2018 july/august frankie magazine

s ecia cos issue

ISSUE 84 JUL/AUG 2018 AUS: $13.95 INC GST NZ: $14.95 INC GST UK: £8.99 ISSN 14497794

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first thought

you might have noticed this issue of frankie looks a little bit woollier than usual, thanks to the needle wizardry of embroidery artist Sophie MacNeill, aka Slow Stitch Sophie. The Canadian maker has a knack for stitching free-hand, abstract floral designs, but it’s not just her ace craft skills that have us feeling inspired. Rather, it’s her approach to art, that could just as easily act as a loose guide to life.

For one, when she first puts needle and thread to cloth, she has no clear plan for where the piece will end up.

She experiments a little; follows her instincts; and isn’t afraid to put a foot (or stitch) out of step. Things do get chaotic and messy now and then – you need only have a gander to the left to see that – but she has a motto that helps her continue calmly moving forward: “one stitch at a time”.

Creative or not, we aspire to channel some of that awesomeness into our day-to-day lives. Taking things slowly; trusting our gut. And ultimately, weaving a tapestry full of colour, unruliness and pluck. xx Sophie and the frankie team

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INTRODUCING

With 45 knitting & crochet patterns for women, men & the home, our latest publication has been created to celebrate grey skies, crisp breezes and long walks on the beach, while all rugged up for the winter season.

With the largest yarn selection in Australasia, keep warm and snuggly this winter in something handmade, created by you, just for you or for the ones you love.

Because, all you knit is love.

S H A R E YO U R C R E AT I V I T Y /spotlightstores

@spotlightstores

#allyouknitislove

Shop now at spotlightstores.com

ONLY AT

Student work by Lynette Lim

Made at Shillington Sydney • Melbourne • Brisbane • New York • London • Manchester

Shillington’s innovative approach to design education means students can achieve amazing results in a seriously short amount of time. In 3 months full-time or 9 months part-time you’ll graduate with a polished portfolio of commercial work, ready to land your dream job. Make your creative career with Shillington. shillingtoneducation.com

shillington_

issue 84 talented contributors photographic luisa brimble, bri hammond, chris hopkins, benjamin johnson, tammie joske, kuei, natalie mccomas, giulia mcgauran, nick mckinlay, phoebe powell, hilary walker, lukasz wierzbowski, simon wilson

editor sophie kalagas sophie@frankiepress.com.au assistant editor & online editor mia timpano mia@frankiepress.com.au

editorial caro cooper, lucy corry, deirdre fidge, katherine gillespie, rowena grant-frost, koren helbig, leta keens, daniel moore, giselle au-nhien nguyen, rachel power, sam prendergast, eleanor robertson, luke ryan, stephanie van schilt, sinead stubbins illustration evie barrow, anna blandford, jennifer bouron, alessandra genualdo, kirbee lawler, carla mcrae, ashley ronning, wanissa somsuphangsri cover artist sophie macneill

senior designer aimee carruthers aimee@frankiepress.com.au designer & studio manager anjana jain anjana@frankiepress.com.au

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general manager gaye murray gaye@frankiepress.com.au

national advertising manager victoria yelland riddell victoria@frankiepress.com.au • 0410 300 849

editor-in-chief jo walker jo@frankiepress.com.au

account manager – victoria isabella ubaldi isabella@frankiepress.com.au • 0424 218 955

digital director suzi taylor suzi@frankiepress.com.au marketing manager anastasia michael anastasia@frankiepress.com.au

advertising sales executive – directories emma white emma@frankiepress.com.au • 0416 146 658 advertising production bree higgerson bree@frankiepress.com.au

marketing coordinator ben eastwood ben@frankiepress.com.au operations manager bree higgerson bree@frankiepress.com.au production manager di josipovic di@frankiepress.com.au retail sales & circulation manager alissa relf alissa@frankiepress.com.au business analyst sid smith assistant accountant ryan trac production & office assistant lizzie dynon lizzie@frankiepress.com.au

contact us general enquiries hello@frankiepress.com.au subscriptions frankie@subscribenow.com.au frankie.com.au/subscribe retail orders retail@frankiepress.com.au can’t find frankie? visit frankie.com.au/find aust & n.z. distributor gordon & gotch international distribution enquiries export.ops@seymour.co.uk

it manager josh croft proofreader rachel morgenbesser submissions: frankie accepts freelance art, photo and story submissions, however we cannot reply personally to unsuccessful pitches. for submission guidelines please see frankie.com.au/submissions

email addresses are published for professional communications only

internships/work experience: unfortunately frankie is unable to facilitate any work experience or internship programs frankie magazine is proudly published 6 times a year by frankie press. frankie press is a division of pacific star network limited: 2 craine street, south melbourne vic 3205

frankie.com.au

views expressed by authors are not necessarily those of the publisher. copyright is reserved, which means you can’t scan our pages and put them up on your website or anywhere else. reproduction in whole or part is prohibited.

r a favourite place

contents

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108 74

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what’s inside

as time goes by: PAGE 37

money, money, money: PAGE 80

Date nights, compromise, and the secrets of long-term love

A few nifty tips for managing your finances

learn the auslan alphabet: PAGE 64

some like it hot:

A handy guide to sign language for beginners

Tummy-warming hot chocolate recipes, with a twist

feeling a bit shirty: PAGE 68 Dr. Karl Kruszelnicki shares his snazzy button-downs

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contents

106 28

90

012 your say

070 writers’ piece

014 frank bits

074 the agoraphobic traveller

024 a stitch in time

080 money matters

028 the name game 030 haiku hands 032 total recall 034 looks we like

082 yum, hot chocolate 084 everybody has a story 088 diamonds on the inside

037 as time goes by

090 homebodies

046 blooming books

100 under the weather

048 space vivian

102 watch this space

050 road test

104 bands on film

052 on the job 054 i love my shop 056 youth in revolt 062 following suit

106 the escape artist 108 between two worlds 118 draw your happy place

064 a chat with sofya gollan

124 beauty or torture?

066 in defence of the diary

-ori cooking 126 modern ma

068 collector

128 impractical magic

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your say Photo Nick McKinlay

Dear frankie, A big congratulations to the winners of the 2018 frankie Good Stuff awards! As a lapsed artist and photographer who has let herself get caught up in the passive consumption of social media and TV, the Good Stuff awards were an excellent wake up call.

It was just the inspiration I needed to get back into producing art and appreciating other people's fabulous craft. Seeing people follow their passion and take a risk to be creative made me finish a work I started three years ago, and I’m very grateful. Li-Kim

dear frankie DROP US A LINE, WON'T YOU? LETTERS@FRANKIE.COM.AU

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Dear frankie, Thank you so much for the amazing Tara O’Brien poster from issue 83. As someone in their mid-20s who’s coming to terms with their body and the way it looks, I was so excited to put this up on my wall. I’m learning that it doesn’t matter how my body looks – it’s what it does that’s most important. It walks to work; it dances; it hugs the people I love. And I love it no matter how much space it takes up. All my love, Emma xx .

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Dear frankie, Thank you for getting me through the long evenings of despair when my 11-month-old daughter refuses to sleep. I may not have that aspect of parenting down pat, but with a frankie mag on hand, we sit together naming colours and objects and talking about all sorts of wonderful things! Issue 83 faves: the egg cup shaped like a sheep, and the classic date illustrations. xx Mel and Immy (your newest fan)

Dear frankie, As I have aged, I’ve found myself doing something I like to call ‘internal laughter’. It’s when you find something funny and laugh on the inside, instead of actually laughing. That is, until I read Eleanor Robertson’s piece, “You’re Invited”. Oh my shit, I haven’t laughed like that since I was 12 or something! I’m still in fits of giggles thinking about “crop-dusting an elevator full of people”! Thank you so much for reminding me to laugh out loud, and of the wonderful feeling it leaves. Love you guys, Hannah xoxo .

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THE LETTER OF THE ISSUE WINS A HI BYE BEANIE, AROUND $87, FROM DONNAWILSON.COM Dear frankie, Vincent Shin’s story about making something good come from an awful experience really resonated with me!

Sadly, I can relate on some level to his experie ences with violence, and I’d hate to see it affecting other young y people.

It’s fantastic that someone is reaching out to those who are vulnerable, particularly at such a cruccial point in their lives. I’ve been inspired to somed day do something about this myself – my dream iss to open a ‘safe haven’ for young girls who feel unsafe at home, with financial, emotional and legal support included. The world would be a happier and safer place if we had more people e focused on protecting our youth. After all, theyy hold the key to the future! Love, Julia xo

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Dear frankie, Cate Rooney's eloquent and honest piece "Remember Me" truly hit me with all the emotions. I may have even shed some tiny tears. Although I'm not going through what she is right now with her father, I wanted to find my parents and give them a big squeeze to make sure they know I love them. Cate reminded me it's important to embrace the time we have with one another, and I'll do just that. Thank you, Dominique xx

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One in three people want to start their own business.

Is that you?

We back you by rewarding $10,000 for the best business plan developed at the end of the Diploma.

Melbourne 168 Exhibition Street, Melbourne, Victoria 3000, Australia Sydney 60 Hickson Road, Sydney, New South Wales 2000, Australia @acknowledge_creativity I

@acknowledgecreativity I www.acknowledgecreativity.com

frank bits

indigo thread giveaway ah/ok Who needs to travel to Como, Italy, and sunbake on the shore of its famous lake when you can jump on ahokshop.com, fork out about $64, and have a little (silky) slice of the city sent your way? Billed as a headband, this piece of printed prettiness can also be worn as a scarf, a bracelet, or anything else you choose.

Just so long as it’s done with a gelato in hand. Perhaps while riding a Vespa.

We’ll leave the rest up to you.

Yay, hooray and happy day!

The very generous lass behind Indigo Thread, Katelyn Tso, feels so fondly about all our lovely frankie readers that she’s giving some of her wares away! Namely, this native flora-sporting canvas tote bag (rrp $109), which she’s drawn, sewn and hammered by hand in her humble Sydney abode.

Nice, eh? Getting your mitts on Katelyn’s stuff is pretty darn easy, too. Just pop by frankie. com.au/win, enter your details, and we’ll see what we can do. indigothreadwares.com

bertie slippers

space otter A few things Liverpool artist Katy Lee is fond of: bad puns, semiaquatic mammals, and the deep, dark depths of outer space.

She’s found a way to weave them all together in this patch combining pencil art and embroidery, and if you’re wondering if we dig it, the answer is a resounding, “YEP”.

Should you feel the same, it’s available at kestlelane.etsy.com for around $19.

Regardless of whether you’re a moustachioed gent sipping brandy in the drawing room between puffs on a handwhittled pipe, you deserve to get around in velvet slippers. Thank goodness, then, for Sydney brand Bertie. They make softas-heck unisex slides in three jewel-like shades, and with strong leather soles, they’re suitable for wearing outdoors or in. Did we mention we have a pair (rrp $145) up for grabs?

Stop by frankie.com.au/ win and they could be yours. bertieslippers.com.au

home by harlequin Ceramicist Lauren Eaton has two main goals while designing vessels for her brand, Home by Harlequin: one, show restraint; and two, keep things simple and elegant. So, in honour of this, we will attempt an equally unfussy overview of her wares.

Each piece is crafted by hand in Sydney. They can be used in a variety of ways around the home. And the whole process of their creation – from casting to packaging – is environmentally sound. Head to homebyharlequin.com.au to see more.

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hey tiger

b.ties There are days when all you want to wear is pyjamas.

Then, there are days when you want to look spiffy as fuck.

Pop over to bties.com.au when the latter mood takes hold. The Melbourne label makes snappy-looking bows for your neck, using one-of-a-kind fabrics nabbed from op shops, plus the odd hand-me-down and a few prints of their own.

getting to know… wing defence

Look, if we had to perish in a river of chocolate à la Augustus Gloop, we’d quite like it to come from Melbourne chocolatiers Hey Tiger. After all, their treats are rather tasty and ethically produced, to boot. Plus, they donate a portion of each sale to fund community development projects in West Africa, and we imagine a river’s worth of choccie bars could do an awful lot of good.

Their flavours include things like strawberry balsamic, birthday cake crumb, and peanut butter and pretzel, all of which can be found for $13.50 a block at heytiger.com.au

What kind of music do you make? It’s a little pop; a little punk; a little rock; and a little fun. How did you meet? Paige Court: Skiz and I met through the Adelaide music scene.

