New eBook from CWC: On Creativity and Business

By Tess McCabe Did you know that it's been 10 years of CWC this year? True. Over that time, there has been so much advice given, taken, and shared here, that it is hard to fathom the ripple effect of so many women connecting and sharing over that time and how it has strengthened the community.

As a celebration of sorts, over the last few months CWC's first intern Madeleine Dore poured over the hundreds of blog posts on this site and curated a collection of the best snippets of advice, tips, thoughts and musings from the women we have featured or who have contributed to our blog in some way.

The result is On Creativity and Business: Information, Inspiration and Ideas from Creative Women's Circle. It's 37 pages long, and available now for free for our Members... those who support us to keep going in this manner.

2015 is going to be an exciting year for CWC (with plans underway that will be revealed in due time!). But as the weather warms up and the year winds down, we hope our Members will enjoy this little gift.

And for those who are yet to join or who like to join in from afar, we encourage you to revisit our blog archives this summer and refuel your inspiration stores so that you too have a creative and productive 2015!

Want to contribute to our next book? A call for submissions.

Updated 31 October!

As you may have heard, our sister-company Creative Minds Publishing and Tess McCabe are currently developing a book with lawyer (and former CWC speaker) Sharon Givoni called Owning It: A Creative's Guide to Copyright, Contracts and the Law.

We are now looking for images and quotes from the Australian creative community to pepper throughout its pages, so if you fit the following criteria – we’d love to hear from you!

Please have a read through this list to see specifically who and what we are after - and feel free to forward this onto your friends and colleagues (male or female!). If you tick one of these boxes please contact Tess via the email address at the bottom of this post and we'll get back to you! The deadline is Friday 14 November 2014.

Photographers

• You have a photograph that was taken in a public place that required a permit.
• You have an amazing photo that you want to show off.
• You are a wedding photographer who has clients agree to certain terms or conditions or sign a contract before their photo shoot.

Graphic designers, creative agencies and Illustrators

• You have created an advertisement that has adhered to a standard or voluntary code of conduct.
• You are a graphic designer and have portfolio examples of a branding and collateral project you’d like to show off.
• You keep drafts of your original illustrations (paper or digital) that show when they were created.

Makers and craftspeople

• Your products are made in Australia and customers can find out more about the makers on your website.
• Your products are made overseas and customers can find out more about the makers on your website.

Product designers

• You are a product designer who has registered a design with IP Australia.
• You have had a potential client sign a confidentiality agreement before showing them a new product or collection.

Tattoo artists

• You have beautiful high-resolution images of your work that you’d like to show off.

Architects

• You have beautiful high-resolutions images of your work that you’d like to show off.
• You get clients to sign a contract outlining your terms and timelines for a project including building variations etc.

Fashion designers

• You regularly use models in photo shoots and have them sign a model release.

Artists and galleries

• You are an artist registered with VisCopy.
• You are an artist who is registered or has received Resale Royalty Rights from a sale of your work.

Writers, poets, playwrights and publishers

• You are a playwright or poet who has had works published or performed.
• You have written and published an eBook.
• You are a writer/journalist registered with Copyright Agency Limited (CAL).

Musicians

• You are a musician or band who has licensed a song, signed a recording contract or who has a publishing deal.
• You are a performing musician who has professional images of yourself on stage.
• You have remixed or sampled another musicians work with their permission.
• You are a musician who is registered with APRA|AMCOS to receive royalties.

Retailers and galleries

• You are a retailer or yoga instructor and you pay APRA|AMCOS license fees to play music in your shop/studio.
• You sell artwork or products by other people on consignment, and have some kind of basic terms that outline when consignment $ are paid.
• You are a gallery that assists artists with receiving Resale Royalty Rights.

Film makers and animators

• You are a film maker (director/producer) who has professional images of ‘behind the scenes’ of a film set.
• You are an animator who has made an animated film or short film.

Business owners, sole traders, creative professionals

• You have a social media policy in place for your employees.
• You have a partnership contract in place in your creative business.

{Note that all contributions will be shown in a completely positive light, and while we unfortunately cannot afford to pay for contributions, all contributors whose work ends up in the book will be fully credited and receive a discount on the book’s sale price once it is released next year.}

Questions and expressions of interest in contributing can be directed to Tess McCabe at hello@creativemindshq.com.

Deadline: Friday 14 November 2014.

Graphic Design Speak: Tips, Advice and Jargon Defined for Non-Graphic-Designers... paperback edition!

Last year we released the eBook Graphic Design Speak: Tips, Advice and Jargon Defined for Non-Graphic-Designers, to lots of great feedback and hundreds of copies sold. By popular demand, we're soon to be releasing Graphic Design Speak in paperback format through our sister-biz Creative Minds Publishing, and you can pre-order it now to get it first!

This handy 44-page paperback guide explains:

• Basic colour terms like Pantone, CMYK, RGB and what they mean
• Common file types and where you use them (a.k.a. Why can’t my printer just get my logo from my website and put it on my business card?)
• How to distinguish a high-resolution image from a low-resolution one (a.k.a. A journalist has asked for a high-resolution image for a story about me, but how do I know which one of these image files to send?!)
• The standard paper and envelope sizes
• Facts about fonts
• And over 95 common words and phrases us graphic designers throw around willy nilly.

Here's what's new in the paperback edition:

• More common words explained including video production and web design jargon
• Tweaks and edits to make the book more helpful and the information easier to comprehend!
• Beautiful, colour images that illustrate key concepts within the book from local designers Kylie Thevenau, Louise Jones, One Fine Print, Saint Gertrude Design and Letterpress, Brand By Name, Pom by Pomegranate, Andrea McArthur, and Serena Sundai.

