Creation in Isolation by Blue Mountains Printing

Midnight '37'

In isolation, I've recently uploaded five of my artworks onto the site 'Shopify' as a series under the working title 'Midnight '37'. This is a series of limited edition prints of my artworks, now available for purchase. I have been working with the name 'Leopard Skin Pillbox Hat' (Both a Bob Dylan and Death Grips song title) to create a more 'arts' focused brand for myself. I have been actively engaged in creative expression, predominately music and art since childhood... and am just beginning to share some of this work in a more public sphere.

Alia

grinvalds

'Midnight '37'

Pic by: Victoria Lopez | 2020

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Creation in Isolation

Rachel Hannan I thought I was an adept juggler but it’s time to throw in some more balls!! The studio offers some semblance of peace and continuity, but the hubbub continues on the other side of the door, demanding attention. As an artist there is comfort in the fact that I know how to be alone and I relish that. The challenge is that the quiet around is an enforced one, and speaks of so much more than what we see and hear. The panic is quiet, the expectation that everyone can relax and take time to appreciate this new slowness is unrealistic. For some the silence and lack of busyness is replaced by a cacophony of Unknowns. Still, I keep working when I can because I can, and try to stay connected with those I love and the wider community. This is our new normal. “Fire, Rain and inside my Brain”, 180 x 120cm, oil on canvas

"...this is our new normal"

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Creation in Isolation

"Daisy is my radical optimism. Which is like proactive pessimism"

Being bombarded by sensationalised news, I needed to escape the propaganda. I had to make sense of this strange new world emerging. Everything, everyone, is different. The panic buying and strangeness of shopping gets weirder every day.

Art calms my wild thoughts. When I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t draw I sink into anxiety and depression, I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t concentrate. When I draw, my mind is clear. Art is the only medicine that works.... other than music. My name is Amy bell my character is daisy. Daisy is my radical optimism. Which is like proactive pessimism.

Amy Bell

- DaisyChain

"... Art calms my wild thoughts"

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Creation in Isolation

"The Magic Business" As most artists, we are here for the purpose to create we can be down to nothing and still have so much inside that is untapped - for myself, this is usually music, words and the songs.

"You go and make something out of thin air and you call it a thing and it will outlive you. It's magic. We're in the magic business" - Laura Veltz, Nashville Top Tier Songwriter

Unfortunately we are not all fortunate enough to dedicate our time to this alone. And sometimes this can become frustrating but the balancing of it all is usually where the best songs come from. It's not the perfect life which culminates the best tunes! And a lot of artists get that. And for me personally, it has never necessarily been about the money (although it sure as hell helps with the process). My journey with music and healing has been a long one. There has been much joy, sadness, frustration and much freedom attained through being a singer songwriter. And I will always be grateful.....x Thankyou!

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Creation in Isolation

Pic by: Alia Sharp

..."last night I had someone from Ireland join the dance class!"

Pic: Zoom dance class

During self-isolation, I've been teaching online drum and dance classes over Zoom. Folks coming along are a combination of those who regularly do my classes and those who are out of the area.

I've uploaded a free mini dance workshop to YouTube, and plan to do something similar for drumming and for kids though so far, quite a lot of kids have already been joining in on the online drum and dance classes, which has been really great.

Emily Cooper

Drum & Dance goes digital

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Creation in Isolation

If you want freedom, give up the need to be adored, Emma Magenta 2020.

..."You could say that I am in my element"

Emma Magenta ... in my element

Telegram-Plane emma@emmamagenta.com

twitter Emma Magenta@BrainPoetNinja

This time of self isolation is what I do anyway, only now I feel free of all guilt regarding not going out. You could say that I am in my element. I spend my time reading, writing, drawing and walking through the forest with my 3 dogs. It’s what I’ve always done, only now I’ve pulled the pin on all social media as well. On December 31, 2019, I wrote my last tweet and posted my last Insta pic. Why? In response to an old impulse from inside myself, that I chose to ignore for some time. I believe that these platforms can pull us away from really living, with too much emphasis on breeding some kind of crystallised digital self that is a commodity. Ultimately, this erodes the soul. So here I am, alone with my kids and partner in the forest and doing everything I was already doing, just without all the noise. I have many thoughts on this virus, but most importantly, I believe that it has forced us to stop and ask ourselves why? Why anything? Being busy, but for what purpose? Survival? Is that all we are here for? Distraction? Is that the best use of our energy? There is something greater than us, that is also Us. We have an opportunity to collectively start the search. I hope we all find it.