We’ve always gotten behind each other’s solo endeavours, and when we became great mates, it felt natural to start a rock band! Describe your sound in five words. Skye Lockwood: Michelle Branch meets Killing Heidi? What kinds of things inspire your songs? PC: Our lives; the lives of others; world issues; beer; Coke Zero; Mum; Dad; the dog; sometimes Nan. Best place to hang out in Adelaide? SL: Anywhere that serves pasta. We also love hanging out at the Grace Emily Hotel on a Monday night. Which position would we find on your netball bib? PC: I was always a defender. I definitely played wing defence a few times, otherwise goal defence or goal keeper – the real heroes of the team, in my opinion. SL: Goal attack. I have a soft spot for wing defence, though. Why did you name your band Wing Defence? PC: There’s a bit of a funny stigma behind WD – it’s the position that gets dropped if you’re down a player; it’s the position you get if you’re not quite tall enough to play GK. You’re just there if they need, playing for the greater good of the team. Skye and I see ourselves as life wing defenders – we’re both a little self-deprecating and humour our misfortune, but we also want to build each other up and fight the good fight. What can we expect from a Wing Defence live show? SL: Gang vocals, hair swishing, guitar riffs, hugs, banter and maximum fun.

ace&jig It’s probably time to just put our hands up and admit it: we are terrible fan girls of Brooklyn label ace&jig. For their AW18 collection, they’ve created a smorgasbord of textures, colours, shapes and styles inspired by chef and slow food pioneer Alice Waters, and we’re ready to gobble it all up greedily. Mmm, yum yum.

Hand-woven textiles, get on and around our bellies. aceandjig.com

looking sharp In typical Danish fashion, Normann Copenhagen has taken an item; considered its purpose; stripped it of any unnecessary pomp; and spat out a streamlined piece of beauty. It’s a pencil sharpener, plain and simple. And yet, we’d quite like to gaze at it for a while. Feeling the same admiring urges? Head to huset-shop.com – it’s going for around nine bucks.

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see the light Dare we say that this crocheted pendant lamp will light up your life?

Yes, we dare – we have no shame when it comes to puns.

Dutch maker Wendy Viel knocked up this woolly wonder for et aussi, her equally woolly homewares brand. It comes in a whopping 18 colours and every desirable cord length, all so you can assemble your ideal lamp, which is a bit nice. etaussi. etsy. com

going solo with shannon shaw What was the best thing about making your first solo record, Shannon in Nashville? Taking one of my little demos from my bedroom and seeing the session players and producer Dan Auerbach get to it. It was like handing them a rutabaga and getting a bountiful fruit platter back. And the trickiest?

Sometimes our ideas wouldn’t line up. They wouldn’t see my references or context for a song, so the band would push it in a direction I wasn’t expecting. Which describes you better: lone eagle or people person? People person, but I’ve recently come to enjoy alone time. What’s your go-to recipe for one? I’ll typically make a big-arse cabbage and kale salad with a roasted sesame miso dressing and a shichimicrusted steak or piece of salmon. How does the songwriting process change when you’re doing it alone? Solo writing versus ‘co- writing’ is totally different. I’m untrained, I don’t know chords or notes or what key something’s in, so communicating is hard at times. Did you learn anything about yourself while working independently? Absolutely, I learnt that I have a lot to offer. I’m a good songwriter and I contribute good ideas. Sounds simple and stupid, but collaborating with legendary musicians really takes a toll on your confidence. Favourite song about being by yourself?

This is dark, but I love Harry Nilsson’s version of “Without You”. I know it’s about not wanting to be alone, but there you are. Also, “It’s Over” by Roy Orbison. You’re home alone on the weekend – what would you be doing? Cleaning my room while listening to My Favorite Murder. If it’s sunny, reading true crime books or short stories on my porch.

cushion your luck “How did these cushions get so cool?” we wondered, until we checked out Aelfie Oudghiri’s CV. The Brooklynbased maker has worked in fashion; drummed in punk bands; studied medicine in Budapest; and lived in Casablanca, Morocco – all before starting her self-titled home goods brand, Aelfie.

Phew! To add a little radness to a corner of your home, head to aelfie.com and take your pick from designs like “Twinning Cheetah” and “Bichon Please”.

just hiit send Office work kers of the world, this one’s for yo ou, care of Texan artist Will Bryant. Dangle it above your desk or attach it proudly to your lapel. You did d it! You nodded and smiled thro ough a short-lived meeting that could have been summed up in a time-saving, pithy piece of ele ectronic mail. Bravo, comrade. Now, N if you wish, you can nab the ribbon for less than $5 at buyolympia a.com

totally floored There’s no doubt about it, Finnish designer Hanna Anonen is one smart cookie. Not only does she make rad-looking products, but they also work in really cool ways – like her Ripsiraita carpet, for instance. Made from painted fibreboard, the floor cover is a snazzy alternative to plastic weatherproof mats, and actually works as an insulator on cold floors, keeping your tootsies warm all year round.

Have a squiz at hannaanonen.com

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concrete jellyfish

lock it down For some people, lockers bring back not-sogreat memories of sour yoghurt tubs on sizzling summer days and noogies in the school corridor.

Sisters Rebecca and Jessica Stern are quite fond of the padlocked metal cabinets, though. From their respective homes in Newcastle, Australia, and London, England, they’ve teamed up to create Mustard: a collection of Art Deco-inspired lockers in a pretty darn fun colour palette. Chuck in your files, kids’ clothes or craft supplies – even a dog-eared chemistry textbook, for old time’s sake. Between $199 and $299, mustardmade.com

Actual, in-real-life coral is pretty and all, but cumbersome and messy to dangle from your ears. (Also, that would be destructive to our oceans, so don’t do it, please.) Rene Skelton’s resin earrings are a much more practical option, drawing on natural colours and shapes to make you feel like a fancy deep-sea dame.

Plus, they probably won’t make you smell like slightly salty rubbish, which is good. Find them for $85 (alongside a whole lot more nature-inspired niceties) at concretejellyfish.co

a jolly good pair Slip these snazzy socks on your feet and you might just transform into a grouchy toddler, refusing to let anyone trap your toes in restrictive shoes.

After all, why would you hide those jaunty colours away? Just try not to fling your legs around too much, lest you accidentally kick someone smack-bang in the face. That’s only cute when children do it. We’ve heard, anyway. goodpairsocks.etsy.com

salasai Much like the late Michael Jackson, the ladies behind Perth label Salasai want to heal the world and make it a better place, for you and for me and the entire human race. Or, in their words: “Be kind, love and accept – no matter what race, colour, religious denomination or community you associate with.” We’re definitely on board with their sentiment, as well as this swish shirt they’ve made as an ode to a unified globe. Called the Human Kind blouse, it’s available at salasai.com for $300.

lather up What’s that? You thought bathtime peaked with soap on a rope? Well, you’re sorely mistaken, my friend. We forgive you, though, because you probably hadn’t heard about Fazeek’s handmade soaps just yet. How were you to know that somewhere out there, in a bathroom in Melbourne, Jackie Fazekas had been toiling away to create bars inspired by terrazzo floors? And that they’re imbued with scents like rosemary and mint; lychee and black tea; and amber and cardamom? Well, now you know, and you can head to fazeek.com.au to see more.

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wet wet wet Oi, rain! Come at us! Send your soggiest downpour our way! We’ve come across this waterproof anorak from Lonely, you see, and we’re not afraid to wear it. In fact, we’d quite like an excuse to keep it on our person all winter long. It comes in hues like gold and bubblegum, for Pete’s sake! So, show us what you’ve got by way of precipitation, OK? Big thanks, your water-resistant pals at frankie. lonelylabel.com

take note

sleep on theroux

We already know that Canadians make nice things: maple syrup; paper egg cartons; TV dramas starring Drake when he was still an awkward teen. But did you know they also make vintage-inspired, pastelcoloured exercise books?

Thanks to Lauren Stanley and Shauna Hartsook – aka the ladies behind stationery brand Boldfaced – you can now get writing pads with titles that reflect the things you’re most likely to think about: Sex Education; Roommate Rants; Deferred Debt; and Procrastination 101. Around $26 each from boldfacedgoods.com

If you’ve ever thought Louis Theroux would make a topnotch bedtime companion, rest easy in the knowledge that you’re not alone. The folks behind Jiggle Apparel feel exactly the same way – in fact, they’ve launched an entire brand inspired by the bespectacled doco- maker (their name comes from the time he rapped, “My money doesn’t jiggle jiggle, it folds”). Get Louis into bed with this pillowcase from jiggleapparel.com – it’ll set you back around 22 dollars.

flying high f Noémie Vaillancourt has N always had a thing for a feathers.

She started out f making jewellery from m the t fluffy plumes in 2008, and a these days she’s embroidering them onto e sleek frocks like this one, s for f her label noémiah. The Paule dress is handmade to P order in Montreal, Canada o ffor around $205, if you’re wondering. noemiah.com w

sweet like honey Whip out a handy napkin, tissue or other dabbing thing because there might be some drool involved here. These are the Derviche Honey earrings from Spanish jewellery buffs Après Ski, and they’re primed to give your earlobes a bit of a zhuzh. Do not try to lick them, though, sweet as they seem. You have been warned. Around $103, apreski.bigcartel.com

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tiffmanuell.com @tiffmanuell

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fill the blanks with… kaiit Hello, my name is Kaiit and I am a Papua New Guinean, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander music artist based in Melbourne. You can usually find me at the studio or looking for some new threads at the op shop. When I was young, I spent many years in Papua New Guinea, which was very different to life in Australia, but the experience has helped mould me into the person I am now. I’m passionate about representation. I want people who look like me to know they can do whatever they want in life, and if there’s no space for us, we’re making it. The best part of what I do is travelling, because of my music and meeting all types of amazing people who feel my sounds. My music is a reflection of me, so those who can feel what I’m writing are also a piece of me. In my downtime, I like staying creative. Writing, painting, drawing, making jewellery and hanging with my friends in nature. One thing that might surprise people about me is although I enjoy being with friends and family, I love spending time by myself. It’s always important to watch out for your own energy and recharge when you’ve been doing a lot! If I invented a special kind of nail polish it would dry instantly and never smudge – I’m so impatient waiting for my nail polish to dry, so it always messes up. My words of wisdom to frankie readers are: I believe in you; do things full-heartedly; take chances; be around people who genuinely love you; and do what you love.

vans x opening i ceremony What’s pink and white and rad all over? These corduroy sneakers from Vans and Opening Ceremony, of course.

They’re $127 from openingceremony. com, and may give you cravings for strawberry milkshakes, pink Hubba Bubba, and a rewatch of Jem and the Holograms.

(Which are all very good things.)

tiny houses Putting this tiny paper village together is like the crafty version of playing SimCity, only with less chance of a natural disaster tearing your handiwork apart. Also, there’s no cheat for unlimited funds, but there are pre-punched and -creased houses, and teeny, sticky numbers to pop on their doors. Then, once you’re done building, you can arrange them however you want. Around $25 will score you the sweet set, over at juriannematter.nl

swizzle it, just a little bit How’s this for a ridiculously charming way of defizzing your drinks? California Lustre’s party- ready bits are – surprise, surprise – inspired by Mid-century design, which makes sense, really, since they’re whipped up in sunny Palm Springs. Available in a whole bunch of colours, a set of six swizzle sticks (say that fi ti five times fast) f t) can be yours for around $22 at californialustre.com

ginny & jude This isn’t the first time we’ve featured Sydney label Ginny & Jude in these here pages (Rabia Lockwood has been making her “statement pieces for the perennially overdressed” for a decade now, after all), but we had to draw your attention to this opulent frock from the AW18 collection, Little Girl Blue. It’s made from 100 per cent silk velvet in a delightful colour known as ‘fern’; features pleated bat-wing sleeves; and a fitted pencil skirt that falls just below the knee. In other words, it’s a bit of a dream. Find it at ginnyandjude.com

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thimble hi bl thistle hi l heart to heart

vow studio WEEEEOOOOEEEEOOOO! That’s the alarm going off to let you know there’s a rad new fashion label out of Melbourne, which goes by the name of Vow Studio. The brainchild of Hailey Pei and Morgan Jia, their very first range features oodles of jellyfish, fishtail skirts and chunky, oversized knits, so we’re pretty pumped to see what comes next. To keep an eye out for yourself, pop by vowstudio.com.au

Hurrah! We have five of these clever enamel pins (worth around $14 each) from New York maker Justine Gilbuena to give away.

They’re inspired by a line from whimsical French film Amélie, and take punning to a rather healthy and hearty place. Should you want to plant one on your lapel, head to frankie.com.au/ win and cross your fingers nice and tight. justinegilbuena.com

Crafty lady Jessica Richter has made her jewellery label Thimble Thistle into a celebration of nature in all its forms. Furry critters, turbulent seas and a florist’s worth of flora get a look in, as do the good ol’ rats of the skies – pigeons. Did we mention every piece is hand-embroidered? Because they are, with teeny-tiny stitches. Jessica’s even offered to create a custom pendant (worth $100) in the likeness of a lucky reader’s pet – just head to frankie. com.au/win and make a wish. thimblethistle. bigcartel.com

thinx People with periods, lend us your ears! The word ‘leak’ need no longer send you scrambling for the blackest clothing in your wardrobe, thanks to the clever clogs at THINX. Their period-proof undies can be worn with other protective products or on their own, to keep all your menstrual fluids in one clean, dry place. Plus, caring boffins have created fabric that won’t stain, so all you need to do is rinse your knickers out then chuck them in the wash.

