Passion for Design, Passion for Jewellery, Passion for Craftsmanship, Stefano Canturi.

"Without passion there is no masterpiece".

When I first met Stefano Canturi we were both standing around in the Pitt Street paddock, Sydney's FashionCBD sipping our complimentary Taittinger Champagne at the launch of VFNO 2011. He and I were waiting for the opening speeches, and while I can't recall exactly how we struck up our first conversation;  I think we quite quickly started talking about quality, creativity and craftsmanship and; hit it off immediately, and I was duly invited me over to CANTURI in Castlereagh Street for gelato and to see Stefano's fine jewellery and designs.

And here we were again, 2014, not for VFNO this time; no I am at CANTURI 80 Castlereagh Street for morning tea and the launch of the all new ETERNAL fine jewellery range. But before we can see ETERNAL, there is a surprise for all of us, the new Canturi High Jewel, a mesmerizing necklace, inspired by the ancient Greek Goddess of the Rainbow, "Iris" by Stefano Canturi, 18ct white gold, diamonds, tanzanite, garnet, rubellite; a flagship piece four years in it's creation. Concept, design, the hunting and collecting, the matching of the jewels to create such a piece. Stefano is all over it! The way each piece of the necklace looks and moves has been engineered by him, its a living piece and I love how this piece is full of the colours of life.

Stefano Canturi - "Without passion there is no masterpiece."

You know Stefano is not only an artist but also an engineer at heart when, as artists and engineers do he talks more (to me) about the safety clasp he created that integrates into the design.. he knows the bracelet is beautiful, how could it be otherwise. But Stefano also knows, and no one seems to know this.. he has created a great safety catch too so you NEVER loose your CANTURI bracelet, well not while you are wearing it! Now that is all about heart, heart for his creation, heart for you and heart for your ETERNAL bracelet, that special personal item. My mum loves this kind of attention to detail and I. do. too. thank you very much; unseen, great design, just the beauty of the piece, quietly on show.

The CANTURI High Jewel from 2011 being worn by one very fortunate DJ! Sold the very next day.

I love visiting CANTURI and seeing the beautiful fine jewellery designs and I love having been fortunate enough to have spent extended time speaking personally with Stefano who clearly does not simply say, he loves coming to work every day, he lives through his designs and the craftsmanship of himself and his team.

"Without passion there is no masterpiece". This is what Stefano says and I do believe its true.

http://www.canturi.com/collections/eternal/

If you would like Kent to attend your launch please do not hesitate to contact him.

Kent Johnson, Sydney, Australia.

0433 796 863

kent@artcommunication.com.au

www.kentjohnsonphotography.com.au

www.fashionphotographysydney.blogspot.com/

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Garry Shead at Australian Galleries Sydney - The Antipodean Divine Comedy.

Last night I was one among many attending The Antipodean Divine Comedy, Garry Shead's latest exhibition of figurative oil paintings. One can usually expect a good crowd at Australian Galleries but I knew it would be a crush as I strolled up to 15 Roylston Street and saw the refreshments table out front, outside! Inside, while not exactly a crush were quite a lot of people there to see the paintings and artist Garry Shead as well. The opening night speech by Sasha Grishin AM, FAHA provided a fabulously succinct background to Dante's Divine Comedy, Shead's works relationship to that great literary masterpiece and a quick art history lesson on those who have come before, creating masterful art and drawing on inspiration from the same source. Sasha Grishin also told of dining with John Olsen who had stated to him (I quote from my imperfect memory) "Garry Shead carries Australian figurative painting on his shoulders."

This is a beautiful show, do head over to Paddington to see it. I loved what I felt was a whimsical magic to the paintings, truly romantic works easily holding their own with other great works drawn from Dante's inspirational poem of love.

Garry Shead at the opening of  The Antipodean Divine Comedy; Australian Galleries Sydney.

Garry Shead, Stuart Purves, Sasha Grishin.

Lilla Shead, Garry Shead, Rose Gissing, Stuart Purves and Sasha Grishin

www.australiangalleries.com.au/
15 Roylston Street
Paddington NSW 2021

Kent Johnson

0433 796 863

kent@artcommunication.com.au

www.kentjohnsonphotography.com.au

www.fashionphotographysydney.blogspot.com/

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VFNO Sydney at Ole Lynggaard Copenhagen 2014.