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Creation in Isolation

Busking has been great lately, although the streets have been quiet. In these uncertain times, I have been thanked for fostering positive morale with my work. People are being distinctly generous and I appreciate this deeply. There was a rumour going around recently, which said that I had been reproached by the police and forced to stop busking. This is untrue; they drive past, they walk past, I smile at them, they don’t bother me. I am curious as to where and how this rumour started but it is just that, a rumour.

Pic by: Rex van der Made

Over the past few months I have been producing numerous music videos and publishing them on my YouTube channel. They vary in style, but they generally seem to fall into one of two categories: soulful folk accompanied by beautiful imagery, or tongue-in-cheek rock complimented by edgy antics.

Wolf Van Der Made ...Busking in uncertain times

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I recently released my EP, titled “in the garden of your mind” which is now available on all major platforms. A lot of work went into it and I am very proud of the end result. Since then, I have directed my attention to the next record, which will offer new styles, such as goth, psychedelia and dream pop.

Pic by: Elissa Baldi

Pic by: Jacinta Yolanda Martinez

EP Cover artwork by: Wolf Van De Made & Karen Normoyle

Creation in Isolation

Playing live sets on Facebook has been a way to stay sane...

"I do miss playing with friends, and playing live!" I try to have a theme to my sets: I've been playing tunes from my back catalogue, recent work, and French classics so far. Real life gigs of my solo work are not regular enough for me to be able to indulge in that way; in these scenarios, I usually try to present a broader view of my work.

ulien

Joel Clement

The French Connection

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With all rehearsals and gigs cancelled, isolation has not been inspiring on the songwriting front. No amount of social media content can replace human interactions and the inspiration we get from those. ďĽ&#x2022; @julienjoelclement youtube julien joel clement facebook julienjoelclement

Still, we're lucky to have those online platforms, for re-inventing the way we present our creativity.

Another interesting sideeffect of gigging online and not being geographically tied down is that I'm starting to get viewers from further afield than usual; I love meeting new musicians, new fans, and sharing my music more widely. The fact that people are spending more time seeking distractions online has definitely helped in that sense. I'm curious to see how this will evolve, and how it is going to change the arts industry when we can interact for real again.

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Creation in Isolation

As an artist in isolation, I’ve found myself to be surprisingly busy! An artist that properly hones in on their work has already been in artistic or musical ‘isolation’, so I’m quite comfortable being a pianistic hermit! For my teaching business, Just Piano Lessons, I first moved completely to online piano lessons, in a shift which was quite smooth. I had all the right equipment at the right time; Yamaha CP 88, Focusrite interface, condenser mic and a Logitech webcam.

After The Fall - com posed by Matthew following all the re cent rain

Matthew Dennett

'Composed in Captivity'

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Pic by: Alexander Frendo - https://alexanderfrendo.com

Pic by: Geraldine (partner)

Isolation is a great excuse for me to focus more on my own projects, as a composer and performing artist. With my composing particularly I have found myself more inspired and ready to write out new ideas each day. One of my current projects is the composition of new pieces for beginner to advanced pianists, covering styles such as jazz and classical. I am one of the many Western Sydney musicians to have a current gig. On the 14th of April, I was asked by Ashlee Reardon to play via Zoom live stream for the residents of Bodington, an aged care location in

Wentworth Falls. It was a wonderful experience and an all-round success! I’m looking forward to performing again for the residents. Connecting with people is at the core of what drives us as artists. Another thing which is keeping me busy is studying a Bachelor of Music at WSU - Western Sydney University. All lectures and tutorials are online via zoom, which I find to be very enjoyable. My main issue with isolation is not performing to an audience each week and sharing my music that way. As is the case with many other performers, I miss this greatly. That being said, musicians, poets and people from all facets of the arts have really taken to online audience connections via live streams on Facebook, Zoom, Instagram, Facetime, or Skype, which has definitely kept everyone’s spirits up. I think artists are a step ahead of the rest when it comes to isolation. For us, there is always something new to create and the main ingredient is time, which we have a lot of right now.

