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Autumn Issue 26 * 2017
The hillscene is created in partnership with Burrinja
custom framing & Fine art printing Museum Quality Archival Materials High Resolution Digital Reproduction
shaun c. duncan / 12 MAR / 9 APR / 14 MAY / 11 JUNE / 9 JULY 2017 1312 FEB AUG / 10 SEP / 8 OCT / 12 NOV / 10 DEC
belgrave www.shauncduncan.com mail@shauncduncan.com
COLOUR YOUR IMAGINATION WITH AUTUMN @ BURRINJA 1
Dandenong Ranges Open Studios Weekend 29 & 30 April, 10am - 5pm
34 art studios open their doors to you, for one very special weekend. Plus Duality Group Exhibition, Burrinja Gallery 1 April - 14 May
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Slapdash Galaxy, by Bunk Puppets Thur 13 Apr, 11am
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Forget everything you think you know about puppets -set your imagination to warp speed and enter this crazy shadow puppet universe, made from bits of rubbish.
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Bakersfield Mist
With Julie Nihill and John Wood Sat 10 Jun, 8pm One of the world’s great art scandals. Is it true the value of art is in the eye of the beholder?
belong...
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Burrinja | Cnr Glenfern Rd & Matson Drive, Upwey | ph: (03) 9754 8723 | w: burrinja.org.au
editor’s rave that has been with her since her childhood and Rachel Carter’s founding an artist’s market in Emerald like the one’s she’d seen while travelling in Europe in her twenties. Good things take time, as the saying goes. Autumn has also started quite slowly with a late Summer still lingering but it won’t be long till the leaves begin to turn and show their beautiful golden colours. There’s still a bit of Autumn left to enjoy and plenty of time to do it. The Autumn issue is running a bit late. Actually a lot late, it’s a month overdue! Better late than never. I guess I was in holiday mode for a bit too long and everything just got further and further behind. I have had a chance to get away to Tasmania this Summer and for the first time in a long time, feel like I’ve had a real break. Throw in a camping weekend, a few birthdays, school and hectic work commitments and the months just fly by. Some things move fast, others happen slowly over time. For example take the succulent roundabout in Belgrave which popped up unexpectedly and has grown a little bit at a time. It’s another example of hills people utilising even the smallest opportunity to make our hills a more unique and creative place. A few people have criticised it saying, it’s just a couple of sticks or that there’s not much there. But perhaps they don’t understand that a garden takes time to grow and develop as all good ideas do. The hillscene is no exception. This issue has taken a bit of time to develop but it’s better than rushing and doing a half-arsed job. Plenty of our other stories have taken time as well. Like Lia Hill’s book crying place which she has been thinking about for many years, or Yvonne de Lacy’s visit to the grave of Frank Roberts of the Sunnysiders in Kallista, a story
Editor/Designer Adriana Alvarez Cover Belinda Schroeder Editorial Committee Adriana Alvarez, Ross Farnell, Amy Middleton, Gareth Hart, Anna James, Justine Walsh and Jen Angel. Contributors Belinda Schroeder, Gareth Hart, Yvonne De Lacy, Valerie Mayer, Gwen De Lacy, Omi Milentijevic, Hayley Wilson, Mardi Terrasson, Merrin Hamilton, Lizette Bell, Sarah Collins, Britt Westaway, Cathy Ronalds, Justine Walsh, Jen Angel, Tiffany Morris North, Jaccob McKay, Raquel Carter, Naomi Creek, Michael Hyett and Adriana Alvarez facebook: The Hillscene www.hillscene.com.au blog: hillsceneblog.wordpress.com/ For submission and advertising enquiries email: hillscene@westnet.com.au Printed by Ferntree Print on Envirocare 100gsm recycled paper. © Copyright 2016
The hillscene is created in partnership with Burrinja Proudly sponsored by
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Photos by Gareth Hart
WOW! Great Cover Words by Gareth Hart and Belinda Schroder
Belinda ‘Bindi’ Schroder is an emerging artist from the Dandenong Ranges, just graduated from her VCE studies at Mountain District Christian School. Her work was recently on display in the VCE Creative Showcase exhibition at Burrinja Cultural Centre.
Can you tell me about your artwork?
I have always been drawn to, and fascinated by, the complexity of humans and their thoughts. I created my artworks as a way of reflecting the intricacy and nature of one’s own mind. Using the simple mediums of fineliner and thick paper, combined with my detailed technique, I created the patterns in the pieces to represent the nature of an ‘inner world’. That is, an ever changing, moving and growing mass of thoughts, both conscious and subconscious. I have spent many quiet car/bus drives, sleepless nights and lazy days thinking and brainstorming about the internal realm.
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I personally take immense comfort in the security of my own mind; my thoughts are my own and I can retreat to them to regain peace by being alone. This concept is what inspired one of the pieces, which depicts the complex thought pattern as a circle encompassing two faces. The faces represent the effects that reality, and also your own mind, can have on you – it can scare and worry you, or inspire curiosity and invite you in. The second major piece was inspired by the act of revealing and concealing one’s thoughts and depths to the exterior world. The composition of this piece links to my wonderings about the subconscious and its role in the make-up of who we are.
Which artists do you find the most intriguing?
I confess to being a Van Gogh enthusiast; his delicate and free technique has always been one that inspires and intrigues me. I appreciate Vincent’s story itself, and I connect to the way that his internal turmoil was expressed by the beauty he created. I have also recently discovered an Italian artist named Agnes-Cecile. I was drawn to her style because of the power she creates in her works with such a delicate and careful technique. Have you always been an artist?
