Gold Coast Creative (Issue 3) by Queensland College of Art, Griffith University

celebrating the cultural & creative growth of the gold coast.

issue three. 2012

Foreword The Queensland College of Art (QCA) is one of Australia’s great academies of creative practice. Founded in 1881 it is now more than 10 years into its third century, a distinguished, continuous tradition of commitment to Art and Design education. A key part of the success of the college over time has been its focus on the importance of industry presence and practice within its educational structure and to this end students are offered the opportunity to work on real world industry projects through our in-house incubators such as ‘Liveworm Studio’, which develops graphic design projects for external clients, and the ‘Argus’ our online visual journalism magazine. The launch of a new edition of the Gold Coast Creative is always an exciting moment in the year as it acknowledges the outstanding work of new graduates from the Bachelor of Digital Media and Honours degrees of QCA, on the Gold Coast campus of Griffith University. This degree is a unique program that encourages transdisciplinarity with students combining areas to construct an effective creative pathway of study. The students in this degree choose to elect exciting combinations of study from Design, Fine Arts and Photography. In 2013 we are delighted to be adding the disciplines of Fashion Design and Interior Design to our offerings of majors within the Digital Media degree. Another feature of the Gold Coast Creative journal is the promotion of innovative Design and Art practitioners and related creative businesses and enterprises found on the Gold Coast. Many of these businesses are staffed by our alumni and others are companies we admire for their commitment to creative innovation. In this way the journal also functions as an industry catalogue of some of the best creative work occurring on the Gold Coast. The work showcased in the pages here exemplifies the best of collaborative creative practice and underscores our commitment to producing graduates equipped with the critical understandings of the function of media and the drive and enthusiasm for innovation that is demanded by contemporary industry.

Associate Professor Donal Fitzpatrick  Deputy Director (Gold Coast)  Queensland College of Art, Griffith University

Liveworm team

Creative Director Dominique Falla

issue three. 2012

Studio Co-ordinator Sharon Searle

Cover art design: Megan Harrison meganharrison.com.au

Staff Graphic Designers Megan Harrison & Ashleigh Brennan Student Designer Ashleigh Dunlop Liveworm Gold Coast Studio G14_2.30 Queensland College of Art Gold Coast campus Griffith University QLD 4222

Queensland College of Art Gold Coast

celebrating the cultural & creative growth of the gold coast.

T: +61 7 5552 7262 E: goldcoast@liveworm.com.au W: www.livewormgoldcoast.com

celebrating the cultural & creative growth of the gold coast.

issue three. 2012

Professional Staff

Academic Staff

Anne-Maree Garcia

Hadieh Afshani

Heather Faulkner

Virginia Miller

Scott Roberts

Kade Sproule

Bruce Blundell

Donal Fitzpatrick

Brad Nunn

Tristan Schultz

Trudy Jensen

Richard Blundell

Henry Gao

Amanda Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Sullivan

David Thomas

Natasha Kershaw

Ashleigh Brennan

Jon Harris

Nasan Pather

Ken Twohy

Vince McKillop

Earle Bridger

Megan Harrison

Dale Patterson

James Ugarte

Brad Nunn

Laini Burton

Kylie Hicks

Robyn Peacock-Smith

Margaret Waller

Sharon Searle

Haya Cohen

Karis Hill-Milnes

Sonya Peters

Lani Weedon

Casey Stewart

Sean Costain

David Lloyd

Jack Picone

Ashley Whamond

Jason Urech

Daniel Della-Bosca

Aaron Lutze

Bill Platz

Carol Whittaker

Kim DeCelis

Lee Evans

Chris Mamozelous

Tim Rankin

Dominique Falla

Kelly McIlvenny

Bruce Reynolds

Sanctuary Cove Publishing team Publisher Clare E. Urwin Editor Rhonda Oxnam Art Director Sandra Teissl Graphic Designer Saida Anderson Sales & Marketing Manager Jacqui Forrester Business Manager Yvonne Marsden Sanctuary Cove Publishing (SCP) T : +61 7 5577 9499 W: www.thecovemagazine.com.au P.O. Box 252 Sanctuary Cove Queensland 4212

No responsibility is accepted by SCP for the accuracy of any statement contained in the text or advertisements. All material appearing in Gold Coast Creative is copyright ÂŠ. Views expressed by journalists are not necessarily those of the publisher. Printed by Printcraft.

Contributors Donal Fitzpatrick

Associate Professor Dr Donal Fitzpatrick is currently Deputy Director of the Queensland College of Art at Griffith University. He has held head of school positions in several Australian and New Zealand schools of Art and Design. He is an artist and writer and a former art critic for the West Australian newspaper and is currently represented by Woolloongabba Gallery in Brisbane.

Dominique Falla

Dominique Falla is a designer/artist, author and teacher. She convenes the Graphic Design program at Griffith University on the Gold Coast and is currently studying for her Doctorate in Visual Arts (DVA) on the subject of Tactile Typography. She creates typographic works using a variety of tactile mediums and combines digital creation with analogue output for exhibition. She is passionate about the ‘designer as auteur’ and has mentored over 100 students through the third year ‘creative entrepreneurs’ program, where graphic design students are encouraged to design their own products and take them to market. Dominique also writes on the topic of design for Desktop magazine and the Design Federation and is a founding member of the ‘We Heart’ collective. www.dominiquefalla.com

Sharon Searle

Sharon Searle is the Administrator for Liveworm Gold Coast Studio, a professional design studio and creative incubator within the Queensland College of Art, Griffith University based on the Gold Coast campus. Graduating from a Bachelor of Commerce in 2009, Sharon keeps the studio running like clockwork, ensuring all clients receive a fresh approach to their design projects and are looked after in a professional manner. She has two daughters of her own but additionally assumes the role of mother hen to all Liveworm students completing their work experience within the studio!

Heather Faulkner

Heather Faulkner is a documentary photographer and recent emmersive storytelling convert. After nearly 20 years of working internationally in the mainstream media, she no longer believes that photographs are indisputable truths, no matter how rigid the ethical codes are applied. The Internet has acted as the great leveller. A paradigm shift is occurring in which Western ideology and systems of epistemology are no longer dominant; a democracy of ideas and knowledge is occurring online. As this shift unfolds, she feels more than ever that it is cheap to resign a picture (and the subject it represents) to the static and unchangeable fate of a single truth. A photograph should be an invitation to a conversation. Heather convenes the ePhotojournalism major of the Bachelor of Digital Media and is a research higher-degree doctoral candidate (documentary photography). www.heatherfaulkner.com.au

Rhonda Oxnam

Rhonda Oxnam is a highly qualified journalist, having completed her Bachelor of Journalism at Griffith University as a mature age student. The recipient of the Griffith University Journalism Medal, Rhonda has gone on to forge a successful career in the media. As Sanctuary Cove Publishing’s group editor she is responsible for the company’s flagship publication, the Cove magazine, as well as contributing to and editing many additional projects including Gold Coast Creative. With a strong interest in people and places, Rhonda continues to support the Griffith community through the university’s mentoring program.

Zoe Bruce

Zoe Bruce has gained seven years experience working in the advertising industry and for leading Gold Coast company, TUSK Agency. As a Marketing and Copywriting specialist, Zoe has developed a keen interest and understanding of Brand Strategy, and aims to improve her knowledge through Masters study. Having worked across a diverse range of brands including the Gold Coast SUNS, Surfers Paradise Alliance and Gold Coast City Council, Zoe is passionate about the future of the Gold Coast and hopes to enhance the profile of the city through her continued work in the area.

Phoebe Cook

Phoebe E. A. Cook graduated from a Bachelor of Digital Media, majoring in Fine Art and 3D Design at Griffith University Queensland College of Art in 2012. Her passion for Theatre and the Arts has led her to pursue internships at the IMA@Surfers (2011) in Surfers Paradise, Soapbox Theatre Productions (2012) and Draculas Cabaret (2012) on the Gold Coast. As such, her artistic practices consist of sculptural, digital and performative elements. She is a published writer and artist with 87Artzone Centre for International Arts Practice (2012) in Upper Coomera. Born in rural New South Wales her works investigate notions of cultural identity.

Kylie Hicks

Artist, educator, facilitator, collaborator, sometimes subverting and occasionally corrupting ... her diverse practice traverses traditional borders and boundaries and situates itself in both public and private spaces. Radical NOT raunchy! Social sculptures, installations, interventions ... posited as performative research. Lecture halls, lounge rooms, studios, or on the street. A sessional Lecturer and Tutor with Griffith University for several years, Kylie has been the recipient of Arts Queensland and RADF Funding for the presentation of her works at local, national and international festivals and events.

gold coast campus

Griffith Health Centre.

Griffith Universityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Gold Coast campus is the Universityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest and most comprehensive campus. Set in the middle of the Gold Coast Health and Knowledge Precinct, the campus is on track to become one of the most impressive campuses in the country. Home to almost 17,000 students, Gold Coast campus is creating new and modern facilities for its students. It already has world-class facilities for research and teaching, including the outstanding Institute for Glycomics and the $18 million Smart Water Research Facility. This year, a new $26 million International Building across the Smith Street bridge was opened, new tennis, volleyball and basketball courts were opened and by the end of the year, significant extensions to the library will be complete, creating an enhanced, vibrant learning and collaborative facility.

The connectivity of the Rapid Transit Light Rail system will link Griffith to the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s CBD and restaurant and retail hubs where cosmopolitan meets the coast from Southport to Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach. When completed in 2014, the 13 kilometre dedicated light rail corridor will service the new Gold Coast University Hospital, Griffith University, and residential, commercial and recreational centres. With all this going on, next year and beyond will see an exciting knowledge-based hub created with nearly 20,000 students, 1,000 health care workers and local community members, interconnecting and collaborating to create a compelling social and intellectual space for University staff and students and the Gold Coast community at large.

Later in the year, construction will commence on a new Business School building fronting Parklands Drive, alongside the Science, Engineering and Architecture building. The $150 million Griffith Health Centre and surrounding open-space plaza is due for completion by mid 2013 and with the co-located Gold Coast University Hospital set to open early in 2013, Griffith Gold Coast campus is going to be an intense focus of activity. Significant developments external to the University are also underway at the Gold Coast and in the Southport area. Construction of a light rail system that will greatly improve public transport access to our doorstep continues to advance and over the coming months, plans for the Commonwealth Games Athletes Village will emerge. Griffith is well placed to play a key role in providing expertise and support to the Commonwealth Games.

Professor Ned Pankhurst Provost Gold Coast campus

Mission Statement The 2012 Gold Coast Creative Yearbook aims to initiate a dynamic cultural perception of the Gold Coast and help launch fresh links with the community. Proving that the Gold Coast has much to offer in terms of unique design strengths and creative diversity, the publication features emerging artists, groundbreaking ideas, innovative community projects and supporters of The Arts from the region. The Yearbook also showcases the work of the 2012 graduating students of the Queensland College of Art (QCA) Gold Coast Griffith University, establishing a new audience for student work and generating strong employment opportunities for the graduates.

Contents

10 An Artistic Community 12 Creativity & the Gold Coast 14 Gold Coast City Gallery 16 Village Roadshow theme parks 18 Artistic divercity 20 Oh what a Joy! 22 Soapbox Theatre Productions 24 Printergalactic 26 87Artzone 28 Postcards from Rome 30 Digital entrepreneurs 32 Sanctuary Cove 34 Room81 36 Limetree Events 39 The SEED project 41 Nude Creative 43 Jewellers Workshop Gallery

44 Creative Careers 46 Troy Archer 48 Zoe Bruce 50 Anna Carey 52 Andrew Leach 54 Otto Schmidinger 56 Carol Whittaker 58 Krystle Wright

60 Past Students 62 Samantha Camarri 64 Byron Coathup 66 Chris Glew 68 Stine Halvorsen 70 Benny Kaz 72 Ben Lees 74 Kelly McIlvenny 76 Tess Maguire 78 Porsha Marais 80 Wesley Monts 82 Joelle Peters 84 YueXiao Ma

86 QCA Graduate Showcase 2012 89 3 Dimensional Design 97 Digital Design 102 ePhotojournalism 107 Fine Art 113 Graphic Design 135 Supporters & Sponsors

An Artistic Community The cultural and creative development of the Gold Coast has resulted in a growing sense of community.

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Creativity & the Gold Coast The idea of design article by Donal Fitzpatrick

1. Daybreak: Photo by Limetree Events 2. Zap by Printergalactic

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Everybody embraces the term â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;creativityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and most people would claim it as a fundamental human attribute, however, this century we are aware of its importance not only to the individual but to the community and the economy as a whole. The dynamic interface between culture and technology has not only transformed the experience of our daily lives and created new definitions of life-style and community but become the engine generator of jobs and wealth. This dynamic has greatly increased our sense of mobility, our sense of constructed identity. We have demanded change and raised our expectation of companies to service our needs as we have ignored and punished those that fail. The past decade is littered with companies which failed to stay abreast of these social, technological and cultural changes or to adequately meet our desires. At the same time we have witnessed the phenomenal growth of companies who have not only met our desires but have come to shape and accelerate our needs. Amidst this set of shifting concerns we have elevated diversity as a key value and primarily it has been Design that has delivered this desire for difference and uniqueness.

Amidst this set of shifting concerns we have elevated diversity as a key value and primarily it has been Design that has delivered this desire for difference and uniqueness.

The idea of Design as a fundamental principle of how we live and how we construct our identity through fashion, communication, interiors and social networks is now commonplace and constitutes the rise of the individual as knowledgeable critic. This development is of critical importance in a country like Australia. We live at a time when we make very little that the world wants or desires, we exist economically by nature of our over reliance on a handful of primary commodities, mostly minerals, and history tells us that this is unsustainable, indeed we have been here before when in previous centuries we relied firstly on gold and then wool. It is crucial to our survival as a nation that we expand and develop our capacity to create new forms and products and the way we can achieve this is through the expansion and nurturing of our creative sector. These are the people and the industries that function in the contemporary world as the key connectors, fostering the development and the convergence of new forms of transferable Design and the resultant emergence of new products whose use and adaption becomes wide spread. These creative practitioners challenge our paradigmatic assumptions about business, commerce and even definition. A feature of the creative sector is the blurring of traditional roles between white collar and blue collar, between office worker and technician and beyond this, the harnessing through the internet and the web of an army of creative practitioners whose function and presence dismantles the old barriers between professional and amateur. That the growth of this sector is critical is not only true at the national level but also at the local, witness the transformation of Melbourne to the ascendant title of worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most desirable and live-able city. A large part of this transformation was its ability to attract creative practitioners and generate new businesses. A small to medium size city like the Gold Coast needs to focus its investment and energy into developing the type of environment of opportunity that encourages and fosters creativity as an industrial form. This city already has a highly mobile plug and play lifestyle with a high quality of life environment but it needs to invest in Design and to focus on generating a tolerant, supportive and dynamic economic space where key creatives not only find jobs but also the opportunities to launch new creative businesses. The type of practitioners listed in the pages of journals like this one represent a vital resource and our collective futures.

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Gold Coast City Gallery Shakin’ the contemporary kinetic aesthetic —the making of an e-catalogue article by Virginia Rigney (Senior Curator Gold Coast City Gallery)

1 3

Exhibition artists Lincoln Austin, Michael Candy, Sandra Landolt, Ross Manning, John Turier and Arthur Wicks Project Team Curator /Project Manager Virginia Rigney Assistant Curator Pip Minney Graphic Designer Byron Coathup Filmmaker and Editor Alex Chomicz Digital Designer Derek Symons DMS Science Education Writer Jonathan Purdy 2

1. Shakin’ iPad App 2. Shakin’ postcard 3. Shakin’ e-catalogue sample

Text Editor Jessica Syme

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The new realm of digital platforms has provided significant new challenges and opportunities for museums and galleries to present information to their audiences and to develop new types of interaction with them. Few doubt that the traditional printed catalogue in book form will disappear, however only a small number of Australian art museums and a growing number of international ones have, over the past five years, begun to deliver more of their research and educational content through this medium.

with local creatives including Queensland College of Art alumnus Byron Coathup over an extremely tight time frame of five weeks to design, write, film, edit and present the e-catalogue. His design layout combined with the quality of film images from Alex Chomicz were essential to the overall success of the e-catalogue. Shakin’ was presented at Gold Coast City Gallery from 30 June – 5 August 2012. The e-catalogue is currently available on The Arts Centre Gold Coast website. For details contact Virginia Rigney (Senior Curator Gold Coast City Gallery).

Currently, the majority of such material remains wedded to the familiar format of a printed page, and so the only advantage—apart from saving trees—in having it online, is to allow wider access to the content. Visitors can download and read at their leisure before or after a visit, or alternatively, the product becomes the virtual visit. The potential for the digital platform offers artists and curators a new level of possibility for the integration of sound, moving vision, locative interaction and a layering of different structures of text to deliver enriched levels of understanding and appreciation of the works to a variety of target audiences. The platforms can be delivered within the gallery space, or to electronic devices (specifically the iPad) within a home or classroom environment. This is the opportunity that Gold Coast City Gallery recently embraced with the development of its first e-catalogue.

www.theartscentregc.com.au

The production of the e-catalogue was only possible through the generous support of the Potter Foundation, the Melbourne based Philanthropic Fund which supports a range of projects nationally in the arts, education, medical and community services sectors.

