ROMM Issue 3
Scare
"Perhaps I scare people. I don't know why"
Max Von Sydow
Editor & Creative Director Zara Duffy Music Jacob Warren Contributors Amie Luczkowski Gibson Amanda Whitelaw Ella Mobbs Natasha Muhl Oddnuts Tim Molloy Willem Whitfield Photography Kale Munro
contents 5 buy 7 ella mobbs 9 fallow 10 skulls 13 tim molloy 17 oddnuts 19 amie luczkowski gibson 23 music 27 hungry designs 29 hikari shimoda 35 movies 39 natasha muhl
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Dear Readers: Are you scared yet?
Devil Horns
www.brave.storenvy.com
Ying Yan
www.graveslav
bu
Wall Flower - Doll Hand
www.etsy.com/shop/littlebubble
Octopus Ar
www.etsy.com/
ng Beanie
ve.bigcartel.com
Weaks Knees Art Print
www.etsy.com/shop/burntfeather
uy
rm Sculpture
/shop/ArtAkimbo
Eyeball Socks
www.graveslave.bigcartel.com
ella m Do you prefer shows or commissions? I really love markets/shows/events as I get to meet people, hear their feedback and see their responses to my work. In the next year I will be working more towards getting designs onto print on demand sites and cutting back on my handmade pieces to make more time for drawing and commissions, hurrah! Favourite thing to draw? Food! Particularly edible treats and things to do with overindulgence. What’s the average day in your life? I get up around 5:30am, spend an hour or so answering emails and queries. Depending on what time of semester is I’ll do university work from then until 5pm (there’s food breaks in the there somewhere). I knock off ‘work’, go for a walk, make dinner and watch Scrubs. I’m pretty boring really! I try to allocate a day per week to drawing making things (and trying to find a balance between the two). Favourite medium? I mostly work from a thumbnail sketch into Photoshop with a Wacom tablet, which is suppose is my favourite ‘tool’. Working on paper my preferred medium is fine liner pens with pencil and a splash of watercolour.
mobbs Any hidden talents we should know about? I’m leaning towards a research career path to pursue an interest in research-based design and designers for peer-to-peer education models. Do you dabble in non-digital mediums? In early 2011 I started selling handmade jewellery using my illustrations to contribute to my design portfolio. My jewellery pieces are a range of brooches, hair clips, necklaces and earrings that all have an underlying disturbance. I transfer my digital illustrations to plastic, cut them out and coat them with a gloss resin. Recently, I've been transferring my artworks to a range of home wares including vintage teacups, saucers and butter plates. These are very fun and exciting for me, it's great to see the pieces transform and I love the contrast between the fine china and my style. ellamobbs@tpg.com.au www.etsy.com/shop/ellamobbs www.society6.com/EllaMobbs www.facebook.com/ellamobbs.design instagram.com/ellamobbs
fallow homewares, men's clothing & accessories, women's clothing & accessories Behind the black door of Level 1 354 Brunswick St, Fortitude Valley hides the delectably dark Fallow. Boasting a carefully curated collection of Australian and international designers such as Acne, Deadly Ponies and Pamela Love, the dark side will dress you well. facebook | website
off with your head a catalogue of skull paraphernalia
Chocolate Skulls Gone Nuts www.etsy.com/shop/sparganum
Skull Ponytail Holder
www.etsy.com/shop/mrd74
Karen Walker Mini Skull Ring www.karenwalker.com/
Book of Skulls
www.urbanoutfitters.com/
Skull Stein Glass
www.urbanoutfitters.com/
For the Love of God - Damien Hirst The ultimate in skulls.
