Bondi Beach is the sunny backdrop to a myriad of art festivals and events throughout the year, which offer inspiration and enjoyment for everyone. The photo opportunities are bountiful, especially for the aspiring designer. Bondi is known for its fun, fit and healthy lifestyle which all begins as soon as you hit the sand, surf and sun.
It would be impossible not to love Sculptures by the Sea. The stunning 2km coastal walk from Bondi to Tamarama is transformed into a massive sculpture park every October, featuring hundreds of works from Australian and International sculptors. It is one of the world’s largest free events and a personal favourite. There is nothing more inspiring than gazing at original contemporary sculptures against a vast glistening blue ocean.
Over summer, Bondi plays host to Flickerfest, the International Short Film Festival. We have an open-air cinema, Bush Tucker and Indigenous History walks, the Whale Festival, the Yoga Festival, ocean races, surf competitions, and skate events. The local streets offer scores of hip cafes, wine bars, excellent restaurants, many with views of the beautiful beach and a generous handful of gorgeous boutiques.
In September we had the Festival of the Winds, a fabulous kite festival held on Bondi Beach, marking the beginning of spring. It is a colourful, family friendly day. The Brass Band trumpeted tunes from the steps of the pavilion, while everyone launched their kites into the sky. I loved the over-sized whale kites, they looked so peaceful and floated surreally above the beach all day overseeing the waters below.
From May to November, every year, you can see whales migrate to and from the Antarctic. About 3000 humpbacks and southern right whales head to the warmer waters to breed. It is not unusual for whales to swim quite close to the coast. Even mothers with their calves have been found resting for days right in Bondi Beach.
My all-time favourite gallery in Bondi is the Coo-ee Aboriginal Art Gallery, which specialises in Australian Aboriginal Fine Art. Director Adrian Newstead, has worked with Aboriginal artists since the eighties and sources historically important bark painting, artifacts and early desert boards as well as contemporary paintings and prints. The patterns seen in these traditional and modern works are truly breathtaking.
If you take a walk around the rocks at North Bondi, you will discover rock pools filled with tiny sea treasures, like sea anemones, starfish, sea snails, crabs, tiny fish and bright green seaweed. Stroll along the cliff walk at the south end to see honeycomb textured sandstone cliffs shaped by the wind, native flora and Aboriginal rock carvings. Plunge into the iconic Icebergs ocean pool for a cool saltwater refresher or brave the waves and wash the day away.
Bondi Beach is a great source of inspiration for all designers on the hunt for something new and exciting and finally don’t forget to catch the sunrise or sunset over the beach for sensational displays of colours.
A great arty café is Gertrude and Alice, which is located on Hall St. Here you will find the walls lined in second hand books and an eclectic collection of lounges and chairs. All the writers, musos and creative’s of the area flock to this café. Another café which has recently opened and has gone through the roof, is Lox Stock and Barrel, located on Glenayre St, and if it’s the best coffee you are wanting I would suggest The Shop, located on Curlewis St.
If it’s shopping you are after, then head down Gould St, which has a strip of excellent boutiques, such a Tuchuzy, Uniiq, and Jatali. Around the corner on Hall St is a fabulous homewares store named Abode which is filled with gorgeous designer goodies. One of my favourite stores is Nordic Fusion on Campbell Pde, which sells a beautiful range of Scandinavian homewares.
My design is called ‘Sleeping Humpbacks’ inspired by the Festival of the Winds whale kites on Bondi Beach.
Anne Waters is a surface pattern designer from Bondi Beach, Australia. She has a BA in visual arts, a diploma in set and costume design and most recently graduated from the Art and Business of Surface Pattern Design.
Waters has distilled her knowledge and skills in these disciplines, to create a fun, hand rendered body of work. She is inspired by the great outdoors and anything arty. Her designs are fresh and unique with a linear lace-like quality that aim to excite, delight and inspire. Connect with Anne here: Website/blog | Facebook
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