Today we would like to introduce you to talented local identities Aura Parker and Marena Von Behr. Aura and Marena are textile designers who live in Lane Cove and Greenwich. They work together under the name Studio Bonnie.
What is Studio Bonnie?
Studio Bonnie is a boutique textile design studio whose prints are made in collaboration by interior designer Marena Von Behr and children’s illustrator Aura Parker. We love designing patterns, printing, playing with colour and making beautiful things. Our printed textile art is full of detailed patterns – delivered on gorgeous linen in a fresh colour palette. We are sisters-in-law and work closely together to come up with concepts, and constantly bounce ideas off each other.
What inspires you?
Our designs are inspired by our local natural environment, Aura lives in Lane Cove, and Marena in Greenwich. We are lucky to have amazing walking trails around the foreshore and we can’t help but feel inspired by the birds and the plant life which has made its way into our designs.
As well as nature, we get a lot of inspiration from our children and families, everyday life and objects from the past.
“We want to make our designs unique so we are always trying to draw in a new and refreshing way. We want to make sure our designs have an unusual twist and we’ll experiment with patterns and plant little surprise details and things to find.”
Why do you like living in Lane Cove/Greenwich?
We are surrounded by nature, it’s calming, it’s precious and it’s stunning.
Where can people view your pieces?
We can sometimes be seen at the Coal Loader Artisan Markets and our hoops are for sale at Gallery Lane Cove. To find out where we are you can check out our Events page on our website or like our Facebook page.
How can others artist chase their dreams?
Just go for it! Surrounding yourself with other creative and supportive people can be motivating too. We started out with a small exhibition and it’s grown into a creative business.
How did you get involved in the Greenwich Arts Trail
The Greenwich Village Arts Trail is a great weekend where artists and artisans open up their studios to the public. It’s great to see all the different creative work spaces and meet the artists. Marena walked through the trail one year and thought it would be a good thing to be part of, this October will be our third open studio event.
If you would like to find our more about Studio Bonnie you can check them out at:
Website: www.studiobonnie.com
Instagram: @studiobonnie
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