MAY 2016 ISSUE #7
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Golden Monkey Forget swimming in a pool of money, we’re the kind of people to take a dip in an Olympic-sized pool full of pom poms. Glorious, amazing pom poms. That’s why we need this Denim Foil Print Cushion from Golden Monkey Designs. STAT. $90.00 (size is 40cm x 40cm) Buy here: www.goldenmonkeybrand.com
Papered Thoughts Good Vibes Rocks (lucky dip) from $30.00 “You’re a warrior! Warriors don’t give up, they don’t back down. So pick up your sword and sheild and you go fucking fight!!” If there’s one way to get us to buy a hand-painted rock - that’s it. SOLD SOLD SOLD! Get your Good Vibes Rocks here: www.etsy.com/shop/ paperedthoughts
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Loving Earth Chocolate Blocks from approx. $8.00 (80gm) When you’re gluten and lactose intolerant (AKA intolerant to everything delicious), you start to give up on ever satisfying your tastebuds again....but then along comes Loving Earth with their Salted Caramel raw chocolate and life has never been the same. Best part? It’s fucking good for you. TAKE THAT INTOLERANCES! Please note: not one for those with nut allergies. Sorry, not sorry. Get yours here: lovingearth.net
A FEW OF OUR FAVOURITE THINGS NOTE: Prices of products may change from what is mentioned in this magazine.
Alexis Winter Memory Eraser Pin $15.00 Ever woken up on a Sunday and wanted to throw your phone in the toilet due to drunk texts that really should not have gone out the night before? (Honestly, where is that App that warns you before you send them!?) WELL, forget that app. You can just pretend to wipe your bad habits away with this magical memory eraser pin. Because pretending that things didn’t happen is the first step to curing a hangover (and plus, it’s really cute.) Get yours here: www.etsy.com/shop/AlexisWinter
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PHOTOGRAPHY BY CLIFF
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PHOTOGRAPHY BY CLIFF
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Photographer: Mclean Stephenson
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OLYMPIA MUSICIAN
WORDS BY CHRISTIAN GABRIEL In her flashy metallic jumpsuit, the immaculately blonde bobbed Olivia Bartley, or Olympia - having taken her name from the 1863 Édouard Manet painting - is one of the finest examples of high-quality Australian music right now. Her songs have the ability to hook you on lyrics and production efforts alone - at times ranging from the sweetness of Feist to the stylishness of Debbie Harry; although, it’s so much more than that. Working ceaselessly since the 2013 self-titled EP was released, she has been carving a notoriety of her character, knowledge and intellect through TV appearances, giving intimate club performances in her trio format or playing in Something For Kate frontman Paul Dempsey’s touring band. Last year, audiences heard three singles/videos (produced alongside Burke Reid of Gerling): the brilliantly narrative ‘Honey’, along with ‘Tourists’ and ‘This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things’. Recently came the single ‘Smoke Signals’ with its mesmerisingly repetitive music video and terrific disco pop chorus. All generous samples indicating what is to come with her first long player album that she has been furiously polishing to a remarkable shine. I had a chance to exchange words just on the cusp of her ‘Self Talk’ album release (April 29th) that she recorded with post-disco soloist Donny Benet, Peter Luscombe of RockWiz and former Dallas Crane bassist Pat Bourke. With such high probability of her capturing an even larger audience with this, there is no better time to get her impressions so far.
THE EYE: What has the experience of making this LP a reality been for you? OLYMPIA: Making the record was an incredible experience - one of the hardest I’ve ever undertaken. I’m currently working in a studio in NZ (Neil Finn’s) in preparation for a show I’m doing over here, and it reminded me what it was like being in the studio making the record. It’s easy to forget the work that went into it. Burke Reid (producer extraordinaire) and I worked 22 hour days in the studio. We pushed ourselves - and the work, super hard, working in the studio in the same way the album was written - which was more of a deconstructed way. Like any work, there’s also all the preparatory work and little failures that make the whole the ideas you spend days on that don’t go anywhere, realising the song would sound better up a key and re-recording all the previous work.
