Rebekah Dorilys Dunstan

DESCRIPTION // I recently moved into the Perth suburb of Como and I am enamoured with this building. The Grand Cygnet has a beautiful art deco style, sitting like a pink ocean liner overlooking the Swan River. It was built in 1938, between the world wars when cinema entertainment in Perth was a popular pastime. It is listed on the State Heritage Register and noted as one of the least altered movie theatres from this time. Perhaps this is why the foyer is so cozy with the smell of popcorn embedded in the carpet. The theatre itself has a sense of lightness and spaciousness that is no longer common in the black-walled cushioned cinemas that have been built since. It’s beautiful hardwood flooring and expansive high ceiling encourages you to look up and around until the show starts. Going to The Grand Cygnet brings on a wave of excitement comparable with what I felt as a child going to the movies with my family.

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: I would describe my style as both illustrative and whimsical.

Q: Briefly outline your creative process. What are the major steps?

A: I first took a few reference photos of The Grand Cygnet which I then loaded it into Adobe Illustrator. I used a mix of shape-building tools to build the largest blocks of colour, then pen tools for more intricate details like the font. This project was partly a challenge to myself to learn how to use my new Wacom tablet and so my process also involved sticking my tongue out and testing my hand eye coordination!

Q: Who and/or what influences your work and why?

A: I would say my work is vastly inspired by impactful shapes and colour. For this piece, I was firstly inspired by the design of The Grand Cygnet and it’s romantic Hollywood vibe. I was also interested in the idea of using coloured cellophane and the idea of layering it in a collage.

Q: Are you a part of any creative groups that you would recommend everyone to join?

A: I love Lynda.com which is more of a resource but it’s full of creative people! I am always learning new skills and ways of working on this site.

Q: In your opinion, what is the funniest word in the English language and why?

A: I think the word Monstera is pretty funny, because it’s basically ‘monster’ - but it’s really just a very pretty houseplant!

Q: If you built a themed hotel, what would the theme be and what would the rooms look like?

A: I would love to see a Grand Cygnet style hotel! It would be somewhere you could spend more than an afternoon and feel transported through time. It would be an old Hollywood glamour style hotel with muted colours (pink of course) and bold architectural shapes. There would be palm trees out the front, a big tiled swimming pool and conversation pits and in the foyer and penthouse suite.

AGE | 23

INSTAGRAM | @withak.biz

TOOLS | Camera, Adobe Illustrator, Wacom Tablet