Skull Shisha Pipes
www.etsy.com/shop/UpInSmokeHookahs
Skull Teapot
www.etsy.com/shop/DirieDirieMe
Chalkboard Skull
www.etsy.com/shop/iamhome
Sugar Skull Lollipops
www.etsy.com/shop/VintageConfections
tim m Hi Tim, introduce yourself! Hi there! My name is Tim Molloy and I am an artist living and working in Melbourne, Australia with my wife and two VERY naughty cats. I mostly draw comics of the strange, otherworldly, comedic, disturbing, dreamlike and psychedelic variety. I also paint, sculpt, sing in a band called Plague Doctor and in my spare time I work in a lovely old art store. What was the first thing you drew (if you can remember)? A life sized photo realistic rendering of a squiggly crayon line. Your work has strong surrealist roots, are you inspired by anyone in particular? The list is almost endless, but I would say Dali set this all off. My mother had a Dali book when I was young and I believe it was one of the first things I pulled off her bookshelf. Moebius, Jim Woodring, Robert Crumb, Alejandro Jodorowsky, Francis Bacon, Max Ernst, and H.P. Lovecraft all deserve an honourable mention though... Any hidden talents we should know about? If i cough hard enough, BEES COME OUT OF MY EYES!!!
molloy Do you prefer dreams or nightmares? It›s hard to tell the difference sometimes. I rarely find myself being scared while dreaming, even when I am casting my gaze over cyclopean monuments, and terrifying vistas! Lucid dreaming is the best, and weirdest thing to do whilst in slumberland! Do you prefer personal work or commissions? Personal work, hands down. There is nothing I like better then journeying into my subconscious and bringing back strange stories to baffle and confuse the minds of the unwary. Where can we get our paws on your art? My collection of silent strips "It Shine And Shakes And Laughs" is available from the wonderful Milk Shadow Books. Also available at all good online bookstores. In March next year my long awaited "Mr Unpronounceable Adventures" collection will be coming out through the same publishers.
You can peruse my doodlings at several places online also. timmolloy.deviantart.com www.facebook.com/tim.molloy.art timmolloy.blogspot.com.au
Could you scribble ROMM something scary?
oddnuts
www.facebook.com/oddnutsapparel www.oddnutsapparel.bigcartel.com
What sparked Oddnuts’ creation? Well I’ve liked screen-printing ever since I learnt about it, so I decided I would buy my own set-up one day, and now I have. Then I really started making tees just for myself, but then a couple of friends asked me for some and then I guess it just went from there really. What/who are you inspired by? Eddie Zammit would have to be a massive inspiration for me; he is so passionate about t-shirts and is all about exposing new or old talent. That and he also seems like an all round good person. Some massive artist influences would have to be Beastman, Numskull and The Yok just to name a few. What’s your dream for Oddnuts? I have a lot of dreams like maybe opening up a store somewhere cool that people can just come and chill. Going overseas and giving it a shot in a whole new country would be sweet, like America or something. I also wouldn’t mind running a gallery of some sort to show off artists, I’ve always thought that would be pretty cool. Describe the ultimate Oddnuts wearer? Eddie Zammit or Johnny Depp either or would be fine. What’s up next for Oddnuts? I’m not really sure but in the near future I’ll probably do some canvas bags and stuff like that, just branching out into different apparel/accessories. I would also like to do some colabs with some other artists and put them onto shirts to get them out there. So if anyone is keen hit me up.
amie luczkowski gibson
Hi Amie, introduce yourself! My name is Amie Luczkowski Gibson and I am a fine art student from Melbourne.
Your art features a lot of eyes, do they hold a specific meaning for you? Nope, I just like eyes.
What was the first thing you drew? Probably a picture of my mum and my dad. I always used to draw them.
Any hidden talents we should know about? Art is the only thing that I am good at.
www.etsy.com/shop/aluczgib
Could you scribble ROMM something scary?