Neat, eh? Get a load of the full collection at shethinx.com – items range from $32 to $53.

pressed and folded Not only is Malissa Brown one half of husband-and-wife stationery label Pressed and Folded, she’s also a talented textile designer in her own right. You can see her skills applied to paper in the form of these sweet floral greeting cards, all of which are drawn and printed in the UK, ready to be sent off to the ones you love. Aw, how nice. Find them for around $4 a pop at pressedandfolded.com

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frank bits

say hello to our cover artist, sophie macneill Tell us a bit about yourself, please. I’m a 33-year-old registered landscape architect and trained artist living in Vancouver, BC. I grew up on Vancouver Island and have always been deeply inspired by the natural environment of my hometown. Would you describe your work as art or craft? I describe it as a form of ‘slow expressionism’, more linked to the artistic process than to craft. I have a deep respect and admiration for craft, but there are many skilled embroidery and textile craftspeople who have studied and perfected its complex and time-honoured techniques. I studied fine arts and use the thread and needle in a way that’s similar to using a paintbrush and paint. Talk us through your creative process. Usually when I begin, I have very little idea what the final piece will look like. I just get the urge to start stitching and go for it. There’s a general colour palette that will be added to as I go along. Inspiration comes from paintings I love, landscapes, or just the serendipitous placement of thread that somehow works. The tangled backs of my pieces give a good sense of how unruly my process is! Is there an inspiration behind our cover design? Nature, with its many forms, textures and expressions, was definitely a guiding inspiration. I wanted the piece to evoke the unruly, playful and hopeful qualities of a wild garden, without relying on any realistic representation of plants. How long did it take you to complete? I don’t keep track of how long it takes me, but I listened to three audiobooks and 2.5 seasons of Call the Midwife while I worked on it! And that doesn’t include the times I stitched quietly or listened to music... What was the trickiest part? Definitely the text! I’d never stitched into such specific shapes before, and it took a lot of tries to make it work. But it was definitely a fun challenge.

some real fair dinkum porcelain When Japan and Australia join forces you get things like Vegemite-flavoured KitKats; matcha lamingtons; and streetside vending machines dispensing cans of VB. You also get these ace porcelain plates from local label Skimming Stones – designed in Australia and crafted in Arita, Japan, using 400-year-old ceramicmaking techniques. Sporting kookaburras, footy goal posts, and even an iconic Hills Hoist, it’s Australiana with a Japanese twist, and we dig it a whole heap. $39 each, skimmingstones.com.au

‘get up mum’ giveaway Like proud parents, we like to check in with former frankie writers now and then, to celebrate all the excellent things they’ve gone on to achieve.

Take Justin Heazlewood, for instance: he’s just sent his third book, Get Up Mum, out into the world – a memoir about growing up in small-town Australia in the shadow of his mother’s mental illness. If you like to sob and chuckle in equal measure, we have five copies of the book (rrp $29.99) up for grabs. Go to frankie.com.au/win, pop in your details, and who knows? One of them could be yours.

let’s be frank Good news: everyone’s favourite murderous, hedonistic sexual deviant is now available in brooch form, complete with flawless red lippy and ironically conservative pearls. We see you shivering with antici… PATION! The Dr. Frank pin from Erstwilder will set you back $39.95 at erstwilder.com, and it won’t even try to whip you with a riding crop or take a pick axe to your head in a freezer. Which is pretty ace.

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hold the phone Apparently we spend about four hours each day staring at our phones, so why not make them look a bit swish, at least? These iPhone cases from Kloica Accessories feature real flowers, petals, stems and leaves, turning your mobile into a mini, portable garden. (And they’re even waterproof – win!) Pick one up in the bloom of your choice for around $40 at shopkloica.com

creative people

time spent that might otherwıse be forgotten diane meyer takes a needle and thread to some old family snaps.

INTERVIEW SOPHIE KALAGAS

and City Silk. Although there are hundreds of colours between these brands, there are still more in the photographs. The colours are organised numerically and, at this point, I’ve pretty much memorised them, so it’s gotten easier.

Tell us about your series, Time Spent That Might Otherwise Be Forgotten. Cross-stitch embroidery has been sewn directly onto family photographs, breaking them down and reforming them into a pixel structure. As areas of the image are concealed by the embroidery, small, seemingly trivial details emerge, while the larger picture and context are erased. I’m interested in the disconnection between actual experience and photographic representation, and photography’s ability to supplant memory. With the embroidery taking on the form of digital pixelisation, it draws a comparison between forgetting and file corruption.

Are you a nostalgic person, generally? Not in the sense that I long for the past, or think of my own past in an idealised way. But I’m sometimes nostalgic for the pre-digital age – exploring and allowing oneself to be bored, rather than being able to find all the answers on a phone, or using it to stay busy, instead of interacting with the actual world. I’m also drawn to things like antiques and flea markets, as well as old photos and anything that seems like it might have an interesting story.

How did the project start? The use of family photographs was inspired by an accident my brother had, when he was hit by a car in New York City. Luckily, he has fully recovered, but he was in a coma for weeks. It was unclear what his memory would be like when he woke up. I thought how strange it would be if all he had to dictate the past was a few family photographs. The images show naïve, ideal moments – Christmas morning, posing with a new bicycle – when in fact, our childhood was fairly traumatic. Photographs actually show a very incomplete picture of reality.

There’s a vague eeriness to the pictures. Was that intentional?

I wanted the images to be a bit jarring. Technically, there’s a destructive aspect, in that they are punctured and damaged through the process of embroidery. It may also be unsettling that our memories are so tied to photographs, and seeing the manipulation can be a reminder of how fragile memories are.

Where did these photos come from? They are family snapshots from my childhood. I assume they were mostly taken by my mother.

This project made me realise how few family photos I have. My mother probably had the same roll of film in her camera all year, so there aren’t many to choose from.

What other kinds of images have you embroidered? I’m working on two other series of embroidered photographs. One is made up of hand-sewn photos taken along the entire 104-mile path of the former Berlin Wall; the other is a series of large-scale elementary school class photos from the 1970s.

How do you decide which parts of the images to conceal? I try to conceal the parts that you would normally look at first, which, in this case, is the faces. I wanted the images to be a bit unsettling, and for the viewer to be forced to notice secondary details that might otherwise be overlooked.

Talk us through your artistic influences. I remember being in college and seeing an exhibition by Elaine Reichek at MoMA, which was very inspiring, as it was the first time I’d seen the use of embroidery in contemporary art. I’m inspired by textile design in general. I love going to decorative arts museums and looking at wallpaper and carpet design.

Is it tricky to match the colours of the image with the thread?

I primarily use three different brands of floss string: DNC, Anchor

Where can we see more of your work? dianemeyer.net

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rant

that I paid one of my friends $3 to end for me between geography and recess. It’s too casual; ‘boyfriend’ could mean we’re sleeping together because we live in the same backpacker hostel. Kids in year 2 can have boyfriends. I don’t want to share a relationship designation with someone who can’t do joined-up writing and still occasionally calls the teacher ‘mummy’.

the name game ELEANOR ROBERTSON STRUGGLES TO INTRODUCE THE HUMAN SHE’S INVOLVED WITH.

‘Partner’ is a little better, but it’s unfortunate that the same term can be used to refer to, for instance, two people who have jointly invested $94 million into a luxury real estate venture in downtown Dubai. Or two athletes who perform synchronised diving routines.

Or two police officers who collaborate to solve mysterious homicides, but are hamstrung by their seething contempt for each other, which stems from a decade-old betrayal neither is willing to apologise for.

Wait, that’s the plot of a BBC crime procedural. But the point stands – only contextual clues differentiate between ‘business partner’ and ‘romantic partner’, which, to me, is a clear linguistic oversight.

As a woman rapidly approaching the advanced age of 30, I'm discovering there are a few issues involved in being too old to wear pigtails, but not yet old enough to get away with orthopaedic shoes purchased from the local pharmacist. (As soon as I see my first grey hair I will weld a pair of homypeds to my feet and refuse to take them off.) It turns out there are downsides to outliving two-thirds of the Brontë sisters, and not all of them are having lurid and intrusive paranoid fantasies about your own untimely death.

Then there are the little-used options like ‘lover’, ‘sex monkey’, and so on. ‘Lover’ is out, because there’s no way to say it that doesn’t sound comically sleazy. ‘Sex monkey’ is a joke term I came up with because it sounds funny. It has the fatal downside that it implies I have sex with monkeys, which is a scurrilous rumour spread by my detractors to tarnish my reputation. I could use something like ‘man friend’, ‘husboyfriend’ or ‘partner in crime’, but only if I wanted to sound like the kind of person who passes on buying a cat because it doesn’t have a compatible star sign.

One of those problems is the halting blankness of the brain that occurs when I have to mention my significant other in a conversation with someone who doesn’t know him. Am I supposed to call him my boyfriend? Partner? Lover? Sex monkey? We’ve been together for three years but we’re not married, so I can’t call him my husband – at least according to the government kinship fascists at Births, Deaths and Marriages (just kidding, folks, I love your work, please don’t ‘lose’ my birth certificate). Once I got a miniature bottle of free champagne on a flight because the attendant thought we were married, but unfortunately aircraft cabin crew still lack the power to solemnise marital unions at 35,000 feet over the Alpine National Park.

The problem here is that language hasn’t really kept up with changing social practices. There’s no way I’d be an unmarried woman living with a man 50 years ago, unless I wanted all my neighbours to think I was a shiftless bohemian. The ye olde word for what I’m doing was probably something like ‘harlotry’ or ‘slatternism’, and was punishable by flogging in the town square. Now that cohabitation outside of marriage is no longer considered a threat to public morals, shouldn’t we have our own word? If you’ll excuse me, I’ve got a letter to write to the people who compile the dictionary, which I will sign off with, “Love, me and my sex monkey”.

Each of the available terms carries its own unwanted implication.

‘Boyfriend’ suggests an equivalence between my current relationship and the three-month dalliance I had when I was 12,

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1800 623 423 WWW.BIRKENSTOCK.COM.AU

music talks

visual aspects to releasing music these days – album covers, styling.

You have to really think about what aesthetic you want to put forward.”

one for the team HAIKU HANDS WANT TO MAKE YOU DANCE. Words Stephanie Van Schilt

Given Haiku Hands is a “pretty new project”, the group has already made quite a splash. It’s been a little over a year since they released their first single, “Not About You” – a rollicking track with bold lyrics and a ferociously energetic beat to match. With tonguein-cheek rhymes delivered in a dance-rap style, there are hints of M.I.A. and Santigold at play – artists the band cites as inspirations.

When asked about working so closely with her sister Mie – her “creative confidant” – Claire is reflective. “We’ve become quite good at communicating. We’re workshopping all the time to make sure we’re communicating in a really clear, honest, respectful way,” she says. “We have to remember that the actual creation of our music is the main thing we’re putting out there – making sure we don’t get carried away with everything else.” By “everything else”, Claire’s referring to their recent experience going viral after American choreographer and So You Think You Can Dance judge Brian Friedman released a video of his crew dancing to “Not About You”.

When Claire Nakazawa was in primary school, she loved soccer so much that she asked her mum to sign her up to a local team. “At that stage, there were no girls playing in the Blue Mountains, so I played in the boys’ comp,” Claire explains. “A year later, more girls came and we had an all-girls team. Then, another year after that, there was a women’s comp. It was cool to see the girls’ side grow.”

As an adult, Claire’s been meaning to take up soccer again, but balancing a visual arts career with interstate writing intensives, touring, rehearsals, recording sessions and meetings for her band Haiku Hands means her schedule is “really random”. “When you’re part of a team, you really want to be there,” she says – a sentiment that could equally be applied to ball sports and her musical project with Beatrice Lewis and sister Mie Nakazawa.

“It was kind of surreal,” she says. “There was a domino effect, with dancers from all over the world moving to the song in their classes and homes; making videos and sending them to us. So many people were tagging us in clips – from China to Taiwan, Brazil, and cities I’d never heard of. It was full global reach through the dance community,” she says excitedly.

Claire describes Haiku Hands as “very collaborative”, involving the three main ladies – pooling skills like songwriting, fine art and vocals between them – and a fourth performing member, jazz singer Mataya Young. The group was initially brought together by local MC and producer Joelistics, aka Joel Ma, who encouraged Beatrice – his DJ – and Claire to join forces. Since then, their creative relationship has been all-encompassing: they curate everything themselves, from dance moves for their frenetic shows to onstage visuals and promotional shoots. “It’s fun to redirect my experience with painting and making murals towards new mediums and Haiku Hands-related projects,” Claire says. “There are lots of

Not that the group is focused on chasing fame. Haiku Hands is primarily about the collaborative effort, celebrating what they can create as a collective. It’s about art, dance, friendship and, of course, great tunes. “There are a few things we aim for while making music,” Claire says. “High-quality production; that it makes you want to move, even if it’s not fast or dance-y; and that you have a physical reaction to it. There has to be something a bit different about it.”

