Craft

Liz Bryan was born on Dharug land in the western suburbs of Sydney and currently resides in the unceded Dharug and Gundengurra lands in the Blue Mountains. Liz is a practicing designer/ artist working with drawing, painting, textiles and digital media. Her work is heavily influenced by her interest in esoteric knowledge, mythologies and ritual. She works with themes of womanhood, place, the hidden aspects of feminine history, the interplay between art & craft and the influence of science and mysticism in art. Liz completed her Bachelor of Fine Arts with honours at the National Art School, Sydney in 2002 majoring in printmaking. She received the Stella Downer printmaking award and the Robin Gibson Gallery graduate exhibition award. After relocating to Melbourne in 2003, Liz went on to study at The Victorian College of the Arts, receiving a Post Graduate Diploma Visual Arts in 2007. She was awarded the Felicity and Stuart Carter acquisitive prize for her drawings on completion of study. In 2014 Liz began studying textile design at TAFE in Ultimo. In 2015 she completed her Diploma and received the Think+ digitial print award, the Leap Frog screen printing award and was a NSW finalist in the GOTYA award in 2016. Liz is currently a visual arts teacher at TAFE at both Nepean and Blue Mountains campuses. She also teaches sessionally at Western Sydney University in the visual communications faculty.

Tim Bakas is a luthier and educator based in Hazelbrook, in the Blue Mountains, NSW. As the founder of Mountain Art Guitars, he handcrafts a range of finely built acoustic, classical, flamenco, and electric bass guitars, each designed with a focus on tonal precision and aesthetic detail. Tim’s workshop is known for its one-of-a-kind instruments that blend traditional craftsmanship with contemporary design. Whether it’s a concert-grade classical guitar or a custom electric bass, each build reflects his commitment to resonance, balance, and playability. His instruments have been showcased through performances by artists such as Victor Martinez Parada and Kristof Neyens. Beyond building instruments, Tim runs a hands-on guitar making school, where students of all skill levels can construct their own guitars while learning about woodworking, resonance systems, and the science of sound. No prior experience is required, and the program offers a unique opportunity to engage deeply with the art of luthiery. Mountain Art Guitars also offers expert instrument repairs and setups, serving both local musicians and visiting players seeking high-quality craftsmanship and care.

Elizabeth Rose, a Blue Mountains ceramicist, draws inspiration from the interplay of light and water on the natural surfaces of the rock, lichen and moss in our environment. Elizabeth has a deep connection with the mineral world beneath our feet, creating exquisite surfaces that captures the light through alchemy. A natural multidisciplinary practitioner, the focus of her last 10 years has been sculptural and practical tactile form. Elizabeth Rose completed a Bachelor of Arts in Multimedia in 2002, Bachelor of Teaching Visual Arts 2004 and a Graduate Diploma in Technology Education 2006.

Sometimes when you're packing for a trip, you feel quite sure you have forgotten something but can’t quite remember what it is. The Little Lost Bookshop is a bit like that. A place to go when you haven’t quite found what you’re looking for. A place full of old thoughts, strange ideas and beautiful books. We host regular open mic poetry nights, live music, storytelling and art exhibitions.

From Jennie's little garden studio, she creates art from Blue Mountains landscapes to quirky illustrative characters. She also runs one-off workshops and termly classes to share her knowledge and encourage others to create. Her most recent body of work encapsulates the exploration and rediscovery of the natural landscape of the Blue Mountains from the time of the pandemic lockdowns. From this came her first solo book LOOKOUT, in which she encourages you to discover lookouts, through the artists eye. Whether you appreciate differing art techniques or are looking for inspiration for your own art journey, within these pages you will find Jennie's local knowledge and artistic ramblings. Jennie's illustrative art brand is called Hiccup Art, so called as Jennie hiccups nearly every day. Her illustrations are quirky, sometimes whimsical, and often from her daydreaming imagination. Jennie has illustrated Children's books, created originals and art prints. Her love of sharing knowledge has also lead her to work with schools Artist in Residence programs, Art Camps and Children's workshops. Her LOOKOUT book, originals, prints and cards can be found in local galleries, book stores, visitor centres, boutique retail stores, online and local artisan markets. Please contact Jennie for wholesale enquiries, commissions, collaborations and creative workshops.

I make analogue collages about the algorithmic age. My work begins with found printed ephemera — magazines, books, posters — and extends to photography, stock imagery, and AI-generated sources. I build worlds with scissors, glue, and paper, merging the hand-made and the digital. There’s friction in the process. And an irony. Slow, tactile cutting and pasting confronting high-tech imagery and digital systems. The collision of methods and subjects highlights the paradox of human hands navigating a machine-driven world. The collages themselves are built slowly, layer by layer, with hand-cut fragments assembling into structures that blend the familiar and the imagined. Analogue techniques meet digital subjects — a physical, deliberate process revealing the subtle patterns and contradictions of our time.