Plus, it's printed in full colour in Melbourne, Victoria using environmentally friendly printing methods and paper.

Read more here or pre-order here! Books will be posted in early September.

Join the CWC blogging team

For the last few years, we've been fortunate to have had a wonderful array of talented, creative ladies on our team as blog columnists. Writers, designers, organisation enthusiasts, professional bloggers, social media experts... The one common thread amongst our columnists - past and present - is their passion for sharing what they know with the wider creative community and their desire to meet lots of inspiring women and creative minds in the process. Their contributions have made the CWC website what it is - a rich and robust source of information and information for women in creative businesses. I can't thank them enough for the expertise they have shared and the time and thought they put in to their posts.

As we head into the second half of the year, we're on the lookout for a couple of new voices to add to the current blog contributor team, specifically to head up our 'How to' and 'Studio Visit' columns.

If you'd like to join our team and reach out to our community as a blog columnist, email Tess with a introductory email and links to your own blog/social media for more information and to start the conversation.

Buy handmade this Christmas at our Member's pop-up shops

Around this time of year, Melbourne bursts at the seams with markets and pop-up retail spaces, giving us ample opportunity to purchase gifts for others (or for ourselves!) direct from the makers themselves. How lucky are we? Here are a couple of upcoming retail events run by our members, that will guarantee a beautiful shopping experience in stark opposition to brightly-lit suburban shopping malls, and of course put a smile on the gift recipient's dial :)

Abbotsford Convent Pop Up Shop

Some of the clever tenants who are working at the Convent have banded together to provide a unique retail experience. The large space in the Sacred Heart courtyard (where the nuns used to do the ironing!), is now a funky and enticing shop that is filled with different products; from ceramics to books to clothes and paintings.

The artists involved will be in the shop at different times so you can talk to them about how they make their work. With any purchase made, the entire amount will go to the artist making the artists' professions more sustainable.

Open 11am until 8pm Thursday-Sunday through November and December Scared Heart Courtyard Abbotsford Convent 1 St Heliers Street Abbotsford VIC 3067

For info contact Ilona at info@conventpopupshop.com.au

Twitter | Instagram | Facebook

The Shop that went Pop Bang Sparkle

For one night only, contemporary jewellers Liz Ickiewicz, Anna De Kretser, Susan Ewington, Anastasia Grace and Eli Speaks will sell their wares and preview their new ranges.

Tuesday 3rd December, 6-9pm Upstairs at The Alderman, 134 Lygon St, Brunswick East, Victoria {Cash only}

For more information email hi.liziitt@gmail.com or see sneak peeks on Instagram via the hashtag #popbangsparkle

Conversations with Creative Women: Volume Two - a big thank you...

What a weekend! Conversations with Creative Women: Volume Two was officially launched, and good fun was had by all.

The Launch!

We raised $500 for Seven Women via our mammoth raffle, and our taste buds were tantalised thanks to our generous sponsors Ben Haines Wine, Two Birds Brewing and Sweet Valentyne.

Big thanks to our sponsors Good Grace and Humour for their beautiful floral display - it really made the space at Albert St Studios come alive! And extra high fives to my helpers on the night - Martina Gemmola, Caroline Kennon, Liz Ickiewicz, Sarah Chapman, Sean Box and Amy Vuleta.

Stockists

So now, with the book officially 'launched', where can you find it? Well, apart from purchasing online, the following retailers have copies for sale in their lovely stores:

Melbourne:

Shelley Panton 440 Malvern Road, Prahran VIC (03) 9533 9003

Pieces of Eight Gallery / Edition X 28 Russell Place Melbourne VIC (03) 9663 3641

Craft 31 Flinders Lane Melbourne VIC 03 9650 7775

Perth:

Aspects of Kings Park Fraser Avenue West Perth WA (08) 9480 3900

Sydney:

Follow 380 Cleveland Street Surry Hills NSW 02 8068 2813

Brisbane:

Nook 19 Browning St West End, Brisbane Qld (07) 3255 3589

Adelaide:

Booked at North Adelaide North Adelaide Shopping Village 81 O'Connell Street North Adelaide SA phone: 08 8361 9866

So pop in store and pick up one for your special creative lady friend for Christmas :)

Pre-orders posted

Thanks again to everyone who pre-ordered a copy of the book... if you're based in Australia you should have received your copy by now, and if you're international it has been posted and is on its way.

eBook now available

One last thing... if you're so inclined you can also get Volume Two as an eBook for your iPad, Kindle or as a PDF. Save a tree, save storage space, save money! Ebooks are only available via our online store.

Bushfire recovery effort: Tea towels from Cloth's Julie Paterson

We've all seen on the news the devastation the recent fires throughout New South Wales have caused. But it's closer to home - literally - for former CWC speaker Julie Paterson of Cloth.

Julie is an active advocate for animal welfare and is also an ambassador for The Foundation for National Parks and Wildlife. In recent weeks her home in the Blue Mountains has been spared destruction, but many of her neighbour's properties and the surrounding wilderness have unfortunately not been so lucky. Her partner Amanda wrote this blog post describing the decision to leave their home and the haunting return days later.

To help raise funds for the recovery effort, Julie has put her creative hands to work and is selling a range of limited edition, 100% linen, hand screen printed tea towels through her website. There will be a few designs, and the first 'Banksia' (pictured below) is based on an original lino cut.

The tea towels are $38.00 and funds will go to The Foundation for National Parks and Wildlife to be distributed where they are needed most.