So, for now, Claire is content that soccer has fallen by the wayside, with Haiku Hands her chosen team. “I’m kind of using dance as my physical outlet. I’ll focus on that.”

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learn something new Photo Lukasz Wierzbowski

caffeine will do the trick – roughly the equivalent of a regular cup of joe. Any more than that, and you’re just getting high (and possibly turning your teeth into small, black gravestones). Oh, and make sure you do it after taking in the vital info, not before. A caffeine boost prior to learning won’t do very much at all.

total recall A FEW SCIENCE-BACKED WAYS TO IMPROVE YOUR MEMORY.

BUILD A MEMORY PALACE // Ahh, the Ancient Greeks. Is there anything they couldn’t do? Well, they couldn’t create reminders in iCal – but they could remember a shitload of stuff. Their technique: the memory palace. Basically, you visualise a place you know well – let’s say, your house – then imagine all the things you need to remember in the rooms of that house, connecting them mentally to their new locations. Do it for six months and your brain activity will be on par with world memory champions (apparently). The poet Simonides of Ceos came up with the technique when a banquet hall collapsed around him, crushing his dinner guests beyond recognition. Which was unfortunate. But memorable!

Words Mia Timpano

MAKE IT RHYME // Struggling to remember a bunch of tedious crap for an impending exam? You could jot down what you need to know on your palm, but you’d do better (and be less likely to get sprung for cheating) if you made use of the age-old tradition of rhyming. Cognitive scientists have found that uni students are way better at remembering words when they’re linked in a ballad (which isn’t known as ‘the Bon Jovi Effect’, but should be). Likewise, language learners perform better in tests if they sing the words they’re trying to memorise. You can thank your noggin’s acoustic encoding abilities for that one.

PICK UP A PEN // Sure, it’s quicker to bash out your lecture notes on a laptop, but if you really want that info to sink into your brain cells, then grab the nearest biro and get scribbling. Boffins have discovered that students who take handwritten notes do way better in tests than their digitally armed counterparts – even those who transcribe their lectures verbatim. It’s all to do with the level of cognitive processing involved and, ultimately, typing is pretty mindless. Want to go a step further? Combine semantic, visual and motor memory functions by drawing what you need to recall – it’s twice as powerful as handwriting.

AVOID DOORWAYS // If you’ve ever walked into a room and instantly forgotten what the hell you were supposed to be doing there, rest assured you’re not suffering from early onset dementia. You’re just one of the countless human beings who experiences the ‘location updating effect’, as psychology experts call it. Apparently, literally walking through a doorway will cause folks to forget stuff. Even imagining walking through a doorway will have the same effect.

This is because your brain is prone to segmenting experiences into separate ‘events’ – changing location while trying to hold onto a memory means juggling multiple events, so it gets overloaded, proving that multi-tasking is, in fact, a bitch.

SIT UP STRAIGHT // Good posture won’t just make your parents happy, it’ll also increase the blood flow and oxygen to your brain by up to 40 per cent, thereby improving your access to memories. And not just any memories – positive memories! Researchers have discovered that folks who hunch over and look down find it easier to recall hopeless and depressing memories, but when you sit upright and tilt your chin skyward, empowering and happy memories come to the fore. Could it be that the old saying “keep your chin up” actually has scientific grounding? Annoyingly, yes.

SWIG SOME CAFFEINE // Good news for coffee addicts: supposedly, chugging a latte immediately after learning something will help it stick in your head. But don’t start mainlining java, expecting it to turn you into the memory equivalent of The Hulk. Just 200 milligrams of

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the frankie

PODCAST tips for creatives , from creatives

MYF WARHURST

BECI ORPIN

MUSIC

DESIGN

JENNY KEE FASHION

BENJAMIN LAW

JEREMY WORTSMAN

WRITING + PODCASTS

ART + ILLUSTRATION

+ A WHOLE LOT MORE! TO LISTEN, HEAD TO FRANKIE.COM.AU/PODCAST

looks we like

fashion in the family SPANISH DESIGNER PALOMA LANNA COMES FROM A LONG LINE OF THE SARTORIALLY INCLINED.

Tell us about your family connection to fashion. My grandmother had a baby clothing shop in San Sebastian, inspired by French fashion. She had a knack for finding treasures in French street markets, which she then brought to Spain. My mother and father met 25 years later at a fashion fair in Barcelona, and fell in love.

They started their own fashion and accessories brand, and I learnt everything I know from growing up with this at home.

What motivated you to start paloma wool? I looked up to how much love and dedication my parents put into their fashion project.

I always aimed to create something of my own, but it wasn’t until I understood how to detach myself from the concept of a ‘clothing brand’ that I launched paloma wool in 2014. I decided the project would be focused on artistic exploration.

What type of person do you design for? I like to imagine them as creatively restless, respectful and loving people. I hope they love themselves and that my clothes inspire them to be brave and create things, too.

Talk us through the items that can be found in this collection.

Corduroy trouser-and-jacket suits to dress all in one fabric and colour block; soft, warm alpaca sweaters in a different range of colours; silk evening dresses; embroidered still lifes on sweatshirts; drawings printed on simple t-shirts.

What inspirations went into the range? I met the artist Albert Riera during the process of making this collection, and featured his drawings on selected pieces. I love how simple and colourful his drawings are. Aside from that, my mood board featured nature, still lifes and fabric exploration.

Tell us a little about the colours and silhouettes you’ve used. Lately I’m enjoying mixing colours outside my ‘usual’ palette, like orange, lilac, bright green and electric blue. Regarding the silhouettes, these pieces are mostly unisex. We were looking for something comfortable, stylish and very easy to wear.

Which is more important: fashion or comfort? Comfort. I think of fashion and style as being comfortable in your own skin. You should feel at home with the fabric and colours you wear. It’s impossible to feel confident, beautiful and unique if you don’t feel comfortable.

How have you merged your passions for clothing and photography? The first pieces I ever made for paloma wool were sweatshirts with my photographs printed on them. They were literally what launched the brand as a collaboration between art and fashion. That later developed into what I like to imagine as a creative platform, where different artistic disciplines meet and explore the ideas and spaces around the act of getting dressed.

I create the pieces and follow the entire process until the end, which is when I photograph them, bringing them to life.

Describe the studio where most of this was designed. I share the studio with my mother. We’re located above La Pedrera, one of Barcelona’s most emblematic buildings by Antoni Guadí. It’s beautiful, really. There are about eight women on the paloma wool team sharing the space – my close friends and beloved colleagues.

Where can we see more of your stuff? palomawool.com

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SMITH JOURNA L H A S A M A MMOTH ISSUE , TOO (A ND IT ’S ON SA LE NOW)

THINK ADVEN ERS. TURE RS. MAKE RS. WR ITERS INVEN .

TORS. + MAMM HUNT OTH ERS.

Mammoth hunters, Super 8 mov ies, musical fashion and the woman who changed journalism.

Smith Journal: a magazine for curious minds

smithjournal.com.au

real life

as time goes by four couples at different stages of their relationships discuss date nights, compromise, and the secrets to their long-term love.

INTERVIEWS SOPHIE KALAGAS

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Photo Natalie McComas

real life

DAILE (L) // Michael and I met through our involvement with the Queensland Greens. We were both candidates in the state election, although he was in a key seat and I was a first-timer. We knew of each other for months before I asked him if he could meet me to discuss politics over a glass of whisky. A cheeky whisky turned into a few, and a discussion about politics turned into a date! He kind of intimidated me with his intelligence, amazing smile and great hair.

When we actually spent time together, he really opened up and was just so warm. I realised he was my person when I felt safe with him; I could tell him anything and he actually cared about me. Seems like a terribly low standard, but I’ve been with some shockers! After a year together, Michael doesn’t spend as much time texting me or pining for the next time we’ll see each other, and I don’t care as much if I wax my legs or have morning breath. But we put effort into different parts of the relationship, because different parts matter more now. It’s less about how sparkly and beautiful I look, and more about the effort I put into our home; the care we have for each other; and making sure the time we spend together is meaningful. We’ve only had one proper argument, about gender representation in politics and what we can do to change it. I wish we argued about mundane things like leaving dirty dishes in the sink, but alas, we’re both political tragics! I’m definitely still smitten and one of his biggest fans, though. As for our future, I’m not going to say I’m looking forward to buying a house, getting married or having babies, because there’s more to us as a couple than having to fulfil any predetermined adult goals. We may do all or none of those things, and we’d still be happy. We’ve been through some pretty significant life events together already, and have always had each other’s backs. Communication is the key to our relationship, as nothing is ever held back. I don’t want to set him up to fail or let me down when I haven’t made my expectations clear. We’ve dealt with grief, displacement, a crazy state election, and both of us have new jobs. Chuck in some kids from Michael’s previous relationship and moving house on top of that, and I honestly feel if we can still support each other and be strong now, we are solid.

MICHAEL (R) // My first impression of Daile was that she was a really strong, independent and fun-loving woman. She immediately seemed very confident and accomplished, but at the same time, she was really down to earth. We first got to know each other because of a common interest and involvement in politics – our values and general worldview are very much aligned. It’s a little naff, but I felt like we had really good ‘chemistry’. The biggest thing, though, was how easy it was to be around her and talk about anything and everything – by the end of our first date, it was clear that no topic of conversation was taboo, and communication has only become easier and more open since then. I guess we’ve adopted roles in our relationship, but they’re certainly not stereotypical or gendered – they’re really just a reflection of who we are as people. I think our dynamic is very equal. I have two young kids who are with us every second week, so my role is very much as the primary carer for them, but Daile is an amazing support for the kids and me. We still try to go on dates as often as we can, but we’re both really busy people, so quality time is usually as simple as hanging out at home while one or the other cooks dinner. Or a short walk into town for ramen – it’s apparently all about food! Quality time also involves my kids every other week, so it’s often a case of finding something they’ll be happy doing. Daile is so tenacious; she knows what she wants out of life and just makes it happen. I don’t think I’ll ever stop improving my understanding of her strengths, frailties and preferences. Although, apparently there’s an indisputably correct order for items to go on the conveyor at the supermarket checkout – I’m content with not knowing that order, given Daile’s expertise. She’s also really funny about feet. She doesn’t like the idea of people looking at hers, and can’t stand to walk anywhere with bare feet, not even around the house. It’s actually kind of cute. I guess keeping a relationship growing is much like any friendship – it’s about open communication and appreciating all there is to love in the other person. The best things we’ve experienced together, ironically enough, are mostly the same as the hardest things. It’s the kind of stuff that, when it all works out, lets you know you’re on the right track.

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real life

JOSIE (R) // When I first met Jane, she was in a relationship with someone else, and was more of an acquaintance I didn’t have much of an opinion on. The night I first talked to her properly, though, she’d been left by a friend at a very intimate gathering of people she didn’t know. While walking from our friend’s house to a bar, we got chatting and flirted like crazy. I thought about her the whole next day at work, and then she messaged me. We’ve talked every day since. Jane is very intelligent, funny and beautiful. She always motivates me to do better and believe in myself. This might sound unromantic, but knowing we’re right for each other has been a cumulative thing. I’m not a very future-focused person, and like to just take things as they come, but every day there’s another reminder of why we’re a great couple and team: we share so many values and goals; have survived two lots of long distance; experience the same wanderlust; have differences in the right places. It’s all unfurled beautifully. Our communication is far superior now to what it was five years ago. I’d say our relationship was very tumultuous initially due to bad communication, and we had some pretty huge fights. Now, we communicate very openly and honestly, and discuss things if there’s tension. We’ve had times when I’ve questioned if we should be together, of course, but these days I feel like I’d be able to address any tensions before it got to that point. The longer we’re together, the more I try to make an effort to do small, meaningful things I know Jane will appreciate. We try to have a date at least once a week, whether it’s seeing live music, hiking or going out to eat. When we argue, it’s generally an indicator that one of us isn’t having a very good mental health day. The idea that you fall in love and it just happens naturally and works out and that’s it forever is completely untrue, I think. We’ve had to work on our relationship and acknowledge that sometimes things are going badly. We’ve had to learn how to communicate and make an effort to grow, both together and separately. We continuously have those really uncomfortable and vulnerable conversations about things like monogamy, sex, and differences in long-term goals. It’s about growing into the relationship, both good and bad parts.

JANE (L) // Normally when I’m asked how we got together, I tell a long and winding story about the serendipitous domino chain that fell into place over several months. But the truth is, I was creeping on Josie’s Facebook pictures for ages before we got together, and I probably would have found a way to end up with her regardless.

