:00

In a city of endless blocks of buildings whose architecture is devoid of anything distinguishing, this place stood out like a diamond in a coal mine. Upon closer inspection we discovered it is a restaurant. Because it was mid afternoon it was empty, so the staff allowed us to check out the interior. The inside was even more impressive and other-worldly than the outside. The prices were expensive, but if the food is anywhere near as good as the decor it will be worth it.

My Taiwanese Pad

2010-05-30T09:18:00.000-07:00

I've been living in Taiwan for just over a year now. I'm currently living in Xizhi, which is in Taipei County, just outside of Taipei itself. I have a fantastic apartment by Taiwanese standards. It is on the 20th floor of a massive apartment complex and has a view across the Keelung River. The clincher for me though, was the chandalier in the living room.

I found the bear skin rug in an Op Shop in Keelung. I thought it was a cattle hide, and it took the shop owner three attempts to convince me that 'bear' was not a Chinese word for 'sucker'.

I am really happy with how the place has scrubbed up. Especially considering how little I've spent on it. It's such a shame it's not in the city. I'll definitely miss it when I move into Taipei in August.

My Stuff VIII

2009-06-09T00:43:00.000-07:00

Show Us Your Hot Dividing Curtain!

Before I left for Taiwan I was working on this job for a couple of friends. It is a dividing curtain that shuts off their mezzanine bedroom from the rest of their apartment. Their apartment is in a beautiful old department store building in Prahran, Melbourne. It has huge windows fronting the street, so they wanted to try to eliminate as much sound and light as possible.

I suggested a champagne gold face fabric with a bit of shimmer, and a dark back fabric to enclose the bedroom and make it feel cosy and den-like. The fabrics they ended up going with are amazing. Hats off to you guys for your appreciation of the quality and value of your choice. It looks hot! I am really happy with the result.

Taiwan

2009-04-12T20:29:00.000-07:00

Update

Over the past year I have been working on getting a job teaching English in Japan. I was successful in securing a job, but due to the financial crisis the date of my placement kept being postponed. So I decided to cast my net a little wider. And just last week, my persistance has paid off. I have got a job in Taiwan, and I am leaving in 3 weeks! I wasn't expecting to leave until August. I am very excited and nervous, and I have a lot to organise.

MIKE ID has been put on hold for a while. My plan is to save money whilst working in Taiwan, soak up the inspiration that comes with living in another culture, and come back to re-start my business all guns a-blazing.

Thank you to all those who have supported and encouraged me with my endeavours over the past eighteen months. I truly appreciate it. It has been a fantastic learning experience and a lot of fun.

My etsy shop will close in a couple of weeks, so if you are interested in owning a MIKE ID original, get in there now!

Thanks again and stay tuned for further adventures.

Mike.

Hot Photos

2009-01-03T14:51:00.000-08:00

My friend, Steve has given my T-shirts the attention they deserve, making them look as sexy and funky as they actually are in real life. Cheers Steve! Not only is he a fantastic professional photographer, but he also scrubs up well as a T-shirt model.

I've posted these photos on MIKE ID's facebook group and on my etsy shop.

If you'd like to join MIKE ID's Facebook group here's the link...

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/group.php?gid=38546185548

If you'd like to check out my shop click here...

http://mikeid.etsy.com/

Doll

Cameo

Monkey Love

My Stuff VII

2009-01-03T14:42:00.000-08:00

Alpha Lamp

This lamp is the first thing I've made using the meterage from my first fabric design, 'Alpha Damask'. I made it for my sister, Kristy for Christmas.

Yarraville Market II

2008-12-14T03:59:00.001-08:00

Despite the constant rain and having the pokiest stall in the building, I managed to pay for my stall and make enough profit to shout myself Nandos and a DVD.

My Monkey Love canvas was an attention grabber.

This girl was the daughter of one of my stall holder neighbours. The lady with the face painting stall painted my monkey on her cheek.

The Ipod Wallets were as popular as ever.

My T-Shirts made their debut appearance.