"As an artist in isolation I have found myself to be surprisingly busy!" Creation in Isolation

As an author and an artist, my schedule for 2020 has had huge holes punched into it by the coronavirus pandemic. Most of my plans for the year are gone and most of my industry has shut down or gone quiet. So I’ve set myself up at the dining room table to focus on an area of my work that I still have some control over – painting. I’ve finished five paintings so far and my plan is to produce a show’s worth while in isolation. That’s if I can maintain the momentum through such utterly strange, unpredictable, and underlyingly stressful times.

Morning Walker by Tohby Riddle, 2020, acrylic on board, 30 x 30 cm

Tohby Riddle feeling lucky at home

Pic by: Simon Parsons

I feel really lucky that this is something I can do at home, at one end of a table, with a few paints and brushes. As activities go, it’s deeply absorbing and preoccupying. It’s a happy distraction. With my turntable within reach, I get to play records while I paint, which is how I loved to work before I had to give up my studio recently - in fact, I often wonder if I should document the music and records I listen to while making paintings - maybe even by writing them down on the back of works - what might that say?

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Creation in Isolation

Sting by Marco Grilli , 2020 .

Kat by Marco Grilli , 2020 .

Mystic golden bunny rabbits at Easter time in the reflection of a Narcissistic pond. Look deep into your mirror whilst in isolation and you just might see something that you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t ever want to see again. Draw, paint, create and wash your hands. facebook https://www.facebook.com/marcogrilliart Telegram-Plane marco.grilli@det.nsw.edu.au www.thehazemag.com.au

Change Room 5 by Marco Grilli , Pencil, Pen, Watercolour on paper. Digital finish, 2020 .

Creation in Isolation

Cover artwork by Mark Grilli, 2020.

Marco Grilli

Angus Olsen

'I have to stay home'

凌 @idrawchildhoodcancer

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Living in Katoomba as an illustrator, my main occupation is doing peerreviewed work for families living with childhood cancer. To offer more help for children and their families, one important work aspect is a small range of picture books I’ve created, concerning various cancer issues. I love portraying these brave, cancer-suffering children in empowering scenarios, illustrated in such identities as warriors, ballet

dancers, and scientists. I also run CafeXpresso at Katoomba Station, where I feature some of my other cartoons and drawings on an overhanging monitor screen near the counter. Focusing my artistic gaze away from cancer treatment, I recently received a message request from Erik Lennenstål, a father in Sweden, concerning COVID-19 isolation. He felt that there was plenty of adult-oriented information concerning the nature of the disease, but very little

information that addressed the emotional impact on children. In my most recent picture book, I Have To Stay Home, I attempt to to fill that need. You can find a selection of my work on Instagram @ idrawchildhoodcancer.

Creation in Isolation

A new skill I have learned during isolation is building a wicked new guitar. I learned to solder the components and found out what the hell the random crackle was. The piano and drums are also getting a workout, and I am loving the time playing around on the instruments, working on band ideas (watch this space), and making music videos - not successfully! lol! I have found I am loving the garden more, waiting for the bird families to come for a feed at the usual time and grateful we are all safe. This isolation thing? Well, it's not all bad! Even though I live in Katoomba, I normally leave early in the morning to go to a school I absolutely love in Sydney, so the drive was long. Now I just hop out of bed and Wham! I am at school on my computer!

PM me for the recipe! lol!

Sadly I've had 10 gigs cancel so far due to COVID-19 which really sucks but I've been using the time to learn new guitar techniques and writing some new Indie Rock vibing music, which has confirmed my love for Indie Rock and Blues sounds!

lllegra Dunning

I am finding great new music and unearthed new amazing artists on playlists and websites. So many inspirational musicians, all genres, all countries and I have found time to really appreciate their sound!

..."it's ."it's not all bad"

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I'm working on the skills required to ride a skateboard and Ohhh my newly developed scone cooking skills are killer!

Creation in Isolation

..."this self isolation seems to have refined the creative flow"

Jonas Kim

Hey! My name is Jonas Kim, but I’m known as @eucayong on the Internet. As an artist of many mediums, I’ve always found a way to keep myself occupied in my own creative space. Though I’m not really one to get caught up with writer’s block and creative shortages, forced isolation has prompted me to look down other avenues for my passion and work.