Reflections by Byron Coathup, Graphic Designer

The trigger to create this particular e-catalogue was the nature of the artworks. The exhibition Shakin’ The Contemporary Kinetic Aesthetic presented six contemporary artists working in the medium of kinetic sculpture. Representing sculpture that moves with a conventional still photograph inherently compromises the representation of the artwork. One of the main curatorial ideas of the exhibition was to interrogate the relationship between the aesthetics of movement and the expression and idea of the artist. The second aim of the e-catalogue was to develop a high-quality education resource that would have a much longer lifespan than a conventional exhibition education kit. In collaboration with The Queensland Academies Young Scholars program, the Gallery identified this exhibition as an ideal project to develop a resource that connected scientific knowledge to art ideas. For all six artists, there was a seamless link between understanding practical scientific considerations drawn from the disciplines of physics, bio-chemistry and engineering as well as more philosophical scientific questions and the development of their art intentions. The digital platform allowed us to design a way to integrate these ideas. Filming the artists installing and discussing their artworks demystified them and made their ideas both interesting and understandable to the target middle school audience without compromising the presentations and interpretations of the works for other audiences. The third aim of the project was to give the artists a professional presentation of their work and for this to be valued within the context of the art world. The final aim was to develop our own local capacity to produce and develop such content. The Gold Coast City Gallery worked solely

… the application should function like a traditional printed catalogue, but also embrace broader digital opportunities. During the design process, it took considerable time to grasp exactly how the ‘e-catalogue’ should function. Through our discussions we concluded that the application should function like a traditional printed catalogue, but also embrace broader digital opportunities. As kinetic sculpture is a moving form, it seemed appropriate for the artists to explain their work through an interactive online platform. The works clunk, shake, rattle and roll, so capturing this movement would best be portrayed by incorporating video. The e-catalogue needed to function as an educational device for multiple markets, including schools as well as patrons of all ages. The beauty of the artists’ work as well as the scientific applications and mechanics behind the sculptures needed to be explained and incorporated in the application. This was new territory for both myself and the Gallery, as this was the first time we were to embark on an exhibition catalogue of this form. By approaching each part of the project with an open mind, and through continual communication, we managed to create a very unique portrait of each artist and their work. With up to five people collaborating on the project, each specialising in a particular area including curatorship, filmmaking, digital design, graphic design and education, it was a challenging but rewarding project to coordinate. As the exhibition’s graphic designer, I had developed and nurtured the branding and identity, such as typography and colour choice, so it was my responsibility to ensure the brand integrity was maintained. It was a challenge to maintain the quality of work within the parameters of the exhibition’s identity, but overall this was an extremely interesting project that brought together a variety of specialists to create a vibrant and well-received resource not only for the Gold Coast community, but a resource that can be accessed by anyone around the world. Our first foray into the world of e-catalogues has been a great success and a true delight to work on. It was a great collaboration of people and a fantastic success at the end of the day.

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Village Roadshow Theme Parks

Fun in the sun at the Gold Coast’s favourite theme parks

1. Warner Bros. Movie World—Justice League 3D-The Ride 2. Sea World—Dinosaur Island 3. Warner Bros. Movie World—Green Lantern Rollercoaster Ride

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... Village Roadshow’s Theme Parks and Attractions hold a special place in the memories of many locals and visitors. An integral part of the Gold Coast’s landscape for decades, Village Roadshow’s Theme Parks and Attractions hold a special place in the memories of many locals and visitors. The Big 3—Warner Bros. Movie World, Sea World and Wet’n’Wild Water World—provide endless hours of fun in the sun, and are full of attractions for adrenaline junkies, animal lovers, junior adventurers, and everyone in between. As the name suggests Warner Bros. Movie World pays tribute to the wonderful world of movies. Movie World latest movie themed ride—Justice League 3D – The Ride—has just opened. Earth is under alien attack and riders join Superman, Batman and an army of Super Heroes in a 3D battle against the evil villain Starro the Conqueror. Riders climb aboard a transportation pod and travel through devastated cities as they blast the aliens and help the Justice League. While the battle rages, your transportation pod will keep track of your alien stun score so you’ll know how many you’ve alienated. This interactive ride is just like a video game brought to life in 3D and provides great family fun. Sea World offers visitors an educational, interactive theme park experience. Get friendly with the gorgeous polar bears, swim with the sharks or marvel at the majestic dolphins. Of course, Sea World also has all the prerequisite theme park adventure rides including the Jet Rescue coaster and Vikings Revenge Flume Ride as well as fun activities for the littlest members of the group. There’s something new at Sea World too with the recently opened Dinosaur Island, featuring massive animatronic dinosaurs that move and roar. When it comes to cooling down on a long, hot Gold Coast day, Wet’n’Wild Water World is the perfect destination. This aquatic adventure playground features a host of water based pursuits to keep the entire family entertained. Kids will enjoy the fun at Buccaneer Bay,

mum and dad can relax at Calypso Beach, and the teenagers (and thrill seeking grownups) can now take on the mother of all water slides – the brand new Constrictor. Riders will slip and slide their way into the belly of the snake. You’ll need to hold on tight as you take on the tightest and meanest turns in the world while hitting speeds of up to 30km/h. From thrilling coasters and splashtacular slides to unforgettable animal encounters and much more, Warner Bros. Movie World, Sea World and Wet’n’Wild Water World offer a true Gold Coast experience, All three have plenty of new attractions to keep you entertained so why not ramp up the fun-o-meter and purchase the great value VIP Pass which provides unlimited entry to the Big 3 parks until 30 June 2013. For theme park lovers, a great accommodation option is the award winning Sea World Resort & Water Park located on the beautiful Gold Coast Broadwater. This family friendly resort has just added a brand new Nickelodeon Aquatic Adventure Zone. The kids will adore the bright and colourful water-play areas themed around SpongeBob SquarePants. They can also dance and delight at the spectacular musical water fountain with a cool LED light show. Sea World Resort & Water Park offers a selection of fabulous dining options including a delicious seafood buffet and award winning Japanese cuisine. The best way to experience the ultimate in theme park fun is with a VIP Pass, which provides unlimited entry to Warner Bros. Movie World, Sea World and Wet’n’Wild Water World until 30 June 2013, for the amazing price of just $99.99 when you pre-purchase from ThemeParks.com.au or call 133 FUN.

4. Wet‘n’Wild—Constrictor 5. Sea World Resort—Dolphin Discovery

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Artistic divercity Gallery concepts diversify to match the growth of the city’s artistic landscape article by Zoe Bruce

1. Chalk art from Surfers Paradise Festival 2012 2. ‘One Way’ street party—organisers & artists 3. Terri Lew—19KAREN Gallery Director

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The bright and the white; the warm and the welcoming; the chaotic and the refined, Gold Coast gallery spaces form a diverse arrangement, etched against a landscape of industrial streets, sunlit laneways and coastal retail precincts. Gallery spaces continue emerging throughout the city, whereby the community is now integrating with the arts in new and exciting ways. When asked of her connection with the Gold Coast, Terri Lew, Gallery Director of 19Karen, notes that since moving here in 1978 she has ‘seen it grow ten-fold’. “It is a lot more cultural, it has matured and grown into a more interesting place to live,” says Terri. Through decades of cultural evolution the Gold Coast community is beginning to see the artistic landscape diversify and adapt to meet the shifting demands of this increasingly creative city. The progressive nature of arts in the area has seen the birth of live art, community education projects and pop-up exhibitions, as well as the establishment and continuation of commercial gallery spaces.

One example of an off-beat gallery concept is the Surfers Paradise Festival’s ‘One Way’ street party. The arts project canvases a tucked away laneway in Surfers Paradise and exhibits a variety of arts disciplines, including displays of community, skate deck and live art; fashion, crafts and the hand-made; as well as film and live music. Attracting upwards of 18,000 visitors in 2012, Mike Winlaw of the Surfers Paradise Alliance attests that the ‘One Way’ street party, is ‘a unique opportunity for both artists and the local community to come together and learn through public forums and exhibitions’.

“A unique opportunity for both artists and the local community to come together and learn through public forums and exhibitions.”— Mike Winlaw, Surfers Paradise Alliance

With this view point shared by arts enthusiasts and gallery owners alike, the city is currently witnessing the growth of a diverse artistic landscape, with Terri Lew herself expressing an unwavering desire to ‘provide artists with the recognition that their talent deserves’.

4. 19KAREN—The Art of Spain group show 2012 (Photography Kylie Cox) 5. 19KAREN

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Oh what a Joy!

Contemporary portraiture & fashion design article by Kylie Hicks

1. Ruby Rose 2. Miranda Kerr / Kora 3. From A different Perspective 4. Joy French 5. JOYFRENCH fashion.

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… seamlessly stitching her eclectic practice together. I enter the canal-front home of artist and designer Joy French where I have arranged to interview the successful local about her clothing label JOYFRENCH. Quickly distracted by the warm, welcoming and immediately comfortable and familiar interior space which seems to be both a reflection and extension of the woman herself, I now find myself seated, glass of red in hand, engaged in a conversation about the two black swans I can hear outside who also seem to be engaged in something unexpected. Focus Kylie. Focus! About to attempt a professional enquiry into how an apprenticeship in a foundry (while still in school) learning the fundamentals of sculpture and bronze casting led her to the contemporary portraiture she is well known for and the role of fashion designer she currently finds herself in, (yes, I’ve done my research) there is something else I notice, or rather don’t notice, that prevents the intended questioning. Nowhere within my field of vision can I spot one of the easily recognisable Joy French portraits she is often commissioned to create. There are no striking green eyes of a subject peering at me from one of her paintings … paintings that regularly find their way into private local, national and international collections. The work of Joy French is regularly exhibited around Australia, and can be viewed and experienced at a variety of creative events held around the Gold Coast. Her original artworks now feature as limited edition prints on her clothing range. Yet in her home, filled with antiques, and where musical instruments adorn the walls, perhaps it is the objects she collects that are used to create a three dimensional subtle self portrait of her own. The work of art that captures my focus here is a dancing skeleton carved into what Joy animatedly explains is the door of a temple, rescued from the ruins whilst she was in Tibet. In traditional Tibetan culture the skeletons … but … Fashion Kylie!! FASHION! You have to write an article about a ‘fashion designer’. COME ON!

Filling a specific gap in the market of ethical manufacture and production. Fair trade. Street-smart quality garments. Sustainability. Everyday wardrobe basics with style and integrity. Everything designed and made here in Australia. I know what to ask. But alas, all hope is lost when Joy notices ‘you’re wearing one my shirts’… suddenly self conscious I start gushing about it being a gift from a friend of mine, a make-up artist, who works with Joy creating the very specific makeup and hair designs for the elaborate photo shoots that Joy insists are unique to each new range of clothing. Yet another diversion. “Oh! You know Astra! She’s great. I love the collaboration aspects of the shoots … It’s important to me to work with and support local artists from all different disciplines that share a similar philosophy or approach ... that cross fertilisation that happens is exciting and inspiring … a lot of what I do … everything I create really … it’s about connecting … real people … the human condition … everyone has a story … and I love listening to them”. Before I know it I’m in my car. So what do I write? The care and concern adopted when it comes to how, with who and with what materials she makes her mark(s) on the world and the people in it are real. There is no false pretense or artifice. No jumping on the ‘green’ bandwagon purely for profit. There is however a passion and sincerity that is tangible. The impressive portfolio of artistic roles filled by Joy French are illustrative of the inspired responsiveness of a woman who traverses the tricky terrain of art/life … art/design … fine art/fashion debates and divides with ease … there is a common thread weaving through the fabric of all the work of Joy French … seamlessly stitching her eclectic practice together. Wearing it on the front of one of her shirts, or watching it appear on a canvas in a smoke filled venue, waiting to see if you have the winning bid at a charity auction to which she has donated it, or quietly contemplating the possible lives and loves of an old man she met busking on the street who now captivates you from an image of his portrait just posted on Facebook … or in my case—perched in her lounge room enjoying a beverage … the intention is obvious … It’s personal … it’s about the experience … and you have been considered. www.joyfrenchgallery.com

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Soapbox Theatre Productions All the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a stage article by Phoebe Cook

1. Cosi poster 2. Chasing the Whale poster 3. Soapbox logo

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Soapbox Theatre Productions is a group of passionate and exceedingly talented artists working together to create innovative and contemporary theatre that engages and affects their audiences. This year the company has been a part of the ‘Fill This Space’ Residency Program at The Arts Centre Gold Coast and has performed Cosi by Louis Nowra and Chasing the Whale by Matthew Ryan. Artistic Director of Soapbox Theatre Productions Jessica Westhead has a passion for Shakespeare, which led her to pursue an internship with the Bell Shakespeare Company at the age of 19. This respect for Shakespeare has inspired her to challenge orthodox methods of portraying classic texts on contemporary theatre stages. After completing a BA of Applied Theatre at Griffith University in 2005, she founded Soapbox Theatre Productions and has since produced Shakespearian plays Twelfth Night, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, O Woe Is Me and The Taming of the Shrew. After graduating from Griffith University with a Bachelor of Creative Arts in Theatre and Visual Arts, Kade Sproule formed a close working relationship with Queensland College of Art (QCA) staff during his own studies at the QCA and has continued to work there ever since. He has even taken to involving QCA students in the creative processes used during Soapbox’s recent productions. This gives the students a variety of work experiences and skills in set design and construction in the theatre industry. Soapbox also played a hand in the revival of Griffith University’s Drama Theatre, which at the time had been a neglected space. The group performed their highly successful Shakespearian plays The Taming of the Shrew, A Midsummer Nights Dream and their own creation Sophie Is, in the space. Sophie Is has since been selected by Artslink for school tours in late 2012. What is your connection to the Gold Coast? Jess: I moved to the Gold Coast when I was four years old, and have always lived and studied here. I want to work creatively on the Coast, rather than moving through, and be inspired by it. Kade: The family was born here! We’ve got members from Queensland, Victoria, and New South Wales, but it was here the playing began and here the ideas and inspiration continued to grow. What is your creative process? Jess: Always ongoing, though we collaborate on projects, our individual roles become more defined. For me, my creative process has now become directing and producing with our venue, so I get to work with everyone from marketing, administrative design, technology and music and, of course, the performers. My focus is primarily on them, but at the beginning of every process, the production team and I work very hard to create a unified vision and story. That is when they can focus on creating their magic and I focus on story telling with the cast. My other job as administration director is ever changing. I work closely with our general manager, on keeping our company going. Questions such as: What is next? How do we get there? What and who are we? I am constantly re-evaluating and planning our next phase.

“How do we keep doing this? With passion and hard work.” —Kade Sproule Kade: It is still an evolving process, which is exactly how we like it. We take every step as an opportunity to build and explore our strengths while navigating the obstacles. Our biggest strength has always been the working ensemble that lies at the core of our group. With all hands and minds on deck, we are constantly exploring how our performance, musical, design and technical elements can work together in new and innovative forms, to not only keep our work fresh and our audiences guessing, but so we as artists keep challenging ourselves, our product, and our industry. What do you see as your unique quality? Jess: Our uniqueness is our collaborative approach. I love the fact that the way we work has grown, as we do. People becoming parents, business owners, solo artists, etc, has really enhanced the way we work together. Everyone has the ability to adapt and see things through each other’s eyes and explore different possibilities. Kade: A group of passionate and exceedingly talented artists working together to create innovative and contemporary theatre that engages and affects their audiences, while the next project is discussed over a barbecue and tunes. We never forget the mateship that got us all together. What are your proudest achievements? Jess: Completing a show and it being a sell out, like The Taming of the Shrew. Kade: Our 2012 Artists in Residence at The Arts Centre Gold Coast. Sophie Is, a Soapbox original, being picked up by the Artslink for touring. Three babies (and one on the way) that add new inspiration to our sense of play, and the group’s ongoing commitment to producing professional and relevant work for our audiences, with the limited resources we have. What do you see may be lacking? Jess: Unfortunately, it will always come down to funding. We now get told we need to look at bigger grants elsewhere, and if we do that, we may lose sight of our hometown. Most of the time our artists work full time and get little pay. Kade: The Soapbox family has been working incredibly hard over the past seven years to create and keep working opportunities for its artists so we can continue delivering quality work to Gold Coast audiences. How do we keep doing this? With passion and hard work. How do we sustain this? By seeking out more support and funding which is desperately needed. www.soapboxtheatre.com.au

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Printergalactic A feeling of nostalgia article by Dominique Falla

1. Little Teapot 2. Peter Parker 3. Flamingo Hilton 4. Another Dimension 5. Zap

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… their largest tin robot — ‘Mr Printergalactic’—is the key inspiration behind their name, logo, and business cards.