I thought Josie was one of the most attractive people I’d ever met – she made me nervous. These days, there’s no one I’d rather sit and have a glass of wine and talk shit with. When we spend time apart, I start to feel like I can’t remember the last time I had a really good conversation. We did long distance twice – once for about six months, and then for three months. I think we’re lucky that the hardest thing we’ve had to do is encourage each other to pursue opportunities as they arise, regardless of where we were at as a couple. (That said, it was bloody awful at the time.) We first started living together properly a few years ago when we moved to South Korea for a year. We lived in this tiny two-bedroom apartment that we shared with another woman. There was no living area, so our bedroom was pretty much our house. We managed to make it work really well, all things considered, but it took a lot of communication and compromise – we’ve gotten pretty good at that. Our relationship is very balanced; neither of us plays a particular role. The dynamic sort of fluctuates depending on where we’re at individually and what we each need. It’s OK to fluctuate – that’s life. You can have different interests; find happiness and pleasure in different things; and even have different spiritual or political beliefs, but you need to have a shared notion of what a fulfilling life looks like. Being fulfilled is different to being happy – it runs much deeper. Josie and I are quite different superficially, but we share a fundamental belief about what it means to live a life that’s deeply fulfilling. Over time, we’ve managed to carve out our own little sense of humour that I don’t share with anyone else. Recently, we were having an argument while cleaning the house, and putting away egg shakers (everyone has egg shakers lying around the house, right?). Somehow we ended up solving the argument through an egg shake-off. I’m pretty sure I won, so I guess that means I won the argument, too.

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Photo Bri Hammond

Photo Luisa Brimble

real life

BENHUR (R) // My first impression of Adam was, “Wow, he’s super-cute! And he looks around my age!” My last partner was much older than me, and I told myself if I ever dated again, I needed to look for someone my age or similar. I knew he was the one straight away, but I also consulted my friends, because they know who and what’s good for me. Plus, they’d also have to get along with Adam! They all agreed he was the right person, luckily.

When it comes to our relationship, we are pretty much open books and very similar people, but I’m constantly learning from Adam. He’s very smart. Career-focused. In 10 years, he’s achieved so much. His ability to stay focused, balanced and humble is a huge lesson for me. We have an extremely loving, creative and very supportive relationship. Adam has allowed me to follow my creative dreams as an actor and musician. In terms of relationship roles, I’ve contributed to keeping our beautiful and warm home running smoothly, while he provides for us so we can have a colourful and vibrant lifestyle. He’s the daddy! Just kidding. I’m the daddy – I’m older than him by a year. I think we’ve made it this far because of our support for each other, and a commitment to being together right to the end. Talking to each other; supporting each other’s needs; and if we do fuck up, apologising and trying not to do it again. Tomorrow is always a new day. Making him coffee in bed every morning helps, as well. We don’t argue much, but if we do it’s about not unpacking the dishwasher or cleaning.

We’re definitely worlds apart when it comes to that. I’m a clean freak, and Adam has the ability to use every single dish, pot, pan or utensil in the kitchen when he cooks! Over the years, I’ve wondered if Adam would be more successful if he was with someone else. Of course I have. Our relationship is a lifelong commitment, though, and it kills me to think of a life without him. Adam was and is the best thing that has ever happened to me. Relationships are constantly changing; we all have wants and needs, and as individuals we all grow. I’m 41 now, and in our 10 years I’ve become a different person with different likes and dislikes. It’s never easy. We just get better at it.

ADAM (L) // A mutual friend introduced us on the street in the town of Byron Bay. I’d just ended a 12-month relationship that very week, and was in Byron to get away from the ex. I wasn’t thinking about meeting someone, but my best buddy Peter said, “Come and see my friend Benhur.” He was busking at a café and sparks flew from the first moment we laid eyes on each other. It was love at first sight.

(Cheesy, I know, but it’s true.) We became lovers from the following weekend – on Valentine’s Day. After that, we didn’t spend more than three days apart for over three years (even though I was living in Brisbane and he was in Byron, 165km away). We opened up to each other immediately; were engaged after four months; and married – somewhat illegally – within a year. There’s a slightly offensive joke we like: “What does a gay guy bring on the second date? What second date? What does a lesbian bring on the second date? Her furniture.”

We’re part lesbian, for sure. I’m the breadwinner in the relationship and have been since we met, so I take care of all the finances and make sure all the bills are paid. I do all our leases, loans, flight bookings, tax, super, insurance and technology. Benhur does all the housework – and I mean all the housework. I literally don’t know how to operate the washing machine; I just make sure it’s got power and water coming into it. As a ‘non-legally’ married couple, the Australian Marriage Law Postal Survey was super-personal for us, and probably the hardest thing we’ve been through together. To any person who didn’t feel emotionally affected by it or understand how terrible it was, I’d say it was like having to invite all of Australia to your wedding, but you were only allowed to get married if more than 50 per cent of people RSVP’d. Imagine that; getting seven million people to say yes to your choice of partner! Everywhere we turned, we wondered who might be voting ‘no’. It was a special moment the day of the announcement – we did the victory march down Oxford Street. My husband lights up a room the way no one else can. He’s a unique and beautiful man. He has a voice like an angel, and can instantly make the life of any person he meets better. Whenever I wonder about not being together, it breaks my heart. I think we would both die without each other. He’s the one; the only one.

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real life

ADELE (L) // In 1979 I was working for Il Globo, the Italian newspaper, and John worked for a company that advertised inside.

One day he saw me working in the office – he then proceeded to send me flowers every week for over a month, together with beautifully written messages from “an anonymous admirer”. Finally, we organised to meet for lunch, which I hesitantly attended, mostly for the curiosity of facing this lovestruck stalker! We ended up having a three-hour lunch. I nearly lost my job that day, but all ended well in a happy marriage two years later. John was a dark, handsome Italian man, well-dressed and very self-assured, and older than me by nine years. He was a true gentleman who would always tell great stories on any topic. I knew he was right for me because he made me feel well-loved, comfortable, attractive, and we had good times together. Plus, we had a familiarity in our Italian migrant background stories. We definitely never had a normal routine as relationships go. John travelled extensively for work and had a very demanding role in the earlier formative years of our marriage, but we worked together to build a nest for our family. I happily and proudly took on the role of stay-at-home mum, which made me very independent, more resilient, and a harder worker than I thought I could be. I think the key to a successful long-term relationship is remembering the person you fell in love with. No one is perfect, but you should always have respect and patience for your partner. There’ll be super-fun times and very low times, but it’s your journey together that counts.

Seeing John’s parents pass away over these years has been very hard as a wife – trying to give enough support, sympathy and compassion for his loss. We argue sometimes; he hates me buying him clothes. We also argue about finishing the home renovations – it’s a laughable scenario now, after so many years! My standard joke to him is that our wedding vows should have read: “Until finishing the renovations do you part.” We’ve both matured into our relationship after so long. We work with the same values in life, so have always been very honest to ourselves and each other. We still don’t get it all right, but understand better for next time. So, do I see a future together? Absolutely, if he finishes the house!

JOHN (R) // I first sighted Adele at a New Year’s Eve party in the very early hours of the morning, and was irrationally struck and obsessed to find out from other partygoers who she was – to no avail. Two years later, while delivering a weekly sports report for a newspaper, a captivating young lady was relieving the regular receptionist. I had the same dumbstruck and irrational emotional reaction. It was as if I’d been hit by the classic lightning bolt. I was stunned. This chick had a truly special and unique effect on me. These days I admire her resilience, youthful exuberance, selflessness, and the way she nurtures friendships and family. I’ve never wondered if we should stay together – regardless of circumstances, I try to make it work in the old-fashioned commitment way: “for better or for worse”. Our relationship dynamic is probably too comfortable and secure, but I’m conscious of not taking anything for granted. While we’re skewed towards a more traditional marriage style – with a breadwinner and a homemaker – we try to keep open-minded and flexible to give each other space for independence. We go out often with family and great friends, but one-on-one quality time mostly comes when we’re on holidays, away from our regular lives. There could be more of it, because it’s not prioritised. I don’t think it’s true that the longer you’re together, the less effort you need to put in. The relationship needs more effort with the passing of the years. The challenge is to make it a priority relative to the new pressures that appear in life as we age. You should also remember to say sorry every now and then; listen more than talk; and have the sense to know when to shut up and let your partner vent. Compromise is fundamental to a healthy relationship, and in discussions, try to say ‘we’ more than ‘I’. Adele still makes me laugh, especially her snoring. She vehemently denies it, though. She’s a back-seat driver, a front-seat driver, and the little scratches and dints that mysteriously appear on her car are never her doing. But she’s also self-deprecating, excusing herself for “flaws” in her cooking, despite being an amazing, accomplished self-trained chef! We’ve made it this far because of our open, vocal Italian communication style, and commitment to making the relationship work. I’m looking forward to ageing gracefully and wisely in good health, while participating in and watching our children’s life journeys.

044

Photo Bri Hammond

look what i made

right. I’ve built them into my timetable, so when I make them, I don’t panic. I never scrunch the paper up, though! I’ll either keep it as a reference for how not to make something, or I’ll put it back in the pile and make it into something else eventually. That’s one of the beauties of using recycled materials!

second nature SOME SWEET BOTANICAL SCULPTURES

BY WELSH ARTIST KATE KATO.

What inspires you? Obviously, I’m incredibly inspired by nature.

I live in the countryside in Wales, so I’m surrounded by it and spend a lot of time outside with my family. I’m also very much inspired by botanical and scientific illustrations. As a child, I spent a lot of time in museums staring at the natural history displays and insect collections, which I think has had a huge influence on my work and the way I curate and display the sculptures I make.

What has been your most treasured creation? It would have to be a hydrangea flower. It was one of the very first flowers I made, and the first thing I created that turned out how I wanted it to. It was a bit of a turning point for me, and gave me respect for myself and the skills I’d developed. I’ve never parted with it.

How long will you sit with a piece until it’s finished? I’ve found that some things, particularly the bugs, look like screwed-up bits of paper until the very end when their legs are in place and they have all the little details. Sometimes that means I lose a bit of interest and put it to one side for a week or a month or even longer, but eventually I’ll go back and finish it!

Please describe your art. Influenced by plants, insects and found objects, I create intricate, life-sized sculptures of different species and arrange them into collections and dioramas.

What kinds of materials and techniques do you use? I mostly use recycled paper and wire to create the sculptures, however I also use other recycled materials like fabric and plastics from packaging to create different textures and make them seem more realistic.

Techniques in my work include papercutting, embroidery, wire work and carving.

When do you find yourself being most creative? Usually when it’s really inconvenient! I work part-time and spend the other half of the week with my children, as they’re still very young. I always seem to find inspiration or the need to create something new just before it’s time to put the tea on or mid-activity with the girls.

Where did the beautiful old books come from? I mostly try to get hold of secondhand, broken books that can’t be re-sold and would be sent to a recycling centre. It’s surprising how many just don’t get sold because they’re too tatty or missing pages.

What other artists do you admire? Nature and botanical illustrators like Beatrix Potter and Ernst Haeckel are very inspiring. I also love the work of artists like Richard Long and Andy Goldsworthy. They’ve been inspiring me since I was at school!

Do you ever have to scrunch the paper and start again? I make a lot of mistakes when I’m developing a template for a new species, but that’s part of the process – making mistakes is how you get it

Where can we see more of your pretty things? kasasagidesign.com

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WOOL4SCHOOL IS AUSTRALIA’S FAVOURITE STUDENT FASHION DESIGN COMPETITION.

Don’t miss your chance to win some amazing prizes and unique experiences.

Submit your best wool fashion design to become Australia’s next student design superstar.

» AUSTRALIAN SUBMISSIONS CLOSE JULY 27 » WOOL4SCHOOL.COM

our project Photo Giulia McGauran

Sourcing and testing ingredients to meet their eco-friendly standards took some time – “Rosie’s basically got a chemistry degree at this point,” Claire says – as the pair were walking a sparkly path that few had trod before. They also put plenty of thought into packaging; building a website; and creating a ‘voice’ for their brand, Space Vivian. “All things we wanted to learn how to do but had no real background in!” Rosie explains.

a shining example ECO-FRIENDLY GLITTER MADE IN MELBOURNE’S INNER-NORTH. Words Rachel Power

The result: guilt-free glitter consisting primarily of compostable, biodegradable eucalyptus mulch. It’s derived from sustainably sourced raw materials; available in eight glitzy hues; and is apparently much softer and finer than your average shiny flecks.

If you’re quick to nab a tub or two from the Space Vivian online store, the ladies will throw in a personalised insult for free. “There’s that concept of getting a gift with every purchase, and we thought it’d be funny to be subversive with that and say, ‘We’ll give you a free insult if you buy from us’,” Claire says.

All that glitters is not gold. And if it’s not gold, sadly, it’s usually plastic, as Melbourne friends Claire Harris and Rosie Frecheville found out after a bit of research into the composition of their favourite sparkles.