"time to reflect and refresh"

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Like everyone else, I’ve been spending a lot of time inside. I’ve been doing a lot of drafting and collecting, mostly, while gathering resources for future projects. My drawings and sketches are normally done in a brainstorming state. Often, I create and design a cartoon character inspired by everyday objects, which is represented in an easily understandable way. For example: Flesh-aye (a zombie eshay). I love to play on words and use puns to construct a single image that

is easy to understand from each reference point. All of this self-isolation seems to have refined the creative flow for a lot of us. Never in my life have I had more time on my hands than I do now. It’s placed me in a position where my creative mental zone occurs multiple times a day, without the need to slow down. Many other artists call this a flow state. I hope we can all come together somehow, and use this time to reflect and refresh. Creation in Isolation

"Self isolation has granted me significant freedom..."

Stefano

One benefit to being in lockdown has been having plenty of time for developing projects. Despite this, the responsibilities of quarantine can still feel like a burden, which can also affect you financially when you earn a majority of your income from live performances.

"growing and expanding my career" facebook https://www.facebook.com/stefanomusica

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However, spending most of my time at home and around the garden has given me a chance to resurrect my planting and grow some food again. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve also been taking the time to learn new instruments, with a choice to continue mastering old ones.

Self-isolation has granted me significant freedom, with time to creatively explore technology for interacting with fans and bandmates. This has raised the importance for online communication as a way to check in with my fellow musicians and friends. Many artists are struggling with a lack of income, and delays in receiving Government assistance payments. While it can be tricky and time-consuming to set this up, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s great to have that assistance there as a safety net for those who need it the most. On a personal level, this time has been a perfect opportunity for expanding my career, talent, and opportunities, in existing projects and future endeavours. Creation in Isolation

A-poca-poca-poca-lyptic dreams, Spread the word, globally, I'm sending something, virally, To get into your, bloodstream, To get your heart, a pump a pump A rump a pa pumping, Just like Christmas Eve, Mish Jam - michelle James I haven’t let this pandemic stop my creativity. If anything, it’s enhanced it, by giving me the freedom to do things that I normally wouldn’t have time for. Not only am I delving into previous hobbies such as photography and ceramics, but I’m also secretly creating my first album. I’m also storing drum loops for live shows while learning new cover songs from other musicians I can relate to - namely, 70s/90s female singer-songwriters who weren’t afraid to express themselves.

I recently released a new song, on all platforms, called ‘Apocalyptic Dreams’, which is credited to Mish Jam. This song is my way of conveying how I feel during this pandemic, with the overall message for us to keep our heads up and (hygienically) spread our love!

"Apocalyptic Dreams"

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Creation in Isolation

watchyourstep To be honest, the past few weeks in 'lockdown' haven’t been much of a departure from my usual life, though the main difference has been homeschooling my 13 year old! (Which is going quite well...so far.) I think it's really important to be aware of our moods at the moment. It's overwhelming. It comes in waves, but I'm feeling mentally stable and I’m pretty confident that we can make it through this unscathed, no matter how long it takes. It definitely helps to have time for creativity. I think it's all about balance and remembering we're all feeling the same. There's definitely a different vibe around town. A shroud of uncertainty, sadness and emptiness. I tried to capture that in my pictures.

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"It comes in waves"

Creation in Isolation

Right now we are being presented with the opportunity to do some serious self-reflection; to think about what we have achieved and some of the psychological traps we may have fallen prey to. One of those traps is definitely perfectionism. We have been consistently writing for four years, accumulating countless songs in the “almost ready” folder. They collect dust whilst we contemplate one last tweak, a change of lyric, a new instrument, a new mix or something else to make them “finished” or “good enough”. But how do we know when we have reached this goal?

The EP contains a collection of songs that explore themes of; lost love, workaholism, addiction and the human condition. We wrote one of these songs, “Anyone”, during the first week of isolation as the creative juices began to flow. The final song, “Giving It Up”, was released as an acoustic track back in January, now revisited as a full production. We cannot wait to share our first EP on the 30th of April and we feel incredibly lucky to be going through this isolation in a time where we can all stay connected, even though we may be apart.

We have come to realise that perfectionism is the enemy of progress, so during this quarantine time we have picked five similar songs, dusted them off, and have committed to releasing them together.

Future State

New EP OUT TODAY!

