Profile : Krystyna Schweizer is a Hat Maker based in Irymple near Mildura in  rural  Australia.  web site.

Originally from Switzerland, Krystyna, born in 1950 spent much of her childhood in a tribal village in the Belgian Congo (Africa) and migrated to Australia in the early 1970s. Wisdom gained from her former occupations as nurse, social worker, and organic grower have strongly influenced her social enterprise approach to business. It also reflects her life long commitment to social justice and sustainability. The only person sweating in her workshop is herself!

Krystyna's Hat Studio
Krystyna makes a wide range of contemporary fashion hats/caps for women, children and men, practical headwear, casual and formal occasions, costume hats suitable for stage, film acts and hats for those suffering from hair loss.  Hats/caps are handcrafted from unique quality materials.

Krystyna gives fresh life to old fabric.
Materials chosen  for hats are extensive: old dressing gowns, jeans, ball gowns, images from old T-shirts, fur coats, neckties, bedspreads or curtains, junk jewellery, garments destined for the ragbag, into beautiful hats! She does not believe in wastage! 

Aims & Objectives 
Krystyna makes hats as tools for communication acting as a metaphor to stimulate discussion on social, political and
philosophical issues and the sheer fun of it. 
 

Artist Statement 

What I do is the antidote to traditional millinery. Some of it could be classified as grunge or kitsch with a humouring political twist to it. With some hats leaning towards Surrealism. Often misunderstood by the 'common' public!

My mission is to proof that hats can be socio/political art, an expression of oneself, radical and above all, beautiful for both sexes!

Hats can be tools for communication, acting as a metaphor, breaking down barriers amongst people, stimulate discussions and the sheer fun of it. 

Focusing on serious issues highlighting the irony of politics, traditions and superstitions.

The hat is the medium I use to express my perception of current affairs. Listening to issues about the war in Iraq, refugees, famine, disease in Africa, slaughter of human beings and animals whether intentional or due to ignorance, devastation of the forests, pollution of the waterways, the speedy erosion of our achievements for emancipation of women's, workers and human rights in western society, death of democracy and civil society has prompted me to create socio/political hat sculptures. Hats have been used as a powerful metaphor since ancient times!

Nevertheless there is always hope. If I am told that the world ends tomorrow, I will plant a tree today!

 I  create hats for the clowns, jesters, actors, painters, poets, writers, singers, call girls, cooks, directors, homekeepers, teachers, adults and children of both sexes and for those who simply want to look beautiful or handsome or make a statement.. As Mae West said: "I rather be looked at than overlooked"!!!!

Since 1992 I have created over ten thousand hats with my own hands near Mildura in the Outback of Victoria, Australia. No two are the same. It is my 80 hour/week occupation and my humble livelihood! I call myself a freelance hatter not a milliner! Passionate/Compulsive/Obsessive!

All my hats are creations of my imagination. I make whatever springs into my mind and put it out there for people to look at and buy.

 Currently I have two hats in gestation. One is named Condoms & Lemons relating to HIV and a possible simple solution used by women for centuries. The other one 'John Howard's Crown' depicting 'the emergence of the 51st State Of America named OZ'.

 Education

My background is in nursing, social work and organically certified agriculture. In the early 80's, I studied fine arts for a while and dropped out, because it was not lighting my fire. English is my forth language.
 

Exhibitions 

My usual venues since 1993 as a stall holder every year at:

Woodford Folk Festival

Port Fairy Folk Festival

Adelaide Fringe (2000 & 2006)

Womadelaide

National Folk Festival, Canberra

Victor Harbour Folk Festival (1990's)

Mindil Beach Sunset Market, Darwin (July 2005)
 

Winner of Mad Hatters Prize in 2003 Alice Springs Beanie Festival
 

RU - 486 ANTIDOTE - Krystyna Schweizer 2005
Portrays Bride & Groom with 17 babies falling out of the safety net.

Asylum Seekers  Krystyna Schweizer 2002
Tampa controversy - Children Overboard.

The Republican Crown - Krystyna Schweizer  1999
 Reconciliation and the possibility of Australia becoming a Republic.

Cannabis Grand Mal -Krystyna Schweizer 1995
Overuse of marijuana amongst teenagers in Mildura and a reminder of its tragic consequences that resulted in the murder of a young man.

Marilyn - Krystyna Schweizer 2000
To celebrate Marilyn Monroe's dramatic short lived existence who was a victim of political circumstance.