Yarraville Market

2008-12-11T02:51:00.000-08:00

Ho! Ho! Ho!

This Saturday 13 December I will have a stall at Yarraville Christmas Market. It is being held at the Masonic Hall in Yarraville, next to the IGA car park, from 10am till 4.30pm.

This is the perfect opportunity to buy last minute Christmas gifts. Otherwise, just come say hello. I would greatly appreciate the support and you can check out what I've been working on.

Merry Christmas!

My Stuff VI

2008-12-06T03:28:00.000-08:00

T-Shirts

Just in time for Christmas!

I've just posted t-shirts for sale on my etsy shop.
3 designs: Monkey Love, Cameo and Doll. I hand cut all of the stencils and hand screen-printed each t-shirt. All t-shirts are 100% cotton.

Monkey Love

Monkey Love

Cameo

Doll

If you are within Australia and are interested in purchasing a t-shirt, please email me for prices in Australian dollars and postage details.

michael_morell@hotmail.com

Pinboard Scheme IV

2008-11-11T03:14:00.000-08:00

Stuart Highway

In 2000 Lee, Macy and I drove up the middle of Australia in our Kombi. The Stuart Highway is an amazing place. Not only for the landscape and colours, but also the variety of people (both locals and fellow travellers) and the crazy adventures that you're destined to be subject to.

This photo encapsulates the sense of freedom with the highway stretching ahead to the unbroken horizon, bound on each side by limitless expanses of desert scrub. It was one of those moments where everything falls into perspective. You're a miniscule part of something of infinite size.

1) The front layer of drapes is an ochre coloured acetate. The lazer-cut organic patterns remind me of Aboriginal motives.

2) The back layer of drapes is a pale blue wool sateen. Wool drapes fantastically and is lovely and soft.

3) Two huge loose-cover sofas upholstered in this casual but smart khaki linen, piped in the lighter natural colour.

4) Big scatter cushions in this fabric that has an amazing optical spiralling pattern reminiscent of Aboriginal dot paintings.

5) Long scatter cushions in this wool stripe. I had to include this fabric because it is called 'Highway'.

6) A chunky ottoman centres the room upholstered in this luscious cut velvet/epingle.

7) A couple of timber, art deco armchairs upholstered in this deconstructed pinstripe. This fabric pulls the scheme together consisting of colours drawn from all the other fabrics in the room.

Inspiring Fabric/Finishes IV

2008-10-31T19:17:00.001-07:00

Amazonas

This weave is from Nina Campbell's collection of the same name. The base is a natural, almost hessian-like linen. The simplicity of the base allows the beauty of the pattern to shine and jump off the cloth. All of the colourways sing with an irridescent quality as they gradiate across the pattern. The pattern itself is a large scale trailing floral design. Grand in its scale, yet exquisite in the detail of the design and construction.

A quirky and fantastical promo shot.

This colourway gradiates from red through orange...

... to an almost flourescent yellow.

Fully Stoked

2008-10-13T23:28:00.000-07:00

I have just entered my Alpha Damask design in fullystoked's T-Shirt Design competition. Please vote for me. I want to win!

www.fullystoked.com/designs/design.cfm

My Stuff V

2008-10-11T19:19:00.000-07:00

Alpha Damask

Meterage of my first textile design.

You can't take your camera out without Macy insisting on being in the photo.

How very exciting! I have been working on this project for a while. You may remember a previous post from April 2008, My Stuff III. It's satisfying seeing it come into fruition and actually hold the product in my hands.

The fabric is a chalk coloured sateen with quite a heavy, but soft handle. The contrasting black print is very striking and makes for a glamorous and sleek design.

You can purchase it by-the-metre through me or at my etsy shop. I'm also looking at producing cushions and canvases with this batch. Ultimately, it would make for amazing drapes. I have plans for producing other colourways and an upholstery version.

The Chair Whisperer

2008-09-18T04:46:00.000-07:00

Pimp My Armchair

I was going through old emails at work and found these pics. They're of an armchair that I bought from a junk shop in Footscray for $40. I sent them to myself so I could show my upholsterer, so he could quote me on recovering.

