Rhiannon Creates
Rhiannon is a 22 year old freelance designer based in Melbourne, Australia. She completed her bachelor degree of Visual Arts and Design from Australian Catholic University late 2019. Rhiannon specialises in graphic design, digital and print media and social media management. In her free time she also enjoys photography, digital drawing and illustration.
Rhiannon’s banksia illustration was a submission for the Green Collect and Mesh Mash Notebook Cover Competition in August. Her design was later chosen for the Mesh Mash Summer range and was released as a print on a tote bag. We spoke to Rhiannon about the inspiration for her design and she explained that during lockdown in July she took a reference photo of a Banksia tree at her local parkland and enjoyed taking her time to finish the illustration to submit for the competition.
Isis Mitchener
Isis Mitchener is an 18 year old artist born in New Zealand, living in Melbourne’s west! She has been creating art for as long as she can remember and even though art had always been there, it wasn’t her main focus. It was only recently she chose to acknowledge herself as an artist. There is now nothing else she would rather do! Her inspirations don’t necessarily come directly from anything or anyone specifically but from the world and her experiences. She is inspired by travelling and new surroundings and Isis can’t wait to get back into the world and travel so that she can feel more creative and inspired everyday!
Isis shares with us the message behind her winning design submission ‘Grounded’ which was chosen for the Mesh Mash and Green Collect Collaboration Notebook Competition 2020.
“My piece is all about being connected to the earth, bare feet in the ground and having freedom to roam around in nature along with the beauty and innocence of that relationship”.
Lara Stechiwskyj
Lara Stechiwskyj is a 21 year old artist from Melbourne. She has always had an interest in art and being creative from a young age, and knew early on that she would want to pursue something creative. Lara enjoys the process of evolving her own practice, and finds that much of her art focus comes back to the ideas of nature, simplicity, and capturing the small, sentimental and often overlooked moments in our lives. Another strong theme in her work is horses, which are a very large part of her life. She enjoys exploring the connection she has with horses and what they mean to her, as well as their beauty and strength.
Lara works mostly with graphite and pastel pencils, and has recently been gravitating towards printmaking and working with lino which I hope to continue improving and evolving.
Her Design ‘The Process’ was one of the two winners chosen for the 2020 ‘Notebook Cover Competition’ partnership project with Green Collect Yarraville and also is a part of the Mesh Mash Summer range available online.
“The first thing to pop into my head when thinking of sustainability is a glass bottle, and the process it takes from being rock, to sand, heated and manoeuvred until it’s glass, often finishing its journey there. It’s process like these that are important to develop and alter to create less wastage and improve sustainability.” Lara
Georgia Steele
Georgia Steele is a local Hobsons bay artist with an Undergrad in Fine Art at RMIT. Specialising in Printmaking with gallery representations at Fire Station Print Studio. Georgia is currently studying Honours in Curation at RMIT. She is on the committee for the Print Council of Australia, and is in charge of running their social media and assisting with art fairs and also teaches silkscreen classes and workshops.
The Work 'Tree of Life' which was a chosen design in the 2020 Mesh Mash Summer range was inspired by mother nature. Georgia quotes “The choices we make on a daily basis with the planet in mind. The tree the central part of the mandala, making nature the focus. Mandala meaning universe.”
Mitchell Webster
Mitchell became involved in Mesh Mash when doing an internship in the Arts and Culture Department at Hobsons Bay City Council in 2018. He has worked with us on numerous projects including selling products for the Art & Industry pop up markets, the Block Party and our Christmas markets, working on the Portable Container project for Art in Public Places and printing products for Bubbling Up!
“I came into the Mesh Mash community as an intern and have learnt so many valuable skills as an artist and insights into the creative industries. The internship gave me opportunities to pursue some diverse interests I have working in the arts. I recently took on the role of curating the Hobsons Bay Youth Arts Prize which is a very exciting undertaking and will help to further build my capabilities as an arts practitioner.”
Ashlea Hoenig
A big shout out to Ashlea Hoenig who has been representing Mesh Mash since 2014. She is an original Mesh Mash Foundation crew member and has had a number of designs produced for the Mesh Mash range. Ashlea has designed and illustrated, worked in screen printed production and sales during her time at Mesh Mash. Her tote bag design was also recently selected for the Bubbling Up! Teen’s Give Back Christmas campaign.