"It has been such a liberating feeling"

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EP cover Art by Pat Bowden at Patographics

Creation in Isolation

I was deeply affected when our Blue Mountains Music Festival was cancelled. As more and more live arts events disappeared, I felt like the heart was being ripped from our beautiful community. In order to offer more community support through this tiring, trying time, I knew that something had to be created. Creativity is what keeps the spirit alive, after all. Doctors may heal our bodies, but the arts will heal our souls. This is the idea behind the Blue Mountains Virtual Festival Group. Anyone can share what they're listening

to, what they're working on, and how they're going - and in return we lift each other up to be better than we were before. In a time that can bring out the best and the worst of society, we must strive to be the best that the Blue Mountains can be.

"Share what your'e listening to"

Alexandra Holmes

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Creation in Isolation

I’m enjoying using this time to write new material, work on new cover tunes and paint but at times I tread on tender hooks too. As full time musicians and performers Elliot and I had a fully booked gig calendar well into 2021 but now we are left wondering when and if we will be able to gig again.

To be in isolation is a game like a puzzle - a mental game. It is very good for Gillian and I as creatives because we can plan some online performances, band meet ups , teach remotely, rest my shoulder which has bursitis and get down to doing those things that you have put off.

We both miss gigging, seeing our band (Sideshow Annie) and catching up with friends and family. I will never take my social freedom for granted again but at the same time we are also enjoying our isolation time and finding new ways to keep going.

This is no time to sit back and watch - it’s time to grow and learn and create. It’s a time to tighten our belts and practice balance - emotional, physical, mental and spiritual. We have new schedules. Time is a gift - and to work with it and ensure we are using it for the best outcomes with the time we have left. If you are ever unsure about how you spend your time I suggest meditating upon the skull and cross bones for a while. Let this serve as a reminder that you can’t tip the hourglass back over. This first month of isolation has been so much fun and positive - I almost wish it could stay that way. But we do feel for those who are suffering hardship and loss at this time.

"it’s time to grow and learn and create" Eliot Boyd Gillian TaylorReynolds Reynolds

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facebook https://www.facebook.com/gillian.reynolds.37

I know many musicians are doing it extremely tough and my heart breaks. When restrictions are lifted I can only hope venues that have supported live music will survive this. I also feel strongly that our government needs to take better care of the Arts… without the arts Australia will be lost and all Australians deserve assistance and consideration at this time. Many things have been constantly running through my mind but I’m using these thoughts and the isolation time to have a different outlook on the way I lived before. Regardless, I hope we can all be out and about, doing what we love again soon.

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Creation in Isolation

One email from my agent changed everything. Upon reading it, I learnt that all my upcoming preschool, school and college gigs were cancelled, as well as my tours to Brisbane and Canberra. This meant no work for me, sure, but worse, it meant having no-one to share music with! No-one can make financial choices right now, so my djembe, ukulele and samba classes are free if you want them to be. No

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questions asked. I’ve taken on some students who are keen to improve and some who are only just starting. Some mums are playing ‘The Wheels On The Bus’ to their kids and that’s brilliant. Some people are going down the theory path and it’s great to see them switching on to their instrument. Music is a game, but not a competition. I’m keen to play if you are.

Tom the pom

"Music is a game, not a competition"

Creation in Isolation

Blue sherlock 'hammering out fresh tunes' Well, COVID-19 has certainly thrown a spanner in the works! We've gone from playing 4-7 gigs every weekend to none for the next 6 months, essentially. While it sucks to not be performing, we’re deciding to use this time as a positive thing.

Pic by: Music in the Mountains

We were wishing for more time to write and record new originals - and we have that now, I guess! We’ve been forced to look at new, online methods of performance and connectivity, so lockdown has really made us appreciate the digital world we live in.

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City Council, and Dubbo’s SOMAD. There are some very cool things happening on these accounts! Meanwhile, we’ve set up an isolated jam space in the shed and we’re using this home time to hammer out fresh tunes and record a bunch of ‘CoVids’ - (Is that poor taste?) To avoid going completely insane, we’ve been experimenting wildly.

We’ve always wanted to try exciting opportunities with videos and live streaming, but now we need to try. We’ve also been keeping an eye out for live social media streams of performances presented by Music In The Mountains, Penrith Creation in Isolation

something special is coming My experience of the COVID-19 lockdown has ranged from good to bad and dark to light. Before this all happened, I felt like I was on a roll, and I was performing at huge shows with my heroes. On January 11th, I featured on the lineup for City ♡ Country - a bushfire fundraiser at the Enmore, with the likes of Thundamentals and Hermitude. On February 14th, I appeared on the lineup of Coastchella, another fire relief concert, which featured acts such as Urthboy, Nooky and Justice Crew.