Gold Coast brand ‘Printergalactic’ was born out of Jason and Celisa Urech’s shared love of printmaking and the handmade aesthetic. This husband and wife team create fun, bright, original and unique, limited edition, hand-pulled screen prints. Their work evokes a feeling of nostalgia, and they pepper their prints with images of vintage caravans, tin toy ray guns and rocket ships, Hummel figurines, cuckoo clocks and flamingos, to name but a few. It is not hard to see how Jason and Celisa find inspiration, their home is filled with vintage ephemera, tattoo magazines, and children’s toys, Gran’s knitted doilies and a large collection of vintage-style tin toys are just some of the items they are surrounded by, and their largest tin robot—‘Mr Printergalactic’—is the key inspiration behind their name, logo, and business cards. Printergalactic takes its aesthetic from a bygone era and Jason and Celisa’s use of bold lines and bright colours is a nod to old school tattooists such as Sailor Jerry. Like vintage bowerbirds, the pair salvage text and imagery from traditional nursery rhymes, folk tales, films and comic books, and whilst vintage themes are certainly not

new, Jason and Celisa smash together all of their influences into their own unique style. Printergalactic is a relatively new enterprise, but has been a long time coming. Both Celisa and Jason describe themselves as ‘creative types’ with backgrounds in music and design and it was inevitable that the two would eventually combine their talents. Jason had been screen printing his own T-shirts and then started making prints for their son Andre’s room. When the couple realised there was a huge void in the boy’s art market, Printergalactic was born. Their initial target audience was children, but the products proved to be popular with people of all ages and this caused them to broaden their scope. When asked about other artists who inspire them, Celisa enthuses: “We really admire the work of Evan Hecox, Mike Giant, Timber!, and Tugboat Printshop. As well as creating prints, we are avid collectors of art ourselves. Our walls at home are covered with fantastic limitededition prints from some of our favourite artists.” www.printergalactic.com.au

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87Artzone Artistic life in the bush article by Phoebe Cook

In a regional area of the Gold Coast, overlooking a large pond surrounded by native wildlife, is a country house converted into a gallery known as the ‘Red Gallery’ and an old winery barrel warehouse called the ‘Grey Gallery’. Known collectively as 87Artzone Centre for International Arts Practice (87Artzone), the galleries share the property with the lovely old Thumm Estate Winery with its signature circular oriental style doors. 87Artzone is a new not-for-profit organisation that opened its sliding doors in late 2011 with its first exhibition Between Australia & China: Observations of a Realist Painter featuring works from realist painter Dr Xuning Wang, who is also the Artistic Director.

“I came to Australia from China 20 years ago now and my life is divided between two cultures,” he explains. “I pick up different things from different cultures that suit me, not only for my way of thinking but for my lifestyle.”

1. 87Artzone interior 2. Artwork by Kerensa Davis 3. Painting by Xuning Wang 4. Unnatural disaster III—Christopher Crouch

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“We want to open our minds to make a link between artists and society and we also want to give the exhibiting artists a space where they can have the freedom to express themselves.” — Dr Xuning Wang

It is the experience of living between two very different cultures which is the overriding concept behind 87Artzone, and the centre was founded to create a space for intercultural dialogue and cultural exchange within the Asia Pacific region. “We want to open our minds to make a link between artists and society and we also want to give the exhibiting artists a space where they can have the freedom to express themselves.” Thanks to the Gold Coast City Council’s Regional Arts Development Fund, 87Artzone’s first photographic exhibition Picture This featured over forty artists from local and international backgrounds and showcased over 188 photographs, each one celebrating the cultural diversity throughout the Asia Pacific region and telling their own secrets and stories of the region around us. This exhibition was a part of the Fourth Annual Queensland Festival of Photography. The night was opened by Professor Donal Fitzpatrick, Deputy Director of Queensland College of Art (QCA), Gold Coast. His speech provided an entertaining and well-researched overview of the ‘photographic image in the contemporary world’ and the ‘role of the visual representation of the lived experience of the Asia Pacific region’.

vast space and industrial aesthetics provided students with a very unique curatorial opportunity and experience.

Both Donal and Dr Xuning Wang welcome the new partnership between 87Artzone and QCA, which aims to ‘bring together the best of challenging and experimental art practice from throughout this region’.

87Artzone is also associated with the 798 Gallery in China, which is one of the country’s most recognised contemporary art galleries, and is dedicated to becoming a recognised institution for Asia Pacific arts practice.

The centre offers all QCA students residencies and exhibition space opportunities. Third year student Kerensa Davis worked at the gallery as a curatorial intern and found the property to be the perfect place for tranquility and creativity due to its rural setting.

“Many Chinese and Australian galleries are starting to recognise us now, especially in the Asia Pacific region. Many good Chinese artists find us and send works to be included in the exhibitions,” says Dr Wang.

“Working at 87Artzone has been very rewarding and educational. Having the opportunity to meet and work with other artists and supporters was the best part of the job,” says Kerensa.

As 87Artzone’s reputation continues to expand, Dr Wang is confident that the institution will have a positive influence on the Gold Coast’s art scene.

87Artzone aims to provide opportunities and support for emerging and established artists to create, promote and display their work, and has had an active involvement with third year Fine Art Students studying a Bachelor of Digital Media at QCA.

“I want the gallery to be a cultural centre,” he says. “Groups can come here to learn and gain experiences. They can stay at the gallery through our residency program and spend time making, creating and sharing knowledge and skills.”

Hosting their mid year exhibition Divided by 9 in the Grey Gallery, this exhibition featured nine emerging artists practicing a diversity of conceptual investigations, methodologies and practices. The Gallery’s

“I feel we will have a very positive future, so I can finally paint— I have many things I want to paint, many, many things!” www.87artzone.com

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Postcards from Rome

Tactile typography with an international flavour

article by Sharon Searle

1. Postcards from Rome 2. Michelangeloâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Keyhole 3. Gelato 4. Il Vinaietto 5. Pasta

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Tactile typographer, and convener of the graphic design program at the Queensland College of Art (QCA), Gold Coast, Dominique Falla was recently invited to apply for the School of Visual Art (SVA) Masters of Typography workshop in Rome. Needless to say, she jumped at the opportunity to spend 12 days in Rome—birthplace of modern typography—with calligraphers, designers, typographers, historians, and archaeologists from around the world. “When I found out Louise Fili was going to be one of the course instructors, I couldn’t say no,” explains Dominique.

… there were some other, more quirky postcard requests, such as a scene reenacted from Tosca, Italian Neo-realism Cinema, and the Roman Catacombs.

American designer Louise Fili is one of the most well respected graphic designers in the world and an expert on Italian design and typography, so Dominique had reason to be excited. The annual Italian workshops are hosted by the SVA in New York and organised by Steve Heller and Lita Talerico, who both chair the MFA creative entrepreneurs program at SVA. Not surprisingly, part of the workshop involved students developing an entrepreneurial project while in Rome. Once Dominique was accepted to the program, she decided to create a book arts project before she went, to help fund the trip, and so the Postcards from Rome project was born. Dominique set up a ‘kickstarter-style’ website to take requests for oneoff postcards and Italian paper company Fabriano agreed to sponsor the project by supplying paper for the postcards. Fifty people signed up via the website to make postcard requests, and once Dominique was in Rome, she tracked down the people, places, and things that had been requested by the project’s backers.

“It was so much fun having my entire trip guided by the requests of people from around the world. I went to places, and did things, I would never have dreamed of,” enthuses Dominique. Some of the postcard requests you might expect, such as gelato, pasta, the Trevi Fountain, and the Italian flag, but there were some other, more quirky postcard requests, such as a scene reenacted from Tosca, Italian Neo-realism Cinema, and the Roman Catacombs. Upon returning from Italy, Dominique declared it was the best two weeks of her life, and then promptly set to work producing the unique pieces of artwork, compiling all fifty postcards into a book, which is due for publication by Finesse Press in November 2012. You can follow Dominique’s postcard adventures on the project website. www.postcardsfromromeproject.com

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Digital entrepreneurs

The future is now article by Dominique Falla

1. Holler by Bruce Blundell 2. Wasp Destroyer 3. Cell ring by Danny Della-Bosca 4. Quat bangle by Danny Della-Bosca 5. Lonely Wolves and Teacups by Dixie Edwards 6. Doves by Bruce Blundell

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Innovative digital prototyping technologies are paving the way for Bachelor of Digital Media students to conceive, design, and produce their own unique three-dimensional product ideas. 3 Dimensional Design lecturers Danny Della-Bosca and Bruce Blundell are excited about the future of the 3D Design program at the Queensland College of Art (QCA), Gold Coast, and it is clear, the future is now. QCA students currently have access to rapid prototyping technology, such as 3D printers, laser cutters, milling machines, and state-of-theart Wacom Cintiq tablet screens, and when used in conjunction with software such as 3D Studio Max, Inventor, Rhino, and Mudbox, the possibilities are endless.

The vision for the program, according to Danny Della-Bosca, is using ‘Digital Fabrication as a methodology for entrepreneurship—looking at available techniques, and future technologies for cottage industries. These aren’t just cool machines, they can form the foundation of a business’. Graduates Richard Neville and Kylie Gartside have already utilised these rapid prototyping technologies to take their designs to market, with Richard’s ‘Flux Mugs’ in the GoMA (Gallery of Modern Art) gallery shop and Kylie’s jewellery in commercial production. Current student Dixie Edwards was also recognised for her innovative digital jewellery brand ‘Lonely Wolves and Teacups’, with a $1000 prize in the Griffith Innovation 1K Challenge.

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“These aren’t just cool machines, they can form the foundation of a business.” — Danny Della-Bosca

Whether it is product design, wearable art, architectural modelling, public art, sculpture, furniture design, home wares, lighting design, and even monster design, the possibilities in the dimensional field are seemingly endless. Danny Della-Bosca is excited about the future of the program and is looking towards one day sharing resources with the Architecture and Engineering departments, with a full-scale commercial fabrication lab not beyond the realm of possibility. www.qcagoldcoast.com

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Sanctuary Cove Sanctuary Cove engages the public with an interactive Facebook campaign

article by Media Hunt

1. Artist impressionâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;front view 2. Andrew Winter 3. Artist impressionâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;rear view 4. Design & Win Facebook campaign

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“We’ve had lots of innovative and original entries, ranging from futuristic kitchens to stone wall furnishings.” — Andrew Winter lock up garage, along with additional lifestyle extras including a media room, al fresco entertaining area and golf buggy parking. It is also the first time buyers have had the opportunity to purchase a quality, spacious four bedroom home with land from $899,000 with access to all of the sought after lifestyle facilities on offer at Sanctuary Cove. 4

With the competition wrapping up in August 2012, Andrew said the entries submitted were full of innovative and inspirational ideas.

Award-winning resort-style community Sanctuary Cove has cashed in on the Facebook phenomenon, creating an innovative marketing campaign surrounding its new housing release—The Winter Collection.

He said entrants were in the running to bring their designs to life, with some elements of the winning rooms forming the final design for inclusions in the first Winter Collection home.

Following the release of the new house and land packages in June 2012, Sanctuary Cove kicked off the interactive Design and Win Facebook competition based on The Winter Collection homes the same month.

“We’ve had lots of innovative and original entries, ranging from futuristic kitchens to stone wall furnishings,” said Andrew.

Popular media personality, residential property expert and Sanctuary Cove resident, Andrew Winter, was announced as the face of the unusual campaign, which sought a different way of exciting, engaging and informing the public about Sanctuary Cove’s newest housing release. The Facebook competition sought input from the public for the design, layout and finishes of The Winter Collection homes in a series of ‘have your say’ portals in a fortnightly judging process. Run over 18 weeks, the Facebook campaign saw nine rooms launched for public discussion fortnightly. The floor plans and images of the blocks were made available for viewing online. Andrew selected the winners of the competition which focused on one particular room of the house per fortnight, including the media room, kitchen and master bedroom. Room by room, Andrew evaluated the comments and ideas from the public, with the best suggestions or most popular ideas winning a fortnightly accommodation prize, courtesy of Mulpha Sanctuary Cove (Developments) Pty Limited. Andrew said the Facebook campaign was a bid to engage a younger demographic and introduce more families and young professionals into the community and had proved popular, with many entries received each fortnight online. “Sanctuary Cove is a completely unique place. It offers families and residents a standard of living you won’t find elsewhere,” said Andrew. “However, it’s not a new housing estate. It is well established and marketing these new homes had to be different to anything else Sanctuary Cove had ever done. “We wanted to engage and get people talking about The Winter Collection homes and get them interested in the new housing product that is being built at Sanctuary Cove.”

“The creative ideas were not always practical, but people had a lot of fun with them, which was the main idea, to get people involved and interested in the design of the homes. “We have received a positive response and output from the community. “It was something different we tried to do to get the public engaged in the fantastic product we have here at Sanctuary Cove, and it seems to have worked.” The first home is now under construction on one of the prime golf course fronting Banksia blocks. Buyers have the choice from house and land packages at Alpinia, a unique residential enclave set on the hill, offering private home sites with soaring views across Sanctuary Cove’s natural parkland area, the Gold Coast hinterland and eastern coastline. Tristania has a range of large waterfront lots with a stunning north-east aspect, while the tranquil Banksia precinct overlooks the magnificent The Palms golf course. British expat Andrew Winter is a former real estate agent with extensive experience in the property industry both in Australia and overseas. Having relocated to Australia with his family in 2005, Andrew is the host of Selling Houses Australia exclusive to the LifeStyle Channel, a contributor to News Ltd as their real estate consumer expert and now operates an independent property consultancy business to assist those looking to buy or sell. Sanctuary Cove is a resort-style master-planned community, featuring two 18-hole championship golf courses, a 300 berth marina, luxury hotel and a Country Club including a full fitness centre, tennis courts and a 25m swimming pool. At the heart of the community is The Marine Village—Sanctuary Cove’s very own waterfront commercial, retail and dining precinct, with more than 80 tenancies.

The Winter Collection will see six one-off designer homes built at Sanctuary Cove’s limited land releases Banksia, Tristania and Alpinia.

Mulpha continues to reinvest in the multi award-winning community, ensuring it maintains its enviable reputation of a world-class community with unparalleled lifestyle options.

Homes will feature four bedrooms, spacious living areas and double

www.sanctuarycove.com

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Room81

Creating visual flavours article by Rhonda Oxnam

1. Room81 2. Room81 dinner set up 3. Chef de Cuisine Michael Crosbie

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Creativity comes in many forms … art, music, literature, and, in the case of award-winning restaurant Room81, food.

“But while you can sit and marvel at the presentation as much as you want … eventually you just have to eat it!”

Located in the Sofitel Gold Coast Broadbeach, the stylish establishment caters to a discerning clientele who are looking for a dining adventure, rather than just a meal.

Nick agrees.

“The modern-day diner is looking for experiences that excite them,” explains Nick Clarke, Director of Sales and Marketing Sofitel Gold Coast Broadbeach. “It’s nice to be able to push people out of their comfort zone with food and then bring them back in again. Many of our guests are trying out creations that they would not eat every day of the week so they are looking for food that—from a flavour perspective—is the right combination … and that’s something that is very achievable through Michael’s kitchen.”

“These days dining out is as much about the visual appeal of the food, as it is about the flavour.” —Michael Crosbie

The ‘Michael’ that Nick is referring to is Chef de Cuisine Michael Crosbie, who spends much of his working day experimenting with different flavours and perfecting the way the dishes look when plated up. “A lot of cooking is experimentation,” Michael explains. “You are not going to be able to invent something new and interesting if you don’t try … but the flavours have to come first because your palate doesn’t lie. You are going to eat something and it’s either going to taste good or it’s not.” That said, at Room81 a lot of thought is also put into how the dish looks. “These days dining out is as much about the visual appeal of the food, as it is about the flavour,” explains Michael. “We like to put a couple of surprises in there so when the dish comes out the diner is like ‘oh wow’. “The increasing popularity of social media and reality cooking shows has had a lot to do with the general public’s expectations. You see a lot more people with their cameras now so it’s important that the dishes look just as good as they taste.”