I design creatures and characters for film, ZINES and commissions. My creative weapons of choice are Photoshop, Zbrush and Maya. I'm currently working on a graphic novel.

Hi, I'm Rosie. Owner and director of Cocoon Creative - branding & web specialists located in the Blue Mountains. We work with an extensive range of clients, from independent start-ups to large not-for-profit organisations. Our team of dedicated creatives always welcome new projects and challenges, and love creating unique solutions for our clients. Whether you need a new logo, print design, custom illustration or a website - we have you covered!

Rebecca Barry is a storyteller, filmmaker, and an adventurer at heart. She lives for exceptional stories that make us think again – like her award-winning series Back to Nature. In drama or documentary, as director or producer, her collaborative artistry reveals worlds known and unknown. In 2012, she founded Media Stockade with Madeleine Hetherton-Miau. She has created critically acclaimed shows for National Geographic, ABC, SBS, Network 10, Netflix, Hulu, BBC, Al Jazeera, and more. Her work screens at film festivals globally, including IDFA, HotDocs, FIFO, Sydney Film Festival, and Melbourne International Film Festival. Rebecca is a Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Technology, Sydney. Her research explored the dark grey zone of power and ethics in documentary consent processes. She is a certified Mental Health First Aider.

CORPORATE COMMUNICATION SPECIALIST—working with clients in the business, government and academic sectors to improve the quality and effectiveness of their communications, both print and digital. I make sure client publications are clear, concise, correct—and appropriate for the audience and purpose. PROJECTS—I work on a range of materials for both print and online publication including annual reports, issues papers, conference proceedings, presentations, proposals, policy documents, prospectuses, strategy documents, manuals, newsletters, submissions, tenders, theses, training materials and websites. SERVICES INCLUDE— • Copyediting • Proofreading • Structural editing • Indexing • Rewriting in plain English • Technical writing and editing • Layout, design and formatting • Editing tables and graphs • Writing and rewriting • Creating style guides QUALIFICATIONS— • Bachelor of Commerce (Statistics–Operations Research), Macquarie, 1997 • Graduate Certificate in Editing & Publishing, UTS, 2006 • Master of Arts (Writing), UTS, 2007 • Accredited by Institute of Professional Editors in 2011 ABN—18 792 434 635

Kevina-Jo Smith resides in the Blue Mountains, a place which sustains and inspires her. After many years of travelling, she chose to anchor herself here. Smith collects and reuses consumer by-product materials from which her artwork emerges. Each piece is intricate, and time consuming to create: a heavy practical span of hand-knitting, knotting and weaving. Her process is a tribute to the natural world and a ritual against destruction. Kevina’s current investigation also involves responding to her recent personal changes and challenges as well as the collective environmental changes faced in the mountains and the renewal that has taken place both personally and collectively. Whether it be through a large wall hanging, a framed woven piece, or a constructed item of furniture, she is weaving the stories of her space and memory through the work whilst utilising found and recycled materials as a statement of her ideas of how we can move forward as a community, caring for our land. “These works are both typical of my previous work, but also entirely new and ordered. They are full of symbolism, meant only for myself and those who are meant to see into it. My artwork is a reflective way of meditating and processing, passing on any insight to others who might need it too”. Aesthetically, their work is complimentary in the space with a similar pastel palette, utilising blues as a tool to link in with themes of water/rain/veils/ memories. They both weave ideas visually through layers of colour. Combined their work has a strong story to tell, creating an immersive space that the viewer can weave themselves through.

Fiona Vaughan is a visual artist and writer living on Dharug and Gundungurra Country in the Blue Mountains. Her art practice mainly includes digital photography and alternative photographic processes and began in analogue black and white photography. Fiona is inspired by the beauty and intricacy of ‘nature’ and a sense of kinship. Learning about ecosystems through observation, conversations and 'desk' research is an integral part of her creative practice, as is the process of walking in the Blue Mountains National Park. Fiona recently exhibited in the environmental art show ‘Disruptor: for all that matters’ at the Blue Mountains Cultural Centre. Previously, her photographs have appeared in group exhibitions at Articulate Project Space, Leichhardt, Point Light Gallery in Surry Hills, the Blue Mountains Heritage Centre in Blackheath, and in the #everydayclimatecrisis Visual Petition at Climarte Gallery, Richmond. They have also been shown in award finalist exhibitions, including the Olive Cotton Award for Photographic Portraiture and the Hazelhurst Art On Paper Award. Fiona took part in the post-bushfire ‘Recovery’ arts & ecology project and her photos and poems appear in the resulting online exhibition at ecoart.space/recovery. Her poems have been published in anthologies and one was broadcast on national radio in a documentary called 'Trees I've Loved'.