In a sense, I believe I have; I have always found it both relieving and therapeutic to pick up a pen, pencil or paint brush and demonstrate the on-goings of my mind and life through art or writing. I won’t say that I have always been good at art, but I have always found it as an escape and a way to express myself, and I think that is what makes up a major part of what art really is. What is the best piece of advice you have ever received as an artist?
To just keep swimming, no matter how terrible you feel, what anyone has said, how ridiculous that drawing looks – keep going. No masterpiece has ever been created on the first go, so just keep going. It may be cliché, but if you stop, if you are stagnant, things can only get worse. So the advice that has been given to me is to just keep chugging away – forward is forward, no matter the pace. What does it mean to have your work shown in a professional gallery setting like Burrinja?
It’s nerve racking, actually. I almost wanted either to not have it exhibited at all, or have my name not attached to it, because I was scared of what people would say and ask me. But I’m glad that I have made no such request or action, because I realised that it’s not about me. My work being in the gallery is for people to look at, and to be inspired by it. So it’s very special to me that I can have the privilege to have created a piece that someone else can enjoy, and perhaps learn something from it. What are your plans for 2017?
The plan this year is to begin a Bachelor of Arts at university, studying English and Literature, and keep creating art on the side. To travel and broaden my horizons, grow as a person, meet new people and, most importantly, to keep an open mind in all situations. Any words of wisdom for young artists about to start Year 12?
Don’t let art become a stress. If you are not enjoying something or are not passionate about it, it will only drag you down. Studying art in a stressful environment like Year 12 provides a rare opportunity for you – it enables you to have a subject that you can use as therapy. Yes, there is written work, and you may want to burn your folio from rage – but don’t. Just keep going, and push through the hard things to enjoy the good. See more of Belinda’s work on Instagram @bindischroder_art
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Kallista to Villers-Bretonneux Words by Yvonne De Lacy. Edited by Valerie Mayer and Gwen De Lacy
Cast your mind back to Winter 2012 and you might remember a great little article about the Sunnysiders, a fascinating group of writers, artists and intellectuals who congregated at a Kallista property called ‘Sunnyside’ from 1910 -1930. In this issue, Yvonne DeLacy returns to recount her connection with the Sunnysiders story, following it all the way to France.
‘The Sunnysiders’ of South Sassafras, as Kallista was then called, has a mythic presence in my life that won’t go away. No doubt it was put there by my father in the 50s, when he would point to the remnants of an obsolete omnibus on the embankment above Sassafras Creek Road.
‘That’s where C.J. Dennis finished ‘The Sentimental Bloke’, thanks to the Sunnysiders.’ Roberta Roberts purchased the 10-acre block; her husband John Garibaldi organised the transport of
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the tramcars to accommodate the guests. Their eldest son Frank lived in a wooden shack on the property and farmed berries.
On my recent trip to France, the story again surfaced – this time on the battlefields of World War One, in Picardie. This was where Frank Roberts was killed in the battle to take Mont Saint-Quentin from the Germans in 1918. With my iPad in hand, I showed our ‘Battlefields’ tourguide the photo of Frank’s bunker grave site copied from his father’s scrapbooks in the State Library of Victoria. After a short walk up a country lane that looked like Sherbrooke, we were at Mont Saint-Quentin, looking through a wire fence where a forest now obscures the remnants of the German position.
‘Their heavy artillery endlessly pounded down on the Australians progressing up the other side of the hill. There were no trenches and very little cover’, the guide told us.
He then insisted that the clump of trees 100 metres down the hill, on what was now ploughed farmland, was the place where Frank and his mates died. And yes! He would take us to the little cemetery nearby, where they were buried side by side.
There was a photo of Web Gilbert’s sculpture, as well as a small bronze replica that may have been the one I’d seen in the scrapbooks.
“NOT LONELY WITH THE BOYS I’M ONE OF THE AUSSIE FAMILY HERE”
In the face of so much destruction that was the First World War, I thought of the tiny artistic community of Kallista, whose creative influence had reached so far in 1918. Was this our very own Camelot?
The cemetery was small, by ‘Battlefields’ standards, and peacefully part of the rebuilt village of Peronne. Frank’s gravestone had no cross, just an inscription taken from a letter Frank wrote to his father that year.
Hardly believing I’d read these same words in the John Garibaldi scrapbooks, I turned my attention to the Australian memorial that we were approaching, nestled between the neat Peronne houses. The original sculpture set on the large pedestal was created by Web Gilbert (Sunnysider) in 1925, and depicted an Australian (Frank) about to bayonet a German soldier portrayed as an eagle. There was now the sanitised version of an upright sombre soldier, which had been installed after Hitler insisted the first sculpture be demolished during the Second World War.
C.J. Dennis’ book ‘Ginger Mick’ was there, but no sign of ‘The Sentimental Bloke’. A wooden sign on the wall said in French, N’oulblions Jamais L’Australie (never forget Australia); above it the Victorian coat of arms with the motto Peace and Prosperity. I left reluctantly, knowing there were more precious links with Melbourne, if not Kallista.
We then proceeded to the small village of Villers Bretonneux, where the Victoria School was rebuilt with money donated from the Victorian Primary School children.
As we walked to the tiny museum in the school grounds, the French children ran up to the wire fence that now divides the tourists from their playground. It was the first museum we’d seen that included artefacts and memorabilia from Australian soldiers, especially those from Victoria.