I have since had it recovered and it looks fantastic. Everyone loves a makeover, so here you go...

Before

When I bought it, the chair was covered in grotty, sack-like fabric with water stains and divots in the seat. The structure was pretty solid except for a slight movement in the back.

After

The fabric I re-covered it in is a large scale charcoal ombre stripe. My upholsterer braced the frame to fix the movement. He removed the old wadding and replaced it with new wadding. He stripped back the timber legs. He pattern matched the stripe so it runs front to back, and also across the arms and seat. He even upholstered the dark part of the stripe at the front of the arms where I'd rest my hands and placed upholstered panels on the front of the arms.

First Market Stall

2008-09-12T06:39:00.000-07:00

Mindil Beach Markets - Darwin
Thursday September 4 2008

Last week I travelled to Darwin to stay with my friends, Louise and Pete and their two kids, Davy and Becky. I also got to spend time with my Mum and her partner Hully, as they were in Darwin playing in a squash tournament. I thought I'd take the opportunity to spruik my wares at a market for the first time. And what better place than Australia's best (in my opinion) open-air markets, the infamous Mindil Beach Markets.

My stall was very humble compared to all the others. But I had to be resourceful as I couldn't bring anything with me on the plane. I borrowed Louise and Pete's camping table, chair and water cooler. I covered the table with one of Louise's sarongs and whipped up a sign with my note pad and biro.

My stall may have been small, but it had the best view. I also had a great neighbour, a Thai lady selling mangoes from her own trees. Yum!

At dusk, everyone walks down on to the beach with their food and wine to watch the sun set.

At times it was slow but I ended up making a profit. I came away feeling more confident in my product and I definitely learnt a lot from the experience.

First Product

2008-08-07T19:23:00.000-07:00

Ipod Wallets

MIKE ID now has product for sale! I have started selling Ipod wallets online through a fantastic website for handmade products...

www.etsy.com

You can go to the website and do a search for my shop, Mike ID. Or follow this link...

www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5522352

I was so proud of my sexy, black and stainless steel Ipod in its pristine condition straight out of the box. But then, I put it in my bag with my keys and...

So, I made myself an Ipod Wallet. My Ipod now has a snug and chic little home with a space for the earphones cord to remain attached to the Ipod when it is closed.

Ofcourse, it doesn't necessarily have to be used exclusively for Ipods. Mobile phones fit nicely, as do credit cards, cash and other bits and bobs.

Each wallet is individual and fully lined. The fabric (exterior and interior) is upholstery weight and very sturdy.

You can also purchase them from me directly if you live in Melbourne. I'm selling them for $12.00 each.

Pinboard Scheme III

2008-07-21T05:40:00.000-07:00

Macaulay Station

One night after work, I got on the Upfield Line train by accident. Listening to my Ipod and with my head in a book, I didn't realise until Macaulay Station. I had twenty minutes to wait for a train back to North Melbourne. I think those twenty minutes must have been Macaulay Station's finest. The light of the cobalt dusk sky with looming storm transformed the station into a dramatic urban setting.

I've put together a scheme inspired by the photos I took that night.

1) Drapes in a slate blue cotton drill. Large chrome eyelets on a simple chrome pole.

2) Silver and Carbon striped sheers sit behind the drapes.

3) A couple of slick modern armchairs on chrome swivel bases will be upholstered in this self patterned yellow polka dot.

4) This chunky, comfy tweed will be used for a couple of large bean bag pods.

5) Sofa cushions. The construction of this fabric is interesting. It is a velvet, but the pattern has been made by printing the inverse onto the face of the fabric. For a fabric that is predominantly a print, the handle is beautifully pliable and the velvet so soft.

6) Sofa cushions. This masculine, geometric pattern contrasts with the feminine, organic pattern of the velvet. The shapes are reminiscent of train lines and underground maps.