Selection of different entertainment offerings. -Hula Hoop Performers (Day time + LED roving or stage shows) -Silk Fans Dance Performers (Flowing silk fans roving entertainment) -Fire Entertainment (single performer show or multiple performers, hula hoops, fan, swords) -Facilitated play space and workshops (For hula hoops only, all ages) For more information please visit my website: www.talztwirlz.com

Founder and publisher of Loose Parts Press, an independent children's publishing company. Find our books for kids aged 0-12 in in shops around the mountains, the Art Gallery of NSW and more. I'm the author of three picture books "P is for Permaculture", "What Is It?" and "One Green Smoothie" and the designer of all books published by Loose Parts Press and offer freelance design and self-publishing services. I additionally work as an educator and children's event producer. I have run children's writing, art and drama workshops at RoseyRavelston Bookshop, the Mid-Mountains Neighbourhood Centre and in schools. I'm also available for book readings and run a weekly story time program at Good Earth Bookshop, and have participated in the Blue Mountains Writers Festival.

Gabiann Marin is an author, screenwriter, editor and story developer who has worked across a multitude of projects for stage, page and screen. She is the author of several books and interactive experiences for children including the award-winning children's book A True Person and the award-winning interactive Kids Together Now online narrative experience. She has two exciting titles coming out in 2024 including her first adult novel - THE MEDUSA SITUATION - a contemporary mythological comedy based on a retelling of the original Medusa Myth. She is also excited to announce that her book THE BATTLE FOR VICTORIA STREET, centring on the famous green bans of the 1970's, will be published by Scholastic as part of their My Australian Story Series in March 2024 - exactly 50 years after those fateful events.

Fusion Boutique is an independent, multi-award-winning producer, promoter and event management business presenting premier live music in a range of venues. It is driven by owner Charity Mirow's passion for sourcing, presenting, and promoting national and international artists and unique events, also with a focus on local talent. Special attention has been placed on regional development, the reinvigoration of existing venues, as well as the creation of new live entertainment spaces and community events. Taking into consideration the whole experience, an inviting environment is created, the standard of music presented is of the highest level and audiences can be assured of quality every time.

Naomi Oliver's art practice includes experimental digital video and animation, sound, and performance art. Oliver is interested in combining analog and digital mediums and processes when creating experimental pieces. She often incorporates older, more physically fallible technologies in her practice, such as VHS and audio cassette tapes. Since 2002 she has exhibited work and collaborated with artists in Australia and internationally. She has been an artist-in-residence at Arteles Creative Centre in Hämeenkyrö, Finland and also at The Lock-up Gallery art residency in Newcastle, NSW. Most recent exhibitions include 'ULTRA-SONIC' at Sydney College of the Arts (curated by Haines & Hinterding) in 2023 and 'Motif', 2022, a solo show and artist residency at Woodford Academy, NSW. Completing her Bachelor of Fine arts (Honours) in 2003 at Western Sydney University, she currently lives and works in the Blue Mountains, Australia.

Traditional sign writing, hand-painted signs and murals for a wide range businesses small and large. Custom artwork created specifically for each project.

Using drawing as primary research process, Wendy Tsai re-forms the information gained through observation and intuition into personal narratives that interrogate meaning and given-ness. While attracted to and nourished by the natural environment surrounding her home on Dharug and Gundungurra Country, in the Blue Mountains, Wendy also recognises the devastating impact of climate change and human interference, allowing this disquiet to inform her work, through intimate reveries that are both tangible and ethereal. Relying on an embodied knowledge of place, Wendy has a ritual of walking to experience and adapt to the idiosyncrasies of the natural world. She also photographs, collects and manipulates digitally the images that hold specific memories of place. Her drawings are an attempt to ‘be in’ place through a peaceable communion grounded in the landscape. Wendy regularly at the Blue Mountains Cultural Centre Gallery. She also has work in collections in Tasmania and in the Kedumba Drawing Collection.