”It’s a bit of a Catch 22 … you can have a group in here who are trying new foods and new experiences, and of course when the dish comes out they are looking at it as if they are sitting on the TV judging it,” he says. “It may frustrate the kitchen, but my argument would be that if MasterChef hadn’t been such a phenomenon those people may not have been in this restaurant in the first place.” Those who do frequent the restaurant can rest assured that the food, service and ambience at Room81 is exemplary, with the latest menu featuring an array of exciting new flavour combinations, along with a few signature dishes. “My favourite dish at the moment would have to be the rabbit [mosaic of rabbit and foie gras, raspberry vinegar pistachio biscotti, radish, cornichon, pommery emulsion],” says Michael. “The presentation looks really cool … everything is almost deconstructed on the plate but it’s really light and fresh on the palate. “And of course, the soufflé is always popular … to take that off the menu would be sacrilegious.” With good food come great rewards … and Room81 has certainly received its fair share of accolades over recent months. The restaurant was awarded one Chef’s Hat by the Australian Good Food Guide, and was also named Best Contemporary Restaurant— South East Queensland at the Savour Restaurant and Catering Awards for Excellence. “The Chef’s Hat was recognition from a national level which is very important to us,” says Nick. “And we now have the opportunity to go on to the state and national finals of the Savour Awards. “These awards send a positive message to our market. They emphasise the work going on in the kitchen and also confirm that, from a service point of view, we are getting things right.” Speaking of getting things right, another innovation that has people flocking to the venue is sundaze@81. These laidback Sunday afternoon music sessions are very popular, with many locals and guests enjoying the relaxed vibe, great live entertainment and delicious cocktails and tapas. The restaurant also hosts regular winemakers dinners, chef appreciation classes and special events such as Melbourne Cup, Christmas and New Year’s Eve celebrations. “We have positioned the restaurant in a very unique way within the Broadbeach market and across the Gold Coast,” says Nick. “Room81 is still the venue of choice for celebrations and special occasions and the French heritage that we have through Sofitel also gives Michael the licence to create, which is the most important thing.” www.room81.com.au

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Limetree Events

A fresh perspective

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1. Limetree motif 2. Easter Eggstravaganza 3. 4 ASD Kids Website 4. Mat Rogers & Chloe Maxwell 5. Christmas Concert 2011

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Content to remain behind the scenes, backstage, sleeves rolled up in the trenches … the innovative team at Limetree Events pride themselves on offering clients solutions and resources to drive them forward. Boasting an event resume that includes the Australian Beach Volleyball Championships, Quiksilver Golf Classic, Sanctuary Cove Food & Wine Festival, and the Coolangatta Gold Beach Volleyball Invitational, along with a host of corporate, charity and community events, perhaps Limetree’s most rewarding achievement is their role in the establishment of not-for-profit charity, 4 ASD Kids. 4 ASD Kids was founded after dual international rugby player, Mat Rogers, and his wife, media identity Chloe Maxwell, courageously told their story of parenting an autistic child. Limetree has played more than a support role in the development of 4 ASD Kids, standing right alongside Mat, Chloe and their small but effective board in the quest to assist families challenged by autism. Now some three years on, 4 ASD Kids has held a number of successful fundraising events and activities and is literally changing the lives of some beautiful children who are benefiting from the support offered by the charity. Limetree’s event and project management skills, web and graphic design expertise, and video and photography, along with an extensive background in fundraising, coupled with Mat and Chloe’s profiles, passion for the cause, corporate network and celebrity associations, have proved to be the perfect formula for success.

Limetree Events Managing Director, Andy Payne is very proud to be associated with such a worthwhile endeavour. “I would encourage any up and coming event managers to involve themselves in charity,” says Andy. “Apart from the obvious benefits of community service, it is a great way to gain experience and access contacts you may not have previously been able to expose your talents to.” www.limetreeevents.com.au

... Limetree’s most rewarding achievement is their role in the establishment of not-for-profit charity, 4 ASD Kids.

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The SEED project

Growing within the music industry

The SEED project was born from a collaboration between Griffith Universityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Queensland Conservatorium, Film School, Queensland College of Art and Griffith Enterprise and allows students to commercialise their music to an online audience and generate revenue through royalties. Taking the top 15 tracks from the Bachelor of Popular Music students for 2012, SEED Volume One is now being promoted and sold online through major online digital stores including iTunes and Amazon. The CD was launched with a free public concert featuring five bands from a diverse range of popular music genres in a three-hour live performance. The concert attracted a significant following and was supported by national Australian broadcaster Triple J as well as innovative global online music partner wearehunted.com. The album artwork and associated branding, as well as the supporting marketing collateral, was created by the Queensland College of Art through Liveworm Gold Coast. The top two acts from the SEED project were also provided with the opportunity to create music videos which were delivered through the Griffith Film School.

SEED will continue to grow and become a great tool for students to connect with the music industry.

The SEED concept provides a fresh take on the current state of the industry by offering Bachelor of Popular Music students an alternative to help them become independent artists who can promote themselves. It also provides them with the knowledge to claim their royalties and experience what selling their songs is all about. SEED will continue to grow and become a great tool for students to connect with the music industry. It offers them a head start in their careers through industry support for the project, which will only continue to grow as we move toward Volume Two. griffith.edu.au/music/popular-music

1. Seed Volume One artwork by Ashleigh Brennanâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;Liveworm

Having natural creative talent is one thing. Refining it, exploring it and doing more with it is another thing altogether. At the Queensland College of Art Griffith University, we know just how to make this happen. QCA Gold Coast offers the unique Bachelor of Digital Media, allowing you to build your own pathway of creative study that links the best of all worlds!

FINE ART ■ 3D DESIGN ■ DIGITAL DESIGN EPHOTOJOURNALISM ■ GRAPHIC DESIGN FASHION DESIGN ■ INTERIOR DESIGN ■ DRAWING Visit griffith.edu.au/qca for more on Being Creative.

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Nude Creative

Ideas exposed—just don’t Google them 1

Nude Creative has relaunched with a new waterfront office, and the joining of forces with Sydney ad man Nicholas (Nick) Reid. Nick is expected to inject plenty of pizzazz into the Gold Coastbased branding and advertising agency following successful stints at some of Australia’s largest multinational advertising agencies—Grey Worldwide, Leo Burnett and Clemenger BBDO. “My background has enabled me to work at the upper echelons of the industry, but what I’m really interested in is driving real world results for Nude Creative and our clients,” said Nick, who has also worked with Ita Buttrose on David Jones magazine and the acclaimed Riviera magazine for Riviera Marine.

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Nude Creative Managing Director, Davide De Vincentiis, said Nick brings impeccable branding and strategic advertising skills and more than 15 years experience to the role of creative director and partner. “Nick’s appointment will significantly bolster the Nude Creative offering as we expand and focus on tailoring marketing and branding solutions for small business,” he said. “We have identified a gap in the market where small to medium sized businesses are being left behind as they are not getting the right advice, or services.” Nude Creative is about tailoring solutions that work and suit the budgets of smaller companies, not just top tier organisations. In essence we encapsulate big city ideas from a boutique agency to suit all budgets. “The biggest thing that I can see on the Gold Coast is that there are many businesses doing it tough and no one is really coming to their rescue with ideas that truly deliver,” adds Nick. “There are a lot of big agencies in South East Queensland, but they are not delivering on service. We intend to change that with a customised approach that will drive real results for our clients.”

“Nude Creative is about tailoring solutions that work ...” — Davide DeVincentiis

As part of the rebrand the firm has relocated from its 75sqm premises at Alison St, Surfers Paradise and taken up 150sqm of waterfront space in The Marine Village, Sanctuary Cove. The space has been revamped into an urban warehouse look featuring natural light with edgy industrial undertones, influenced by the creative hubs in Sydney and Melbourne. The rebrand also heralds the launch of a new website that better explains Nude Creative’s services and features its work more effectively. “For the sake of responsible browsing just don’t Google us,” joked Davide. www.nudecreative.com.au

1. Elston branding & advertising 2. Nude team—Davide & Nick 3. SPA The Kids Weekend creative campaign 4. James St & Brickworks Explore magazine publishing 5. Raw Grocer branding

Find your creative passion, learn a new skill or expand on your current practice by enrolling in a short course today!

qcashortcourses.com.au

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Jewellers Workshop Gallery

Wearable pieces of art

Viewing jewellery as wearable pieces of art, Robert Brotchie and Guy Abrahamsson are passionate about creating designs that capture the eye from every angle. As owners and operators of Jewellers Workshop Gallery (JWG) in Palm Beach, Robert and Guy pride themselves on crafting exquisite bespoke engagement and dress rings, necklaces, bracelets and earrings. In addition, the JWG showroom offers a selection of beautiful hand-crafted pieces as well as a stunning collection of loose, unset gemstones, pearls, natural and coloured diamonds, to inspire and captivate.

“We were brought together by our similar vision and attitudes to quality and jewellery design.” —Robert Brotchie & Guy Abrahamsson, Jewellers Workshop Gallery

How did JWG come about? We were brought together by our similar vision and attitudes to quality and design. There was a lack of jewellery businesses on the Gold Coast with the true creative flair we wanted to express and we also saw a niche for an outlet selling the rarer precious gemstones. Where do you get your creative inspiration from? Nature, movement, colour, rare gems and the materials we work with. What sets JWG apart? We never watch what other jewellery designers are doing and we aren’t influenced by short-term trends. All our designs are collaborations and our close communication and understanding are vital in ensuring new ideas are well-executed.

How have your designs evolved? We are always open to new ideas and materials and are willing to show our style through individually crafted jewellery. We are very proud of our growing reputation for precision and creativity … and the joy we see in our clients. Do you use any unusual materials? We have developed a new range of jewellery featuring Australian native hardwoods with natural coloured Australian diamonds and rare coloured gemstones. Do you have a favourite piece? Robert: My neon-green Tsavorite garnet, black and white diamond wedding ring. Guy: My favourite keeps changing … there are too many special stones to pick just one. www.jwg.com.au

1.Two tone gold ring set with fancy intense yellow, pink, orange, cognac & white diamonds 2. Robert Brotchie & Guy Abrahamsson 3. Hardwood & two tone gold rings set with black & white diamonds

Creative Careers Forging a successful career in the creative arts industry.

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Troy Archer body copy

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1. Four 2. Troy Archer 3. Market Man

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Night illustrator article by Dominique Falla 2

Troy Archer could well be described as a Renaissance man and serial hobbyist. He describes himself as a ‘night illustrator’, a lovely term which could apply to many graphic designers who work for a studio during the day and spend their evenings working on personal creative projects. It is fast becoming a popular way for designers to pay the bills and renew their creativity at the same time. Troy’s current day job is as marketing guru for Byron Bay brand Art Park, but people know him as the creative force behind Gold Coast skate brand Element. Either way, it’s clear he loves brand-building and he got a huge kick out of building Element up into the powerhouse brand it is today, something he plans to do now with indie-art T-shirt brand Art Park.

As an artist, Troy is best known for his highly detailed ‘Biro portraits’. As an artist, Troy is best known for his highly detailed ‘Biro portraits’. They are very time consuming and take up to 60 hours to draw. Troy finds them very meditative, but laments that the hair takes by far the longest. He currently sells the originals through Retrospect Gallery in Byron Bay but is investigating selling prints of his work because the originals take too long and he can no longer meet demand. The ‘hobby’ Troy is most passionate about however, is Archer & Archer Vintage, a business he runs with his wife, musician Sarah Archer. The bowerbird tendency was first kindled when Troy went on an obsessive hunt for a vintage Powell Peralta skate deck. He had one as a child and always regretted letting it go. So, as an adult, he went on the hunt to find one—amassing between 200–300 skateboards in the process.

After a while, Troy realised he was addicted to treasure hunting and had filled his garage with thousands of vintage treasures, from years of garage sales and junk yard trawls. As is often the case in these situations, it is the spouse who suggests it may be time to start selling something to make more room, and the result has been an exciting business opportunity that Troy and Sarah take great enjoyment from. Troy is a passionate and engaging artist and loves finding hidden treasures to present to the world in a new light, be it artists or artworks. No matter where he is or what he’s doing, Troy will no doubt be building brands out of hobbies for a long time to come. www.theartpark.com.au

creativecareers

Zoe Bruce

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1. Gold Coast Suns billboard 2. Maritimo advert 3. Gold Coast Suns Corporate Membership 4. Zoe Bruce 5. Surfers Paradise Festival shelter

creativecareers

A passion for brand strategy article by Dominique Falla

Catheryn York founded Tusk in 2004, and eight years later, Tusk has offices on the Gold Coast and in Melbourne, with developing markets in the Middle East. Brand Strategist Zoe Bruce has been with the company for seven years, landing her first job with Tusk as a receptionist, straight out of high school. By her own admission, she wasn’t very good at answering phones as it turned out, but Catheryn soon realised Zoe’s strengths lay instead in marketing, brand strategy, account management, and copywriting, and she wisely let Zoe develop all of these new roles over the years. Currently studying a communications degree at Griffith University on the Gold Coast, Zoe is majoring in marketing, but says brand strategy is her real passion. There isn’t really a degree which allows you to formally study brand strategy on the Gold Coast, but her on-the-job training with clients such as the Gold Coast Suns AFL team and Maritimo has more than supplemented any university training.

The brand strategist is the essential link between the client, the audience and the creative communication. Zoe’s passion for brand strategy lies in her ability to research a client’s current market positioning and distill the internal and external brand essence into a report which forms the basis of the design brief. The brand strategist is the essential link between the client, the audience and the creative communication.

Zoe laments that ‘many design students think what they do is marketing’ and in some instances, the designer must take on that role as well, but hers is a specialist role that interfaces between client and designer and involves mainly research and communication. Being competitive by nature, Zoe admits that she sets high expectations for herself, a philosophy shared by Tusk as a company. Zoe is very proud of the fact that most of Tusk’s clients have stuck with them since the beginning and she puts this down to the fact that Tusk won’t release any work unless it meets their strict high standards, and they work hard on maintaining great client relationships. When asked what advice she has for students, Zoe suggests that initiative is really important and a ‘give-it-a-go’ attitude is essential to getting ahead. “Don’t ask someone for help straight away—try to solve the problem yourself first,” she says. Zoe’s plan for the future involves working for Tusk in Melbourne or the Middle East, depending on the opportunities that arise and to also go on to Masters study in brand strategy. One thing is for sure, Zoe practices what she preaches. She has made the most of a foot-inthe-door opportunity when it presented itself, and her ‘give-it-a-go’ attitude has already lead to many exciting experiences. 5

www.tuskagency.com

creativecareers

Anna Carey

1. Love Shadow 2. Star Dust 3. Anna Carey 4. Family playground

creativecareers

Born and bred on the Gold Coast article by Kylie Hicks

‘True local’. It was early 1980 when these words, badly screen printed across the front of a faded yellow t-shirt, first caught my attention. My much younger self had just arrived from the country and was still in awe of what I thought then to be the strange sights, sounds and smells of my new home. At the time it was more the suntanned surfer’s physique that was hidden underneath the tacky typography that I thought worthy of uncovering and not the sentiment of the text. In 2012 however, after a long term permanent residency, viewing the work of one particular Gold Coaster, I am acutely aware of the underlying significance and perhaps not so subtle implications of the loud and proud declaration of ‘true local’ status.

“A lot of these places on the Gold Coast were built on dreams so it seems right they have a dream like quality.” — Anna Carey

In the case of Anna Carey, the tacit knowledge possessed by the artist regarding the complex nature of the relationship between the rapidly changing liminal landscape and its inhabitants is transferred in a sophisticated and highly refined interweaving of model making, photography, film and drawing. Arriving into the world 25 years ago at the Tweed Hospital, Anna successfully draws on her own ‘born and bred on the Gold Coast’ positioning to explore the transient spatial experiences she encounters within her immediate urban environment. Anna smiles and occasionally laughs at my immediate ‘activation’ by her work and how I am transported to a time of spaces and places intrinsic to my own personal sense of identity and memory creation that no longer exist in the present. Here I am able to recount with detailed accuracy the interior brick feature walls, wooden floor boards, or mirrored tiles that are part of my personal experiences and stories of the spaces and places in her work … or at least I think it’s them … maybe ones like them … or maybe I just dreamt it. When this feeling is expressed to Anna she is quick to respond. “Lots of people feel they’ve been in some of these homes … but it’s all an illusion. A lot of these places on the Gold Coast were built on dreams so it seems right they have a dream like quality”. Linoleum, wallpaper, carpets and other detritus salvaged from sites of demolition scattered across the constantly changing coastal strip are combined with foam core and cardboard to create the models of houses, flats and motels that are later photographed in situ as finished works, then exhibited as mounted large scale photographs. www.anna-carey.blogspot.com.au

creativecareers

Andrew Leach

1. Oase cover 2. What is Architectural History? cover 3. Campus Confessions cover

creativecareers

Encouraging students to think creatively and critically article by Dominique Falla

Architectural historian, prolific author, and associate professor Andrew Leach joined Griffith University’s academic staff at the start of 2010 to help establish the first professional architecture program on the Gold Coast. “In starting out we were keen that our students drew as much as possible on the expertise already to be found on this campus,” he explains. He also cites the Queensland College of Art (QCA) as a key ally in encouraging students to think creatively and critically.

