Melbourne-based artists, makers and designers Jessica Morrison and Coconut Lu inside Artifice. 95974 Picture: DAMJAN JANEVSKI
THREE Melbourne-based artists, makers and designers have opened shop in Williamstown and have brought their eclectic mix of designs and delicately made gems to the west.
Jessica Morrison, Matthew Bracken and Coconut Lu opened Artifice store located within the Customs Wharf Galleria complex on the Williamstown foreshore last September.
The group said the new venture was a retail avenue for Australian artists, designers and makers to air their wares.
“With an eye for the quirky, playful and beautiful, this space offers up all things awesome with a focus to bring artful goods into everyone’s world,” Ms Morrison said.
Artifice store has two spaces to work with, one for retail and the other known as the ‘backroom’ to hold events such as workshops, product launches and exhibitions.
The trio have a gold and silversmithing background and have been makers in one form or another for more than 18 years.
Previously Coconut and Jessica shared an inner city jewellery studio and pursued individual careers in contemporary jewellery and both teach in the jewellery course at Box Hill Institute.
Matt cast a broader net in his career and has worked in jewellery design, wooden boat building and public art. Currently Matt is working for a company that designs and constructs large-scale public art.
“Artifice store evolved as we wanted to bring all of our skills together as artists and makers and create an accessible space for Australian Art and Design,” Ms Lu said.
“It’s a space that provides Australian artists, designers and makers a venue to launch, exhibit and sell their products.”
Williamstown came on their radar when Matt and Jessica moved to Newport and the three of them saw all the exciting possibilities that the evolving west had to offer.
The group are also getting ready to host their first exhibition for the year titled ’A Sailor Stole My Heart’ by Sai-Wai Foo.
The event is being held as part of the Hobsons Bay City Council initiative ‘Art in Public Places’, an event that connects the community with local artists by matchmaking an artist with a public space.
Artifice store is located at 126 Nelson Place Williamstown or visit shop@artificestore.com