Alison's lifelong passion for the creative arts has seen her pursue many successful ventures. Alison initially trained and taught as a high school visual arts teacher then, after having children, she developed a range of artistic businesses to fit in with raising her family; photography, greeting cards, painting and bespoke cake toppers. Engaging in further study, Alison completed a graduate diploma in art therapy in 2018 achieving a Dean’s merit award. In 2020 her ballpoint pen drawing ‘Billie” was a finalist in the M16 Drawing Prize. Alison’s Dogs of Springwood exhibition at Braemar Gallery early 2021 was tremendously successful with high attendance and sales. This body of work evolved into a children’s book ‘I Like Dogs’, delighting adults and children alike with the intricate ballpoint pen drawings of our canine friends. Alison is currently in high demand for her pet portraits and is also delving back into a former passion - ceramics. Her Misty mountains range is her newest project that will be available through the Visitor Information Centres and her web sight exclusively.

Based in Katoomba, Hannah is a versatile photographer with a Bachelor of Visual Arts degree from ANU School of Art and Design. Specialising in product photography, small business branding, clothing, artists, musicians, food and community projects, she adds a unique touch to each project. Her portfolio extends beyond photography, encompassing the creation of captivating music videos and insightful showcases of community workshops. Proficient in utilising the Adobe Suite for editing, Hannah's work consistently tells compelling visual stories.

Estee is an illustrator, designer and educator with an interest in local, non-commercial and community-focused projects. She has a background in print and book design, teaches at the University of Sydney as a casual academic, and is a co-director at volunteer-run risograph printing co-op, the Rizzeria. She facilitates a range of creative workshops and classes for all ages. Estee also facilitates a monthly zine making meet-up (@mtnszineclub) and co-organises the annual Blue Mountains Zine Fair.

Earthy & Magical Paper Co. has been creating small batch handmade paper in the Blue Mountains since 2010, infused with flower petals, plants, tea leaves, herbs, spices, vegetable & natural dyes and other earthy and magical materials. I gather most of my botanicals from my own garden, or from the local area. My handmade paper has been used for product packaging, wedding invitations & stationery, craft projects, letter-writing, book-making, decorating, business vouchers, scrapbooking, menus, art printmaking, and for special events. I have made paper for clients locally, and all over the world, for creators such as florists, potters, jewellers, photographers, clothing designers and soap makers just to name a few! My paper has been used for weddings (invitations, place cards, menus, save the dates, thankyou notes and vow paper), all over Australia and as far away as Paris and New York. Clients have included Linden Cook Jewellery, Alex Elle Self Care Sessions Workshops and Old Parliament House and has been seen in magazines including Domain, Blue Mountains Love and Frankie. Earthy & Magical Paper Co. also offers a custom printing service with handmade paper orders. Ready made papers are available in my Etsy shop. Please contact me for custom orders.

Running a business in our Ble Mountains community has its unique challenges. With a small population midweek and seasonal weekend surges, attracting a regular customer base can be a struggle. We’re here to assist your business to make a lasting impression and draw in those much-needed customers. To check if your brand and marketing is working hard enough, contact us for a free marketing check-up.

I am a writer, photographer and founder of Clovar Creative, based in the Blue Mountains. With over ten years’ experience in marketing and photography, a Communications degree, and ongoing studies in Arts and Culture Administration, I bring both heart and innovative creativity to the work I do. I support small businesses and creatives with honest, down-to-earth marketing that’s rooted in story and connection. My services include: * Photography * Content creation * Blog writing * Website content (new or refreshed) * Social media content * Newsletters * Copywriting *Brand storytelling I also sell my photography as art prints and offer commissioned work for individuals and businesses. Whether it’s a wild idea or a quiet dream, I’m here to help bring it to life. Let’s chat.

Julie Paterson is a painter, a printmaker, a designer of textiles and a brand new potter. She owns ClothFabric, a textile design business that she set up over 25 years ago. She works with a small team making fabric the old-fashioned way -  locally, all by hand. She has written a book about her creative process and an imperfect manifesto to live her life by. She lives and works on Darug and Gundungurra land in the Blue Mountains NSW, right at the top of the hill. Surrounded by the bush, Julie takes her inspiration from her daily lived experience and the nature that is there, right outside her door.

Clare and Kylie have over 70 years of dressmaking experience between them. Minerva’s Bower is a Katoomba based space for all fibre based creatives, where you find the full range of stunning natural fibres. From silks, to hemp and canvas, our full range is able to be viewed on our website, or we would love to see you in-store Tue-Sat

Hayley Zena Poynton is an artist and curator living on Dharug and Gundungurra country, Blue Mountains. She is currently curating at The Blue Mountains Cultural Centre City Art Gallery and before that worked in Visitor Experience at the Art Gallery of NSW. Hayley maintains a collaborative curatorial methodology to facilitate meaningful experiences between the artist and the audience. As an artist Hayley is strongly influenced by the natural world, the gothic, and the human expression of storytelling, primarily folklore and revisionist histories.