“I found a flier for a screen printing program in my VCE Visual Communication class. I popped in one Saturday to be greeted by MiniGraph, who then supported myself and other local artist to start Mesh Mash. Art is a cultural tool fuelled by community and passion, this is especially evident at the home of Mesh Mash in Woods Street. The ability to collaborate in a local studio with other like minded creators has played a huge role in my growth as an artist and I look forward to others gaining as much positivity from this enterprise as much as myself.”
Rowan Meinhart
Rohan Meinhart is a graffiti and street artist who has been profiled on the website of our good friends Hoodiemag.org. In 2018 Rowan submitted a tote design through the Mesh Mash Design Generator with his powerful words ‘Art Saved Me’ which is available on the Mesh Mash website and has been a best seller!
“Street Art is my passion, although I also love to draw on paper. I am currently designing a graffiti style typeface. A few years ago, I found myself in real trouble and on the path towards a criminal record for graffiti. I believe that working collectively with other young artists has channeled my creative needs and aspirations in a more positive way. Being a part of an artistic community has given me some exciting opportunities and I love that I don’t have to work and create alone.”
Rowan’s very popular and powerful ‘Art Saved Me’ design was included in the Mesh Mash summer range for 2020.
Bez Woucou
Bez Woucou is a foundation crew member and joined Mesh Mash in 2014. Bez has worked in all areas of Mesh Mash product production including graphic design, screen printing and sales. Her designs have been selected a number of times for the Mesh Mash product range, most recently in 2018 with her gorgeous Zig Zag design. Bez is now working professionally as a graphic designer.
“Mesh Mash is a lot of things, it’s a screen printing program, it’s a collective of young creative people from the local area. We run guest workshops with local artists and young people who learn how to screen print. I like the whole process that we have it to ourselves, that we buy the T’Shirts, come up with the prints, print onto the products, iron and sell them, that we do everything.”
Luca D’Aquino
Luca has been involved with Mesh Mash since the start of the program in 2014. His main interest has been in graffiti and street art and he has been the Street Art program facilitator at Woods Street Art Space where he has lead workshops with Laverton Youth Foundation, MiCare and Hobsonsbay Youth Services. Recently Luca has facilitated the Aerosol Art program at Woods Street Art Space and worked with Mesh Mash in sales, design and production.
Alexandra Olivia
Alexandra is an illustrator and design creative based in Melbourne Australia. She is know for her visual storytelling and intricate pattern design. Inspired by fantasy, cultural aesthetic and contemporary style. Her unique style and creative approach has landed her many global collaborations with brands including Mini Cooper and Renault and she has also receive the title Top Talent in the Illustration category from Adobe design achievement awards in 2019. Through her work she aims to inspire and empower as well as bring delight to the viewers.
Alexandra’s design ‘Protea’ was selected as a part of the Mesh Mash summer range for 2020
Joseph Doggett-Williams
Joseph Doggett-Williams (20) is an emerging artist who is currently undertaking a Bachelor of Visual Art at the VCA. He specialises in oil painting, drawing and performance art. Growing up in a family of artists, drawing and thereafter artistic experimentation was central to his upbringing.
A move from Geelong to Melbourne has marked a stylistic change in Joseph's making in which iconography is collaged, abstracted and distorted. The print "Climate Action Now" uses imagery relating to fires, the mass extinction of Murray Darling fish, and the corporations that are the top contributors to greenhouse gas emissions.
Joseph’s designs have been selected for the Design Generator for the past consecutive two years. He has also been working with our friend Hoodie Mag facilitating the Studio Time programs at the Woods Street Art Space and was recently the winner of the Youth Arts Prize 2019.
Josephs design ‘Climate Action Now’ was selected for the Mesh Mash summer range of 2020.
Monica Todaro
Monica became involved in Mesh Mash through entering the Design Generator competition 2019 in year 8 at Mount Saint Joseph’s Girls College. Monica’s Design was inspired by the Natural Environment theme.
Her design ‘Elements ’ was included in the 2019 Mesh Mash summer range 2020 .
“Wind, fire, water and earth are all seemingly simple but complex elements that significantly impact our world and the way we live. Each of the four have their own properties and qualities that make them so powerful. They are so much more than just the basic four elements, as they hold a deeper meaning that is sometimes overlooked. All four are essential and bring balance to all life and this design is a reminder of that.” Monica 2020