A figure who is sometimes an architect by training, sometimes an art historian, and sometimes from a seemingly unrelated field. 3

Andrew studied architectural history and art history at Victoria University in Wellington, where he also briefly taught at the end of the 90s, before starting a doctorate in Belgium. Whilst at Ghent University, he worked with Bart Verschaffel, a cultural philosopher who taught in the Department of Architecture and Urban Planning. “He decisively shaped the way I work and think, especially the way I frame problems around cultural rather than disciplinary matters in architecture,” Andrew says. Andrew was recently awarded a Future Fellowship by the Australian Research Council, for his four-year research project into the dual problems of the status of architectural ideas on the Gold Coast, as a developer-driven setting for building and architectural practice, and the history of architectural ideas and architectural theory since the 1960s. For the past decade or so, Andrew has written on the intellectual history of twentieth-century architectural culture, with a particular interest in the way that knowledge of history and historically derived theoretical positions figure in the way that architects think about and position their work. He is currently putting together a book of essays on this theme for publication next year, called History for Architecture and his work often examines this problem from the perspective of the historian of architecture—a figure who is sometimes an architect by training, sometimes an art historian, and sometimes from a seemingly unrelated field. Andrew’s doctoral studies, and first major book, were on the Italian historian Manfredo Tafuri. A couple of books later, and he has been working more on the broader community of art and architectural historians of the twentieth century who in Italy were focussed on Baroque architecture as a subject that captures many of the historian’s fundamental questions. Andrew is currently writing a book called Borromini and Beyond: Architecture and History from Croce to Tafuri, and editing another book with John Macarthur (UQ) and Maarten Delbeke (Ghent University) called The Baroque in Architectural Culture, 1880–1980, both of which he hopes to see go into print before too long. With funding from Griffith University and the Australian Institute of Architects, Andrew is compiling yet another book commemorating the history of the Gold Coast region architecture awards. Tentatively called GC 30+, the book will present the work that the architectural community has regarded as important since the mid-1980s, and Andrew hopes the book will offer a timely occasion on which to reflect on that work. This project is an exciting starting point for a much broader critical history of the Gold Coast’s architecture and building culture.

creativecareers

Otto Schmidinger

1. Neptune poster 2. Hellraiser 3. Mickey 4. Cascade Gorge 5. Otto Schmidinger

creativecareers

The traditional art of photorealism article by Dominique Falla

He resisted the change to computers for a long time, arguing that he could do anything with an airbrush that could be done digitally … 4

Illustrator Otto Schmidinger has been steadily working his way up to the Gold Coast from Sydney over the past 25 years. Otto 4 left school at 16 and started as a junior in an art studio in North Sydney, where he learnt the traditional skills of lettering, scraperboard, watercolour, and gouache renderings. He then became fascinated by the airbrush when he used it to retouch photographs, and so began his mastery of the tool to become one of Australia’s foremost airbrush realist artists.

and he was probably correct, but it was a continued pressure from clients for artwork to be supplied digitally that made him finally make the switch.

Otto progressed his way up through art studios and by the age of 22 was in charge of a studio of ten other artists. But the call of illustration was too strong so by the age of 24, he left the relative safety of studio employment, to freelance as an illustrator, and he never looked back. He was soon joined by fashion illustrator Christine Stead and the innovative illustration partnership of Otto and Chris was born.

“The advent of computers has changed the way I work and the technology has made realism easier but also less impressive,” he says.

Twenty-five years later, the successful team dissolved their partnership and Otto moved to the Gold Coast, by way of Murwillumbah, and set up Studio Otto. Otto’s illustration style developed pre-computer. His training as a photo retoucher led him naturally to the airbrush, and in the 80s and 90s, Otto’s highly realistic airbrush illustrations could be seen everywhere on packaging, posters, ads and even the Archibald Prize. He resisted the change to computers for a long time, arguing that he could do anything with an airbrush that could be done digitally,

Ironically, it was a series of airbrushed surfing posters he created to earn income whilst he retrained as a digital artist, that lead to a resurgence in demand for his talents now. One can detect a sense of disappointment when Otto discusses the effect the computer has had on his industry.

Even after mastering the art of digital ‘airbrushing’, he observes that whilst the “work came back, the competition of more users of the technology has driven prices down and made deadlines shorter.” The mastery that Otto shows in his work, an understanding of light and shadows that most digital native illustrators can only dream of, comes from a solid grounding in the traditional art of photorealism and years of experience across both analogue and digital mediums. Otto diversifies his work as an artist now, entering pieces in fine art competitions, such as the Gainsborough Greens Art Award and the Archibald Prize, as well as sculpting pieces for the Gold Coast Sculptors Society and he still continues to serve his advertising clients in Sydney and Melbourne. www.studiootto.com

creativecareers

Carol Whittaker

1. DIA poster 2. Carol Whittaker 3. Landerer stationery

creativecareers

Fostering creative initiatives from the ground up article by Zoe Bruce

Sharp and focussed, Carol Whittaker’s 25-year design career has provided her with an innate belief in the breadth and beauty of creativity. Believing it is not isolated to design alone, Carol has taken note of the undercurrent of creative individuals. “Surfers, skaters and those with a creative nature are making an exciting transition into creative industries,” she explains. “If we think outside the realm of design, we can create a more diverse and holistic hub of creativity on the Gold Coast.” It is fair to say that in spite of Carol’s vast experience, her natural inclination to better the creative world around her, sees her continue to work from the ground up. With decades of agency experience, Carol resolved to assist aspiring students and currently lectures at Griffith University’s Queensland College of Art (QCA) in Digital Media and Graphic Design. In addition she is a founding volunteer and in-kind sponsor for the representation of the Design Institute of Australia (DIA) on the Gold Coast. Committed to working with others to build new initiatives, Carol is currently completing her Masters to further explore her own field of expertise—envirographics and wayfinding.

“If we think outside the realm of design, we can create a more diverse and holistic hub of creativity on the Gold Coast.” — Carol Whittaker Having attained a global perspective; working in London, Chicago, New Zealand, and with an enticing offer from Singapore, Carol instead chooses to call the Gold Coast her ‘spiritual second home’. Having achieved great success for the DIA to date, the Gold Coast Institute has sold out two events in under its first 12 months, and is setting benchmarks for the institute Australia-wide. As Carol sees it, the Gold Coast’s creative nature is gaining prominence and in looking forward she expects to see ‘an influx of creatives and an increase in artistic collaboration within the area’. www.creativewhit.com

creativecareers

Krystle Wright

1.â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 6. Photography by Krystle Wright 7. Krystle Wright

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Patience, perseverance and no fear article by Heather Faulkner

As soon as you get lazy or expect editors to be calling, the work stops. It’s just so important to be out there shooting as much as possible while keeping an eye out for great ideas. If you continue to do so, you’ll find that’s when editors take notice and that translates into more work.

Krystle Wright is one of the top extreme sport and adventure photographers on the planet. We caught up with her to chat about her passion for adventure and to discover her secret for success. It turns out that this Queensland College Art (QCA) graduate just exercised a whole lot of determination and perseverance to become top in her field. Krystle spoke to us while she was stationed in the Moab Desert in Utah, USA, in June, 2012. What got you interested in photography? I’ve always been fascinated about the medium of photography though it wasn’t until I saw the portfolio of sports photography superstar, Adam Pretty, that I knew I wanted to become a sports photographer. The ability to capture a still moment that can resonate so strongly with others is such a unique gesture. Ever since I started shooting with a disposable camera in my teens, my love for photography has continued to grow stronger every time I shoot. What is it about extreme sports that interests you? I absolutely love the adventure aspect of it. There are no sidelines or restrictions holding you back except for your mentality or physical strength. I also love the situation of being forced to work with the conditions given to you rather than having full control as if you were shooting in the studio. Back in university, I remember going crazy spending hours on end trying to light a wine glass as I tend to have a perfectionist attitude. So out in the open, you never know what hand you’re going to be dealt with, but I love that uncertainty and being challenged on the spot. You are starting to get international acclaim for your work— does that translate into more work? Yes, it definitely translates into more work. Though even as I push my work further internationally, I still have to work incredibly hard to keep that momentum moving forward. Editors appreciate photographers who are self-motivated and proactive. You have to be able to pitch strong ideas. National Geographic photographer Jose Azel told me this famous quote from Robert Gilka, (former Director of Photography at National Geographic), “I am up to my ears in photographers, but only ankle deep in good ideas.”

“… always have a personal project to work on—it keeps your creativity juices flowing.” — Krystle Wright

How did you get work after graduation—what strategies did you employ? Rather than waiting to finish university to begin work experience, the time to start is while you’re at university. There is plenty of time to chase work experience and build a folio while studying. That way, when you finish your degree, you have more than just a piece of paper (your degree) to approach publications for work with. The other biggest strategy I would encourage students to use is networking! Networking is just as important as having a strong folio. Start small and approach one newspaper and from there, you build your network one publication at a time. What’s it like being a female in a predominately male-dominated profession? It has it pros and cons like anything does. Sometimes your ability is underestimated and that can be frustrating. On the other hand, being a female can help you gain access that males can’t. For example, in Pakistan, male photographers wouldn’t be allowed to photograph Pakistani women whereas being a female allows me to interact far easier. Sometimes it feels that being a female photographer means that you have bigger hurdles to overcome. In time, I want to prove that females can run it just as hard as the top male photographers in the adventure industry. Are you aware of gender-bias? Yes, though those incidents have become rarer and fewer and farther between over the past few years. There will always be some narcissistic wanker photographers, but it’s important to not let them get to you. You need to turn the situation into your advantage. A lot of guys in the industry treat me with respect though there is a small handful that seems to be stuck in the past. On one occasion, I turned up to an event in the desert and I noticed one photographer had already found his position. On a point of courtesy, I approached him to ask if where I wanted to stand would be in the background of his shot. He brushed me aside and assumed that I was some amateur photographer and boasted about how good his photography was. I took my position and shot. A few weeks later, we both submitted our work to the same magazine. Only my pictures ran. What advice do you have for young emerging photojournalists? Patience and perseverance and enjoy the journey! It’s great to have goals though don’t feel overwhelmed if you haven’t achieved it immediately as things take time to develop. Keep shooting as much as possible and continue to network when possible. Over time, doors will open and you’ll be rewarded for all the hard work you’ve invested. One great piece of advice I was given is to always have a personal project to work on—it keeps your creativity juices flowing. Certain publications may expect you to adopt their style and if you’re not working on something on the side that you feel passionate about, sometimes you may feel as if your creativity is stale and it’s definitely frustrating. So keep working on your own projects. www.wrightfoto.com.au

Past students Opportunities and careers in the creative arts are as many and varied as the students themselves.

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Samantha Camarri

Go regional! article by Vanessa Aldridge

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1. Samantha Camarri 2.â&#x20AC;&#x201C;4. Photography by Samantha Camarri

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When Samantha (Sam) Camarri was 15 she would often be found sitting on the shores of Gold Coast beaches taking photos of competing surfers. Photographing the high speed of surfers breaking the waves fuelled an interest to capture more. This led Sam to follow her dream and become a sports photographer. On graduating from high school, Sam enrolled in the Bachelor of Digital Media Degree and majored in ePhotojournalism at the Queensland College of Art (QCA), Gold Coast, graduating in 2010. Sam took up the challenge of finding her first industry job and found a place as a staff photographer at the Wimmera Mail-Times in country Victoria, nine months after graduation. Demonstrating her passion for the industry and holding skills in multimedia gave Sam a clear advantage in finding a job. The Wimmera Mail-Times is a regional paper with circulation from St Arnaud in the east to beyond the South Australian border, from south to Ararat and Edenhope in the west— covering a region of more than 50,000 people. “Working for a regional paper is the best experience I could possibly imagine. You definitely couldn’t get this type of experience starting out at a big city daily,” Sam says. “Instant problem solving and fast thinking are essential skills to have at the paper.”

“The jobs you cover will be limitless, and the experience you will gain is not like any other.” —Samantha Camarri Expected to work independently from day one, the industry knowledge passed on to Sam by the ePhotojournalism academics at QCA gave her the skills to succeed. “Heather Faulkner and Steve Holland would be the two academics that guided and inspired me the most. I learnt a lot from Steve, as an academic and from his work. He showed me that this is exactly what I want to do. Heather believed in the work I was trying to convey and really helped me to push the boundaries.”

An average day at the Wimmera Mail-Times could entail covering anywhere from three to fifteen jobs ranging from community issues, sports player profiles, accidents and politics. Now living in Horsham Victoria and being a member of such a small community is a different experience to what Sam experienced on the Gold Coast. “It is never a dull day working in the country,” says Sam. “It is a tight knit community, and when something happens the whole community feels it.” Sam’s sensitive approach to her community is her key to success. She listens to the stories of her subjects and tries to make sure that the visual story satisfies them. “The best advice I can give [to someone starting out in photojournalism] is to start at a regional paper. The jobs you cover will be varied, and the experience you will gain is not like any other. You will move on to daily papers knowing you can do absolutely any job they ask you to, because you have done it all before.” Sam still has her eye on sports photography. “I would love to have a few Olympic games and several major international sporting events under my belt. To cover all the premier sporting events worldwide would be a dream!”

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Byron Coathup Work and play in Grandad’s Workshop article by Sharon Searle

1. Byron Coathup 2. x-stool 3. Planter boxes 4. Shakin’ iPad Application.

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It has been an insightful and inspirational road trip for Bachelor of Fine Art Graduate, Byron Coathup—from Brisbane to the Gold Coast, Canada, Melbourne and back up the highway to Coolangatta to set up his own graphic design studio: Studio byronc. Most of his inspiration he says ‘comes from reading books, surfing, road trips, trees and even just taking my dog to the beach’. “It was the lifestyle, surf culture and warmer weather of the Gold Coast that was too hard to resist after spending three years in Melbourne undertaking a postgraduate degree in Graphic Design at RMIT.” Byron’s graphic design practice came from an interest in typography. He recalls hand painting giant typefaces and text in his Fine Art studies at the Queensland College of Art, and playing with the creative industryspecific computer programs available there. He also undertook a study abroad semester at Alberta College of Art and Design in Calgary, which really helped open his eyes to the great spectrum of the art world. His projects at Studio byronc include design for print, and digital platform design, incorporating apps and websites, such as his recent project for the Gold Coast City Gallery—an e-catalogue for the exhibition ‘Shakin’ the Contemporary Kinetic Aesthetic’. It was designed specifically for iPads, so children and adults can learn more about the artist’s work and the science behind kinetic sculpture.

“I like the idea of a multi-disciplined design studio where I can see myself working and playing.” — Byron Coathup

One of Byron’s greatest achievements, however, is his furniture design business, ‘Grandad’s Workshop’, where he designs and hand-makes furniture from recycled timber and steel welded framework. He considers it a form of sculpture, mixing his art and design experience into functional art pieces. “I love seeing art and good design sensibility in products that can be made affordable and unique,” he says. His mentor came from a recycled timber business in Melbourne where Byron worked, gaining the knowledge and attitude of ‘do it once and do it properly’, to enable him to set up his own successful business. Byron plans to open a combined studio and workshop where he can work half the day in graphic design and then let loose in the workshop. “I like the idea of a multi-disciplined design studio where I can see myself working and playing.” www.byronc.com.au

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Chris Glew

Compositor and 3D artist article by Dominique Falla

1. BBC Sports, 2012 Olympic Games 2. Project Orange, Moscow 3. West Kowloon Cultural District 4. Chris Glew 5. New Holland Island, St Petersburg

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Chris Glew is considered one of the old guard at Queensland College of Art (QCA), Gold Coast, because he was one of the first wave of graduates from the old Design Studies degree in 1998 (the degree has since been absorbed into the Bachelor of Digital Media). Over the past 14 years, Chris has built his skills across a wide range of areas, including Design, Architecture, and Visual Effects (VFX). Chris describes himself as a Nuke compositor and 3D artist these days, but can still turn his hand to architectural visualisation, computer graphics, and animation if the job requires it.

“ … Advertising, television and film VFX on the other hand is far more specialised and hierarchical. I enjoy doing both.” — Chris Glew

“Making the jump from architectural visualisation to VFX was tricky due to the attitude of the film, TV and advertising industries who will only consider people from the same genre,” Chris observes. Heading to London a few years after graduating appears to have paid off. Chris moved from a small architectural visualisation company called Splitt to work at Foster + Partners Architects for six years as an associate partner looking after the animation department. He now has his own company, working for his own clients, as well as freelancing for various VFX companies around London. It is clear Chris enjoys all that London has to offer, including ‘a huge variety of design exhibitions, galleries and festivals all year round to get inspiration from’. He also looks to film and the internet, as well as other disciplines, for inspiration. “Working with people from other design disciplines is also a great way to see something with a different eye,” he explains. “I worked as a design lecturer at the Istituto Marangoni for a year which exposed me to fashion design, something totally new to me but it had interesting parallels to architecture and interior design in its process and conception.” Working digitally in three-dimensions demands that he adopts a flexible methodology, as Chris explains: “For images I’ll use a photographic approach to composition, colour and movement and for film I take a more cinematic approach—these techniques are long established and they work. I look at films, ads, photography and art for inspiration rather than directly emulating other CGI [computergenerated imagery] work.”

He also advocates a keen interest in photography. “Mainly I do it as a hobby but understanding correct exposure, white balances and composition is invaluable.” As is often the case with most digital artists, keeping up with technological and software developments is very important. “Anything that can speed up the production pipeline is always worth spending time researching,” he says. Chris currently uses 3D Studio Max, Photoshop and Nuke, although Maya, Premiere, and Rhino are also used, alongside a variety of other tools and plugins. The ability to move between architectural visualisation and VFX allows Chris the opportunity to experience a balance of healthy budgets and creativity. “The biggest difference is that Architectural budgets (both with time and money) are much smaller,” he explains. “This does however allow designers to be more creative and try their hand at everything within the production pipeline. Advertising, television and film VFX on the other hand is far more specialised and hierarchical. I enjoy doing both.” It is clear he does, and the breadth of Chris’s body of work is testament to his flexibility, versatility, and experience. www.chrisglew.com

paststudents

Stine Halvorsen

Dynamic perspective article by Dominique Falla

1. IRIS Annual Report 2010 2.â&#x20AC;&#x201C;3. Redesign Norwegian Petroleum Directorate logo 4. Mount Altibox

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Stine Halvorsen was born in Stavanger, Norway’s fourth biggest city— and after completing a Bachelor of Visual Media at the Queensland College of Art (QCA), Gold Coast, returned home to work at VJU Brand & Business Innovation. As a child, Stine dreamed of studying in Australia. After high school she discovered the Bachelor of Visual Media (as it was then called) at QCA and spent three years studying and living on the Gold Coast. Stine admits it was the weather and the beaches which initially excited her but she grew to appreciate the Gold Coast from a much more ‘dynamic perspective’ through the eyes of her friends and classmates from around the world. “Being a designer allows your work to break down language barriers and be understood by all,” she says.