With saving the environment their driving force, the duo donates 10 per cent of their revenue each month to a different social enterprise or not-for-profit, all with an eco-friendly bent. As for the story behind the brand name, it goes back to a holiday in Prague that brought the ladies closer together. “We spent a couple of weeks in an Airbnb and got an extra-special deal if we took care of the cat,” Rosie says. “But it turned out this cat was a complete lunatic. It was a crosseyed, male cat called Vivian that would throw itself across the room, and we spent the whole two weeks basically trying not to kill him. So we had to have Vivian in there somehow – it was so funny and bizarre.”

“I was reading about microbeads in cosmetics and how they’ve become a significant environmental problem,” Claire says. “That got me thinking: what about glitter?” A little poking, and she discovered that those glitzy flecks she so enjoyed wearing to special events are usually comprised of polyethylene terephthalate – also known as PET, or the stuff that plastic bags and takeaway containers are made from. That led to an idea: she could create an eco-friendly variety. After a few drinks, she ran the plan past Rosie, who was keen to help out. “We like to get quite glittery at music festivals, and it seemed like a fun idea,” she says.

Running a business while also working full-time, Claire admits things can get a bit chaotic on occasion. “Before Rainbow Serpent festival, we had a whole lot of last-minute orders, and other times we’ve ended up back at Rosie’s at 11pm, packing up glitter orders and cycling around Melbourne’s northern suburbs to drop them off.” But far from causing tension, the ladies say running a business together has made them see each other in a whole new light. “It’s made it so much easier, the fact that we know each other so well,” Claire says. “It’s hard to be too stressed when you operate a glitter company.”

According to recent environmental research, if worldwide pollution continues at the current rate, there’ll be more plastic than fish in the sea by 2050. “It didn’t take much effort to realise that glitter is really bad,” Claire says. And if you’ve ever played with the shiny stuff, you’d know it gets into every nook and cranny, and is mighty hard to get rid of. “We found out music festival organisers have to run these massive vacuums over the fields afterwards to suck up all the tiny bits of plastic,” Rosie says.

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i hope you get this: Raquel Ormella 26 May to 12 August 2018

A NETS Victoria and Shepparton Art Museum touring exhibition.

Visions of Australia

sheppartonartmuseum.com.au @SAM_Shepparton @netsvictoria @raquelormella #ihopeyougetthis Open 7 Days I FREE ENTRY

This project has been assisted by the Australian Government’s Visions of Australia program as well as receiving development assistance from NETS Victoria’s Exhibition Development Fund, supported by the Victorian Government through Creative Victoria.

Image: Raquel Ormella, detail from All These Small Intensities, 2018, courtesy the artist and Milani Gallery © the artist. Photo: David Patterson.

road test

you the man!

ELEANOR ROBERTSON AND DEIRDRE FIDGE TRY OUT SOME PRODUCTS MADE SPECIFICALLY FOR DUDES. Illustrations Evie Barrow

SOLO MAN’S CAN Before I took a sip from this 440ml can of soft drink – which contains 12.5 teaspoons of sugar – I decided to do some quick research. I punched “solo man’s can” into Google, and immediately discovered someone complaining to the official Schweppes Twitter account that the Man’s Can reeks of sexism. “The SOLO Man’s Can refers to the iconic SOLO Man and is in no way intended to offend or discriminate,” replied @Schweppes. An even worse thing about the Man’s Can is that it incorrectly suggests that drinking soft drink is masculine and therefore sexy. Nothing could be further from the truth.

If I see an adult consuming sugary fizzy drinks I immediately discount all their opinions and feel embarrassed on their behalf. I would not have sex with anyone who habitually drinks SOLO outside the context of a children’s birthday party. Real men drink tap water. ER

L’ASCARI SAWDUST-SCENTED MANCANDLE

BRUT ORIGINAL DEODORANT STICK

I’m a candle fan and, despite its name, I was super-excited when I first inspected the L’Ascari Mancandle. It has gorgeous packaging; is locally made; and is decorated with cute imagery of little bearded dudes (in case there’s any misconception about what a man is). This particular waxy delight was sawdustscented – because heaven forbid a male enjoy a whiff of lavender! – but it genuinely did smell really nice. The truth is, I was pumped to turn my bedroom into a rugged, timber oasis. Unfortunately, once lit, the candle did not emit much fragrance at all; even after accidentally leaving it burning all night (whoops), there was very little mannish aroma to be found. The candle smells great if your nose is directly above it and you inhale really hard, but that behaviour strikes me as less manly and more questionable. DF

When puberty struck and I transformed from a cute child into a sweaty bag of hormones, my mum told me to use men’s deodorant, because it’s cheaper and more effective. It sounded smart, but I always hated the scents, so my go-to deo for years has been a gender-neutral roll-on. This week I tried out Brut, a very manly-man antiperspirant. Dark green casing (like a forest)! Powerful name (it sounds both dominant and vaguely German)! And, oh yes… the smell. That generic musky scent (with undertones of toilet cleaner) that’s added to all men’s toiletry items. Readers, the smell was too much. Every time I raised my arms, I felt like I was being haunted by the ghost of a teenage boy. More to the point: it wasn’t an effective deodorant. I enjoy both exercising and stressing, so need a reliable roll-on. Brut may look and sound manly, but it failed the sweat test. No stars. DF

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‘HIS’ TOWEL The main downside of using a towel marked ‘HIS’, especially in a hotel setting, is that you’re forced to imagine the towel you’re currently rubbing your face with being used to mop up shower water off some nuggety man’s thatch of back hair. Every square inch of your towel has been clogged up with pubes, bum- crack fluff, chest fuzz, ball scragglers, and so on. Even as someone who’s into hairy men, this is a confronting experience.

Imagine how much sebum is produced by every single hair follicle of every single man who’s used a hotel-issue HIS towel, and imagine how much of that sebum has had to be laundered out of the towel. It could probably fill a mug. A piping hot mug of male sebum. This towel has turned me into a lesbian separatist. ER

road test

SOLVOL HAND SCRUB Upon opening, this soap gives off the kind of intensely mentholated citrus odour that suggests it’s used by rough-asguts pubs to scrub the vomit off their urinal troughs on Sunday mornings. It’s marketed to tradies, mechanics, DIYers, and other people who spend all day getting covered in various awful substances. Surprisingly, apart from the threatening smell, Solvol isn’t too bad. It doesn’t leave your skin with that horrible tight, dry feeling that often results from using bar soap, and the dark green colour is visually interesting in a shower context. I wouldn’t use it on my face, but if I were in one of Solvol’s targeted demographics, or the kind of absolute weirdo who enjoys stuff like gardening, I would be a repeat customer. The tagline should be, “If you stick your hand up a cow’s anus as part of your job, this is the soap for you.” ER

BIC FLEX 5 MEN’S DISPOSABLE RAZOR

ALPECIN CAFFEINE SHAMPOO As I approach 30, I’m more and more likely to unironically share memes stating: “Don’t talk to me before I’ve had my coffee!!!!!” Caffeine is as vital to my body as water, sleep and the occasional vegetable.

So, when I laid eyes on this ‘caffeine shampoo’, I rubbed my hands together like an excited cartoon criminal. How had it not previously occurred to me to incorporate caffeine into my beauty routine? This ’poo is clearly targeting men: it looks less like a shampoo bottle, and more like it should sit in the engine oil section of Autobarn. The product itself is bright blue and shares a scent with Lynx deodorants. I stood in the shower percolating my hair for two minutes as per the directions on the back, optimistically hoping for the promised stronger locks. Sadly, all I got was a standard-issue sudsing and the vague aroma of a bluelight disco. DF

Credit where it’s due: this razor gave me a close, comfortable pit shave. Before reviewing it, I hadn’t shaved my underarms in over a year, so this was no small task. We all like to joke about men’s razors coming to resemble Venetian blinds, but my smooth pits aren’t laughing. The only really funny thing is that the handle contains an object described on the packaging as a “balancing sphere”, but it’s actually a nine-millimetre steel ball bearing – the type used in industrial equipment.

It serves absolutely no purpose. I know this because I popped it out of the handle between underarms, and the experience was almost identical without it. Someone at the razor factory clearly ordered too many ball bearings by accident, and left it to the marketing department to come up with a use for them. ER

051

MCCAIN FROZEN MAN SIZE CHICKEN KIEV As a terrible cook and frequently sad lady, I’m the first to defend pre-made meals: they can be convenient, cheap and not terrible nutritionwise if you chuck in some vegetables. This McCain Man Size Chicken Kiev, however, kind of felt like a dramatic act of self-punishment. As I made my way through the soggy breadcrumbs and surprisingly tiny vegetables (wee cubes of potato? That’s not very manly!), it felt as though I finally had the answers as to why young men are so angry. It’s because they’re paying $8.80 to sit alone and shovel globs of mysterious beige sauce down their gullets. You’d probably be pretty cranky, too. The sobering fact, though, is that I can’t be too critical, because I was very hungry that evening and ate the entire thing. And probably could have smashed another. DF

my job Photo Phoebe Powell. Thanks to Third Drawer Down for the giant Dixon pencil.

be doing a theme about famous comedians, for instance, so you have to start with the words and fit them in the grid. You go through a lot of trial and error, but it means you get a really high-quality crossword. Otherwise, if you’re just trying to work to a grid, you’ll find yourself using really obscure words. I only allow two obscure words per puzzle – that way, people will still learn something they didn’t know the day before. Other rules you have to follow when compiling a grid: it has to be symmetrical, and there has to be a certain amount of white vs. black space.

nine to five LIAM RUNNALLS IS A PROFESSIONAL CROSSWORD WRITER. As told to Sophie Kalagas

I slip secret messages into puzzles all the time, and people don’t really seem to notice. For example, I’m a Brisbane Lions supporter, so once I hid the names of all my favourite players in the grid. I also hid the words to “Never Gonna Give You Up” – I tried to Rickroll people. I really just do it for my own amusement.

As a compiler, you need to keep updating your knowledge of words. We keep a pretty close eye on Urban Dictionary; it’s quite a prestigious thing to be the first person to use a certain word. We’re also on the lookout for 15-letter phrases, as a standard crossword is 15 squares across. A regular cryptic crossword is about a day’s work, because the clues take a bit more thought, but I can bang out a quick crossword within an hour.

One of my first jobs out of university was working as a typesetter on the puzzles page of The Age. It wasn’t just crosswords – it was the Sudoku and the targets and even the comics. I’d check them, do a bit of proofreading and make sure the answers matched up.

That was where I met David Astle, who people probably know from Letters and Numbers. He became a bit of a mentor to me, and taught me the ropes; eventually I got an email saying they were looking for a new crossword writer at The Age. I had to submit some of my work, but it just made sense – I was already familiar with the page, and knew how it all worked behind the scenes. In January 2012, my first-ever puzzle was published.

People often say, “Oh my god, my mum or grandma would really love to meet you!” It’s great when you meet someone and it’s that one in a thousand who actually has some sort of relationship with you on the page. They say, “You’re LR!?” because we keep anonymous with our initials. I’ll always surprise people with what I’m like and how old I am. I started when I was 29, and I’m 35 now. Other than David Astle, every other compiler at Fairfax is 70 or 80, really. I’m seeing a fair bit of enthusiasm towards crosswords from young people these days, though, which is what we need to keep the art alive.

These days, my work is syndicated across The Age and Sydney Morning Herald. I write cryptic crosswords and the quick crossword on a Monday. Basically, cryptic clues are more like riddles using word play, whereas the quick crossword is just normal definitions.

I’m one of seven compilers at Fairfax – ‘cruciverbalist’ is the fancy term. I have other clients I create puzzles for, too, like the Golden Plains Music Festival, and I write crosswords for special occasions like birthdays and weddings.

I get a real feeling of calmness when I’m deep into writing a crossword – I can sit there for hours and completely clear my head. It becomes an environment of words and nothing much else. That’s what keeps me going back – plus the moments when I make people laugh or say, “A-ha!”

There are two schools of thought when it comes to building a crossword. If it’s themed, generally the words come first. You might

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AS H D DA ED. S ’ H R BET PEA Y’S P A L S DIS FAMI HA R T E S H PA .

T E ED R C C FA SE UR S E R

Beth’s been d unwittingly prepared ut for this all her life, bu will it be enough to outrun and outsmartt her hunters?

JULY

CRUE

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ENTI ONS S ON E OF IS LYI US NG, W ITH A HIN T OF WE WERE LIARS .

MEET

In an effort to uncover the truth, Charlie is thrust into the centre of a decades-old mystery.

OUT 16 JULY

Photographs Tammie Joske

mind your business

i love my shop brett haylock and chris chen run brunswick picture house, a nostalgic venue on the new south wales coast.

rush of nostalgia: a warm carnival glow; the buttery smell of popcorn; and the sounds of circus music piping through the speakers.

Where is it? 30 Fingal Street, Brunswick Heads, New South Wales.

Describe Brunswick Picture House in a sentence. Bringing a bit of old-fashioned razzle-dazzle to a beautiful, quiet and vibrant beach community.