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Manena medicine woman Words by Omi Milentijevic Manena, great South American Medicine woman, has returned to work in the Hills. As a child, she played at the feet of the Andes and was taught time-honoured traditions and practices which set her on a path to become a healer of peoples. The woman in person is warm, loving and somehow familiar, cloaked in a beautiful mystery which escapes finite knowability. She works in traditional medicine ways divined by the Ancestors, guardians and guides with techniques that reconnect us to our bodies and Spirit. The first time I met Manena it felt like I was seeing her again for the millionth time. Standing in her doorway with copper pots gleaming around her, I was welcomed in an embrace I had never experienced before, such was its tenderness and strength. Within her face there is a fire seemingly lit many lifetimes ago, the unfolding of infinite stories and transformative wisdom utterly intoxicated me. Elegantly donning brightly woven fabrics I could hear the stories of her people, the presence of something greater surrounds her like a shawl. A portal then opened for me to understand there is no separation between the Spirit world and human world, Manena lives them both at once. Manena, her partner Denis and family are beloved locals of the Dandenong Ranges.
Magnetically drawn to this area, she opens up an energetic conversation between the Hills and the Andes, the Incan trail and the Mayan Path. We have never experienced a time in history where it has been possible to blend the wisdom of these sacred lands. Manena works with ancient tools from the Andes, tools which reveal the echo between human life and the life of Mother Earth. Now we are living the time of reconnection, the celebration of Eagle and Condor dancing together, the South and North in conversation. Discussions with Manena are always purposeful, there is a sense of opening in to wondrous understandings with each meeting. She tells us, “now in the fifth world is the time to get the knowledge together� to help all individuals remember the greatness of humanity. Manena and Denis have invited people interested in understanding this connection more deeply, to an unforgettable journey, that will take you to the Condor’s wisdom, knowledge, messages and love of the Andean ancestors that we brought over here. Since you dearest people of this land have already the wisdom of Mother Eagle, we can now blend them both to overcome confusion, sadness and fear, or simply to incorporate this sacred ancient knowledge to us all.
Photos by Hayley Wilson and Mardi Terrasson
If we desire change within ourselves, we begin by connecting with the Spirit of the Land, listening to the currents of Mother Earth’s information. Ancestral Body Work practiced by Manena and Denis is unique to this part of the world. Tender and fearless, they guide individuals to receive the messages stored within our bodies, to release and decipher the information contained within. Our bodies are tools, housing veritable libraries. Through the ages, civilisations have sought to unlock the meanings of life by working with human bodies. The culmination of collective realisations is coming to fruition in our time it seems. The nourishing medicine offered by Manena and Denis assists individuals to experience a real state of mind, body and spirit as one. This soul retrieval work uses meridian points and chakras to access our inner intelligence and
safely reconnect us with Spirit. The body work is non-intrusive, lifting areas of energy congestion, raising the body to a higher spiritual vibration and releasing cellular memory. Shamanic ceremonies held by Manena and Denis are often described by participants as being the deepest thing ever experienced, yet refreshingly gentle. A leader of women and a role model, Manena believes women have many gifts to offer. For twenty years, Manena has worked with Rainbow Star, our sister circle community and social enterprise, to bring women into empowerment and a greater understanding of their unique abilities. Manena encourages women to stand firm in order to create change, holding our ground for what we believe in. “It’s time for us to stand strong and get ourselves well,” she says. Inspired by and inspiring women everywhere, Manena speaks with admiration for the women back home in Chile who are rebuilding after the recent fires. We can relate to the natural resourcefulness of Chilean women in parallel everyday ways, as they have not paused in this challenge, only courageously created ways to survive and do their duty…living the magic of the everyday. Duty, Challenge and Magic is one of Manena’s visionary mantras to help us understand the nature of being. Manena invites us to experience the work of Hembra, to exist in life as integrated and awake women. Manena simply wants people to remember our truth, live life to the fullest with lightness of heart. Every person who meets her feels how important they are, as an individual and within humanity. Manena offers teaching classes in many locations, including Abitza in Upwey, and one on one healing sessions. With infectious joy, this fascinating woman offers us practical tools to help us to walk in our Spiritual power. When people move in this understanding, we carry the power to heal the world. If you would like information on upcoming healing days, ceremonies and teaching events, Rainbow Star welcomes your booking enquiries, starwoman@rainbowstar.info and 0490 779 710.
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Photos by Lizette Bell
The Studio Selby Words by Adriana Alvarez and Merrin Hamilton
After a rigorous yet satisfying Vinyasa flow yoga class with Lizette Bell in Selby – where I proudly did a pose I considered beyond my reach – I was interested to know more about this studio with a bullet proof door and front glass window, a left over from a previous store. With a warm and inviting atmosphere, this studio feels modern, light and relaxed. Lizette says it’s very ‘hillsy’ in its feel and approach, and enjoys it more than other studios she’s worked in. I spoke with owner and practitioner Merrin Hamilton to find out more.
The studio is really a natural progression of Ranges Integrative Health. When we were looking at moving the Clinic from Emerald, the potential to have our own small studio was a real draw card. As health practitioners, we often refer people to classes for strengthening and body awareness to help correct movement patterns, or as a part of stress
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management. So to be able to provide these classes here, where we have the opportunity to have open dialogue with our instructors, is fantastic.
The studio is designed as a space to teach smaller groups and one-on-one classes – this way the instructors can carefully monitor their students and make adjustments where necessary.
I guess this already sets us aside as different to other complementary health care clinics, but the ability to communicate between instructors and practitioners (with permission) also means we can really know how people are progressing and where we can make changes to their treatment and exercise programs. We offer Naturopathy, Traditional Chinese Medicine & Acupuncture, Osteopathy, Homoeopathy, Myotherapy, Remedial Massage, Ayurveda, Bowen therapy, Nutrition and Counselling. We have some practitioners who specialise – for example in fertility and women’s
health or weight loss and mental health – and some who have a more general practice and treat sports injuries and rehabilitation.