Blackheath based Kyle Walmsley is a theatre maker who specialises in voice over work, workshop facilitation and as an event MC. Reach out and let's chat about how we can work together.

For the past 30 years Corinne Loxton has practiced as a visual artist, painting ethereal and dramatic land and skyscapes that reflect her deep connection with nature as a place of spiritual encounter. More than simply pictures of places or natural phenomena, her works evoke experiences of wonder, longing and consolation. Corinne’s work explores the intimate relationship she has with the landscape of the Blue Mountains, where she lives and works. The trees and rocks standing sentinel, the shifting light and colour, the clouds building or dispersing – these are the characters in her paintings that speak metaphorically about the universal human conditions of loss and love, grief and joy, despair and hope. Corinne Loxton has received several awards, most notably the Elioth Gruner Art Prize awarded by the Art Gallery of NSW (1999), and a Residency at La Cité Internationale des Arts in Paris (2000). In 2014 she was selected as a finalist in the NSW Parliament Plein Air Art Prize and exhibited in NSW Parliament House. In addition, she is an experienced public speaker, having presented at many exhibitions and conferences and most notably at the TEDx Katoomba in 2023, where she spoke on Connecting with Creative Flow. Currently living and working in the Blue Mountains, Corinne has travelled and exhibited widely. Recent solo shows include Into the Desert, Paintings from the MacDonnell Ranges, Stella Downer Fine Art (2024), Colours of the Country, Everglades Gallery, Leura (2024), Evoking the Elements, Laussade Studio, Melbourne, (2024), Passages, Paintings from the Warrumbungles and Closer to Home, Stella Downer Fine Art (2023), Into & Beyond, Blaxland Gallery & Studios (2023), Spirit of Place, Braemar Gallery Springwood (2022), Lagoon Landscapes, Rex-Livingston Art & Objects, Katoomba (2018), The Elements, Emma's Cottage Vineyard Gallery, Hunter Valley (2017) and in 2016 Elemental Elegance, The Laussade Studio, Melbourne, and Land, Sea and Sky, Manyung Gallery Group, Malvern, Melbourne. Corinne’s paintings, workshops, blog and full CV can be viewed on her website.

With an international performance and production career, Anthony Albrecht has developed a reputation as an impresario of world-class events characterised by generosity, outreach and connection to issues of social justice, conservation and sustainability. He is co-founder and CEO of the Bowerbird Collective, an organisation devoted to forging stronger connections to the natural world through the arts. With Bowerbird, Anthony has co-produced numerous award-winning multimedia productions, described as "spectacular" by Limelight Magazine, and self-presented and performed in hundreds of events throughout regional Australia. In 2021 and 2022, their albums of endangered bird and frog calls, 'Songs of Disappearance', beat ABBA, Ed Sheeran and Adele on the ARIA charts. A musician known for his “dramatic flair” and “fluent and virtuosic” performances (Seen and Heard International, Sydney Morning Herald), he has frequently appeared with Pinchgut Opera, Van Diemen's Band, the Australian Romantic & Classical Orchestra, the Australian Haydn Ensemble, il Pomo d’Oro and New Vintage Baroque (NYC). Solo engagements include an appearance in the woods of East Sussex as a guest of Sam Lee’s ‘Singing with Nightingales’ project, a recital at the Handel and Hendrix House in London, a performance of Haydn’s Concerto in D at the Newcastle Music Festival, and as concerto soloist with Adelaide Baroque. Committed to musical outreach, Anthony self-produced a solo tour of over 80 concerts in regional Australia called ‘Bach to the Bush’. He is founder and director of three regional festivals, the Lapwing Music Festival in the UK, the Moonbird Festival on King Island, TAS, and the Lyrebird Festival in the Megalong Valley, NSW. Anthony was the first Australian graduate of The Juilliard School’s Historical Performance program, earning a Master of Music on full scholarship in 2014. To develop his arts business and management skills, he earned an MBA in 2022.

Jonathon Nelson is a furniture designer, craftsman, and events photographer based in the Blue Mountains, NSW. His practice centres on creating bespoke timber works that blend traditional woodworking techniques with contemporary aesthetics, often using reclaimed or locally sourced timbers to highlight the natural grain, texture, and unique character of each piece. Working across furniture making, custom framing, and carpentry, Jonathon is known for his refined simplicity and meticulous attention to detail. His designs, ranging from sculptural objects to functional joinery, reflect a strong commitment to sustainability and a deep respect for natural materials. In 2023, Jonathon collaborated with textile artist Kevina-Jo Smith on Climbing and Falling Through Light at Day Gallery, Blackheath. The immersive installation, featuring upcycled mixed media and handcrafted timber structures, explored memory, materiality, and environmental consciousness. The project exemplified Jonathon’s ability to integrate craftsmanship into broader artistic and conceptual narratives. Alongside his design practice, Jonathon is also an experienced events photographer, documenting exhibitions, performances, and community gatherings across the region. His photography, like his woodworking, is marked by quiet observation, strong composition, and an intuitive understanding of space and form. Through both making and documenting, Jonathon Nelson continues to contribute to the cultural life of the Blue Mountains, creating work that is at once grounded, thoughtful, and enduring.