7) I would die to have a sofa in this concrete grey wool, speckled with flecks of ivory and charcoal. The combo of these three fabrics would look a million dollars. Not bad for something inspired by a grubby train station under a toll way.

Inspiring Fabrics/Finishes III

2008-06-25T02:33:00.000-07:00

Mandara

This is wallpaper design is an old favourite. It is Osborne & Little's Mandara from their Autumn 2005 collection, Adara. It is being re-released in new colourways in their latest collection, Metropolis. It is chic, moody classic.

Detail of colourway with fawn background and a metallic gold pattern.

This colourway has a silver metallic background and charcoal tree pattern.

Promotional shot of Mandara used in a bar.

My Stuff IV

2008-06-04T05:52:00.000-07:00

Undies

I've been working on a few designs for underwear over the past month. Still working within the Alpha Male theme.

Roos

Monkey Love

Charge

Inspiring People II

2008-05-12T05:18:00.000-07:00

Barbara Hulanicki - Creator of BIBA

Biba began from very humble beginnings. Barbara Hulanicki and her husband, Stephen Fitz-Simon designed a simple gingham dress which was featured in London's Daily Mirror for postal order, priced at just under three pounds. She did not expect the overwhelming response when fourteen thousand pounds worth of orders came flooding in.

As a result of this success they opened a small, shabby boutique in Notting Hill. Biba soon became infamous, with its affordable yet glamorous fashions, booming rock music, bohemian magpies nest interior, it epitomised the swinging sixties. You could find yourself undressing in the communal dressing rooms with the likes of Sonny and Cher, Yoko Ono, Mia Farrow, Barbara Striessand or Brigitte Bardot.

As Biba expanded, the premises that housed it became bigger in both size and grandeur. At its pinnacle, Biba was deemed by some to be the most beautiful store in the world. It was a spectacular five level fantasy land, housed in an Art Deco department store on Kensington High Street. It included:

Moroccan Casbah filled with cushions and stoner hippies.
Kids' floor with trees, castles and merry-go-round fixtures.
Mistress room selling naughty undies and kinky erotica.
Basement foodstore selling everything from Biba champagne to Biba dog food.
Rooftop terrace garden with flower sculptures and real life flamingos and penguins.
The Rainbow Room 1930's style cabaret bar and restaurant featuring acts such as The Pointer Sisters, The Kinks and The Bay City Rollers.

Biba is inspiring because it is a story of a simple idea becoming a fantasy come true.

Barbara Hulinicki by the flamingo pond on the rooftop terrace garden.

'Big Biba's' Art Deco staircase.

The Rainbow Room

The Cosmetics Counter

From shadowy boudoir to glorious emporium
Taut roxy chic
Champagne and Novacaine
Pin-legged seductive waifs
Big eyes and misty curls

Pin Board Scheme II

2008-05-07T04:40:00.000-07:00

Champagne Lounge

1. Metallic champagne gold wallpaper with a slightly textured finish.

2. Drapes, again in a champagne gold to blend with the walls. A soft, sheeny satin that would drape like liquid.

3. An embroidered sheer with an arabic inspired pattern sits behind the drapes.

4. Two large Louis XVI Bergeres(armchairs) upholstered in this intricately embroidered floral silk, and timber in a mahogany finish.

5/6. The fabric for the sofa cushions are a mixture of epingle and cut velvet finishes on a satin background. They are glossy and textural and the geometric patterns lend a masculine contrast to the floral pattern on the armchairs. They also pick up the apple, taupe, gold and coral colours from the silk.

7. This is my favourite leather finish, it is a semi aniline, pull-up leather with a wax finish to give it that antiqued feel. It is warm and soft and looks so smart. It would be used to upholster a huge modular sofa.

My Stuff III

2008-04-24T06:06:00.000-07:00

Alpha Damask

I have been playing with the theme of Alpha Male, in nature, the modern world and in the home. Alpha Damask is an adaptation of the traditional damask pattern using a collage of masculine animal images.