On your blog, we’ve seen you dabble in clay sculpture, which medium do you prefer? I love clay to bits it is the best, but I love drawing so much as well. But using the clay is turning my drawings 3D, so I kind of like them a bit more. I am turning them into some into pot plants (pot-heads),b ut they are far more time consuming. Favourite thing to draw? People, always people! People are so interesting.
skin and bones
music
by jacob warren
Skin and bones are a Brisbane based alternative rock band that kick ass. I first heard them at the Spring Hill Hotel in November and was highly intrigued at their sound. Being a massive fan of Tool they won me over immediately, not that they were copying or recreating the sound of Tool, but the processes each song has endured, the sheer commitment and the genuinely legitimate, powerful deliverance of each song in a live atmosphere. Skin and Bones play indepth (to say long would be a fallacy) songs that project ambiguous (in a wonderful way) epic emotions that will leave you in an adrenalin-induced state of alertness and excitement. Every instrument compliments each other and the vocals range from whispers and hums to rough, boner inducing, yells, like in the tracks Skeletons and Crazy Eye. I asked James (guitarist) some questions.
How would you describe your sound in 5 words? In five words I would say we are: powerfully aggressive, yet melodically beautiful. Do you plan on recording an EP or album anytime soon? We have plans for a second EP early next year. At the moment we’re aiming to be in the studio around April. We’ve been busy writing new material and already have more than enough songs for another EP (we played 2 of these new songs at Scorcherfest) yet we’re all perfectionists and want our next record to represent the best we have to offer. Other than that we have our debut EP “Patience” available on our bandcamp site: http://skinandbonesband.bandcamp.com/ What are your plans for 2013 as a band? 2013 will be a big year for us, we’ve just teamed up with a new marketing manager and are going to be recording a new EP and playing as many shows as possible. We’re also starting to look into an east coast tour for mid-2013, nothing official yet though. We feel that we’re finally starting to really refine our sound as a band after everything we’ve achieved in 2012 and now we want to start getting our name out there! Why should people come to your gigs? As passionate musicians we pour our heart and souls into our music and as great as modern day technology is, there is no comparison between a recording and a live performance. Our gigs give us the opportunity to really deliver the passion and raw emotion of each song we write. It is only at our shows that we can connect with our audience and show them what we’re made of. We’ve been playing together for almost 2 years now and we truly believe we have something to offer as a band. Also we love to meet new people and chat after the show!
skinandbonesband.bandcamp.com
hungry d What sparked your interest in creating wearable art? After attending art school in Scotland, I started Hungry Designs. It was stemmed from my love of crafting and my obsession with brooches (I have a hefty collection!). I wanted to illustrate something that wasn’t just put in a frame and admired at home, I wanted my illustrations to worn and for them to brighten up even the most conservative outfits. Hungry Designs really did just start as a fun hobby and the evolved into a small business – which really is insane when I think about it! As an artist, do you find this type of art more expressive? I definitely do find it more expressive than art that is for the home. I feel that art for the home is a more private thing, while wearing art is far more public and welcomes conversation. When you wear a piece of wearable art you are a walking gallery. Brooches are no different from a scarf, bag or shoes. They are accessories that brighten our daily outfits and are admired and talked about. One of the most wonderful things that I have heard about my brooches is that they can be worn in even the most conservative setting, bringing a little personality to hum-drum office attire.
What is your favourite type of accessory to create? I really do love brooches and am definitely more than a little obsessed. I am falling in love with creating a new necklace range though and this is definitely a lot of fun. The designs have to be very different so it can be a challenge to get my head out of “brooch mode” and think about designs that are much more elongated and would sit well on a chest or bust. Where do you find inspiration for your designs? I am massive comic book collector and have been for many years. It definitely has impacted the way that I create and draw and really has made me the creative person that I am today. I also love anything fairytale related and am also hugely inspired by anything Day of the Dead. I feel that mixing these things all together is what makes Hungry Designs a bit quirky and fun! There is definitely a piece of me that goes into every illustration and you can definitely tell when I am feeling inspired by a particular theme!
designs What’s your newest project for Hungry Designs? I have a few new products that I am currently working on...I am very excited to be collaborating with a fellow artist/designer who is also based in the Brisbane area (unfortunately I can’t give away much more than that!). I am excited to say that I am working on a new range of cushions for the Supanova Popular Culture Event on the Gold Coast in April. I am also working on a new collection of prints and postcards that are Blythe Girl inspired!