In the studio we offer Yoga, Pilates, Tai Chi, Qi Gong, Meditation classes and kids’ yoga. We also have yoga workshops for people who have experienced trauma or are suffering from PTSD. We will continue to offer other workshops in the studio, focusing on topics such as nutrition, infant massage, homeopathy in the home, trauma informed yoga and mandala art. They will be run by our qualified practitioners throughout the year. Having the right practitioners is everything. We are slow to take in new practitioners because it is so important that they get along with each other and have a sound, grounded, ethical practice as well as being excellent practitioners. Passion in their vocation is important, and the ability and willingness to share knowledge and experience and work as part of an integrated team creates a very strong foundation for both the clinic and the studio, and makes it a pleasure to come to work. I
can trust that practitioners and instructors are looking after each other and their clients/patients.
I love living and working in the Hills not only because of the fresh air and natural beauty of the area, but because of the great community. The people we see here are a lovely bunch. In my time living up here I have seen people pull together and do amazing things for others in need. My own interest in complementary medicine began in my early twenties when a friend who was a Naturopath worked with a fantastic GP she had referred me to when I had been struggling to find answers in mainstream medicine alone. The clinic and studio are a natural progression and part of a long journey that was not necessarily part of a big plan but certainly led by instinct! I’m really excited to be able to offer our services to the Hills community. The Studio is located at 125 Belgrave-Gembrook Road, Selby. facebook Ranges Integrative Health www.rangesintegrativehealth.com.au
an eclectic mix of local culture experience a ‘hillscene’ moment magazine & blog www.hillscene.com.au
www.hillsceneblog.wordpress.com
The RailYard revisited Words by Adriana Alvarez
Last year, while shopping for a summer outfit, I noticed a new shop getting a makeover in Tecoma. There was some speculation as to what it might be. A jewellery store? A café? It was a mystery. And when the RailYard opened its doors in October 2016, the mystery still wasn’t totally revealed. The RailYard is a unique offering which defies easy explanation; it’s a concept store that offers a glimpse of an adventurous life as much as a shopping experience. Local owners Matt and Lucy always knew they wanted to become a part of the creative community of traders in the Hills, and when the opportunity emerged to open their first business, they immediately took it on. Their idea was to offer visitors to the Hills – and locals – a true experience store, providing a warm and inviting space, where customers could grab a great coffee while they browse through the retail offering of gifts, clothing, homewares and unique souvenirs. The RailYard’s muted décor and rugged atmosphere conjures a feeling of cosy intimacy. Browsing through the store is like taking a trip through wild and natural places, invoking a
feeling of adventure. Matt and Lucy have collected a unique range of wares inspired by their incredible surroundings and the things they love: outdoor living, motorcycle culture, skateboarding, camping, travel, wholesome food and excellent coffee. Its eclectic range is varied, and includes products such as men’s skin and beard care, non-disposable coffee cups, a cool selection of men’s and women’s clothing, as well as culturally diverse and designer homewares. The store layout is designed to embrace the community spirit of the Hills, encouraging customers to interact and meet like-minded folk around a large common table, with warm lighting and mellow tunes. As the name suggests, the couple has taken inspiration from the steam-era of Tecoma. In 1900, a narrow-gauge railway opened in Belgrave to serve the farmers, traders and a large timber mill in Tecoma by transporting goods down from the Hills to the markets of Melbourne. Tecoma’s history and location is felt everywhere at The RailYard. The lighting is moody and warm, evoking a nostalgic feeling as you enter the store. The unique fit-out features
Photos by Sarah Collins - Work and Co Photography
reclaimed timber, a prominent mural, sleepers and a large log cabin wall – a proud nod to the historic timber mill that once operated in Tecoma only metres from their location. Trading in homely goods that reflect their passion for living in the Hills, and their eclectic taste, the RailYard brings together an offering of local and international makers, artists and
brands that best represent the mountain lifestyle. The RailYard can be found at Shop 3, 1545 Burwood Highway Tecoma. Open Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Find them online at www.therailyardtraders.com or www.instagram.com/therailyardtraders
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Magical Fairy portal An interview with Sunshine Connelly Tell us a little bit about True Fairies.
from. I am also a big fan of Kirsty Mitchell’s Photography – in particular, the majestic Wonderland series. I also love the rawness of the Grimm’s Fairy tales, so I have tried to keep that classic feel with the fonts and design elements.
True Fairies is the very first truly interactive website where children can engage and speak with a real fairy using a webcam system also known as the ‘secret fairy portal’. In a world full of online apps and electronic devices that only engage one way, True Fairies interacts with children one-to-one, so children can talk and ask questions to a fairy.
Was the creation of this imaginary world a collaborative process?
We all remember the magic of childhood – believing in Santa, the Easter Bunny and, of course, Fairies! Who hasn’t heard this before: “I wish I could see a fairy”? Well now you can!
Our fairies can bring a personal and magical touch to your child’s special moments, such as their birthday; losing a tooth; or perhaps good luck and get-well wishes. Sessions are tailored to the individual needs of a child, and can also help in situations such as removing a dummy (the dummy fairy), nappy training and starting school.
We aim to create a realm of magic, interacting with feeling to encourage a positive outlook in children. We also aim to increase awareness for the environment, and treating people and creatures with respect and kindness. How did you come up with the concept?