Inspiring Fabric/Finishes II

2008-04-17T05:26:00.000-07:00

Mulberry - Flying Ducks

This linen print is a classic from British fabric house Mulberry. It's style is distinctly Art Nouveau, but it is given an English country gentleman's twist.

Promotional Shot

The promotional shot is fantastically theatrical and couldn't be more apt. It is set in front of the Kew Gardens conservatory. The chesterfield sofa does the impressive scale of the pattern justice and is so appropriately English.

Detail

The colours are earthy and murky, yet the print is crisp. This is aided by the definition of the black outlines. It reminds me of vintage Tin Tin comics.

Pattern Repeat

A detail I like is the Japanese pagoda, inspired by the original in Kew Gardens, noticeable here in the pic of the pattern repeat.

Inspiring Rooms II

2008-04-06T04:10:00.000-07:00

Julianne's Place

I'm a big fan of Julianne Moore (who isn't?). So when I saw the magazine (The World of Interiors, May 2006. Julianne Moore's Utopia: Movie Star's 1830's Town House) in the airport newsagency with the article featuring her home, I snapped it up.

Julianne's Living Room

Her muted colour palette and toning really appeals to me. I LOVE the grey walls. I have wanted my living room to be this exact colour for a long while, so I was excited to see it used by someone I admire. Grey is often associated with a feeling of coldness or sterility, but this room is a good example of grey creating a sense of warmth and comfort. It reminds me of small personal luxuries, like flannelette sheets in Winter, a tailored pair of trousers, or your favourite tracky pants.

Julianne's Bathroom

Instead of settling for the typically small bathroom that comes with a home in New York, Julianne converted what was the front parlour into a bathroom big enough for her whole family to use.

My favourite Julianne Moore films...

Far From Heaven
Magnolia
Boogie Nights
Safe
Children of Men
The Big Lebowski
The Hours

Congratulations!

2008-04-01T03:50:00.000-07:00

Thankyou everyone for the response and encouragement over the past week. I'm feeling very inspired and a tad nervous about where I go from here.

Now you've had a taste of what I've been working on, and hopefully liked what you've seen, keep visiting. There will be more! I will continue with regular posts and updates on how my product is developing.

Now for the big announcement you've all been waiting anxiously for...

Congratulations Louise Baird & Pete Newman who have won my premiere cushion effort!

And thankyou everyone for your comments, I will endeavour to answer them all. Keep them coming!

Cheers, Mike.

Welcome!

2008-03-25T05:34:00.001-07:00

Welcome and thankyou for coming!

Here it is.
Explore.

Enjoy.

MIKE.ID is my first small business venture. It is very much in its infancy, but this blog will give you an idea of where it's at and what it's about.

Please leave me a comment or if you can't comment, shoot me an email to the address on this blog. There is an added incentive to do this, for today only. Everyone who does so will go in the running to win the first finished cushions I ever made.

Now you've made this first step with me, don't be a stranger. Visit again and again, and follow MIKE.ID as it evolves.

Cheers again for taking part!

Much love, Mike.

Pin Board Scheme I

2008-03-23T17:57:00.000-07:00

Bedroom Treatment

1. Bed cushions. A sophisticated silk stripe. A combination of refined champagne gold and silver, punctuated with contrasting bands of black and red. In this pic you can also see a combination of weaves in the construction of the fabric. Drill (diagonal) and ombre (the gradient effect made by the warp (vertical) threads.

2. Upholstered bedhead. The subtle textured wave pattern is created by a puckered effect like that in seersucker fabric.

3. Bedroom chair. This fabric is actually designed for commercial purposes (office chairs, etc.). The pattern is funky and clever, called Data Stripe. It would make a striking, contemporary stand-alone piece.

4. Drapes. The top 2/3 of the drapes are a metallic polyester in a gunmetal grey. The bottom 1/3 panel is a steel blue cotton. Both reminiscent of fabric used for men's tailoring.