Obviously, all of this momentum was stopped by the new pandemic laws. On the positive side of things, lockdown has enabled me to study music to the extent I always wanted to, which I never could find the time for previously. I’ve found the sound that I always wanted to find. I’ve also been experimenting sonically, and I’ve now reached levels that I never thought I would get to. I know every artist likes to say that ‘big things are coming soon’, but I’ve got something special coming.

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Pics by: Inertia Photography - Photography and Concept Art by Lonaa

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Creation in Isolation

Greg Maher, ‘Skywhale Observation deck’ photo montage, 2019.

Having once emigrated from the suburbs, I’ve now been a resident of Hazelbrook for 16 years. Now I can’t imagine living anywhere else in my life. As a Production Artist by trade and as a hobby, I’ve been creating montage and collage work since my late teens. I say hobby because I mainly do it for my own amusement, and aside from a small exhibition 30 years ago, the only other public showing was a few submissions into the recent Little Facts and Fallacies group show at Gallery One88.

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I moved from cut and paste techniques to multiple darkroom exposures until finally settling into the digital age, where Photoshop and I have developed a loving relationship. I also like to write, (again, just to keep the boredom at bay), occasionally jotting down some poetry or random thoughts. I have been keeping a scattered journal on Facebook, of my daily musings throughout the current COVID-19 situation.

Day 20 – 11 April 2020

Pretty much just rambled around the house like a human tumbleweed.

Greg Maher

凌 https://www.instagram.com/gregoryem

Creation in Isolation

Left: Tv Eyes, Mark Norman - photo montage, 2020. Right: A Hypothetical Shortcut Between two Places, Mark Norman - photo montage, 2020.

Mark Norman 凌 www.instagram.com/streetwaves.collage/

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With this isolationism that’s been suddenly thrown upon us, I’m getting through by digging deeper into my creative side. I’m working on the creation of a more fluent style, that’s totally mine. I create collage art that reflects various personal feelings about how the World looks to me or how I’d like it to look. It’s a strange

time at the moment, so I think that my current work is reflecting this tone much more. I frequently post my work on Instagram, where you can look me up and follow me to see regular new work.

Creation in Isolation

I’m tempted to write that being in isolation has been trying: getting kids to do school work (yep), staying at a social and physical distance away from friends and neighbours (yep), staying out of cafes and my local brewery (sniff). Putting my lost work aside; as an introvert, the lockdown has been bearable for me. A couple of observations I’ve made during this time - aside from how super quiet Katoomba is - is that people actually swerve to avoid walking past you too closely (refreshing and a little paranoid inducing in a when-wasmy-last-shower kind of way) and the appreciation that takeaway-serving restaurants have for your patronage. I’ve never had so many smiles from chefs as I leave (but that could be the shower thing though). In regards to art, having restrictions is usually a blessing in disguise. So, with our current level of lockdown, I’ve settled on only making photographic work during my daily allotment of ‘exercise’ or at home. I’m avoiding taking photos of the same buildings, clouds, or reflections that I’m usually drawn to, which is a small and rewarding challenge.

Marty Walker

凌 https://www.instagram.com/martyjwalker/ INTERNET-EXPLORER https://www.mjw.photo www.thehazemag.com.au

Creation in Isolation

The police knocked on our door a couple of weeks ago. The two constables told us that we had been reported for having illegal visitors. It turns out that an overage coronazi had snitched on me – for having an outdoor letterbox chat with our nextdoor neighbour, an elderly lady. Suffice to say, the police were friendly and not overly bothered. No need to send coppers – I am locking down. And I'm not finding it difficult. I've been working from home for over twenty years, drawing illustrations for magazines and books. I miss meeting friends, and I’ve neglected exercise (at the rate I'm eating at the moment, it

feels like I won't fit through my front door when I’m allowed out of the house again). But when I compare myself to others, whose passions or jobs depend on mingling with people, I feel lucky. I've used our unexpected surplus of unstructured time to tinker with a neglected project – experiments in publishing. I have created a little self-publishing imprint called Spinebill Press, named after the bird. The first book is out, and it’s a paperback edition of my out-of-print, illustrated, Declaration Of Human Rights. The next book will be about small gardens. I'm also working on a website for this, but I'll show my progress on Instagram in the meantime.