“Being a designer allows your work to break down language barriers and be understood by all.” — Stine Halvorsen It appears Stine’s work was also appreciated by all. She took out the best graphic design folio award in her graduating year, and the highest GPA award in the same year. Stine attributes her success to working hard while at university and the guidance of inspiring teachers and lecturers, but also the mentoring program at Griffith, which she entered during her third and final year in the degree. “I was lucky enough to get matched with Mark Goudie, designer and owner of Brandhaus, and on our first mentoring session he said; ‘I think I’m gonna throw you in the deep end!’ and he did!” Stine explains. “As a total ‘newbie’, doing work experience at Brandhaus was like sitting through a never-ending exam. I was dying to impress and took it quite

hard when I had to start over, but Mark’s constant encouragement, drive and passion ‘to do better each time’ is something that has stayed with me since. Every project or client deserves my very best, every time.” Stine acknowledges that graphic design is a tough industry. “There are so many more graduates than jobs and the most vital thing that studios will look for is experience. That leaves many designers in a predicament where they struggle to find a job.” So Stine contacted many design studios looking for work placements, and over summer, worked up to five times the expected amount. She strongly believes this was the key to her success when applying for jobs after graduating. Stine is now lucky enough to have found new mentors amongst her colleagues at VJU and prefers the intimacy of a smaller studio. “My mentors at the moment are very experienced and motivating colleagues,” she says. “Being at a small agency I get the chance to work on projects from start to end, which is a really rewarding feeling. I often get full involvement from initial scope to end production, which has already taught me a lot more about the industry itself.” Stine has only been working in the industry for two and a half years but has already built up an impressive list of projects, and describes the designer/client relationship as highly rewarding. Ever the perfectionist, Stine strives to improve with every project. “The more work and experience I get, the better I seem to get at estimating what it takes, and the better I get at choosing the best ideas for my solutions,” she admits. But Stine also understands the importance of stepping away from the brief and looking for inspiration in music, food and creative play. “The projects offering insights, innovation and experimentation, encouraging the exchange of knowledge, make for a creative playground. These are the projects I look forward to the most.” www.vju.no

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Benny Kaz

New age videography article by Dominique Falla

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1. Jessica Horse Glamour photography shoot 2. Liquid Rush 3. Benny Kaz

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Located on the Gold Coast, KazFilms is the brainchild of recent Queensland College of Art (QCA), Gold Coast, graduate, Benny Kaz. He refers to his work as ‘new age videography’ which is a relatively new, but rapidly expanding profession, ‘utilising the high-quality power of DSLR cameras to create videos for personal or clientele purposes’. KazFilms specialises in the production of these high quality videos and currently works with a client base involving promotional, events, dance and wedding videos. Benny’s video style has a strong Parkour influence, as this is something Benny himself practices. Students at the QCA were often treated to demonstrations of Benny clearing tables, jumping railings and spinning off walls while he was a digital media student. It was through the videoing of his own moves that he became interested in pursuing videography as a profession. As Benny explains: “Back in 2007 I created a few Parkour and Freerunning videos and put them up on YouTube. As Parkour was still an underground movement at the time, my videos were seen as impressive amongst my friends as no one had really seen anything like it. The videos were shared, favourited and commented on and this encouraged me to have a closer look at the film and video industry.” Benny graduated with his degree in 2011, but already his videography has taken him to South Africa and opened many creative doors, with an impressive client list that includes Delta Goodrem, Adidas, and Rebel Sport.

“ … everything that could have gone wrong during the filming of this video, did go wrong, yet by the end of it, the result turned out a lot better than what I originally had in mind.” — Benny Kaz

His favourite experience so far has been filming Beautiful Ballet Girl. For this video Benny travelled to Cape Town in South Africa to film an incredibly talented ballet dancer. “As my most challenging video to date, everything that could have gone wrong during the filming of this video, did go wrong, yet by the end of it, the result turned out a lot better than what I originally had in mind.” KazFilms’ diverse and creative portfolio of videos is forever expanding and Benny has assured us there are plenty more exciting videos in the pipeline. As a special spoiler alert we can look forward to seeing a ‘Secret Paint Party’ event involving 200–300 people throwing fluorescent paint at each other in the dark. Sounds like a fun day at the office. www.kazfilms.com

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Ben Lees

Creative communication article by Dominique Falla

1. Air Asia.com—International Traveller magazine advert 2. Air Asia.com—Australian Long Boarding magazine advert 3. Air Asia.com—Get Lost magazine advert

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He was able to navigate a path towards his dream of working in advertising …

Ben Lees completed a Bachelor Of Digital Media at the Queensland College of Art (QCA), Gold Coast, majoring in Graphic Design, and specialising in illustration and creative communication. With the help of his two mentors, Lorraine Cook and Dominique Falla, he was able to navigate a path towards his dream of working in advertising and is now employed as an art director at Publicis Mojo’s Brisbane office after only two years. As might be expected, landing the dream job took a great deal of hard work and a little ‘luck’, which came mainly from earning a place in the prestigious AWARD School. AWARD School is a 16-week part time course run by the Australasian Writers and Art Directors Association for people who want to become copywriters or art directors in the advertising industry. Admission to AWARD school is based on merit,

so even being accepted is an achievement, and placing second in his group assured Ben a job offer from Publicis Mojo. Ben acknowledges that landing a job as an art director is very difficult and he cites it as his proudest achievement. As a ‘creative’ in advertising, just having your idea approved by a client is a wonderful feeling, so shooting his first television commercial was certainly a career milestone. These days, he has several under his belt, with advertisements for CarZoos, Subway, Golden Casket, and Ostelin screening on your televisions right now. Ben feels it is a real advantage that he is able to draw upon his multidisciplinary background in fine art, illustration and design to develop effective creative concepts for his clients. www.publicismojo.com.au

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Kelly McIlvenny

Visual storyteller article by Heather Faulkner

1.â&#x20AC;&#x201C;3. Photography by Kelly McIlvenny

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Kelly McIlvenny, or Kelly Mac to her friends, is a passionately driven social documentary photographer, and the first PhD student to have emerged from the ePhotojournalism major in the Bachelor of Digital Media with Honours. Her current research is about maternal healthcare in Nepal, a situation not without hope, and which offers a model of success to other nations with similar socio-economic challenges. Her award-winning honours project, ‘Welcome Labour Room’, has influenced researchers and medical professionals to take up the challenge of addressing maternal health-care in developing countries around the globe. Kelly is now extending this project into a PhD Research Higher Degree at Queensland College of Art (QCA), Gold Coast.

“… follow your heart, strengthen your mind, keep your eyes open, and carry a camera—it will lead you somewhere.” — Kelly McIlvenny What got you interested in documentary photography? Photography has been a part of my life since my grandfather placed a camera in my hand around the age of eight. I spent some of my life in the United States, so making photographs of my time there to send back to my grandparents to share was part of growing up. What prompted you to go on to honours and then PhD? There are many paths in life … ‘I took the one less travelled. And it has made all the difference’. On a less philosophical note, I took a year off between my bachelors and honours year in which I had the extremely fortunate opportunity to travel with One Heart Worldwide. The work this organisation is doing—is inspirational, to say the least. So I decided to take on a project in Nepal as my honours project. The great thing about doing the honours project was I had a year to dedicate to creating a visual documentation of the challenges and issues women are facing during childbirth. I also had a great honours supervisor in the extremely talented and patient Jack Picone. Under Picone’s supervision, my imagery and craft matured, and the final product ‘Welcome Labour Room’ has helped raise funds and awareness for an issue close to my heart. However, life’s learning is never finished—so I have embarked upon a doctoral study to further the project started in my honours year—pushing the documentary farther into Western Nepal, and my knowledge widens. What’s important about the work you’re investigating? It has been well researched that maternal care in a country is greatly reflected in its socio-economic status, and intrinsically linked to poverty. It is also

one of the most important factors in relieving poverty, and raising women’s status. Nepal is unique in that over the past fifteen years the country has been able to nearly halve its maternal mortality rate, despite the threat of violent civil conflict and a constitution under construction. There is little research into what made this possible— but I believe it is humanitarian factors that have greatly contributed. I continue to work to document both the challenges women still face in remote Nepal where access to care is extremely limited, and also the individuals who work so hard to combat these challenges. My research has always been an avenue to raise awareness, but also a way to send a clear message that these issues are not insurmountable—here are people doing it, right now. How does documentary photography contribute to our knowledge of maternal welfare/care? Documentary photography at its heart is a collection of images to tell a story. The process of collecting those images (participant observation) is possibly the strongest aspect of ‘knowledge’ collection. By engaging with these women, asking questions, doing my best to understand their circumstances, and then creating a visual narrative to reflect that experience—I show what is being done to combat maternal health, and what the challenges are that these women still face. While I personally may never fully know what it is like to be a Nepali woman, it is always with them in mind that I create the work. The collection of stories does what quantitative data cannot do, it puts a human face to an issue. What kind of reach does your multimedia work have? The multimedia work I created for One Heart Worldwide has reached varying audiences—it has been used by the organisation during a presentation to the Royal College of Medicine for a Global Health Conference, it’s been shown at meetings with the health administration in Nepal, gala dinners, and posted to various internet sites used to gain funding for One Heart Worldwide. The images have been incorporated into the usual brochures and posters that NGOs use to gain an audience, but also at a TED Talk in San Francisco, and in an advertising spot during the American Super Bowl. The multimedia piece ‘Welcome Labour Room’ has also gained a diverse audience, shown to audiences here on the Gold Coast, Sydney, Brisbane, and Nepal. Online it has received hits from all over the world— for example, a young midwife student in Scotland saw the piece online and wrote in, wanting to participate by volunteering in Baglung (Nepal). For me personally, multimedia presents an opportunity to carry the work across borders, and it offers an engaged response. So while I would say my work hasn’t gone viral, it has reached the important target audience. Where do you see yourself heading following the completion of your PhD? I plan to apply for an Australian Youth Ambassador position in hopes of working as a communications officer/researcher for one of their partner organisations, while continuing to work on personal photographic projects dealing with social justice issues. Any advice to up-and-coming photographers? Well, for practical advice, they should leap at opportunities, have a website, build an audience, and don’t be afraid to make mistakes. I have some emotional advice too—photography is putting your heart, your eye and your mind all on the same axis (to paraphrase a master). So follow your heart, strengthen your mind, keep your eyes open, and carry a camera—it will lead you somewhere. www.kellymcilvenny.com | www.oneheartworld-wide.org

paststudents

Tess Maguire

An unwavering desire to do things differently article by Zoe Bruce

1. Eden 2. Tess Maguire 3. A French Butler Called Smith band poster 4. Element Eden

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Unafraid of the unknown, Tess Maguire thrives on unearthing the unique. Her creative approach is one that she describes as ‘hands on’, with her greatest successes brought about through foreign challenges and intensified learning curves. Tess graduated from Queensland College of Art (QCA), Gold Coast, in 2008 with a Bachelor of Visual Media, majoring in Graphic Design. This provided her with the grounding she required to begin her agency experience at Sexty Design. Boasting a luxurious calibre of clientele and high standards of work output, Tess expressed her need to be ‘good, quick and fastidious with my work’. “My work there gave me a taste of corporate design, but I was still hoping to get into a more creative role,” Tess says. She was subsequently recruited to retail giant ‘Element’ as a Graphic Designer for ‘Element Eden’ and ‘Kustom Girls Footwear’. Tess describes her current colleagues as her biggest mentors, and attests that her primary sources of inspiration are the creative individuals who surround her.

“With mediums such as Facebook and Instagram, we’re able to connect directly with our demographic and the feedback and recognition of our work is instant!” With further plans to embrace technology, Tess aims to create an online magazine and diversify her creative palette by ‘getting into carpentry and doing some more hands on work’. “I see my creative pipeline going on forever,” she says. www.elementeden.com

“We always seem to push and inspire each other, and they make me want to do things differently.” — Tess Maguire

“We always seem to push and inspire each other, and they make me want to do things differently,” she says. Characterised by her ability to land on her feet, Tess’ biggest strength comes from adapting to new scenarios and creating interest within the unknown. When speaking of the future, Tess says she is excited by new technology and how it allows the public to interact with her work.

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Porsha Marais

Wearing all the hats article by Dominique Falla

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1. Porsha Marais 2. Girl Gamerâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;illustrated for the Queensland State Libraryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s digital culture program, The Edge

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Growing up with graphic designer parents made Porsha determined to not go down that path. As a result she tried everything from finance to industrial design, but in the end she realised design was in her blood and since graduating from the Queensland College of Art (QCA), Gold Coast, with a Bachelor of Visual Media, she has established herself as a sole trader, whilst also freelancing for her parents’ agency. Porsha positions herself as an illustrator, brand designer, and packaging designer and she also designs a large amount of print material for her parent’s portfolio of clients. She is careful to divide the agency work from her own freelance roster, as these brands are quite cute and illustration based, whereas her parent’s clients tend to be more photography based.

As a child, Porsha would play on the computer for hours, and this clearly paved the way for her future career. “All through school my assignments would be nicely laid out with custom diagrams and illustrations. I was way more focussed on how my assignments looked than I was on the actual content,” she confesses. Porsha now uses the computer as a design and illustration tool to create everything from branding, food packaging, websites with shopping carts, product photography, and custom illustrations.

“I love to look at something and know I did it all.” — Porsha Marais “I don’t like to tell people I can’t do something,” she admits. Luckily, if Porsha doesn’t know how to do something, she can usually find the answer somewhere in her family. “My family has such diverse skills in the creative area, I think I have learnt so much of what I know from them,” she explains. “My dad is a retired pilot, a self taught designer, photographer and electronics inventor. My mum was a programmer on and off since 1982 and is also a self-taught designer. My brother is a programmer and makes iPhone apps.” A recurring theme with multi-talented designers is that their favourite projects are usually the ones where they have complete creative control, and Porsha agrees. “I love to look at something and know I did it all. This doesn’t happen all the time, but when it does, it’s a lovely thing. It is also great to do design that regular people see and can understand a professional needed to do. Like creating a line of Christmas cards for the RSPCA or creating a chocolate brand from scratch for Pana Chocolate—I feel very satisfied working on projects like that.” www.porshamarais.com

3. 2011 Christmas cards commissioned by RSPCA 4. Pana Chocolate packaging 5. ‘We heart paper’ exhibition with the ‘we heart collective’

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Wesley Monts

Going the extra mile article by Vanessa Aldridge & Heather Faulkner

1. Joseph Carroll, 15, enjoys the beautiful Townsville weather while at the Strand Water Park. Pic. Townsville Bulletin/Monts Wesley 2. Bradley Mikic (left - both hands in the air) reacts in Flynnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Irish Pub to the Origin III league match between NSW and QLD, being projected on the big screen as Queensland win the match. Pic. Townsville Bulletin/Monts Wesley

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Photojournalist Wesley Monts literally hit the ground running after graduating from the Bachelor of Digital Media in 2011 at the Queensland College of Art (QCA), Gold Coast. Wes has covered a lot of ground to get where he is today, starting his university career in the United States in 2008, then moving to New Zealand where he participated in a work experience and study abroad program with The Listener Magazine and Auckland University of Technology. Two years later, Wes transferred to QCA, where he finished his degree on the Gold Coast. Achieving the Best Graduating Portfolio and the Academic Achievement awards for 2011 put Wes a cut above the rest in landing his first full-time position as the senior cadet photojournalist with the Townsville Bulletin. “It really was chance luck that a fulltime position opened up right as I was graduating. I was the candidate hired out of the 600 applicants. To make myself unique, I had a diverse portfolio of images, as well as strong multimedia skills.” Multimedia skills are extremely marketable in this changing media climate. But it’s more than just marketability that drew Wes to multimedia storytelling. “It allows you to have a greater ability to truthfully tell a story. Multimedia allows the journalist to remove their own voice and let the subject shine through, for greater impact on the ability to tell a story as well as increased credibility and authenticity.” Wes found the ePhotojournalism staff at QCA to be highly influential. He believes that having industry-experienced lecturers and tutors is the only way to learn modern photojournalism. “Photojournalism is not something that one can purely learn from theory. The theory is an important part of it, of course, but it cannot push and frame a picture for you, whereas learning from a practitioner teacher can put it into perspective and help you frame your world better.”