My Stuff II

2008-03-21T20:31:00.000-07:00

T Shirts

Last year I did an intensive short course at CAE in Screen Printing. It covered all the basic techniques, including cut-out stencils, oil pastels, screen filler and photo emulsion. Two weeks later I bought my own screen, squeegee, dyes and scalpel.

Here are three of the t-shirts I produced during the course. I think all three designs are strong and I'm going to keep working with them in other applications.

Monkey Love

Twiggy

Cameo

My Stuff I

2008-03-20T20:17:00.000-07:00

Cushions

Last year I taught myself how to sew. My good friend, Tracy graciously gave me her sewing machine (thanks Tracka!), and I set to it. I bought myself a bobbin case, googled the instructions on how to thread it, raided the sofa and turned all my cushions' covers inside out in order to study their construction. These pics are my first few attempts at designing, screen printing and making my own cushions.

They are one-off designs, the first step towards producing a range that I can have manufactured (it's been a fun process, but I don't like sewing that much).

Anna-Nicole models: SHARKS

SIZE: 50cm x 50cm

Robert models: DAMASK LOG

SIZE: 70cm x 30cm

Jane models: STAG

SIZE: 50cm x 35cm

Inspiring People I

2008-03-19T03:28:00.000-07:00

I bought this book about Mies Van Der Rohe from a second-hand store in Ascotvale for $5.50. Bargain! One quotation in the book particularly tickles my fancy. The author asks Mies what had inspired the form of the Barcelona chair. He says...

I knew that King Alfonso XIII was going to visit us at the International Exposition in Barcelona during the opening in 1929. I therefore designed the Barcelona chair for the king. When I went back to my pavillion shortly before the king's arrival, to my surprise I found a wanderer sitting in the chair. I ordered him out with the following words: "For you I made a bench outside by the pool."

Mies in his Chicago apartment, 1965.

Inspiring Fabric/Finishes I

2008-03-18T03:21:00.000-07:00

This is my favourite piece of fabric that I have. It is a fine cotton velvet, beautiful handle and weight. It is so refined and sofisticated, yet so soft. I could stroke it all day. At first I thought it was just a very detailed print, but it is also a very subtle figured velvet. So subtle you'd have to have the touch of a blind man to pick it up. I have just enough to make a cushion or two if I use it as the face only.

It is the epitome of my fantasy gentleman's study: mahogany timber panelled walls, wall to wall bookshelves, leather top desk, persian carpet, crystal decanters of cognac and muscat, a large mounted stag's head, deep brooding colours, burgundy, chocolate, mustard, olive. The perfect den to smoke a cigar whilst ponderously stroking one's moustache.

Detail

Inspiring Rooms I

2008-03-16T04:06:00.000-07:00

Like most designers I'm continually scouring books and editorials for inspiration. I cut out or photocopy anything that catches my eye and exemplifies my personal taste.

This room was the winner of the 2006 DIA award for Residential Interior. I love how clean and contemporary it is without losing the warmth or sensuality of the colour and texture.

Premier post

2008-03-09T21:35:00.000-07:00

I want my first post on this blog to be an introduction of sorts, a small insight into who I am. This will give you a few clues.

Recently I've had a renewed fascination with Paris, so a couple of weeks ago had a quiet night in on the sofa with my pup and watched Amelie on DVD. Inspired by the film, and with a bit of spare time at my day job, I've started my own 'Amelie' list of life's small pleasures. Just a snippet, it's a work in progress...

Making mixed CD's
Lying on warm concrete after swimming
Lemon slice
Getting a whiff of jasmine
Reading on the train
Licking the bowl after making cake
Winning a long rally playing tennis
Smelling my dog's head
Vague-ing out in the shower
Anzac cookies from Subway
Taking a massive bite of a crunchy apple
Feeling sofa and curtain fabric in a room I've never been in before
Singing along loudly to the radio in my car
Watching dogs play in the park
Pressing buttons in an elevator
Making shapes with blue tack

To be continued...

I am (by-the-way) Michael Morell, a Melbourne based designer in my early thirties and MIKE ID is my first foray into the world of small business.

Watch this space!