Michel streich

凌 instagram.com/michelstreich_illustrator INTERNET-EXPLORER michelstreich.com

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Creation in Isolation

jason Paulos facebook https://www.facebook.com/jason.paulos.7 www.thehazemag.com.au

I'm currently writing and drawing a comic book series called 'Phantom By Gaslight', for Frew Publications. It’s a version of The Phantom, (yes the first 'superhero'/masked crimefighter - predating Superman), and it’s set in a 'steampunk'- style universe full of foggy, Londonesque

'Jack The Ripper'-style intrigue and Victorian-era horror themes. I also had a bunch of pop culture influenced paintings that I executed in acrylic, watercolour, digital media on canvas, paper, and skateboards that are on display at The Elephant Bean

Café in Katoomba. I work in my backyard, self-built, home studio in beautiful Blackheath. Lockdown means that I'm dealing with three bored kids that will home from school until God knows when. Drums, guitar, skateboards and the Internet are helping us get through the boredom, but when you're an artist there should be no such thing - especially when you love what you do. Creation in Isolation

sarah Jane Spillane

asking the locals what they want to hear at The Sports Club once it opens again, having some great chats, and encouraging people to help by purchasing my newly realised, independent album ‘Sweet St’. I look forward to continue to offer our community amazing food and fabulous live music!

Portrait Pic by: Jennifer Leahy from Silversalt Photography.

During this challenging time, I have really wanted to stay connected to my community, so I’ve been playing for customers outside my café ‘The Parade’ in Hazelbrook on Saturday mornings, all whilst physically distancing of course. I’ve pulled out a selection of my wonderful instruments (some of which I haven’t played since before I had kids - my eldest is now 12) dusted them off and have been playing them again. You see before Covid 19 changed our lives, our hospitality company Redpepper Catering & Events had taken over the local Sports Club BISTRO in Hazo. We were in the throes of organising live music there on a Sunday arvo… but we needed to supply the venue with a PA. So, to help raise funds for a PA I’ve been playing for customers outside ‘The Parade’ whilst they wait for their take-away food or coffee order. I’ve been

facebook www.facebook.com/sarah.j.spillane

凌 www.instagram.com/sarahjanespillane/ www.thehazemag.com.au

Creation in Isolation

Since large gatherings were banned with the COVID-19 lockdown, all my upcoming Fusion Boutique concerts have been cancelled or are being rescheduled. This hit me pretty hard, as I had confirmed bookings and shows on sale that were being promoted eight months in advance, including two soldout concerts from Katie Noonan! When it is safe to do so, I’m really looking forward to welcoming guests back for some more quality, original, live music/social experiences. For now, I’ve been using this time to reflect on what I have presented and achieved in live music and events over the last 11 years in the Blue Mountains. I’m appreciating how lucky I have been in bringing these experiences to audiences. I’ve also been in the process of uploading photos and videos taken at some previous events to my Facebook page for Fusion Boutique Presents. Collaborating with Blackheath Bar & Bistro, our physical ‘Gigs On Govetts’ series has now been re-organised as a series of live streams, and I hope to announce the replacement venue show dates when they’re available. I am also very excited to be currently working with Blue Mountains City Council to help them deliver a series of performance live-streams from local artists at Shelter Studios in North Katoomba, engineered by KFM Media. Keep an eye out for more details coming soon on the Fusion Boutique Presents Facebook page.

Charity Mirow facebook www.facebook.com/FusionBoutiquePresents

凌 www.instagram.com/fusion_boutique_presents w fusionboutique.com.au

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Creation in Isolation

Matt Currey During this isolation, my family and I have been working through our fear of the unknown. As the virus spread, daily information was minimal but we understood what we were hearing. Before schools were officially shut down, www.thehazemag.com.au

my wife and I decided to keep our daughter at home, where she’s been working via correspondence. Our son was already somewhat isolated, due to catching hand, foot, and mouth disease at preschool.

As our respective jobs were still open to the public, my wife and I initially stayed at work, but my wife decided to cease work later, as she already has an autoimmune disease. I’m still at work, but until some of the restrictions were lifted last week, my customers had diminished to a level that I never thought I’d see.

Creation in Isolation

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Creation in Isolation