We also had the privilege of working in a Melbourne studio for part of the record that was set up by a music lover who’d collected instruments from every era. Vintage drum kits (including a bass drum from the early 1900’s that was wired with light globes to heat the calf skin), and an incredible range of vintage electronics, including a very special Jupiter 8. He even had the MPC used by Massive Attack on of their album Blue Lines, replete with samples from the recording sessions (possibly a remnant of a messy divorce). It’s a rare privilege to meet someone who is so excited about instruments both analogue and electronic - and who is genuinely excited about strangers coming in to the studio and exploring them. The recordings are imprinted with this experience. In the end, the making of the record sonically and lyrically has been influenced by the process of ‘making’, and I love that. That’s the beauty of collaboration.
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ALICE IN WONDERMENT ALICE ACTON, ARTIST
INTERVIEW BY SAMII LUND THE EYE: What’s been your greatest artistic success? ALICE: Probably selling my first piece. It was a monumental moment, a really personal success. With so many people around you, sceptical in their support, laying subtle hints that I probably should focus my energy elsewhere, it was the first time I had the feeling that my work was worthy. I was able to harness some newfound confidence to start forging a creative career. That was big. THE EYE: Why did you choose acrylic as your medium? ALICE: Acrylic kind of chose me. In the beginning, I was gifted an easel, a canvas, brushes and some paint. I had no formal training, so with that I started to explore acrylic, basically because that was all I had. I ran off every weekend to the local hardware and started collecting any bright mis-tinted house paints so I could paint big without breaking the bank. Since then I’ve played around with gouache and pencil too and have been conjuring up a new series where I plan on introducing some new mediums to my work. THE EYE: What is the most challenging part about working with acrylics? ALICE: I think the possibilities and versatility of acrylic is what makes it so challenging, it’s the part where I have to limit myself with texture and application. THE EYE: What is your creative process like? ALICE: Its really instinctual, any planning is done in my head, in bed of an evening and almost never put to paper. I rarely lay out basic design for a new piece of work, instead I focus
on creating something with energy. It’s all in divine timing when I figure out if it’s finished and often I’m genuinely (pleasantly) surprised at the result. Thank goodness! THE EYE: How has your style changed over the years? ALICE: I think I’m only now really honing in on my style, and figuring out who I am, in paint form. It’s all about colour, patterns and shapes. I want to evoke good feels, and share my energy. That’s the purpose of my work and a key element of my style. THE EYE: Are there hidden meanings and/or stories within some of your artworks that it’s viewers wouldn’t necessarily pick up on? ALICE: Yeh, there often is. I think that’s part of the energy put into a piece. I don’t like to discuss it much though, it’s more powerful that way. I think if they feel it, they see it. THE EYE: The shapes and colours within your work mimic that of a child-like soul, do you think it’s important for artists to hold onto their childhood and playful nature when creating? Totally! It really is just a more free, honest version of yourself THE EYE: Has expressing yourself through art helped you overcome anything in your own life?
ALICE: I think art is the best form of therapy,
so many of life’s hurdles can be made small by spending some time relaxing at the easel. I certainly have had my share of tough times and painting is always a good way to release pent up negativity.
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GETTING IT DONE 30 SECOND INTERVIEWS WITH THREE C R E AT I V E E N T R E P R E N E U R S.
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John
SINGER IN BAND RED INK What do you wish you knew when you were first starting that you now know? We’ve always employed people who had great reputations i.e. publicists, agents etc.. but in hindsight; that has often lead to throwing your money down a bottomless toilet!! If we had our time again, we’d rally a small team who ACTUALLY liked the music and weren’t just in it for money or to be part of a success story. Growing up, did you view yourself as somewhat a black sheep; thinking differently than the people around you? All of my friends have done really well in their own fields; with bank accounts and fancy cars to match.. But that’s never been me. I’ve always danced to my own beat per se’.. There’s a mutual respect amongst my friends that if you love what you’re doing; then you are successful. What have been some of your biggest business mistakes? Paying thousands of dollars having songs mixed overseas by someone who probably did as good a job as we could have done here in Oz for a fraction of the cost.. It’s all part of the story though right.. How do you overcome self-doubt? It may be the ‘Jakubenko curse’ but I don’t really ever have self doubt.. I call it tunnel vision and it has helped fuel me for well over a decade.. Regardless of what the rest of the world think, having a belief in your product and what you do helps keep you on track even when the stats don’t match the vision! RED INK @redinkrock www.facebook.com/redinkmusic
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