We have two young girls who believe in fairies, and how could they not, living in such a lush and beautiful environment in the Dandenong Ranges? They always ask why they can’t see fairies... and this question, combined with my background in communication, design and technology, made me think that this could be very possible with today’s technology. The imagery of the fairies is very beautiful, something like a lush children’s book illustration. What was your inspiration? I really wanted the design of True Fairies to be very realistic and natural, as opposed to the seemingly common princess types of today’s standard. The Dandenong Ranges is a perfect environment to seek inspiration
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I work with a great group of creatives who have helped me bring my vision to life, including the talented Debra Kelly who designed the set, costume and photography for the launch mid-last year. Jaccob McKay, who did the initial photography, continues to work on my photoshoots. Sci Westwood has been working with me in developing the face painting for webcam. I also employ a couple of actresses – Jen Taylor and Caitlyn Finnerty – who are wonderful fairies on screen and off! You bring technology and magic together. Do you think there is a connection?
There is definitely a connection. I think they are both very similar in many ways, as there are endless opportunities and possibilities in both of these things. There is also a sense of mystery, as they are both not yet fully known, developing and growing. True Fairies has, in a sense, married the two, bringing an interactive performance functionality to children’s media. I believe it opens up a child’s inquisitive imagination and creative possibility in a new and exciting way. What other projects are you working on?
Aside from looking after two young kids and renovating our current one-bedroom house, which are both huge ongoing projects, I’m also looking at expanding the products of True Fairies with a clothing range.
What do you like about living in the Hills?
There is so much to love about living in the Hills: the people, the fairy-tale environment and fresh air. The way all the kids in the street play outside in the afternoons after school. There is a real sense of community and a likeminded spirit that is prevalent and nourishing to live in. For more information about the magical world of True Fairies, visit the website: www.truefairies.com; or facebook truefairies; and Instagram @truefairies
Photos by Jaccob McKay
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Growing Pains Words by Gareth Hart.
I absolutely love the energy of a new project, especially a creative one. I think that young artists have a lot to say, and loudly. Hence my excitement when I heard of plans for the establishment of a local emerging artist collective. The brainchild of three local artists – Katherine Reynolds, Britt Westaway and Dan Draper – the Growing Pains Initiative is dedicated to working with emerging creatives under thirty. From May 2017, it will be offering solo and group exhibitions, workshops, advice and support. The initiative grew out of an email rant from cofounder Westaway, who felt that the true nature of emerging artists was going somewhat unheard in the region. Specifically, the team wanted to increase the representation of emerging arts practice, and from that seed it simply “spiralled out of control!” shares Draper. Within the initiative, Draper assumes the position of Producer (Social Media and Accounts), Westaway the Creative Director, and Reynolds the Managing Partner. I was fortunate enough to sit with these three passionate people for almost an hour to talk through the project. I hear from the team that the ultimate goal of the program is to provide affordable and accessible opportunities for young creatives in the region and afar, whilst providing professional development, workshops and events aimed at young artists. The collective’s first project is their involvement in the Dandenong Ranges Open Studios program, which sees eleven artists take over the Black Box Theatre at Burrinja Cultural Centre, converting it into a dynamic and divergent space for experimentation and collaboration. It is, in fact, rather unknown what these creatives will get up to in the space. Bringing eleven distinct creative practices into the same space will undoubtedly result in some wild happenings. But in true spirited fashion,
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this source of unknown is not seen as a negative by the collective, it is actually a source of inspiration. Post Open Studios, the initiative will hold their first exhibition in their new permanent home, the upstairs gallery at Burrinja. From this space, the initiative will curate an annual program of exhibitions, featuring the work of emerging artists in mixed media. The first exhibition is titled ‘What the f@#k?!’, and is focused on the “idea that we experiment as artists, and in fact don’t know what we are doing often.” “As co-founders of Growing Pains we are winging it as far as running a gallery goes,” offers Reynolds. Creative inspiration can indeed be found anywhere. Mirroring the number of artists involved in the program, there are a similar amount of reasons why the co-founders felt the need to launch this project. I find it hard to scribble all the words down before the next idea flows, and the three artists at the table have no shortage of enthusiasm. “Young people and artists often have no money. And many of the current opportunities for young artists are so expensive,” says Draper. “We are not not-for-profit. We are very much for profit,” states Westaway.
B&W photos by Britt Westaway. Colour photo by Gareth Hart
“Currently, opportunities are really competitive, especially at larger independent/professional galleries and Artist Run Initiatives,” adds Reynolds. The three co-founders have such energy that promises an exciting ride for emerging artists and art practice in the region. In closing, I ask each of the founders what they, personally, need the most as artists. Katherine Reynolds: To be taken seriously. Dan Draper: A place to show off. Britt Westaway: Support and a place to make a f*@k tonne of mistakes – sorry Mum and Dad! With a collective experience in Visual Arts,
Graphic Design, Game Development, Curation and more, these three will surely leave a bright mark on the creative scene of the region. Make sure to see what they are up to during the Dandenong Ranges Open Studios weekend on April 29th and 30th at Burrinja, and follow their developments and exhibition opening details via www.growingpainsinitiative.com. Oh, and there is a launch party planned for May – so make sure to sign up to their email list to be kept in the loop! Growing Pains Initiative is supported through Burrinja Cultural Centre, and Yarra Ranges Council through their small grants program.
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cafe tarts The Laughing Owl - Belgrave Review by Tiffany Morris-North The Laughing Owl Café has been a resident of Belgrave for the last couple of years. Promoting itself as vegetarian, vegan, ethical, local and homemade is a tough ask, but they definitely succeed – as well as hitting the modern and relaxed café atmosphere. The menu is definitely more interesting than “regular” vegetarian offerings, and the selection of cakes and sweets is outstanding. The zucchini fritters were delicious and satisfying and came with a fresh, summery salsa. My fellow café sampler had the mushrooms with chilli jam – YUM! Definitely my choice for next time. We tried a couple of cakes. It was difficult to choose from the extensive range of cakes and muffins on offer in the cabinet, with various vegan and gluten-free options available as well as a number of ‘raw’ cakes. The fig cheesecake was really good and substantial, and we also tried the chocolate orange cake which, even though you couldn’t taste much orange, was decadent and so, so good. All cakes are made in house. The coffee here never disappoints and the wet chai is particularly good. A range of fresh juices are also on offer. Prices average at the $16-$17 mark. This little place is pretty popular and a local favourite so can fill up quick. 652 Burwood Hwy, Belgrave. Facebook - TheLaughingOwlCafe
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Succulentroundabout Words by Anonymous
A lonely roundabout in Belgrave sat quietly, waiting for someone to stop for a moment, to look and to care. For years it had been dormant, a circle of mulch occasionally interrupted by large tyre tracks as trucks took the roundabout too quickly or steered for a shorter radius.
