When Jill Walsh, Ricky Richards QLD Business Development Manager was asked by her customer if Ricky sold an Australian made canvas strong enough to hold the weight of people, she could not have been more excited to share with them that in fact Ricky had exactly what they were looking for.
“I received a call from Yanni van Zijl at Noosa Open Studios looking for an Australian made canvas to be used as the canvas sling in twenty-five deckchairs. The main requirement was that it had to be strong enough for people to sit on, although ultimately the main use of these chairs would be to become a piece of art to auction and raise funds for the art studio.” Jill says as she reflects on the start of this project.
As a sponsor of ‘Deck Chairs on the Green’ fundraising event, Noosa Shire Council had given a brief to Yanni that each piece that made up the deckchair had to be locally sourced. So Yanni was thrilled that Ricky Richards was able to supply DX12 an Australian made canvas for this public art installation.
All deckchairs have unique DX12 canvas slings painted by top Noosa shire artists, enabling each chair to double as a frame for original art, rather than a painting on an easel. An iconic and innovative way to celebrate the cultural aspects of Noosa. And adding to the local provenance, the chair frames are made from locally sourced blue gum timber in Cooran on the Sunshine Coast and cut, seasoned and hand made in the Noosa County by the local craftsmen of the Cooroora Woodworkers Club.
'Deckchairs on the Green' is on Saturday October 3 at Noosa Botanic Gardens Amphitheatre. The preview will run from 12.00pm - 2.30pm and the auction will start at 2.30pm when all twenty-five deckchairs will be auctioned. The proceeds will go towards supporting the staging of this year’s Noosa Open Studios Art Trail.
Jill and the team at Ricky Richards wish Noosa Open Studios all the best for the auction. “It never ceases to amaze us the different ways our customers can use our fabrics.” Jill reveals. “The deckchairs are beautiful, and I hope they do well with the fundraiser.”
If you would like to find out more about Australian made textiles that Ricky supplies, contact the team today on 02 9735 3333