“I went from having one assignment every couple of weeks for each class, to between six-to-eight assignments a day.” — Wesley Monts Wes finds inspiration from working closely with his peers—a skill he picked up while studying at QCA Gold Coast. He is still in touch with his lecturers, who continue to mentor him as he begins his professional career. Wes has replaced the classroom with the open road—the only thing remaining consistent with his school days are his camera gear and deadlines—albeit much tighter ones. “I went from having one assignment every couple of weeks for each class, to between six-to-eight assignments a day.” An average work day for Wes can start as early as 6am and not finish until the last assignment has been filed—sometimes as late as midnight. For the emerging photojournalists out there, Wes recommends to be prepared for a market that is rapidly changing in terms of technology and skills, and will be making more changes in the near future. He suggests the most important skills worth having are the abilities to be adaptable and flexible, to think on your feet, and to be willing to go the extra mile. Wesley Monts is a photojournalist with The Townsville Bulletin.

3. Little Athletics Championships - kids from all over the state competing in many different events. Sebastian Costigan, 6, Hermit Park, Boys U7. Townsville Bulletin/Monts Wesley 4. Dwayne Williams comforts Debbie Lampton, mother of Lyji Vaggs, outside the courts. The coroner found that the Townsville Hospital staff were not at fault for the death of Lyji while he was in their custody. Pic. Townsville Bulletin/Monts Wesley

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Joelle Peters

All-encompassing designer article by Dominique Falla

1. Film Set 2. Girl & Boy Wiki Fashion

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“I get my inspiration from photographs, music and film.” — Joelle Peters Originally from Byron Bay, Joelle Peters moved to the Gold Coast for three years, to study at the Queensland College of Art (QCA), Gold Coast, majoring in digital design. From the age of thirteen, Joelle knew exactly what she wanted to do, and began building websites and creating digital illustrations with her Wacom graphics tablet at a very early stage. It is hard to pigeonhole Joelle, as her work traverses many boundaries, but she prefers the all-encompassing term ‘designer’. Her day job involves web development (programming and design), and she also works on a freelance basis as a Production Designer for film, television, music videos and advertising. Production Design is Joelle’s main interest, but she finds it difficult to work full-time in the Australian film industry so pursues additional

creative interests, including freelance illustration for a small group of mostly fashion related clients. Joelle’s natural aesthetic is soft, delicate and whimsical, but this really only translates directly through her illustration style. When engaged on commercial film work under a director or producer, it is they who usually influence the overall style of the piece so Joelle’s aesthetic is a little harder to pick in these types of projects. Joelle’s illustrations are very distinctive however, and her highly recognisable style quickly developed a following while she was still at university. Joelle immerses herself in a variety of sources, as diverse as her work is varied. “I get my inspiration from photographs, music and film. I love folk and blues music from the 1960s, and anything that leaves a strong emotional impression,” she says. “Music inspires me in film, less so for design and illustration, where I’m more inspired by photography or the work of other designers.” www.dribbble.com/joellepeters

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YueXiao Ma

Benz gets the Red Dot of approval article by Dominique Falla

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1. Claw spanner 2. Structure of Claw spanner 3. How it works

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Queensland College of Art (QCA), Gold Coast, Masters student, YueXiao Ma, or Benz as he is more affectionately known, thrilled his teaching staff recently when he was awarded a prestigious Red Dot Design Award. The Red Dot Design Award is an international design competition, also known as the ‘Oscars of Design’ and in its original form, has been running for 50 years. This year, 3,672 entries were received from 56 countries, so for Benz to receive one of only 217 red dots awarded is high praise indeed. Originally from Shandong College of Art in China, Benz finished his undergraduate degree in 2010, majoring in 3 Dimensional Design at QCA and continued on to complete his master’s degree last year, also in 3 Dimensional Design. He currently lives in Brisbane, working for a company specialising in the design of children’s amusement play equipment and LED lighting. He enjoyed his time on the Gold Coast, and cites “the lovely weather and sunshine and as well helpful teachers at QCA were always keeping me in a good mood to live and study.” Apart from enjoying the Queensland weather, Benz has also been spending his time looking for problems in existing three-dimensional design in order to solve them with his award-winning design. “The inspiration when designing the Claw spanner came from daily observation and the use of spanners. The problems inherent in adjustable spanners formed the basis of my design logic.” By analysing the deficiencies of adjustable and fixed spanners, Benz was able to find a solution to the damage caused to nuts by the high slippage of normal adjustable spanners. “Most adjustable spanners slip easily if poorly adjusted and this causes the rounding of the nuts. This is because the force direction of both jaws coincides with the moving direction of the adjustable jaw. The force acting on both jaws may push the adjustable jaw out.” Therefore, Benz reasoned, the moveable jaw has the possibility to slip and possibly cause further damage to the nut. ‘The Claw’ as Benz calls his spanner, effectively solves the high slippage issue of normal adjustable spanners and the non-adjustable ability of fixed spanners. By controlling the slider’s position, the desire for one spanner to fit all sizes of nuts has been achieved. As an overseas student gaining a masters degree is tough, especially when English is your second language, but Benz acknowledges the teachers at QCA for being helpful when navigating his course through higher education. As for the award-winning spanner, Benz is most grateful to his mentor, 3 Dimensional Design lecturer Jon Harris.

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The Red Dot Design Award is an international design competition, also known as the ‘Oscars of Design’ ... “This man has a vast extent of knowledge and experience in engineering and tools. He is always the most helpful man to support me and encourage me. In fact, hand tools sold in the current market are already quite good. It’s sometimes very exhausting to try to develop a new concept, but by working with Jon Harris, I’ve learned how to achieve a satisfactory, yet innovative, outcome by constantly drawing and trialling new ideas.” The mutual respect between teacher and student is quite clear and the teaching staff at the QCA were visibly excited when they heard the Red Dot Design news. It is satisfying to see a student’s years of hard work paying off.

QCA graduate showcase In 2012 students have excelled in a range of creative streams.

m o c . t oas

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Liveworm is the professional design studio and creative incubator of the Queensland College of Art, Griffith University Gold Coast. Contact us to discuss our range of services (07) 5552 7262 goldcoast@liveworm.com.au

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CHLOE DAWSON DIXIE EDWARDS ANDREW GOW CHUXIAO KANG JORIS PAPEGAAIJ NATASHA RICE JAYVEE SCHULZ

3 Dimensional Design Graduates are highly valued in the design, production and manufacturing sectors, especially for products, furniture, lighting fixtures, packaging, exhibitions and trade shows, film and television modelling and set design, signage and environmental graphics.

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ACHIEVEMENTS Participant Griffith Innovation 1K Challenge 2012 Griffith Award for Academic Excellence 2009 Queensland Youth Art Awards 2009

Graduating with 3 Dimensional Design and Graphic Design majors, my passion lies with patterning and I find myself becoming a floral enthusiast. I love creating, whether it’s through design, photography or hands on. It’s no lie that I’m an absolute perfectionist at heart. My inspiration for creating comes from textures, colours, and nature. Through the course of my degree, I have combined my love for graphic design, patterning and my forever growing obsession with flowers to create my own label, Crown Of Eden.

CHLOE DAWSON 90

chloetdawson@gmail.com www.chloedawson.com 0437 445 341

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ACHIEVEMENTS Golden Key International Honour Society Member Winner Griffith Innovation 1K Challenge 2012

What I love about design is the ability to be constantly inspired by the entirety of our surroundings. I appreciate fun, quirky and out of the box ideas and my design aesthetic is based around these principles. Majoring in both 3 Dimensional Design and Graphic Design; both these disciplines have shaped me into the designer I am today. I love working hands on as well as generating visual designs, however, my real passion is designing Digital Jewellery.

DIXIE EDWARDS dixie@dixieedwards.com www.dixieedwards.com www.lonelywolvesandteacups.com 0423 414 400

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I have a true fascination with the man-made form, industrial design, product design and lighting but my obsession is furniture. My passion to create really stems from unhappiness with products that are available. The choices made often follow the ideas and conventions set out by what came before them. This doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t make for bad design but perhaps a bit boring. The constant development of new materials, process and ideas of how things can be made opens up a world where anything is possible. I want to find out what that could be. Andy G

ANDREW GOW andyg@upsidedownuniverse.com www.upsidedownuniverse.com 0401 203 979

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ACHIEVEMENTS Promotional objects designer for childrens book Along Came Henry 2012

I’ve done many different things in my time at university. I’ve sculpted, painted and poured vodka and Skittles onto canvas. Despite all that I never found my ‘thing’. Then I started making jewellery. I’m a naturally obsessive person, so I was made for jewellery design. I can obsess over the small details until my heart’s content. However, jewellery is by no means the only thing I can do. I also design lighting fixtures and much more. My core design tenet is: simplicity. Fantastic design work doesn’t need much; a few geometric shapes and you have something that’s striking and spectacular.

CHUXIAO KANG

charlescarmichaeldesign@gmail.com www.charlescarmichaeldesign.com 0431 143 422

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To me being a designer means helping people to give form to their dreams, finding elegant solutions to physical problems and aspiring to create a better world by producing sustainable outcomes and products. I am fascinated by technology and all the freedom it offers to explore ideas and to give your imagination form without having to consider physical limitations. However wonderful technological advance is though, I believe the best innovations are the ones that are inherently simple, intuitive and elegant.

JORIS PAPEGAAIJ joris.papegaaij@jpapegaaij.com www.jpapegaaij.com 0401 203 042

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“Life is about using the whole box of crayons.” RuPaul. This quote inspires me to challenge myself to be an all-rounder. Although a 3 Dimensional designer, I have a desire to dabble in the many realms of design, particularly typography and photography. Remaining true to myself and my love of commercial and domestic interior design, I endeavour to develop my creative abilities—whilst still holding on to my love of the vintage eras—transforming their fundamental ideals into pieces for our contemporary society.

NATASHA RICE natasha.rice@lilchicandchic.com.au www.lilchicandchic.com.au 0488 538 986

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ACHIEVEMENTS Industry Placement with Yellow Goat Design 2012

3 Dimensional Design has allowed me to further develop my potential skills in design aesthetics. In the broad training I received through the Queensland College of Art (QCA), I now have a larger passion for design and am very inspired by 3 Dimensional digital housing, furniture and lighting. I strive to portray my inspirations through colour and diverse shapes to convey personality and excitement. I seek imaginative challenges to apply my technical skills in the creation of designs for the present and the future.

JAYVEE SCHULZ jayvee@jv-designs.com www.jv-designs.com 0430 556 843

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HOOI ZHI CHIN HECTOR GALINDO NICOLE HEARD ZOWIE LENARD

Digital Design Graduates have a unique combination of creative design and software specialisations which enables them to take advantage of opportunities in post-production animation and video production, web and games production, as well as printing for industry.

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ACHIEVEMENTS Winner: Best Griffith International MATES, Gold Coast 2012 You don’t know Australia until you know Bourke QCA South Bank Photography Exhibition 2012 Griffith International MATES Student Leadership Mentor 2011–2012 QCA Student Leadership Mentor 2011–2012 China Trip: Documentary Photography QCA South Bank Photography Exhibition 2011 Smudge Creative Exhibition QCA Gold Coast Digital Media Exhibition 2011

You can call me Chin. After three years in this degree, my skills have grown in many fields, such as photography/posters/banners and video. I have also learned valuable planning and management skills through my internship so I guess you can also call me a Jack of All Trades. Based on my experience over the past three years I have become very interested in design, communication and marketing. I find myself wanting to provide companies with the most creative, unique and appealing solutions to present their corporate identity, products and services.

HOOI ZHI CHIN 98

hooizhi@hzchin.com www.hzchin.com 0403 555 159

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Majoring in digital design with a minor in 3 Dimensional design, I specialise in and have achieved high grades in areas such as 3D animation, 3D modelling and motion graphics. I understand the principles of low poly modelling according to specific hardware and I have great experience in dealing with proper lighting for 3D scenes, including short animated films and high-end 3D rendered images. I achieve highly in concept 3D design and architectural visualisation and I have a broad knowledge in graphic design including posters and magazine covers, as well as logo design and business card interface design. Video editing and special effects are also a big part of what I do, having experience with blue screen and special effects in motion picture.

HECTOR GALINDO

hectorgalindo@hotmail.com www.gurrero_17studios.com.au 0401 725 434

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ACHIEVEMENTS Bachelor of Digital Media (Major in Digital Design; Minor in Fine Art) 2012 Career Leader for Careers & Employment Services, Griffith University 2012 QCA Student Leadership Mentor Orientation Day 2012 Industry Placement with Bravehearts Inc. 2012 Smudge Collective Group Exhibition 2012

As an artistic individual, being able to live creatively is a dream come true! I receive immense enjoyment and inspiration in seeing my creations come to life, and am looking forward to combining these new skills with my prior Graphic Design experience in creating innovative solutions for a sustainable future.

NICOLE HEARD nicoleheard@mac.com www.nicoleheard.com 0421 491 282

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I am what you would call a Jack of All Trades when it comes to my experience in Digital Media. My main focus is web design however I also like to do animation, 3 Dimensional design, graphic design and fine art. The above website design is to promote The Great Barrier Reef to tourists. The layout and user interface is bright, colourful and easy to navigate. The imagery was chosen to allow users to experience The Great Barrier Reef visually from home.

ZOWIE LENARD

zowie.lenard@inochimedia.com www.inochimedia.com

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NATALIE MARIELL ELHOLM HANNAH HAWKINS YOKO LANCE NATHALIE REINHOLDTSEN

ePhotojournalism Graduates with a keen appreciation of the politics and philosophies underpinning the photographic discipline and a demonstrated eagerness to work innovatively in their chosen photographic specialisation—whether press or new media—will be capable of securing a rewarding career at a professional level anywhere in the world.

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ACHIEVEMENTS Published in The Argus Director of Photography for The Argus 2012 3rd place in Captured! Surfers Paradise photographic exhibition 2012 Honorable mention in Landskonkurransen 2011

Photography is my way to discover new things, and with my interest in documentary and travelling, I want to use the power of photography to tell stories, connect with people, create awareness and make us look at our worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s differences, similarities, struggles and happiness. Coming from an editorial background, completing my bachelor of Digital Media at Queensland College of Art (QCA) has really improved my visual language, and opened my eyes to multimedia. Through my specialisations in Editorship and Publication I have gained valuable knowledge on how to work on a publication.

NATALIE MARIELL ELHOLM

nataliemariell@hotmail.com www.nataliemariell.com 0416 366 733

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ACHIEVEMENTS Participant in Cambodia/Laos/Vietnam Griffith University Photojournalism trip 2012 Showcased in Hope and Dust: Along the Meekong exhibitions 2012 South-East Asia series published in online publication Your Friends House 2012 Assignment Editor for The Argus 2012

Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve always been a storyteller. From the day I learnt to hold a pen I was writing my own stories (mostly about fairies) and wanted to be an author. As I grew older, and potentially wiser, the author evolved into journalist. I dabbled in film photography for years before a lightbulb turned on in my head and I realised I could do it as a career. I went digital, focusing my journalism degree on ePhotojournalism, and became even more zealous about storytelling through the visual.

HANNAH HAWKINS 104

hannahh@gmail.com www.hannahhawkins.cc 0412 959 321

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ACHIEVEMENTS Managing Editor of The Argus Semester 2, 2012 Golden Key International Honours Society Member Golden Key Society International Student Mentor 2012 Griffith Award for Academic Excellence 2011 - 2012 Participant in Captured! Surfers Paradise photographic exhibition

YOKO LANCE

Practicing photography taught me how to perceive, digest, and translate the world. Photography fascinates me as you cannot avoid being passive when you capture a moment. It always reflects how you choose to see and focus on the subject. Studying ePhotojournalismâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;along with communication and media study as a Bachelor of Communication studentâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;gave me great strength to interact with the world.

info@yokolance.com.au www.yokolance.com.au 0402 055 884

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ACHIEVEMENTS Director of Photography for The Argus 2012

I have always had a thing for photography. The act of freezing a moment and being able to look back at it amazes me. I am originally from Norway and I have studied photography in practice for two years at the Norwegian School Of Creative Studies. There, I learned how to shoot fashion, advertising, portraits, food, documentary and art. My heart lies in portraits and art, I love challenging myself to be more creative each time I photograph. I wanted to learn more and get a wider experience, give documentary a chance, and combine my skills to something bigger, to tell important stories. This is why I chose to finish my bachelors degree in ePhotojournalism at Queensland College of Art (QCA), Griffith University, Gold Coast.

NATHALIE REINHOLDTSEN nathalie_e_r@hotmail.com www.nathalierein.com 0416 378 858

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MORGAN BELL PHOEBE COOK KERENSA DAVIS ALEXANDER IORDANOU SARAH KELLY

Fine Art Graduates are entering a sector that is expanding exponentially with career opportunities in professional practice, arts management, public art, curatorship and art education. Fine Art graduates from the Queensland College of Art have an enviable record of career success as professional artists. Many have works in private and public collections and have won scholarships and national and international awards. Fine Art graduates also hold significant posts in the arts, education and administration.

