A Portrait of the Artist as a Self-Defined Woman: Caroline Williams

As we celebrate the 40th anniversary of one of feminism's greatest influences, The Female Eunuch by Germaine Greer, Australian artist Caroline Williams gives us portraits of some of Australia's most extraordinary women in the exhibition Beyond the Persona: Eminent Women of Victoria, currently showing at the Mornington Peninsula Regional Gallery.

When the Graceful Taylor caught up with Williams recently to chat about her work, she observed that, together, these twelve sublime portraits of women including Rhonda Galbally, Moira Kelly, Christine Nixon and Joy Murphy Wandin, are "evidence of the outcomes of feminism". Williams told the Graceful Taylor that when she planned the series she "looked for women who were self-defined, who hadn't relied on marital or parental privilege to make their way in the world. (They) all came from households that understood education as a first step."

Williams herself acknowledges that feminism has been a major influence in her life and career. Working across history painting and politics as well as portraiture, this erudite artist is "happy to be one of 'stinking dogs of the 9th category'", referring to a quote by Madame Mao about artists. Her next project will take her to France as she explores "frontlines, landforms, warfare and security and global warming".

Williams likens the process of portrait painting to counselling; "there is a need for both collaboration and cooperation...like therapy (the artist has) to be in charge but you can't control it".

This beautiful exhibition, also touring to the Latrobe and Benalla Regional Art Galleries, is an opportunity to look beyond the public persona of women we all think we know, to what lies at the heart of their achievements - the ability, at often a very young age, to define for themselves who they are and what they want to achieve in their lives. It's something the Graceful Taylor thinks Caroline Williams also demonstrates in spades!

This month we're loving....

Our favourite new café, Three Bags Full, which is part of the Denton Mills redevelopment, located on the corner of Nicholson and Mollison Streets, Abbotsford. The building was originally designed and built in the late 1880s, and housed Australia's first steam powered hat factory in an age when it was improper to go out without one!

Photograph above: Josie Withers

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Broadsheet is a fabulous new lifestyle blog providing daily updates on what's happening around Melbourne town, reporting on culture, festivals, food, shopping, news and design.

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Successful Austrian photographer Bela Borsodi created this fascinating series of letters for the WAD magazine.

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The Pattern Foundry , an archive of decorative patterns, open for anyone to purchase, license and use, created by designers and artists from around the world. The uses of these patterns are not prescribed; they can be applied anywhere and to anything.

T&G selected for the Victorian Government Marketing Services Panel (preferred supplied list)

T&G selected for the Victorian Government Marketing Services Panel (preferred supplier list)

After a highly competitive and rigorous process, Taylor & Grace has been selected for inclusion on the Victorian Government Marketing Services Panel, managed by the Department of Treasury and Finance.

Established by the Victorian Government in 2009, the panel is a list of approved marketing and communications suppliers able to be used by State Departments. Taylor & Grace's inclusion on the panel opens the agency up to a new range of exciting opportunities to work across the various arms of the State Government.

Social Media - a marketer's nightmare or a great opportunity to be a step ahead of your competitors?

You might have seen recently that Google has now integrated social media into their search results. So if I google a product name, not only will I find out where it's available, I'll also see what other people are saying about it on Facebook and Twitter, etc.

So far so good...as long as the social feedback is complimentary. But what if your scan of the social media landscape turns up negative comments about your brand? Rather than worry about something you can't control, this is an opportunity to get on the front foot and RESPOND to any negative comments with a well-executed social media strategy of your own.

Research shows that 50% of Australian shoppers investigate their purchases online before going in store to make their purchase. But when our digital marketing guru Teresa Camobreco recently tested five companies by putting customer complaints about them on her social networks, not one saw it as an opportunity to enter the social media world themselves and engage directly with her about her complaint.

It's likely that they haven't even taken the first step - regularly scanning sites like Twitter, You Tube and Facebook to monitor what their socially-connected customer base thinks. Yet 1 in 2 Aussies now use a social network and, on average, Australians are registered with 2.7 social networks - 0.2 higher than the global average (The Digital World, Digital Life Survey).

Brands that want to stay ahead of the game need to start engaging with social media, because those that do will have the first mover advantage over their competitors. Read Teresa's post to get the whole picture.

Image credit: "Draws" by the very talented Valerodoval

Online addiction #4 - Paper Magic

This time it's love! The Graceful Taylor has found her match: the most exquisite paper objects, to adore and to use, that you will ever see in the whole wide world. A joyous lesson in the possibilities of that most basic of materials, paper. A new Australian online concept store that will woo you with its grace and beauty and simplicity. Sigh.

www.uponafold.com.au

www.uponafold.com.au/blog