Vogue Fashion's Night Out, yes Street Fashion Sydney has covered a few VFNO's now. This year being a bit bogged down in a backlog of photography work I decided to take it a bit easier for 2014. I did however have a +1 to take Vivienne along to Ole Lynggaard Copenhagen, Danish jewellers with a Royal Warrant to the Royal Danish Court. What can I say, the jewellery is fabulous, beautiful hand made pieces. I loved them and Vivienne really loved them which had me wondering a little how financial I would be by the end of the night.. The staff were wonderful and I took the opportunity to grab a group portrait of the team - why don't more people do that?

And you know I loved Ole Lynggaard and their work, the workmanship, the Art and the Craft; because I am breaking my rules for only the second time, posting some of the Ole Lynggaard marketing pictures below, because they are also beautiful! I think it is a rare case of where the care taken with the marketing material truly reflects the qualities of the care and creativity of the product itself; rare indeed! Read an abstract of my thoughts on that here.

Scroll down for my humble pictures supplemented by www.olelynggaardcopenhagen.com/

The Australian Team at Ole Lynggaard Copenhagen, VFNO 2014.

Helena Christensen Photographed by Marc Hom for Ole Lynggaard Copenhagen.

www.olelynggaard.com/
www.viviennejacinta.wordpress.com/
http://streetfashionsydney.blogspot.com.au/search/label/VFNO


Little known facts,
I once had two Danish exchange Students studying at UNSW sharing house with me.
I grew up in Brisbane with Danish next door neighbours!

Kent Johnson

0433 796 863

kent@artcommunication.com.au

www.kentjohnsonphotography.com.au

www.fashionphotographysydney.blogspot.com/

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Double Denim, Chambray you'll understand?

At Street Fashion Sydney it is all about personal style. This is personal style in spades; confidently coordinated colours and patterns. We started talking at Art Wear on Queen, then I  grabbed this picture, admittedly not the best possible setting on Queen Street Woollahra, but this was an outfit I did not want to miss. And as I said in the title, double denim? Someday you will understand, Chambray all the way!

Kent Johnson

0433 796 863

kent@artcommunication.com.au

www.kentjohnsonphotography.com.au

www.fashionphotographysydney.blogspot.com/

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So this just happened - Hearts to the blouse.

So this just happened when I asked if could grab this shot for Street Fashion Sydney! It's OK though she was with them. They are her friends but why no-one thought of snapping this interesting outfit until I thought of it.. well I guess that's why I am here doing what I do; you have to have the eyes to see with.  Blue/Grey suede thick crepe soled shoes, leather mini skirt with slim black belt, love the Heart motif blouse and simple navy cardigan and leggings of course. A great look for looking at art at Stanley Street Gallery East Sydney.

Kent Johnson

0433 796 863

kent@artcommunication.com.au

www.kentjohnsonphotography.com.au

www.fashionphotographysydney.blogspot.com/

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Grand Days, Retro, Lime Green, Books and Records too, Kings Cross & Woolloomooloo.

Yesterday I took advantage of only our second sunny day of spring so far to walk into the Royal Botanic Gardens to photograph flowers and other spring time flora which you can see here.. And on the way back to Darlinghurst after my mornings photography excursion I found myself walking up William Street on the Kings Cross side, right past 'that little bookshop I have never been in' 'with that woman in that great lime green dress'! Yes I stopped talking to myself and daydreaming, turned around and went into the Grand Days book store for the very first time and asked the lovely Tamara (as I found out) if she would let me take her picture for Street Fashion Sydney. Well the rest as they say.. So I met Tamara, grabbed a great shot, and took a look in the store, which as it turns out is much bigger on the inside than it appears on the outside; and also sells LP records - those round flat thin black things with grooves - books of all kinds of course and collectables too.

Spring! Arranging the Gladioli, Dame Edna's Favourite Flowers - See album in the window above.

Turn around, go back, you have come too far!.

If like me you are trying very hard not to spend money on books, you will know what a fantasticly tempting place a shop like Grand Days is and that it is super dangerous to visit! Well to hell with the danger I'm going back, it's too good a bookshop to pass by. If you are in the Cross, drop in and say hello to Tamara and Tom you won't be sorry you did.

Grand Days
Shop 1 220 William St
Woolloomooloo.

Kent Johnson

0433 796 863

kent@artcommunication.com.au

www.kentjohnsonphotography.com.au

www.fashionphotographysydney.blogspot.com/

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