I am an exhibiting artist in printmaking, collage and mixed media holding a number of workshops in these mediums both here in the Blue Mountains ,Greater Sydney and in Ballarat Melbourne. (Creative Collage) My workshops cater for beginners onwards and at times I choose to mix mediums together both in 2D and 3D works such as collage with print mediums.I have a love of box works which allows for the use of the many bits and pieces in one's studio. My overseas residencies include Rigalto Print Studio, Cork Printmakers and the Sidney Nolan Trust with a short guest Residency at the Tyler Print Institute in Singapore.

Mount Victoria based multimedia artist whose practice explores concepts focusing on perception, technology, humanity and nature. My artwork aims to create evocative spaces using a 2.5D relief sculpture layering technique. My formal studies include a Bachelor of Arts (Fine Art) and Post-graduate Dip Ed (Art & English) from Curtin University. Exhibiting since 1981 my work has been accepted for numerous group exhibitions including the Rick Amor Drawing Prize, National Art Gallery of Ballarat; Gallipoli Art Prize, Gascoyne Arts Prize (2021 runner up) and Blue Mountains City Art Gallery. In 2016 I held solo exhibitions at GalleryONE88 before becoming a partner in the Gallery Blackheath, an artist run cooperative – now closed due to COVID. As a longstanding committee member (former President) of the Mount Victoria Museum, I’ve helped stage and participated in several successful collaborative exhibitions with leading Blue Mountains contemporary art groups (Birdland2 with SLAB cooperative and Black & Blue 2 Blume Illustrated at BM Cultural Centre). Through the museum, I’ve successfully developed/project led several exhibitions including the award winning (MG&NSW Highly Commended) 150th of Railway to Mount Victoria. For the Mt Vic 150th I produced an animated historic photo projection and an oral history touchscreen system. Pop up 150th railway exhibitions for Bowenfels (Lithgow) and Blackheath were also successfully staged. My design work included graphic files for large format print banners, one of which is permanently displayed at Blackheath railway station. As an active management committee member of the Greater Blue Mountains Creative Arts Network, performing the company secretary role (former acting treasurer), I have experience with the logistics for developing and producing group art projects. GBMCAN aims to encourage the building of a stronger arts community across the Greater Blue Mountains by fostering member driven initiatives and building partnerships with other arts organisations and businesses.

Solas Text and Design combines the skills of book designer Cathy Campbell and book editor/writer Scott Forbes. HOW WE CAN HELP: Develop book ideas • Design and layout • Manuscript assessment • Editing (both structural and copy editing) • Cover design • Photo research • Corporate publications • Promotional materials • Magazine design and sub-editing • Proofreading • Stationery design (calendars, diaries and notebooks) • Preparation of files for self-publishing (ebook and print) PAST CLIENT LIST INCLUDES: Lonely Planet • Bloomsbury • Hardie Grant • Murdoch Books • Penguin Lantern • Australian Geographic • Discovery Channel • Reader's Digest Books • HarperCollins Publishers • SBS • Time Life • Simon & Schuster • Insight Guides • Thames & Hudson • Bertelsmann • Random House • University of South Australia • National Library of Australia Publishing

I'm a visual artist, editor, researcher, project manager and teacher. I make exhibition work (installations), edit (academic articles, PhD and Master theses, exhibition catalogues) and produce neat layout (articles, catalogues). I’ve worked in digital humanities (visual arts, history, museums) and journal publishing (scientific, art history). I've taught at uni and TAFE (visual arts) as well as high school (visual arts, English). I am available for editing, layout, teaching/workshops, research and anything to do with managing projects, publications or collections data.

Sky Carter is a Blue Mountains based Fibre and Textile Artist. Sky works with private and commercial clients to create bespoke woven wall hangings as well as multimedia installations using sculptural processes. Sky draws inspiration from the zeitgeist, current cultural trends and also her internal world. She is interested in the intersection of her internal narrative and how this is influenced by external pressures. Sky has created her own range of sustainable and locally made weaving looms and tools and taught over 3000 students her uninhibited free form style of weaving making it accessible to all. Sky has exhibited her works locally and internationally and attended artist residencies in Guatemala and Chicago. She has also appeared in a number if publications including Inside Out and Home Beautiful Magazines.