Until one day a month or so ago, quite without fanfare three sticks appeared, proudly alert and upright and with a hint of majesty. A succulent, unusual in appearance and striking with intent.
Where had they come from? Was this guerilla gardening? Had our community decided that there were many more succulents looking for a roundabout? And so they have continued to appear - with every week a new plant or two, a new donation, a new sign, a new watering can. Our places and spaces should be unexpected and give us joy, just like our much-loved hills community - to expect the unexpected. I hope as each day you pass the succulent roundabout it makes you smile and if you feel inclined, find a plant, grab a shovel and join the fun! facebook: The Succulent Roundabout
“Our places and spaces should be unexpected and give us joy�
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Photos by Jen Angel - Facebook Istoria Photography
The Ronalds’ Family Garden Words by Gareth Hart and Cathy Ronalds I recently met photographer Cathy Ronalds at her home in Olinda, in order to venture off for a photo shoot for another project. I was so taken by the beauty and design of the garden that Cathy shares with her husband and children, that I simply had to know more! Cathy kindly agreed to allow another photographer into her garden, and shared some of her own love of open spaces with me. Cathy and her family moved to Olinda after seven and a half years in the dry dessert of Utah, USA, and had previously to that lived in Burwood, Victoria. There is a bit of history to the property, yes? Can you expand?
Yes. A lady called Pat Sanders (long time Olinda family) built the property. She worked with John Pizzy – an environmental architect who designed a lot of mud brick homes in the 1980’s around the Eltham area. It faces north for solar passive heating; the one-foot deep dirt/grass roof insulates the house effectively against the heat and cold. If we had more sunny days in winter up here I’m sure our gas bills would be lower! Pat also believed it would survive a fire, though we don’t want to test that theory.
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The mature trees that existed on the footprint of the house were felled, milled and returned to build the home. Oregon pine, Blackwood, Japanese Cedar and Mountain Ash were the main species of tree used. The wood that could not be milled was used in feature walls: the stumps cut into thick wood bricks for the lounge room and the wonky Blackwood pieces set into plaster by an Eltham artist, by the front door, resembling a stone wall. What does having a space like this (your garden/ home) mean to you and your family?
It’s difficult to express this as deeply as I want to. Driving back through the gates, into the drive and garden feels all at once like an embrace, an adventure and home. I feel like I let go at the gate and relax. We very much feel custodians of this unique property. We absolutely love sharing the property with people. Moving here, we made a very conscious choice for a simpler lifestyle that incorporates our passions for vegetable gardening, the outdoors, sustainability, community and chickens. We have always enjoyed gardening. We both work from home and we have much more
time with the kids at home than we did previously. We don’t try not to ear-bash our kids with our values and I guess with this property and lifestyle they experience these values in a fun way every day, through a curiosity and adventure.
Can you tell me about your current creative pursuits? What are you working on?
Very, very much so. I grew up doing a lot of camping and travelling with our family in all sorts of places around Victoria and Australia. My favourite thing as a teen was to get up early before everyone else and scamper off to explore whatever river/gorge/hill we were camped by. I’ve never lost that practice. I went on to do environmental management at university and worked in the field of coastal policy for about ten years.
I am formulating a new documentary project around non-traditional family units. I want to normalise all the non-traditional family units that exist. These family units inspire and amaze me. I also contribute to a monthly international project, ‘One World Collective’, about shared experiences of humanity. We are following themes of the internationally famous ‘The Family of Man’ travelling photo exhibition of the 1950’s, commissioned by the Museum of Modern Art.
Your photographic practice often sees you spending time outdoors with clients, shooting families incognito. Is your practice inspired by nature?
I was always very interested in photography from a young age, and tinkered with it more seriously from the age of 21. Back then it was all travel photography. When I left the public service in 2008, we moved to Utah and I threw myself into photography. Utah has absolutely breathtaking landscapes and beautiful light, on a grand scale. So I did a lot of landscape photography while we hiked, camped and explored Utah and its surrounding states. It wasn’t until I had our first baby that I started working seriously on portraiture. These days I struggle to take a landscape photo without a human (or a chicken) in it.
Most days I am capturing my kids in raw play – it took me a while to value this as a creative pursuit in its own right. It does fulfil my Mum-heart need to document our life, but it also fulfils a strong creative desire to storytell the unscripted, raw moments of my kids.
I enjoy capturing moody images during the change of seasons in our garden. As our parents are aging, I’m trying to document the everyday things they do, for posterity. What is something people probably don’t know about you?
