101 Words With Red Parka

101 WORDS WITH RED PARKA

At Handmade, you can see beautiful design, exquisite craftsmanship and Australian produce, but did you know you can also do some celeb spotting? Welcome back to the market Jennifer Cossins, also known as Red Parka. Known for her animal art, beautiful illustrations and page-turning books, she was recently noticed by Anne Hathaway and her book, 101 Collective Nouns, was talked about on the Ellen Show! Riding the wave of this new celebrity status, the book is selling out fast, but we’re reliably informed that there might be a couple of boxes put to one side for Red Parka’s stall at the Handmade Market.

Jennifer’s art is all about animals and it’s her hope that by sharing her books and artwork with the world, she can encourage a fascination with animals and nature that will both enchant and inspire kids. Says Jennifer, “animals are so strange and beautiful! There is no need to make anything up – the true facts are amazing!” Red Parka is built around this artwork but is growing into so much more. It’s been 10 years since she started the business, with just Jennifer in a corner of her bedroom, “and now we have our own shop in Hobart, we wholesale to stores all around Australia and I employ a small team of 8 people!” As wildlife lovers, Red Parka are using the business as a platform for change and in small but meaningful ways, try to contribute to good causes as much as they can.

 

Jen will be on hand with all of her beautiful products at the Handmade Market on 28 & 29 July, and will be signing her books for customers, so this is your chance to pick up an exclusive copy. Hailing from Tasmania, with a beautiful shop in Hobart, Jennifer still loves coming to Handmade. “I love the creative community of Handmade Canberra. We have a very vibrant and active creative community here in Tassie but I just loving coming to events like Handmade and meeting and sharing other stall holders from all around Australia. I also have lots of great customers in the Canberra region so it’s always good to be able to connect with them in person at such a great event!” She’s looking forward to her Canberra trip. “I come from a small town so I like that Canberra feels small yet also has a lot going on. It’s a bit like Hobart in that way. I have never visited in July before, so looking forward to experiencing Canberra in the depths of winter. I always make a point of visiting the National Gallery whenever I come to Canberra too – it always gives me a good dose of inspiration!”

As a special treat for 5 lucky winners, Jennifer has joined with Handmade to give away 5 copies of her signed book, 101 Collective Nouns. Head over to our Facebook page to enter the draw, and if you’re a winner, you can pick up your copy from the reception desk at the market.

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