etsy.com/shop/HungryDesigns blog.hungrydesigns.com facebook.com/HungryDesigns
“この星の子ども2”
Children of this planet 2 2012
hikari shimoda hikarishimoda.com
この星の子ども3” Children of this planet 3
2012
この星の子ども5” Children of this planet 5
2012
この星の子ども6” Children of this planet 6
2012
この星の子ども7” Children of this planet 7
2012
この星の子ども8” Children of this planet 8
2012
mov
by willem
From the best to the worst, these 6 scary movies w as long as you live. It’s a pity that it’s not The Shining
If you’re going to see one horror movie in your life, make it “The Shining”. Directed by (actual deity of cinema), Stanley Kubrick, this film has more layers than most ogres. Not to mention the straight up nightmare fuel that oozes off of the celluloid. It is the story of when boring novelist, Jack Torrance, takes a job as the winter caretaker of the overlook hotel and decides to bring his wife and son along with him. As the ice traps him and his family inside the ominous hotel, mysterious things begin to occur. It could be that everyone is catching a serious case of cabin fever, it could be that Jack’s son is psychic, or it could be that the hotel is built on an ancient indian burial ground. In the end, it won’t matter what you think is causing this abject horror to unfold. The only thing you can do is make sure you watch it in the middle of the day with all the lights on (and a couch to hide behind).
The Thing
John Carpenter’s “The Thing” is far scarier than it should have been. Originally planned as a remake of a classic 1950’s sci-fi flick, “The Thing” ended up as the horror equivalent of extra spicy peri-peri sauce. It begins with an isolated arctic base is thrown into panic when a Norwegian man appears out of nowhere, trying to shoot a dog. The ‘clever’ Americans kill him and decide to adopt the dog (which is quite possibly the worst way they could have handled that situation). As it develops, the dog was host to a mighty morphin’ alien from space that wants to devour and hide inside every sentient being on earth. Throughout the film no one is sure who is still human and who is a “Thing”, and neither are you. This is one of those films that just stays with you. If you’re incredibly brave and manage to get past the terror, you’re left with one of the scariest and brain wrinkling endings in cinema history.
vies
m whitfield
will leave chills running up and down your spine for always because they make you scream... The Evil Dead
The Evil Dead trilogy has to be seen to be believed. It is the story of Ashley J. Williams, S-Mart employee and undercover badass. When he goes on holidays to a small cabin in the woods with his sister, girlfriend and his best brobraham, they decide it’s a great idea to read a book that is bound in human flesh and inked in blood. It isn’t surprising how quickly demons manage to possess the corpses of everyone closest to him. Then there is a bloodbath which lasts for three films, and gave rise to the subgenre “Splatter film”. The franchise finally ending with Ash in the middle ages trying to explain to King Arthur why his hand is a chainsaw, and what a chainsaw is.The first film is too low budget to scare your pants off. The second one is too ridiculous. The third one is... well... set in the middle ages. Despite all of this,The Evil Dead trilogy is like fine wine, a horror series that will ferment in your mind and remain one of the scariest franchises you’ll ever remember.
Eraserhead
Not many people have seen “Eraserhead” because not many people can understand it. It’s enough to make you question not only the sanity of everyone who made it, but your own sanity for watching. The plot is indescribable, but I tell you that the night you watch it you will feel violated. If your eyeballs were an orifice, this film pounds them until they’re raw and then goes deeper. It is actually a surrealist classic of the 70’s with about a million academic papers written trying to make sense of the madness within. If you do like it, you will love it forever. But if you don’t like it, you will stay up late at night wondering how someone in the same species as you ever dreamt this. “Eraserhead” does not take place in our world. “Eraserhead” was not meant for our world.
