Created With Care – Artists and Makers Unite for Charity
We’re proud to launch Created With Care. We’ve teamed up with our friends at Handkrafted, an online marketplace for bespoke furniture by Australian makers, to give back to the community. The project fuses our love for exposing incredible Australian artistry and helping those who could use a hand.
With a shared emphasis on supporting and showcasing hundreds of local artisans, we’ve paired Australian furniture makers with our artists to collaborate on truly unique pieces for charity. All individuals involved generously donated their time and talents in a labour of love, creating incredible one-offs that will be auctioned off with 100% of proceeds donated to local charities selected by each collaboration.
Proceeds for maker Ben Percy, and artist Salleigh Olsen’s Flex Chair will go to SreetWork, a Sydney based charity helping “at risk” young people.
“We were blown away by the collaborators’ generosity,” says Ed Hartley, bluethumb’s co-founder. “When you know how hard professional artists and makers work just to make ends meet and put food on the table, you begin to understand the selflessness of this act. It is the most inspiring project we’ve ever undertaken at bluethumb.”
Ed and Handkrafted founder Fred Kimel are both believers in the notions that partnership allows for the greatest impact, and we can do more together than we can alone. The two share a mutual respect for each other’s platform, and see great importance in collaboration among businesses and startups in particular.
2015 Archibald finalist Kim Leutwyler and maker Josh Pinkus’s surprise collaboration produced this masterpiece, raising money to save dogs and cats.
Ed and Fred saw this specific collaboration as a wonderful opportunity to focus the lens on how individuals and organisations across Australia can work together to drive change… one masterpiece at a time, one community at a time. Their enthusiasm for partnerships is clear. “While it may sound a little clichéd,” says Fred, “collaboration is paramount to the success of every business and individual – it’s so important to take the time out to reflect upon and approach potential collaborators to discuss ideas and opportunities. It’s also much more fun.”
Artist Erin Nicholls and maker Lars Laug’s three dimensional painting is raising money for artists with an intellectual disability.
Created with Care stunned everyone involved in both the awe-inspiring combinations, and the immense thoughtfulness of the artists and makers in selecting a charity. “I am staggered at the outcome,” says Ed. “Every day I look at incredible art, yet these pieces are beyond my greatest expectations. They have set the bar for future artists and crafters. What’s beautiful to see is their own art and trade has transferred so well across mediums and captured the essence of their style.”
Bombora Furniture Co.’s Luke Collins, and bluethumb artist partner, Tanya Keenan nominated Spirit Foundation, a charity trust which has been supporting the Wye River and Separation Creek communities that were devastated by recent bushfires. The collaborative piece is aptly named ‘Wye River Buffet’ and is a beautiful story of a hyper-local connection: two Victorian talents working together on a piece to support a charity that hits close to home – that’s the reason the initiative came to fruition in the first place.
Luke and Tanya with their Wye River Buffet.
Similarly, the proceeds of Stephen Ziguras and Anne Ellison’s Tegl Bowl will go to a cause close to their hearts. “Proceeds from our work will go to Foundation House, the Victorian Foundation for the Survivors of Torture,” says Stephen. ”They help refugees and asylum seekers who have been through the most awful trauma to start a new life.”
Stephen and Anne’s Tegl Bowl.
Many of the collaborations have been made possible by the generous donation of timber by Britton Timbers. “ Their sponsorship of the timber for this initiative reflects their commitment to supporting local furniture makers and their communities,” explains Fred.
The Created with Care auction is open and final bids must be received before 5pm Friday 10th June. There are three more collaborations in progress to be revealed over the coming weeks.
To place your bid, visit www.createdwithcare.com.au
Follow the collaborations on Instagram via #CreatedWithCare16