This is actually pretty embarrassing, but I think I have that phobia called Misophonia – a dislike of the sound of someone chewing/eating. I wish I didn’t! Discover more of Cathy’s work at www.cathyronaldsphotography.com
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Lia Hills crying place Words by Justine Walsh The seeds of The Crying Place were sown when Lia Hills was young, moving to Tasmania from New Zealand at 15 years old. Being brought up amidst Maori language and culture, she was struck by the awful silence surrounding the apparent lack of Indigenous people in Tasmania. The rich culture that had once existed seemed to have disappeared, and most people didn’t seem to care about it either. Lia grappled with a deep sense of grief at the sheer absence of it, and the attitudes surrounding it. One early way she attempted to understand Australia, her mother’s country, was to incorporate Indigenous language into her poetry. She was trying to voice the feelings she would come up against - unable to ignore the silence, if she was to in any way make this country her own. This sometimes became a point of contention as it challenged some people’s notions of appropriation and cultural sensitivity. She met white Kiwi poets using Maori language, who told her ‘If we want to express our country we need to use the language of our country’. As an outsider - being from New Zealand, with a different set of experiences - she was trying to pierce a veil that shrouds the perspective of many people brought up in Australia - the veil of not knowing, not understanding and often not caring about issues that divide the country, and that are devastating to Indigenous people. She spent a long time seeking the best way to express this. After many years of work in the literary community, a story began to emerge, of a man grieving the loss of his closest friend, a death shrouded in feelings of guilt; a story that spoke to a broader one of a nation plagued with grief and shame about its past. After receiving a grant from Creative Victoria, she began the process in depth. Lia follows her nose when she writes, and entered into the writing process without
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knowing exactly what would burst forth. Rather than writing by hand or typing, Lia made recordings to get closer to a traditional form of storytelling. She knew she had to travel while recording the book, allowing the story to come from landscape. Lia and her husband dropped off the kids with their grandparents, got in the car and set off for Central Australia in April 2012. Lia became the character - protagonist and storyteller, Saul. They would drive 600-800kms per day, and she would speak/write around 5,000 words per day. She had a few contacts in Alice Springs, and through them she met members of Arrernte, Pitjantjatjara and Warlpiri communities, connecting to people and country. During the journey of meeting people, navigating the land, sharing, learning and recording the story, she went through a grieving process, having lost two people close to her, and experienced many parallels between herself and the protagonist. They were both seeking a sense of belonging, travelling to find connection to language, land and story. Attempting to connect to that deep grief, both personal and historical, to find a crying place. The immediacy of that connection found Lia reflecting that we make a home, a country of the people we love.
After just over 3 weeks Lia had 55,000 words. The kids had joined them on the journey, and together they made their way back home to their base in the Dandenong Ranges. The first draft of The Crying Place was written. There were gaps in the story, and in her cultural knowledge, and she had to travel more, working and using her intuition to find those missing pieces. She returned four times to the red centre, doing research, catching up with some people she knew and meeting more people. Visiting communities out of town, people in Alice Springs, Western Desert people. She also studied the Pitjantjatjara language at a Pitjantjatjara summer school at the University of SA, the tutors mostly from the APY Lands. Throughout the time that Lia spent following her nose and allowing the story to emerge, she discovered that the longer you spend up in the desert the broader your mind gets. Synchronistic situations occurred, drawing connections between her, the land, the people, and the story. She met with Indigenous healers, and with
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mental health workers who use narrative therapy among other practices: people who, like writers, use story to heal. For Lia, writing such a story meant constantly taking into account protocols necessary when engaging with Indigenous people and material. This process required learning how to write in collaboration with others without losing the essence of the story at the heart of The Crying Place. In her author note and acknowledgments page, she acknowledges the people and land from which she learnt, recognising the depth and complexity of the waters she was navigating. The end result is a stunning novel that could provide a way for her, along with those who read it, to find a greater understanding of their own country within its pages, and to move towards a broader healing. The Crying Place is available at the Bookbarn in Belgrave. Upcoming events can be found on Lia’s website, www.liahills.com. Facebook: Author page of Lia Hills
Photos by Naomi Creek
A market of one’s own Words by Raquel Carter.
Raquel Carter is an artist, and the mum of two little boys. In between changing nappies and hopping over toys like many creative mums, she’s trying to carve her own path back into the working world. Using her knowledge of art and her mixed bucket of skills, she created the Hills Art Market. Here is her story.
I have always painted, drawn with charcoal – and just about anything I got my hands on – from a very early age… so it is through my collection of knowledge, and my love of people’s passion, their stories and dreams, that I have found my way to this Artists’ Market. While travelling the world for seven years following the snow, I saw many great outdoor art exhibitions, lots in America and in France. Over there it is a normal sight to come across a market purely of painters, sculptors, printers and illustrators, whether in the middle of Paris, far down on the coast at the marina of Saint-Tropez, or up in the French Alps where I had a street stall in the mountains over many summers. After I returned home and travelled up and down my own coast, I found myself always searching
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out the artists in the markets. Here and there, in between the flowers and the clothes. I grew up in a very artistic family; my mother was a painter, my father a photographer and my grandmother, Anne Dybka, started out as a potter, turned to sculpture and drew many incredible illustrations. It was her glass engraving that won her an Order of Australia Medal for her contributions to the Arts. As a little girl, my parents would take me to her studio in the Rocks in Sydney each weekend, where I would watch her in awe. Our dinner table with her revolved around many conversations about art and, although little, I was always listening. After travelling to ‘find myself ’, I came home and found myself at Art School completing an Honours degree. It was while I was at Uni that both my mother and grandmother passed away, which left me very lost and emotionally broken. I missed my exams, but had promised my mum I would finish. In the hands of the ceramics department of the National Art School, I kept going. Everything I made was subconsciously helping me to understand my journey, my loss, my imagination, and it was the only thing that made any sense to me. Canoes with delicate ribcages, cocoons
wrapped in silence and life size women walking through portals were pouring out of me. Morning and night, I stayed in my little studio eating lunch while staring at the next piece. My four years at Uni came and went without knowing what was next, until I was told about a day workshop of Art Therapy at the College of Complimentary Medicine in Hornsby, just out of Sydney. Like a duck to water, I drank it up, I swam and dug deep to shed the sadness and get lost in the art. No rules, no more composition, no contemporary this’n’that. I discovered a place and a new journey that banished all of society’s art making rules and asked you to draw instinctively, as if with your eyes closed. So I signed up for a year of Transpersonal Art Therapy – an education, but very much a journey in deep, guided meditations. Working through many amazing techniques on entering altered states of consciousness, I came out with so much more knowledge about myself, an acceptance of life and grief, and with a double Diploma in Art Therapy and Transpersonal Counselling. A decade down the road, married with two little boys, I now live in Emerald with a few tonnes of art supplies following me around like Peter Pan’s shadow. I am painting, teaching at Emerald Art Society and continuing my love of ceramic sculpture in between caring for my boys. My husband and I decided on a tree change, as we are much more mountain people than city. I never tire of the beautiful roads lined in Mountain Ash, and I love the community spirit I find in Emerald and surrounds. It was in the process of coming back into the working world as my littlest goes off to kinder that I wondered: how do I use my skills? How does an artist who loves to talk about all things creative and inspiring find her niche in the community? I kept returning to the artists’ market spaces in my head. I walked with my family through all our beautiful farmers and craft markets, trying to search out the visual artists hidden behind the yummy organic honey and the beautiful flowers and clothes. I kept asking: why is there not a place for just artists? I felt that the artists needed their own space to be seen.