Caro's been in the business of creating content since well before content creation was even a phrase. Starting out in television in 2000, she worked in various production roles before setting up Juicy back in 2004. These days her love of story-telling can be found in directing, producing, editing (yes, a preditor!) travel writing and podcasting. While she has a particular affinity for travel and adventure production, over the years she’s helped produce numerous TVCs, videos and branded content for a range of clients including NPWS, Qantas, P&O Cruises, Disney Imagineering, Commonwealth Bank and the RTA. When she’s not creating work for others, she spends her time on her own adventures and volunteering for the SES coordinating search and rescue operations in the Blue Mountains or teaching traditional navigation skills. In 2021 she wrote and published the book, 'How to Navigate - the art of traditional map and compass navigation in an Australian context,' which is the navigation text book for NSW Police Rescue and the SES. You can find her outdoor adventure blog at: lotsafreshair.com and listen to her podcast, 'Rescued' on all podcast platforms.

Run with the help of my Italian born mother*, our cooking classes give an insight into our southern Italian traditions which focus on food and family. Expect to immerse yourself in how we live – lots of fresh food (including homegrown) prepared in simple quick ways yet so full of flavour, you'll want to come back for more. Classes range from different types of pasta, sauces, baked food, bread and more. Best of all our classes are hands-on and relaxed so everyone gets to have some fun, and they are suitable for most ages from 8+. In fact, in a family group, children as young as 5 have followed along, happy to copy their older siblings. All our meals include a range of our typical foods from Calabria and Sicily and cater to both meat and vegetarian diets, with vegan inclusions on request - our pasta is made from flour and water only. We also run Special Occasion Events such as our Ferragosto Lunch. You have the option to join others, or you may book your private group. Either way, it's not uncommon for participants to arrive as strangers and leave as family. That's what they tell us! They love the hands-on aspect of the class and the sharing of a meal around the table, a long standing custom throughout Italy. The expression "long lunch" does not necessarily mean a long table but rather a leisurely amount of time to savour the home-cooked meal, share the day's experiences and generally spend time together. What better way to leave your usual routine behind than with such a memorable experience? It’s all about experiencing the Italian laid back way of life, enjoying good food and great company. *It's a real family affair, as sometimes my sister or my daughter give me a hand. Participants love the three generations' involvement, something I take for granted. So it's a treasure to share our hospitality with you. We look forward to meeting you.

Specialising in portraiture, headshots, branding, food and product photography Katoomba-based photographer Maja Baska draws from 19 years of industry experience and a Fine Arts background to help every client bring their vision to life, no matter what their discipline. From workshopping campaign concepts, to selecting locations and putting even the most nervous subjects at ease, Maja will support you through the creative process to deliver high quality, polished images that align with your brand. Raised by a documentary maker and photographer, Maja honed an intuitive sense of light, colour, space and composition from an early age. Timely, reliable and versatile, Maja has built long-lasting relationships with a range of creative and corporate businesses, universities, schools and artists. Clients include Varuna, MCA, NIDA, UNSW, Stockland and The University of Sydney.

20+ years building software and finance companies, primarily in the strategy & design aspects and a few years ago I decided I wanted to build a more tangible, physical product. A needed a new belt but couldn't find what I wanted so decided to design it instead. After 50+ prototypes over 4 years, a patent, design protections and now a Good Design Award, YOKU is finally available. The belt combines my love of good design, usability, sustainability and durability. It is as beautiful as it is practical and should outlast it's owner. The parts to make the belt are sourced from all over the world and then the belts are made, finished, packaged and sold from right here in the Blue Mountains.

Veronica is one of the very few flamenco dancers in this country who has an extensive history as a professional flamenco dancer working in Spain alongside many of the most famous dancers, singers and musicians at the time. In Australia Veronica was the flamenco dancer in Graeme Murphy’s Nutcracker in 2000. She created “exotic choreography” for the stage version of Strictly Ballroom for Baz Luhrmann. Veronica also choreographed the dance sequences for Carmen and La Traviata for Opera Australia on several occasions. She conducts weekly flamenco classes in Katoomba from beginners to advanced and also organises classes via Zoom from well-known teachers.

