the market.

stall holder profile:

Selena de Carvalho from The Memory Store

The darkly beautiful, thought provoking and quirky wares from the incredibly talented Selena de Carvalho will be on display at the first of our Christmas Markets, on November 15th. We wanted to share a little bit of a glimpse into the intriguing world behind her label, The Memory Store.

Selena is a Tasmanian based artist and maker of many things, her designs are not limited to any one genre or product, rather, an exploration of various mediums, and processes. She moved toTasmania in 2002 and tells us she has “(not in) bred with an apiarist allergic to bee's”. By day she lurks around Longley, by night she describes herself as an “art slave”. Her work reflects a strong focus on sustainable and ethical design practices and incorporates the use of post consumer waste as a source of materials for her products.

When and how was your business born?

'The Memory Store' is really just an excuse to indulge my craft obsession. In my spare time I have always made wacky craft items, I guess it has become more prolific in the last year.

What are your creations inspired by?

I love old books, exotic tropical seeds, keys with no doors, houses with no occupants, the insides of wrist watches, stained wallpaper...

I resonate with the soulful nature of materials that have experienced their own sense of life. I see my role as having the sensitivity to re-define an items relationship to the world with articulated placement in my work. Often the pieces are an exercise in recycling as much as they are about creating an object of beauty.

What’s your favourite thing about what you do?

I enjoy the act of making something previously cast aside or disregarded a treasure.

Favourite colours/materials to work with?

Currently I'm into the process of sewing paper and love the patterns and emboss of rich and at times hideous nature of vintage wallpaper.

What can customers coming to the market expect to see at your stall?

A beautiful range of hand painted anatomical hearts on bottle-top badges, bracelets crafted from leather and antique measuring tapes, sewn & collage artist cards, hand bound & machine sewn books, limited edition etchings, the odd soft sculpture and HoNeY!

Your favourite item in your range?

My thaumatropes, these are a prehistoric form of animation and precursor to the flip book. Originally an 18th century children's parlour game they are a card with images on each side. There are strings you hold and twist to make the card spin. The images on either side of the card merge to form one picture. They are a sweet object.