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ACHIEVEMENTS Work commissioned for Kick Off, contemporary video art program, Metricon Stadium, 2012

My practice reflects on the influences of the female form and my personal interests such as illustration and textiles. Sewing and Installation allow me to experiment and explore the representation of the body through the fragility and vulnerability of thread. In my work I use a dissolvable fabric that allows me to build up thread by repeatedly sewing into the images. When dissolved, the image would appear to easily unravel, revealing the closely interlocked threads, conveying an absence in the dresses.

MORGAN BELL mleighbell@gmail.com www.morganlbell.wordpress.com 0401 704 404

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ACHIEVEMENTS Minor in 3D Design (Bachelor of Digital Media) 2012 Curator of Whitebox Lonely Lines exhibition 2012 Writer for 87ARTZONE 2012 Internship with Soapbox Theatre Productions 2012 Internship with Draculas Cabaret Costume Department 2012 Internship IMA@Surfers 2011

Fibreglass is among my arsenal as it is a strong and sleek material. Not to mention highly irritant when in contact with skin and toxic if inhaled. My passion for Theatre and the Arts indulges my multidisciplinary practices in sculptural, fabricated, two dimensional, installation, and performance elements. Being a rural born Australian I find my works investigate notions of cultural identity. I explore these conceptual and theoretical concerns through inquiries regarding anthropomorphism and the traditional theatre masks.

PHOEBE COOK digital_graphibi@hotmail.com www.pheacook.wordpress.com 0488 148 861

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ACHIEVEMENTS Griffith Award for Academic Excellence 2011 Curatorial Intern at 87ARTZONE

The themes I explore in my work are always closely related to my own personal experiences in life including motherhood, racism, post-natal depression and how I see and interact in the world around me. I want my work to create an emotive response and illuminate sensitive subjects that many other people have experienced. My favourite medium to use is paint. I also create artworks by sculpting, drawing, photography, and using digital media such as video.

KERENSA DAVIS artist@kerensadavis.com www.kerensadavis.com 0412 838 334

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ACHIEVEMENTS Diploma of Multimedia, Gold Coast Institute of TAFE 2009

Majoring in Fine Art with a Digital Design minor, Alex does not particularly aspire to become a fine artist in the sense of exhibition display, grants and the frightening possibility that he may become a pretentious art-wanker; he studies with the intention of applying the gained knowledge of concepts and methods to future personal projects, including illustrations and animations. Alex has always considered himself a funny enough person to consider himself a funny person, and generally attempts to apply an element of humour into each of his works, or even as the basis for an entire work. However, he does sometimes get a little bit ahead of himself, such as when he decided to put the words pretentious art-wanker in his bio.

ALEXANDER IORDANOU

alexander.iordanou@gmail.com www.alexiordanou.wordpress.com 0407 460 797

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My work is derived from personal experiences and reflected through illustration. Current emphasis is on perspective and distance, which is expressed figuratively through landscapes, people or domestic and ritual objects. Inspiration emerges from everyday life; places, thoughts and experiences that would otherwise be unnoticed without the dissection afforded by works of art. My process is seemingly random and impulsive and uses mediums such as ink and acrylic paint.

SARAH KELLY s.kelly1109@gmail.com www.sjkelly.wordpress.com 0425 853 046

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NATASHA BELLERO

AURELIE MARON

LAUREN CASSIDY

BRETT MCAULIFFE

SAM COLLINS

TEGAN MCVEY

ALJO CURRIE

SALLY-ANN MUNN

ASHLEIGH DUNLOP

SAMANTHA STENNER

CALEB EAST

BRENTON TAYLOR

JESSY HAYES

KATE TIGGELMAN

PHILIPPA HIGGINS

TOREN VANSLEVE

EMINE KARADAG

CASSANDRA WALKER

ANGELA JANE LIU

LELE XU WENJING ZHOU

Graphic Design Graduates find rewarding careers in the visual design industries including print, corporate design, publishing, packaging, branding, advertising, marketing, television and digital media.

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ACHIEVEMENTS Industry placement with Insomniac Magazine 2012 Participant in the Griffith Innovation 1K Challenge 2012 Participant in the Southern Cross Packaging Design Awards 2011

Expressing myself creatively has always been a major influence on my life. My passion lies in mediums of Graphic Design such as marketing, branding, illustration, typography, and all characteristics visually appealing. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m fascinated by colour, pattern, and style and find pleasure in both using them and creating my own. Ultimately after graduating I hope to pursue a career within fashion, advertising and marketing.

NATASHA BELLERO natasha.bellero@gmail.com www.natashabellero.com 0458 073 116

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ACHIEVEMENTS Industry placement with Netbiz Web Design 2012 Participant in the Griffith Innovation 1K Challenge 2012 Participant in the Southern Cross Packaging Design Awards 2011

Hi my name is Lauren and I’m addicted to creativity. For as long as I can remember I have always been creating—whether it be drawing, painting or making—no blank space was safe. Graphic design has opened up a whole new world of creativity and allowed me to expand my skills. I have developed a love for anything print-related, particularly branding and multi-page layouts. I aspire to feed my addiction and spend every day doing what I love, design.

LAUREN CASSIDY lauren.cassidy@hotmail.com www.laurencassidydesigns.com 0432 920 179

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ACHIEVEMENTS Industry placement with Liveworm Design Studio, Gold Coast 2012

I have always been interested in art and design and it has become a great passion for me. I gain inspiration through all things creative and my work often reflects my desire to achieve simple yet bold aesthetics. I love graphic design and typography, however I am most proud of my illustration work. My hope and vision for the future is to continue to be creative and successful in my chosen field and ultimately translate my passion into a fulfilling career.

SAM COLLINS

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info@samcollinsdesign.com www.samcollinsdesign.com 0410 903 603

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ACHIEVEMENTS Industry placement with Liveworm Design Studio, Gold Coast 2012 Zumba Fitness corporate identity & website design 2012 Participant in the Southern Cross Packaging Design Awards 2011

I have always had a flair for creativity. As a self-proclaimed perfectionist, graphic design has not only become a passion, it has become an addiction. I possess a strong interest in corporate identity, logo design, typography, multi-page layouts, fashion and advertising. In December 2012, I will be graduating with a Bachelor of Digital Media, majoring in Graphic Design and a minor in Business Marketing. My ultimate goal in life is to pursue a career in Graphic Design and Market Advertising.

ALJO CURRIE

hello@aljocurrie.com.au www.aljocurrie.com.au 0433 601 287

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ACHIEVEMENTS Industry Placement with Liveworm Design Studio, Gold Coast 2012 Industry Placement with Little Styles Childrens Boutique 2012 Project Manager & Designer for QCA Graduates Showcase (Gold Coast Creative) 2012 Full page advertisement design in Shop 4 Kids Magazine 2011/2012 Entry in Positive Posters Poster Design Competition 2010

Design consumes me; I am constantly searching for new inspiration and collecting beautiful things. With a love for paper, gorgeous typography and branding, creating beautiful and refined work is what I thrive on. Having worked as a freelance designer for almost two years, I have real-world experience in working with clients on various projects from web graphics to printed catalogues. Equipped with a marketing minor, I have an understanding of brand presence in the marketplace. Wrapping gifts in new and creative ways excites me, which prompted me to design a range of illustrated gift-wrap, cards and handmade bows.

ASHLEIGH DUNLOP 118

hello@ashleighdunlop.com.au www.ashleighdunlop.com.au 0406 010 886

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ACHIEVEMENTS Industry placement with Liveworm Design Studio, Gold Coast 2012

CALEB EAST

I’m Caleb! I’m a recent Digital Media graduate, majoring in Graphic Design and enthusiast of Illustration. I have quite the vivid and wild imagination, and many have praised my design style as both weird, wonderful and intriguing. Now that I’m freshly graduated, I’m eager to step into the exciting world of graphic design, illustration, branding and typography. I also hope to secure a position in the apparel, skate and snow deck industry. Be sure to send me an email if my work is of interest to you!

contact@calebeast.com www.calebeast.com 0424 896 716

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ACHIEVEMENTS Work featured in Darwin Life Magazine 2012 Work featured in Exit Art Contemporary Youth Art of Northern Territory 2008

I, Jessy Hayes, am a progressing graphic designer with interests in fine art, digital and film photography. But I am also a self-confessed bird lover. Inspired by the phrase: less is more, I take time in utilising white space and clean lines. A number of my designs reflect my desire to be creative, predominantly in the Hayhoo range.

JESSY HAYES jessy.may@live.com www.hayhoo.com 0419 899 040

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ACHIEVEMENTS Art Director for Argus 2012 Industry Placement with Liveworm Design Studio, Gold Coast 2012 Shortlisted in Southern Cross Packaging Design Awards 2011 Work experience with Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Weekly Magazine 2008

After completing my final year of Graphic Design in 2012, I am excited and prepared for what the next stage in my life will bring me. I have fallen in love with typography and letters and am constantly getting over excited about beautiful layouts I find in various magazines. Working with the Argus magazine has been a fantastic experience and encouraged my aspirations to work in the publishing industry.

PHILIPPA HIGGINS

hello@philippahiggins.com www.philippahiggins.com 0418 664 385

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ACHIEVEMENTS Industry Placement with Liveworm Design Studio, Gold Coast 2012 Gold Winner in Southern Cross Packaging Design Awards 2011 Griffith Award for Academic Excellence 2011 Griffith Award for Academic Excellence 2010

A creative outlet and powerful means of communication, design is an intrinsic and defining part of who I am. Although always looking for new ways to challenge and express myself creatively, working within the print medium is what Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve come to enjoy most. More specifically, my main passion lies in branding, typography and package design. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m also fascinated by the ability of design to effectively target consumers and influence behaviour. My minor in marketing has strengthened my knowledge in this area. I look forward to combining these skills and enjoying a challenging and exciting career in graphic design.

EMINE KARADAG 122

info@eminekaradag.com www.eminekaradag.com 0411 164 318

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ACHIEVEMENTS Industry placement with Csquared Design 2012

Majoring in Graphic Design, my interests lie in branding, corporate identity, illustration and photography. Playtful Recipes was created as part of a project which allowed me to implement and showcase my skills in those areas, whilst still reflecting my personality and develop in areas of cause-related marketing with elements of advertising. Through my studies and recent industry placement I have gained practical and valuable experience in typography, page layouts and multi-page documents, better preparing me for this industry.

ANGELA JANE LIU

angelajane.liu@gmail.com www.angelajaneliu.com 0416 200 868

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ACHIEVEMENTS Industry Placement with Liveworm Design Studio, Gold Coast 2012 Griffith Award for Academic Excellence 2011 Griffith Award for Academic Excellence 2010

Hi my name is Aurelie Maron and I am a passionate designer. I have always been creative, always drawing and dreaming. I graduated from a Bachelor of Digital Media with a major in Graphic Design and a minor in Digital Design. My aim is to gain experience as a designer and broaden my horizon and I am ready to tackle any kind of project, from branding to illustration, typography to print, web design through to 3D modelling.

AURELIE MARON aurelie@aureliemaron.com www.aureliemaron.com 0416 817 715

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ACHIEVEMENTS Golden Key International Honour Society Member QCA Student Leadership Mentor 2011 – Ongoing QCA Student Ambassador 2011 – Ongoing Griffith Award for Academic Excellence 2011 Industry Placement with Liveworm Design Studio, Gold Coast 2011 Diploma of Multimedia: Interactive Entertainment 2009

Since commencing the Bachelor of Digital Media in 2010, I have been given the opportunity to advance my skills in a field that I am passionate about—art and design. 2011 saw me completing freelance projects, enabling me to gain valuable professional experience. This year I have completed work for an international sports group, as well as becoming the resident graphic designer for a local theatre company. My time with the Queensland College of Art (QCA) has enabled me to develop my creative skills, and has allowed my leadership and support skills to grow.

BRETT MCAULIFFE

info@brettmca.com.au www.brettmca.com.au 0423 509 976

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ACHIEVEMENTS Work experience with Claudio Kirac for Billabong 2012 Industry placement with Liveworm Design Studio, Gold Coast 2012

My head is constantly full of ideas. Graphic design and photography are my tools for creating these ideas and sharing them with the world. I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t even explain the passion and drive I feel when I want to create something. Get out there, draw a picture, take a photo, and share your ability to create with the world. Trust me, it feels amazing.

TEGAN MCVEY tegan@teganmcvey.com.au www.teganmcvey.com.au 0488 424 661

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ACHIEVEMENTS Illustrated childrens book series Oakey to be released in November 2012 Skate deck art exhibited in Skatedecksabition, Surfers Paradise Festival 2011/2012 Volunteer for Rosemount Fashion Festival August 2008

Art soothes my spirit, it sets me free. My mediums include illustration, photography and designâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;both fashion and graphic. My art is centred around anything free spirited, such as nature, the ocean, surf/skate culture and my response to life. Sea Muse surf and skate offers custom designs for skatedecks, griptapes and surfboard inlays. In the near future I hope to be continuing my freelance illustration, working as a photographer and swimwear designer.

SALLY-ANN MUNN sally-annmunn@hotmail.com www.theloop.com.au/daydreamdesigns www.boardpusher.com/sea_muse 0411 591 858

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ACHIEVEMENTS Industry placement with Aloha Lucy Boutique, Chirn Park 2012 Participant in the Southern Cross Packaging Design Awards 2011

Becoming a designer was not an option, but rather an obligation in discovering my sense of identity. Whether it is branding, print design, or fashion-inspired publications, the work I create portrays who I am as an individual. The relationship of the crisp white space, clean lines and bold colour across my projects, and in the creation of my brand Manfe, communicates my drive for perfection, beauty and distinctiveness. As the future of design is uncertain and forever changing, I will continue to challenge my creative capabilities.

SAMANTHA STENNER samantha.stenner@live.com www.samanthastenner.com 0402 546 704

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ACHIEVEMENTS Internship with Gold Coast Titans, Semester 2 2012 Participant in the Southern Cross Packaging Design Awards 2012

I get my inspiration from colour! I love the way a specific colour can evoke an emotion in a person and the way a colour can look and behave differently when next to other colours. Doing Graphic Design with Motion Graphics allows me to not only create an awesome design but also to make it move and evolve. I also like to experiment and try new techniques in design; I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want every piece of my work to look the same.

BRENTON TAYLOR

brentontaylor83@gmail.com www.theloop.com.au/brentontaylor 0416 764 889

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ACHIEVEMENTS Winner of the Griffith Innovation 1K Challenge 2012 Industry Placement at Liveworm Design Studio, Gold Coast 2012 Griffith Award for Academic Excellence 2012 Participant in the Southern Cross Packaging Design Awards 2011 Griffith Award for Academic Excellence 2011 Griffith Award for Academic Excellence 2010

Specialising in typography, branding and print media, I am a paper-loving, presentgiving, colour co-ordinating ambitious aesthetic perfectionist. When I'm not jumping out of an aeroplane or climbing the Q1 you will find me hand-in-hand with my fiancĂŠ sipping on a hot chocolate. My vibrant, cute and clever digital palette radiates my personality. I believe my unique design strengths and solutions provide me with the potential to launch my professional career. I would love to be given the opportunity to further explore branding in the near future. Above: The winning project of the Griffith Innovation 1K Challenge: Sleepydoe.

KATE TIGGELMAN 130

me@katetiggelman.com www.katetiggelman.com 0431 922 919

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ACHIEVEMENTS Griffith Award for Academic Excellence 2011 Participant in the Southern Cross Packaging Design Awards 2011 Shortlisted for Education Ministerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Awards for Art Excellence (South Coast Region) 2007

Colour and form are important to me and discord annoys me. I am a perfectionist and I will not stop until itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s done. With a keen eye for detail; packaging, marketing and fashion design are what I am most passionate about. Music is my biggest inspiration and will continue to be for as long as I design. I am fanatical about good typography and love a challenge. Never underestimate the power of good design.

TOREN VANSLEVE hello@torenvansleve.com www.torenvansleve.com 0423 767 451

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ACHIEVEMENTS Industry placement with Potatopress Graphic Solutions 2012

I like to think I have always been creative, but it wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t until I started my degree that I discovered my passion for graphic design. After a couple of years of being overloaded with such open and amazing knowledge for all things design, I have gained a strong passion for typography, branding, publication layouts and printed material. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s nothing more satisfying than seeing my designs come to life. Studying graphic design has been an exciting stepping-stone in what I hope is just the beginning of a fulfilling career in the creative industry.

CASSANDRA WALKER 132

cassandra@cassandrawalker.com.au www.cassandrawalker.com.au 0407 126 533

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I really love design. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s exciting when I take all the ideas from my mind and turn them into works that I can show others. This is a challenging process that I enjoy. This is an advertising campaign for the Drop One Product campaign. The product I suggested to drop is fur. All the animals were cute before they were killed, donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t turn them into fashion victims. I am trying to make this poster clean and simple.

LELE XU xulele0421@gmail.com 0433 941 899

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Graphic Design is my passion. I pride myself on being able to skilfully and promptly deal with new situations and challenges. My designs are deliciously different; theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll always keep surprising and as a result of my studies, I have learned how to successfully combine colour, shape and typography to create simple, clean and balanced design. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll take on any challenge; I always have and will always love to learn new things.

WENJING ZHOU animalrobot@hotmail.com www.animalrobot.com.au 0450 521 314

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