Dracula AD 1972
Where would a list of horror movies be without Dracula? “Dracula AD 1972” is quite possibly the best version ever filmed. Starring Christopher Lee as the infamous count, the film was made towards the end of an immensely popular series of Dracula films. This is the one in which you can see the series jump the shark.The story follows a group of hip 70’s teenagers who get too involved in black magic. Somehow, they raise Dracula from the undead and are then hunted down by the vampire for no reason at all. Fortunately, the lead female’s grandpa is a vampire slayer by trade. For all the absolute ridiculousness of it, “Dracula AD 1972” still manages to be a great film. I’m not sure if it’s because you’re distracted by the funky music and 70’s setting, or because the actors take it seriously enough to draw you into the narrative. It’s pretty lightweight for a horror movie, but it’s definitely one worth seeing. You will never feel so attached to and scared for a group of stoned teenagers who raise a vampire from the dead.
Frankenhooker
As the title suggests, you shouldn’t go into this film with a straight face. “Frankenhooker” is one of those few films that leaves you feeling really impressed that someone actually managed to make it. It follows the life of Jeffery Franken, who’s fat girlfriend is mulched by a lawnmower. Driven by his love and his penis, he decides to build her a new “perfect” body from the corpses of about 50 hookers who die in the most inexplicable and incomprehensible circumstances ever depicted on film. Yet, even after Jeffery succeeds in making himself a super sexy girlfriend, he still has to deal with the pimp he bought the parts from and his girlfriend’s newfound “programming”.I am proud to own “Frankenhooker”, it is evidence to me that anything is possible. For more laughs than scares, and yet more confused tears than both laughs and scares combined, “Frankenhooker” is the only film everyone deserves to own.
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natash
Hi Natasha, introduce yourself! I’m an illustrator currently living and working out of Perth, Western Australia. I spend my professional time as a designer but am always on the look out for inspiring traditional projects in my personal time. My favoured traditional mediums would be pens, pencils and inks though I’m fond of experimenting with new tools when I feel the need. Anything with a tactile element. I grew up in the Kimberleys, the top end of Western Australia. Inspired by nature, animals and the quiet isolation of this part of the country, I often find a piece of this time reflected in my personal work. I like to re-use motifs and imagery. Beasts and nature, female sovereigns, birds, gems and meat often show up in my work; wasted and deformed, bleeding or sometimes reduced to bones. Ongoing Artist Collaboration | Nat vs. Nat | Natasha Muhl and Natalie Blom 2012 |
A sampling of a series of illustrations currently being completed for a collaboration with photogra Any hidden talents we should know about? seen at the Fremantle Festival this year and Volume 2 was shown at this year’s Beaufort Street F
I hit the curb every time I park my car. EVERY. TIME. I also like to bake, preferably unusual foreign treats. Whether I’d say I’m talented at it, I’m not so sure.
Favourite medium? I’m a mixed media kind of lady and I’ll try anything that gets my hands dirty. I’m currently favouring the softest of soft pencils but I could never forget plain old felt tip pens. If it behaves in a slightly unpredictable manner, that’s even better.
ha muhl
What do you enjoy drawing most? I do tend to repeat some imagery in my artwork, so I would say I always enjoy drawing those things. I definitely love to draw all manner of animals. However, when I draw I’d say it’s more about capturing that perfect line above all else. I scrap a lot of work because the hunt is a difficult one.
Do you remember the first thing you drew? I’ve been drawing for so long, it’s difficult to remember a time that was any different – so pinning any specific thing couldn’t be possible! However, the first time I ever rode a horse as a child I remember loving them so much I started drawing them everywhere. I know that’s how I discovered I really to draw. apherloved Natalie Blom. Volume 1 of Nat vs. Nat has been
Festival. Hopefully more to come soon!
Do you prefer commissions or creating personal work? Personal work or commissions – that’s a tough one! I like both. Personal work is always a great place for you as an artist, no rules – it’s wonderful. Commissions are a lot like collaborating, which I also love. When you work on a commission, you have an extra set of thoughts that wouldn’t normally be there. You almost always end up with something unexpected.
www.natashamuhl.com www.56dollarsforbeancake.etsy.com