Brilliant Brolly part 2

Here’s hoping the sun will come out from the clouds for today’s Brilliant Brolly extravaganza at Duldig Studio museum + sculpture garden.

The museum’s months-long Brilliant Brolly Campaign will culminate at twilight, from 5 - 7 pm. This is your chance to own a truly unique artwork and support this remarkable house museum’s campaign to raise funds to care for its nationally significant art collection and extend its outreach programs.

For those not familiar with the Duldig Studio, it’s the former home and studio of Viennese-Australian artists Slawa Horowitz-Duldig (1901 - 1975) and her husband, sculptor Karl Duldig (1902 - 1986).

Brilliant Brolly is a homage to Slawa, who was also the inventor of the folding umbrella. The prototypes, plans and documentation pertaining to the umbrella, Flirt, which she patented in 1929, are on view in the museum.

Numerous artists have hand-decorated specially donated umbrellas for Brilliant Brolly, and the results are spectacular.

I’m one of several artists who were invited to create an artwork for auction. My contribution, Sunshade, is featured here.

AUCTION ITEMS
• "Light as a Feather" Headpiece by Milliner, Lynette Lim of Love Lotus Millinery
• Printed Silk wearable textile by Susan Dimasi of Materialbyproduct
• Umbrella designed and decorated by Deborah Klein
• Umbrella designed and decorated by artist Judi Singleton

To place a bid, go here: https://www.32auctions.com/ArtistCreations

For further information, go here: https://www.duldig.org.au/brilliant-brolly/

Brilliant Brollies at the Duldig Studio

Pictured with my hand-painted umbrella, Sunshade, created for the Duldig Studio's second Brilliant Brolly
event on April 6.  Photo credit: Shane Jones.

In the And Now for Something Completely Different Department, tomorrow, February 10, is International Umbrella Day.

Accordingly, the Duldig Studio museum and sculpture garden is hosting Part 1 of the Brilliant Brolly Campaign, a competition wherein some extremely talented and imaginative students have hand-decorated over forty folding umbrellas. Tomorrow afternoon from 2 - 4 pm, their umbrellas, including the prize winners, will be sold in a silent auction to raise funds for the care and conservation of the museum's collections and in support of its outreach programs.

A selection of the student entries on display in the sculpture garden. Image courtesy the Duldig Studio.

I first got to know the Duldig Studio in 2018, when I was invited to speak as part of their Creative Women in Focus series. This extraordinary house museum is the former home and studio of Viennese-Australian artists Slawa Horowitz-Duldig (1901 - 1975) and her husband, sculptor Karl Duldig (1902 - 1986). The museum is filled with their artworks, collections and furniture, some of the latter designed by Slawa. 

Another of Slawa's remarkable achievements is the invention of the folding umbrella, in much the same form as we know it today. The prototypes, plans and documentation relating to the umbrella, 'Flirt', which Slawa patented in 1929, are on display as part of the current exhibition at Duldig Studio, SLAWA: MODERNIST ART AND DESIGN. To learn about 'Flirt' and its troubled history, go HERE.

INTERNATIONAL UMBRELLA DAY FUNDRAISING EVENT
SPECIAL FAMILY DAY
Sunday 10 February, 2.00pm - 4.00pm
Duldig Studio 
92 Burke Rd 
Malvern East
FREE - ALL WELCOME

Part 2 of Brilliant Brolly is an open competition with entries due by 4 pm on March 21. A celebratory event will take place on Saturday, April 6 at 6 pm. I’m one of several invited artists who have embellished a brolly especially for the campaign, although mine is more along the lines of a sunshade.

The underside of Sunshade. Photo credit: Shane Jones.

Full details of the second event will be posted nearer the time. For further information, visit the Duldig Studio HERE.