So the Hills Art Market was born, and continues every second Saturday of each month. I initially approached Emerald Community House (ECH), who were very helpful with many great contacts and suggestions. Through them, I met Lynne Trensky, who runs Eastern Dandenong Ranges Association (EDRA), a very creative, positive and enthusiastic group. They heard about my project through ECH and approached me to look at running it in the beautiful reserve behind Emerald Station beside the RSL. The market is an open-air exhibition space solely for Visual Artists from across the Hills and surrounds. It’s a place to come together and showcase their unique and varied creations, big and small. The market features makers of hand-made works, contemporary and traditional, abstract and recycled, reinvented and reimagined, with a focus on quality and originality. It’s very important to us to support all the artists involved in every way possible. This project is artist run and funded. For us, art is our religion and art is what brings us together; it has the ability to communicate to every language. You will find artists who work while they are at their stall, and for other artists, it is a space to give a little time to themselves. It is an opportunity for artists to showcase their work to a wider audience, network and promote their workshops and online presence, and connect with other artists. It’s also a great place for kids to explore creativity with the whole family. With our kids’ art zone and amazing face painting, we give them a space to participate and enjoy the market too. There is music all day by local musicians. We hope it will become a special part of the Emerald village culture and personality. It is with massive thanks to Puffing Billy Railway and EDRA along with the support of Emerald Art Society, Emerald RSL and Cardinia Shire Council that this collaboration has come to fruition. As my Grandmother always said: ‘Everyone’s artwork deserves to be seen and has something beautiful to offer.’ To find out more, head to www.hillsartmarket.com
She Shed Words by Gareth Hart Sometimes things happen for a reason. And a darn good one at that.
One evening in August last year, Cockatoo resident Amanda Browning casually thought out loud on Facebook: ‘I wish there was a female Men’s Shed’, and the response was epic. Twenty-four hours later, an online group was set up and one hundred members flocked to be part of this exciting social enterprise. “I never ever thought of myself as someone that would be a part The Hills She Shed, now based in of a committee of any kind, or founder of anything, but somehow Emerald, was born. this has landed on my lap,” says Amanda. According to Amanda, the She Shed is “a space where women can go to not only socialise but to learn skills such as woodworking, home repairs, even car maintenance. The options are endless. It’s about building confidence in new, different things and having the ability to pick up tools safely and confidently to achieve whatever they want.”
Since then, Amanda has been swept up in a flurry of attention, support and great enthusiasm for the project. Now a 350-member group with a confirmed permanent home, a tutor secured, donations of tools and supplies flooding in, and even media coverage in the Herald Sun, the last six months have been a bit of a whirlwind for Amanda and this exciting local initiative.
Anything that challenges gender stereotypes is an important project in my eyes. And one that simultaneously acts as skills development, community resilience and leadership building? Well, that sounds beyond exciting. Amanda’s journey has been personally rewarding, even during the planning and organising phase. One of her personal motivations in starting the Hills She Shed is to be a role model to her two sons. “I am so enjoying driving the beginning of something so exciting and I have surprised myself, pushed out of my comfort zone. I have developed confidence and feel empowered already, and the classes haven’t even started yet! I like the idea that my young ones can see that I am capable in various skills and see that women can be empowered.” The steep rise in interest from the local community, and further afield, is evidence of an exciting shift in self-sufficiency that we can see Australia-wide. As people begin to feel free and emancipated to cultivate their own sustainable and self-sufficient lifestyles – as we see in off-grid housing, tiny house movements, even Airbnb and Uber – people like Amanda inspire us to challenge the way things have generally always been.
I asked Amanda what the most exciting thing about her She Shed experience was, if that could even be narrowed down to one, and her response sums up the sentiment of the She Shed perfectly: “The most exciting thing is the positive support coming from so many people, not only women. The tides are turning and it’s nice to meet people that are keen to support the concept, this is clear from the amount of offers to volunteer time to teach skills. It’s exciting to feel I’m a part of a movement.” For more information, to make a donation to this exciting new project, or to get involved, find the Hills She Shed on facebook.
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Michael Hyett of Juet sculpture at work in the studio which will be open during the Dandenong Ranges Open studio weekend 29 & 30 April. Photo: Cathy Ronalds
Work in progress