Cataloguing Forgotten Beauty
The Australian Museum of Design is the custodian of more than 10,500 original hand drawn designs by Australian artists, and our inspiration is to share them with new generations of designers, artists and art lovers across the world.
The design library is a treasure trove of carefully protected artworks for more than 30 years. From time to time, a selection of designs were accessed and used to handprint wallpaper and fabrics. The original Florence Broadhurst designs were formally part of this design library until early circa 2000.
Today, Sydney business woman, Margaux Everett developed a way to not only preserve the historic designs forever but has designed a pathway to release them to the world through commercial licensing, exhibitions and product sales.
More than 50 years ago, the art of design was created by hand, individually drawn on layers of film positive to build up to the final creative piece.
The technical experience of the artist to visualise the end design and separate it in their mind into layers that all matched perfectly when it came together, as well as each side matching up to produce a perfect reproduction.
It was a skill that seemed would all but be lost, if not for the desire to save and protect Australian Design History from the mid 1800’s to the 1980’s.
Our project in preserving and protecting the fragile designs will be to meticulously scan them, and the beautiful flaws only achieved through hand drawing. The process of digitising the original hand drawn designs and ultimately making them available digitally to the world will take more than 24months.
The designs are so intricate, many have up to 7 different layers that each need to be scanned separately to preserve the entire design. Once digitised we hope the works will be housed via an architecturally designed virtual reality museum where visitors can touch a design and see it come to life. Fashion houses, textile companies, designers, stylists, Governments and the general public will eventually be able to access each of the 10,500 designs for commercial use.
Our library includes the collections of Australian artists such as Carla Zampatti, Collette Dinnigan, Kate Ceberano, Chris Miles, Margaret Clark, David K Miles, and Bruce Clarke, all of whom took inspiration from the surrounding Australian nature around them.
CEO & Founder, Margaux Everett explained “The designs can be used to create retro or contemporary interpretations across diverse mediums such as fabrics, hand bags, stationery, clothing, curtains, and jewellery. The potential applications are endless. Designers will think of new applications that have never existed before. Imagine seeing the designs on a massive scale as a façade on a building or on hoardings at a construction site.”
“Design History is considered very important in most developed countries throughout the world. Australia has a growing appreciation of the importance of design. That is why Australian Museum of Design needed to be created.”
Margaux Everett recognises the enormous task ahead in protecting design history for future generations “This is the first time ever someone has attempted to document, and record safely, the movement and changes of design. The Australian Museum of Design is a safe place for artists to house their designs, and if desired, license them in our marketplace.”
Largest body of Australian designs
Unseen by the public for more than 50 years