DesignerThe Designer for the Colours of Australia and Papoose ranges is Renske Carbone.When asked what inspires her, her answer always comes back: COLOUR. Colour is the single one most important ingredient in her artistic vocabulary. Texture is second. And her love of craft techniques comes a very close third. When Renske was little, she was surrounded by women making things; she remembers her grandmother was always knitting or doing embroidery when visiting. Her mother made clothes for her and her two brothers, firstly out of necessity, later out of inspiration. Renske remembers desperately wanting a full circle skirt, something that would take a lot of fabric. Ingeniously, her mother decided some old curtains would do the trick and no-one was the wiser. Renske also remembers having very fashion forward clothing, either in style or in fabric, a pointy skirt with a front and back that was lower than the sides still clear in her mind. Knitting, sewing and embroidery were the main staples of the craft activities during her youth. It wasn't only the women that were talented, both Renske's brothers are creatively gifted and can make anything they put their minds to. Renske's father was also very interested in colour and how his surroundings looked: he was forever changing the wallpaper and painting the walls, buying new rugs or changing the couches. During her primary school years she missed out on quite a bit of school because of the recurring ear infections she had to endure. She stayed home by herself in the mornings as her mother had a part time job. This time was spent well, making all sorts of crafty things. Sometimes, the mother of a very close girlfriend, who happened to be a craft teacher, would pop in and give her a new project to master. During her high school years, craft took a step back as teenage life took over. Instead, Renske took up writing and filled many exercise books with stories and ramblings. She also kept a diary for many years, interesting reading many years later! Renske moved to Australia when she was barely 19 and it was here that her full artistic tendencies came to the fore. In the early eighties, in Western Australia, a lot of adult education classes were on offer for virtually next to nothing. Money was very tight in the early years of course, so these courses were a great opening for her. She did the weirdest things: bricklaying, wood working, stained glass work and finally ended up at TAFE doing Textiles. TAFE was very technique orientated and it was here she learned dyeing, printing, shibori and many other craft techniques. In 1986 her marriage ended and that brought her studies to an end. When she re-married, she had the opportunity to go back to her studies in 1989. She ended up at Curtin University, doing a BA in Visual Arts with Textiles as a double major. This is where theory and concept met technique and a fruitful three years were spent enjoying textiles in all its many guises. Renske prefers simple shapes combined with passionate colour and tender textures. She loves looking around at fruit markets in China for instance, they are a smorgasbrod of colours and textures. Nature in general is pretty amazing and provides endless inspiration for colour combinations. Of course, this day and age it is impossible to not be influenced by what happens around you. The internet is a tool so rich, so vast, so incomprehensible, it is nearly too much to take in. Yet it provides a meeting room for like minded souls in all areas of life. Inspiration comes from everywhere; traveling, internet, books, other artists and unrelated practices.Colour, texture and craft have blended together in Renske's new ranges and she is highly excited by the many possibilities of her re-discovered passions from the past. Renske is working on a range of clothing, organic in nature, natural in material and colourful in execution. She's working with knit, felt and crochet, silk, wool and cotton and lots of colour. The range will be aimed at anyone who is not afraid to 'be there' without being ostentatious. It is aimed at real women, with real body parts who enjoy life and love to laugh. Renske beliefs that to enjoy life you have to partake, you have to be courageous and not be scared to participate and above all you have to make your own decisions. In the designer's own words: "The biggest tragedy is the one where a life is not lived, just existed. If you have lost your passion, go find it. If you don't like your life, change it. It needs nothing more than the will to do it." From Designer back to Papoose Home Page
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