Where did you find all the decorative bits and bobs? BH: During our years of international travel we’ve collected quirky and unusual objects, like colourful Danish bakeware and old Bollywood film posters found in Mumbai markets. Late night trawling on Gumtree and eBay is also a passion of mine!

What goes on there? We present a varied mix of film, circus, comedy, music and family-friendly entertainment, with a café and cosy garden.

What kind of a crowd do you attract? CC: Our audience is as diverse as our programming. It’s important for venues in small towns such as ours to be a church for all people, and that’s what makes it exciting for us.

How did it all begin? Brett Haylock: We produce and tour circus and cabaret shows internationally, and during a stay in Brisbane we escaped to Brunswick Heads. Laying eyes on this deserted gem with a ‘FOR SALE’ sign scrawled across the window, it was literally love at first sight. After taking possession, we began an epic nine-month transformation with a dedicated team of friends, including many members of the circus community. The reawakening of the Picture House was done by artists for artists.

Who would we see on stage? BH: We’re fortunate to be able to draw on the contacts we’ve made after many years of touring. Our signature show, Cheeky Cabaret, is a live circus/comedy/variety show with a different lineup every month. It feels like the secret is out about Brunswick Heads, and internationally acclaimed performers from London to New York are knocking on our doors to perform on our little red stage!

Can you tell us anything about the history of the building?

Chris Chen: It was built and opened in 1952 as a theatre, showing the films of the day. Prior to that, from the late 1930s (we think), there was an open-air cinema on the site. There have only been two previous owners of the Picture House, both raising young families on the premises. After sitting deserted and dormant for over 30 years, surviving the wrecker’s ball and the ravages of time, we lifted the curtains on this old theatre in early 2016.

What do you love about what you do? CC: For me, the best reward has been seeing audience members leave the Picture House smiling and raving, with their feet barely touching the ground. Being able to see the scale of world-class international talent playing in our little village, in such an unexpected location, is awe-inspiring.

Describe the space for us. BH: During the renovation process, we wrote the word ‘PLAYFUL’ in large letters on the back wall of the garden. It’s the best description of the vibe of the whole property, from the theatrical fairy house to the vintage fairground amusement rides dotted around the place. It’s whimsical, colourful and fun, with a

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Are there any drawbacks? CC: Our biggest competitor is the stunning beach 100 metres down the road. We work hard to draw people inside with our programming. It’s a labour of love to make this place a success, and we wouldn’t have it any other way.

How can we contact you? brunswickpicturehouse.com

learn something new

the kids are all right all over the globe, young people are changing the world for the better. luke ryan takes a look at some of the most effective youth-led political movements.

an opposition stunt, a story meekly parroted by his media flunkies.

In response, 131 of the students uploaded a video of themselves to YouTube stating their names and showing their student cards.

Mexico’s Twitter users jumped on board to show their solidarity, and #YoSoy132 – ‘I am 132’ – was born. Soon, the hashtag was ripping through social media, being printed on t-shirts, and tens of thousands of students were protesting all over the country. While they didn’t succeed in defeating Nieto, they caused the first chink in his armour, and now he’s limping towards the end of his presidency with the lowest approval ratings since records began.

BLACK LIVES MATTER Location: USA. In a nutshell: On February 26, 2012, in a well-to-do suburb of Florida, a volunteer neighbourhood watchman named George Zimmerman shot dead Trayvon Martin, an unarmed black teenager, as he returned home from the shops. It was a heinous crime, and a potent reminder of the fraught position people of colour still hold in American society. But when a court acquitted Zimmerman a year later, it lit a fuse to a long-simmering powder keg and gave birth to the Black Lives Matter movement. Started by three young female activists, Black Lives Matter has since become a standardbearer for black politics in America’s high schools and colleges, organising marches all over the country to draw attention to the epidemic of police violence and incarceration against young black men (who have a one-in-three chance of going to prison in their lifetimes).

In the final two years of the Obama presidency, they helped bring about massive reforms of the prison system and produced a reckoning in police departments across the US. Unfortunately, they couldn’t stop Donald Trump being elected, but Black Lives Matter remains a potent counterforce to the white supremacy of Trump’s White House. .

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ANA TABAN Location: South Sudan. In a nutshell: South Sudan is the world’s newest nation, but since its birth in 2011, it has been wracked by civil war, oppression and poverty. Ana taban – which means ‘I am tired’ in Arabic – is an art-based protest movement started in 2016 by young artists and activists in the capital city of Juba. In a country where violence is the only political language, they’re attempting to use music, public performance and street art to bypass the corrupted channels of government and speak directly to the people about social injustice. It’s one of those lofty goals that can be all too easy to sneer at, but the hashtag #anataban has become the go-to for young South Sudanese who want to vent about their country’s perpetual state of chaos. And the government is paying attention – they want to know who’s funding it. The answer is: nobody. It’s just a bunch of proud, passionate young people who want something better for the country they love.

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YO SOY 132 Location: Mexico. In a nutshell: Mexico is what The Economist calls a “flawed democracy”. It’s had a democratic system of government since 1917; holds elections every few years; and has an array of parties that contest the vote at a local, state and federal level.

However, pretty much the only party that ever wins these elections is the Institutional Revolutionary Party (Partido Revolucionario Institucional in Spanish, or PRI), and one of the major reasons they do is because they have a stranglehold on Mexico’s media.

But in 2012, a visit to Mexico City’s Ibero-American University by PRI’s presidential candidate Enrique Peña Nieto turned into a catastrophe, as he was forced to flee a spontaneous student protest against his corruption and the media’s bias. Nieto claimed it was

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MILLENNIALS AGAINST DICTATORS Location: Philippines. In a nutshell: When Rodrigo Duterte became president of the Philippines in 2016, it was a step backwards for the young democracy. A chauvinist strongman who came to

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learn something new Photo Chris Hopkins/Getty Images Aretha Brown marches with thousands of Melburnians on January 26, 2017 in Melbourne, Australia.

power on the back of promises to personally murder the country’s drug dealers, Duterte used provocative claims and outrageous language – he once called then-President Obama the “son of a whore” – to ride a social media wave to success. (Sound familiar?)

Now in power, he’s doing his best to return the Philippines to a state of dictatorship, declaring martial law, jailing his critics and conducting thousands of extrajudicial killings of supposed ‘drug dealers’. But he also has to deal with Millennials Against Dictators, a coalition of youth groups working to stop their country’s slide towards authoritarianism through a combination of protest, legal action and social media campaigning. Current logo: a skeletonised shaka. One of the group’s leaders, a 14-year-old girl named Shibby de Guzman, describes their mission like this: “We are protesting against extrajudicial killings and violations of civil liberties. The only thing that matters now is the country. Engage in conversations, not fights. Don’t approach someone aggressively if you’re looking to make a change.” Bad. Arse. .

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Americans into limbo. Their response: do what they’ve always done.

Protest, campaign, and make their plight impossible to ignore. .

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UMBRELLA REVOLUTION Location: Hong Kong. In a nutshell: When England gave Hong Kong back to China in 1997, the deal came with a number of legal safeguards designed to protect Hong Kong’s democratic freedoms.

Unfortunately, China has spent the following 20 years hammering away at those freedoms every way they can. Matters came to a head in September 2014, when China announced that, while elections would still be held in Hong Kong, from here on in all the candidates would have to be vetted by the Chinese government. This was (quite rightly) seen as a massive infringement on Hong Kong’s democratic rights, and the city’s students began occupying major intersections in protest. Soon, more than 100,000 people had joined them; many carrying bright yellow umbrellas to signify their solidarity, as well as offering protection from police charges and pepper spray. After months of conflict, the protests finally wound down in December, with both sides pledging to continue discussions. The situation with Beijing is an ongoing struggle – meanwhile, the three students who started the Umbrella Revolution have been nominated for the 2018 Nobel Peace Prize.

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THE DREAMERS Location: USA. In a nutshell: Few topics in America are quite so fraught as the question of what to do with the Dreamers. The estimated 1.8 million children of illegal immigrants have lived their entire lives in America, but are lost between countries – not citizens of the US, but with no place in the countries their parents fled from, either. In 2012, after relentless lobbying and demonstrations from the undocumented youths (who risked deportation in the process), Obama introduced a plan known as DACA, that would allow the Dreamers to stay in America so long as they satisfied certain criteria. 700,000 of them promptly took him up on his offer. It was a massive win on a question that had baffled the US Congress for decades, and one that can be placed at the feet of the Dreamers themselves, who have formed one of the most potent youth activism networks in the world. However, in September 2017, Donald Trump repealed the DACA program, once again throwing these young

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THE ARAB SPRING Location: Tunisia, Libya, Yemen, Egypt, Syria, Bahrain, Lebanon and more. In a nutshell: The Arab world has one of the largest proportions of young people around the globe, with almost 60 per cent of the population under the age of 30. In a region plagued by corruption and stagnant economies, where employment opportunities for these young folks are few and far between, the situation was always going to reach breaking point. It all started in December 2010, when a young fruit vendor in Tunisia set himself

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learn something new

australia’s young people are slowly changing the minds of those in charge

there. Over the next nine months, more and more people joined them, from eco-activists to local landowners and young people from nearby tribes. By the end of 2016, they’d raised more than $8 million and there were over 10,000 people living in the Standing Rock camp, making it one of the biggest protest camps in American history. In December they received news that the pipeline was being rerouted.

They had won. Then a month later, after the camp had disbanded, Donald Trump overruled the decision in one of his first acts as president. Because, of course he did.

on fire after a corrupt policewoman confiscated his tomatoes.

His sacrificial act worked as a catalyst, with spontaneous protests erupting all over the country, and dictatorial president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali was forced to flee. Seeing this success, youths all across North Africa and the Middle East were soon embarking on their own revolutionary campaigns. Within a year, the Arab Spring had become one of the most significant protest movements in human history, with decades-old dictatorships being toppled in Libya, Yemen and Egypt, and massive disruption occurring in a dozen more countries. However, the Arab Spring has also become a cautionary tale of the unintended consequences of sudden change, as brutal civil war has since gripped Yemen and Syria; Libya has fallen into chaos; and Egypt has reverted to another military dictatorship. Tunisia remains a solitary beacon, where a fragile democracy has taken root and women’s rights are increasingly accepted. But throughout the rest of the Middle East, an Arab Winter has very firmly taken hold. .

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CHANGE THE DATE Location: Australia. In a nutshell: In Australia, we celebrate our national day on January 26 – aka the day English colonisers first landed at Botany Bay and founded the nation/penal colony of Australia. However, the country’s Indigenous peoples are rightly less enthused about this choice of national day, because, rather than signifying the beginning of a proud national tradition, January 26 more accurately represents the beginning of 232 years of persecution, dispossession and occasional genocide. The solution is simple: change the date to something all Australians can celebrate.

Over the past few years, young Indigenous groups like the Koorie Youth Council have been at the forefront of the Change the Date campaign, helping to organise Invasion Day rallies and leading the #changethedate social media movement. This year, they scored a massive win when triple j, Australia’s youth broadcaster, shifted their immensely popular Hottest 100 countdown to January 27, while Indigenous hip-hop duo A.B. Original made waves with their song “January 26” (which placed at number 16 in the 2017 Hottest 100). The battle is ongoing, but every year it gains more momentum, and Australia’s young people – just as they have with issues like climate change and marriage equality – are slowly, forcefully changing the minds of those in charge.

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ONE MIND YOUTH MOVEMENT Location: USA. In a nutshell: Life remains hard for Native Americans. Struggling with a legacy of dispossession, poverty and persecution, they have vastly increased rates of depression, substance abuse and, among teenagers in particular, suicide. After a rash of teen suicides in South Dakota’s Cheyenne River Indian Reservation, a group of young Lakota Sioux decided to do something about it, and anti-suicide campaign One Mind Youth Movement (OMYM) was the result. But when the US government proposed an oil pipeline that would travel underneath the nearby Missouri River, threatening a vital source of drinking water for the neighbouring Standing Rock Sioux Reservation, the members of OMYM shifted their focus. In March 2016, a small group set up a ‘prayer camp’ at Standing Rock, just off the pipeline route, and then just stayed

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rant Photo Getty Images

I say I stopped dressing like a human with dignity when I signed my mortgage, but that’s just a convenient story I tell, like the one about ice-cream being good for me because it’s just frozen milk. While the mortgage certainly took the joy out of spending money on clothes, and pretty much everything – I can translate any dollar value into the number of days it could shave off my mortgage term – the truth is, I lost interest in thinking about clothes. It was just another thing on my to-do list, and when it comes to choosing between eating and ironing, I will always choose eating. Clothes were pushed to the side, so my uniform developed. Shirt, jeans, Vans, every day. Sometimes shorts in summer. A little wild; a little loose.

following suit CARO COOPER IS IN FULL SUPPORT OF WORKPLACE UNIFORMS.

I know I’m not the first genius to develop their own rigid uniform.

