Crafety idea: Creative sisters set up shop in old Forest Glen church
Kerry O’Connell and Michelle Hearden saw a need for an outlet for other creatives like themselves.
TWO creative Nambour-based sisters have opened the doors of a store showcasing the work of artists and artisans.
Michelle Hearden and Kerry O’Connell have long-threatened to go into business together and now they have finally done it.
The Sunshine Artisan Collective store in the old Methodist church building on Mons Road, Forest Glen, opened Friday, 3 November.
The sisters’ business plans came together after Michelle and her husband moved to the Sunshine Coast from Western Australia to help Kerry with their elderly mother, who is now in full-time care.
Michelle Hearden and Kerry O’Connell saw a need for an outlet for other creatives like themselves.
“My sister and I have always talked about how, if we were ever on the same side of the country, we would do a little business,” Kerry said.
“My sister had moved over and we were having a day out and we happened to be going to Forest Glen.
“I said, ‘I’ll show you a church that would be perfect for a business and we drove past and it had a ‘for lease’ sign out the front.”
The sisters swung into action.
Kerry, a sewer, and Michelle, a painter like their mother, could see a need for an outlet for other creatives like themselves.
The shop stocks a variety of work from about 25 artists and artisans, mostly from the Sunshine Coast but also from Gympie and including a contact or two from WA.
“There are so many talented people here on the Sunshine Coast. We’ve got an absolutely mind-blowing amount of talent here,” Kerry said.
Customers will find home-made jam, paintings, pottery, macrame, jewellery, handmade toys, eco-dyed silk scarves and more.
Fittingly, a painting by Michelle and Kerry’s mother, Joyce Bickle, once a prolific artist, was one of the first items sold.
Kerry said they were not a gallery and aimed to keep prices affordable, with items for sale from $5 through to $1000 and everything in between.
A designated workshop area will be set up for artists and artisans to host workshops.