Making beautiful things for puppas

I live and create in the Blue Mountains, NSW, working primarily with acrylics — from thick-bodied paints to fluid inks. I love the speed at which they dry, allowing me to build my work in many layered stages. Whether I’m painting landscapes, figurative pieces, florals or abstracts, I work directly into the surface, using texture, transparency, and colour to shape the image as it evolves. Colour is my greatest passion. I splash it, push it, and watch the interactions unfold, letting the work tell me what it wants to be. My process is exploratory and intuitive: sometimes I start with an idea, but more often the work takes over, becoming something unexpected. My current body of work is spontaneous and unplanned — expressions of remembered and imagined ideas that develop freely on the substrate. I invite my audience to bring their own experiences to my paintings, finding connections that resonate personally. This shared space between artist and viewer, where memory and imagination meet, is one of the most exciting aspects of my practice. I hold a BA in Fine Art and Visual Culture from Curtin University (2016) and a Diploma of Teaching from Goulburn College of Advanced Education (1979), and also a Certificate 11 in Design - Ceramics (2020). My work has been exhibited widely, including as a finalist in the Bluethumb Art Prize and the Blacktown City Art Prize, and as winner of the Penrith Regional Show. I have been trading as Iggiruss Designs since 2014. Under this label I create a variety of ceramic works and textile jewellery. This includes my very popular ceramic flowers, vases, pots and knick knacks available in my Etsy Store and in local shops and galleries. My textile jewellery utilises recycled silk and vintage Kimono fabric and is available through Hare St Gallery in Glenbrook. You can also find it on my website.

I am a photographer and digital services creative.

My name is Beth Champion, a local Blue Mountains actor with over 30 years of experience in film, TV, and voice work. I'm also a producer at Dweezl Productions and a fan and creator of audio drama and comedy. I am currently the producer and innovator of Gone Bush- Blue Mountains. Gone Bush is a comedy podcast and marketing platform. Iconic brands and business headline our comedy along with our creative team of actors, writers, director, composer and sound designer. Unlike other styles of podcast marketing which interrupt your listening experience, our brands are integral and blend seamlessly into our episodes.

Kirrily has been living and working on Dharug and Gundungurra land in the mid Blue Mountains for around 16 years. With past lives as a graphic designer and then a bag/accessories/homewares designer and maker, the need for some dining chairs led to a new chapter in furniture upholstery and restoration. Blending pattern drafting, sewing, design, a million small details and working with her hands, upholstery provides new challenges and education every day and satisfies her relentless curiosity about how things are made and if they can be made better. Kirrily mostly undertakes custom reupholstery and restoration work for clients, bringing their much loved pieces of furniture back to life. The pieces with personal history are her favourites because they always have interesting stories attached to them and mean so much to people. She also considers it an absolute privilege to work on iconic designs when they come into the studio. Custom upholstery is an antidote to the trend driven and profit focused world of fast furniture and mass production. It's personal, it's considered, it's better for the environment, it's higher quality and there is an inexplicable delight in the process. For more information and to obtain an estimate please visit the website www.needlevsthread.com

Aprili Designs creates hand crafted jewellery in silver or brass complemented with gemstones and minerals. Aprili hand forges, beats, adds details with traditional impressions dies and sets stones. Meditating and breath work bring the unseen elements that are infused into Aprili Designs. She creates talismans, amulets and jewellery that lifts the wearer’s energy to bring joy, abundance and protection. Aprili completed a Bachelor of Fine Art (Hons) degree at the University of Newcastle in 2005. Her Major was in sculpture, metal work and bronze casting. Completing her degree she moved to the blue mountains to join modern fusion belly dance troupe ‘Caravan Dance Company’. Traveling, teaching and performing world wide has exposed Aprili to cross cultural use of jewellery for adornment as well as identifying status, religious beliefs, cultural heritage, and the use of talismans and amulets for protection . These principles inspire her work today. Aprili Designs began with adornment for dancers and has been sold world wide at festivals and workshops in N.Z, Germany, U.S.A, France, Sydney, Newcastle, Adelaide and Perth. When studying Classical Odissi dance in Rajasthan, 2009/10, Aprili found her silversmithing Guru who came from a long lineage of goldsmiths. Undergoing private tutoring, Aprili learnt traditional techniques using impression dies. Metal is annealed or softened and beaten into a impression die which creates detailed designs in low relief. These designs are then cut out and soldered onto backplates as stand alone pieces or used as accents in her work. You can find her work currently at Fire and Flood, Wentworth Falls, Atelier, Lawson and www.aprilidesigns.com.au

Leura based designer, Dannielle Parisi-Preston, has a wealth of knowledge and expertise, having worked in residential and commercial design sectors for over 25 years. Dannielle is qualified in interior design and building design. The services she provides include colour consultation, renovation of existing homes, sustainable custom house design, bathroom & kitchen design, and more. We offer flexibility to work with your preferred builder and tradesmen, or we are happy to suggest trusted tradesmen that we have established a working relationship. The practice has completed works throughout Sydney, Blue Mountains, Central Coast and more. Click on the website to see more…