There are many of us moving among you, refusing the freedom to vary our wardrobes and stubbornly enforcing our own fashion regulation. Our colleagues and friends are kept guessing at the reason behind the strange consistency: was he raised in an orphanage? Did she attend military school? Is he in mourning?

We envy the unflattering, mass-produced uniforms of fast food staff, nurses, nuns and cult members.

Do you ever sit in the dentist’s chair and stare enviously at their crisp white uniform – that top with the Star Trek-style diagonal cut and modest high collar? Have you spent days in a hospital bed marvelling through the pain at the orderly’s elastic-waisted cotton two-piece and their squeaky standard-issue shoes? Yeah, me too.

Every morning I stand at the makeshift wardrobe in my kitchen and assess my options: one of three shirts – none clean – and jeans, black or blue. Some days I mix it up by wearing a t-shirt. These are mostly faded, oversized hand-me-downs. Occasionally I’ll consider digging out an old dress to wear. I never do, though – it’s exhausting just thinking about the brightly patterned frocks with their stapled hemlines and painfully tight waists. All I want is something neutral, boxy and non-descript. I want a uniform.

These days, my recurring dream is of a world where every workplace has instituted a uniform. One outfit to rule them all. The euphoria has surpassed that of my previous recurring dream. It’s an ecstasy unmatched. (I would have made a great cult member – I may still yet.) In my dreams, the uniform is a floor-length black linen muumuu. High in the neck; loose in the shoulders and sleeves; barely touching the torso. Workers have some freedom in the shoes they can choose: black sneakers, black boots, black sandals.

Upon signing their employment contract, staff are handed a paper package of seven muumuus and a pair of each type of shoe. They’re required to wear the uniform at all times – weekends, evenings, at the gym. This dream life is one giant, waistline-free utopia.

Clothes were once of interest to me – my coathangers dripped with colour and diverse cuts of fabric. I even had different clothes for the weekend. Imagine that: weekend clothes that weren’t the very same thing I’d worn every weekday. I put thought into what I wore and would often find myself planning outfits while ‘meditating’. Down time was spent scouring op shops for sartorial gold, sneezing my way through the racks. For years I was taunted by a recurring dream in which I discovered a giant, untouched op shop warehouse where everything fit me perfectly. Until recently, there hadn’t been a drug or emotion I’d experienced in my waking life that matched the euphoria I felt in that fantasy.

In a wonderful uniformed world, no one can be judged for how bad they look – it’s mandated unattractiveness. I’m so into this idea, I’ve already started drawing up patterns for the new universal employment smock. I’m taking early orders, so tell your boss. One size fits all.

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creative people

hear me out sofya gollan is a deaf actor, film director and play school presenter.

WORDS MIA TIMPANO

the streets of Atlanta – all while touring with America’s deaf theatre.

“We’d be shadowed by voice actors, so people could understand what we were saying on stage,” Sofya recalls. “Then the sign language gave all kinds of opportunities for visual puns. And people got it, even if they didn’t know sign, because you can get quite graphic with sign language – it can border on mime. When you’re talking about love, for example, you might draw a heart in the air, and you might show how that heart is thumping, fast or slow. Or you might mime an arrow going though it. It’s quite pictorial.”

Change is inevitable – it just might happen in the most improbable place. Like on a kids’ TV show, for example. In 1991, Play School became the first Australian television program to present a deaf person in a positive light. That person was Sofya Gollan, born hearing impaired as a result of the rubella epidemic of the late ’60s – a common cause of deafness in her generation. “Up until then, it was very, ‘Look at those poor deaf people,’ whereas on Play School, it was just presented as, ‘This is a deaf person doing stuff like other presenters,’” Sofya recalls. It would have been the first time many deaf kids had seen a person using sign language on TV. “And that’s so important,” she says, “because then you start feeling included in the greater society.”

Sofya continued to forge a successful career in acting back home in Sydney, but it wasn’t quite the career she’d hoped for. “I was always being handed the role of the poor deaf victim; the person who has to overcome many obstacles just to have a cup of tea,” she says.

“I’m over-simplifying it, but I wasn’t seeing roles for people who were just ordinary, or people with a disability, doing stuff and having the same aspirations as anyone else: to get married, to fall in love, to be a firefighter, what have you.”

Although very proud to have been part of the groundbreaking show (and the recipient of many “cute” fan letters and drawings), Sofya hasn’t always been proud to be deaf. “I have a much more complicated relationship with it,” she says, laughing.

“With disability, you’re very much affected by how people view you, no matter how strong you might be inside yourself. When you’re surrounded by people going, ‘You can’t do that,’ or, ‘Oh my god, that’s amazing you can do the most basic, simple thing,’ your presumption of yourself gets coloured by that low expectation.” So what do you do? “You just have to learn to be bulletproof,” Sofya says.

Sick of the victim stance that writers were perpetuating, Sofya set about creating some new on-screen roles for deaf people.

First step: do filmmaking training at AFTRS – the Australian Film, Television and Radio School. Check. Next step: get hired as a director. Not so simple. “I came into the industry at a time when ‘disability’ was not a buzzword,” she says. “There was no such thing as ‘inclusive’. So, if I was working, it was because I was generating my own projects, and after a while I found that really exhausting.”

Meanwhile, Sofya watched her able-bodied contemporaries – i.e. people who didn’t require a sign language interpreter – landing gigs she’d trained for. “It was quite challenging seeing my peers, who

And, in a way, she literally has been. After dropping out of school at 16 to work full-time as an actor at the Australian Theatre of the Deaf, where she first learned to sign (“My family was hearing, so they never saw the need to pick it up,” she explains), Sofya moved to the States. She had a gun pulled on her; she saw drug deals on

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creative people Photo Nick McKinlay

I was on par with, shoot ahead and earn a living, while I was just trying to keep it all together,” she admits.

it would stretch for years. So they developed sign language in order to get around that, and teach deaf people the word of God.”

The industry is changing, however – and in a pretty major way.

Today, Sofya works at Create NSW, helping to decide which screen projects the state government should be backing financially.

“It came about because of Courtney Gibson, who was the then-CEO of Screen New South Wales,” Sofya explains. “She took a look around her office and realised she had no diversity on her floor. So she headhunted me and said, ‘You’ve got film experience, do you want to come and work for us part-time?’” Since then, Sofya’s become a full-time senior-level executive managing Screenability – a program creating opportunities for disabled folks in the film industry, with a specially curated program at the Sydney Film Festival – along with a slate of other projects. “It’s great, because it means producers have to deal with me the same way they’d have to deal with anybody in a funding agency. It opens their perception to people with disability in decision-making roles, and normalises it in a way that really needs to happen.”

Funnily enough, Sofya doesn’t actually sign when she’s at home.

The cochlear implant she had installed 12 years ago allows her to recognise speech, so her two sons don’t really see the point.

“I’ve tried to teach them,” she says, “and I’m still trying, but because I speak so well, they go, ‘Muuuum.’” It’s common for children of deaf adults – or CODAs, as they’re known in the community – not to learn sign language if their parent is able to speak. It becomes extra-hard to convince them to learn if their other parent won’t bother, like Sofya’s ex-husband. “He just didn’t want to,” she says.

“And that’s also quite common. But I think when I partner up again, I’d really like that to be part of the mix.”

A full-on work life means there hasn’t been a lot of time for Sofya to take on personal creative projects in recent years – although there have been a few, including Gimpsey, Sofya’s crowd-funded short film about a teenage girl struggling with personal insecurity and a toxic best friend. The lead role went to Bridie McKim, a Brisbane actress with a mild form of cerebral palsy. “I wanted to present a girl who was beautiful despite or because of her disability, and could be just as duplicitous as anybody,” she says. “It’s my view that artists with disability offer a really unique perspective on the world. And when they’re in charge of the narrative, they present a viewpoint that’s different to the paternalistic one able-bodied people have. So, rather than coming from the position of, ‘I have a disability; I need to be included; please let me in,’ I come from the position, ‘I have a disability; this is what I’ve experienced; and this is this world as I see it. Isn’t it great? Isn’t it different?’”

Over the years, Sofya’s also changed perceptions around sign language, making it more accessible through her work on Play School (she still does the occasional show, around one a year), and SignBaby, her Auslan DVD for parents of deaf bubs. Chuck it on, settle on the couch, and Sofya will teach you over 200 signs, plus a few signed versions of nursery rhymes. “Auslan is based on the British model of signing,” Sofya says of the language, which took around six months for her to master. “The two major streams of sign in the Western world are based on different Catholic orders, because way back, monks had to take a vow of silence. Sometimes

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rant

is considered a bad thing. It probably doesn’t help that pseudoScandinavian stationery retailers have made the concept of day planners unappealing to anyone who doesn’t wish to mark their birthday dinners and Tinder dates with cartoony stickers and overly embellished cursive writing.

in defence of the diary KATHERINE GILLESPIE PREFERS TO MAKE HER PLANS ON PAPER.

Me? I’m an advocate for the dead boring newsagent-style diary.

The kind with a plain black cover that gives no hint as to what juicy stuff lies inside (mostly dinner with the folks and bill payment deadlines). Stationery can be cute and fun, for sure, but as a diary user, what I’m seeking above all else is that deep sense of organisational satisfaction you get from ticking something off a to-do list. A feeling that relaxes your whole body, like a brief and nerdy massage. With a true-blue paper diary, I can revel in it several times a day – whereas old mate Google Calendar keeps that sense of accomplishment all to itself. Rude.

I have a confession to make: I don’t know how to use Google Calendar.

I, an office worker in her 20s with a smartphone and a laptop and an addiction to food delivery apps, am distrustful of making digital plans. Instead, in the manner of a shoulderpad-sporting ’80s businesswoman or dorky high school student, I use a paper diary.

A bulky and heavily coffee-stained one that I don’t ever leave the house without, and would preferably like to be buried with. Phew, feels good to get that out in the open.

I guess there’s something sentimental about it, too. Having a physical book chronicling what you’ve done and where you’ve been over the course of a year is a thrill that a phone screen just can’t quite top.

Whenever I start to suspect my mess of a life is void of meaningful achievements and interactions, I can just flip back through the pages of my diary and bask in the scrawled reminders of everything I’ve accomplished. The parties I skipped; the catch-up dinners that made my week. There’s something nice about how real and tangible it all feels. Endlessly scrolling upwards just isn’t the same.

I’m not willing to change my ways. I’m aware that Silicon Valley has given me the option of syncing my calendars to my devices, and planning out my daily and weekly movements with optimum efficiency. I know that, in theory, I could wake up in the morning to a sultry robotic voice telling me when all my meetings are and what the weather is going to be like and which awful international news broke overnight. But while my plans may be flexible, my method for managing them is not. I am the exact person the Moleskine marketing execs have in mind when they develop their strategies for peddling paper products.

So, I’m sorry for accidentally sending your calendar invite to spam, and I’m sorry for having faith that we’d both remember to get coffee next weekend without asking our phones to remind us. But you’ll understand my reluctance to give up my analogue life once you experience the pure thrill that comes from uttering the phrase, “I’ll pencil you in,” and meaning it. It’s really a very good feeling.

Coworkers and friends have scoffed at me, and implied with raised eyebrows that writing down plans is outdated; frivolous; maybe even childish. There’s a sense that diaries are in the wheelhouse of 13-year-old girls, who use them to pine over their crushes, doodling love hearts in the margins – which, for some reason,

Maybe in the future I’ll succumb and get a creepy robot lady to tell me whether I need to bring a jacket out for the day, but rest assured, I’ll be dutifully transcribing everything else she says onto my diary pages.

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Photographs Luisa Brimble

mantelpiece

a little bit shirty DR. KARL KRUSZELNICKI TALKS US THROUGH HIS COLLECTION OF LIVELY BUTTON-DOWNS.

I remember walking through downtown Wollongong in the middle of winter one day when I was a kid. Everybody’s face looked unhappy.

There was a woman with really bright clothing moving through the crowd, and everywhere she walked she left people smiling behind her. They weren’t even necessarily aware of it. That was when I realised you can create a little island of happiness around you by wearing bright clothes.

These days I’m a storyteller, telling stories about science. That’s how I make my living. I work for the University of Sydney; I do various things for the ABC; I write books about science; I write for magazines; and I do appearances at schools. My bright shirts are part of my stage clothing – a way to set up a relationship with the audience.

My wife makes all my shirts – very rarely do I buy any. There’s one I bought with a man with big knives and a bucket of blood and a dog, which is a great pattern, but the trouble is, it’s synthetic and I like cotton; it has short sleeves and I like long sleeves; it has no pockets, I like two pockets for symmetry. I like the sleeves to be long so when I go on stage, I can roll them up as a visual signal to the audience that we’re getting down to work. So, the majority of shirts she makes, and she buys the materials, too.

There’s a floating population of about 40. They’re stage clothing only; too precious to wear in my downtime. Being handmade – they take three hours each on the sewing machine – they will of course wear out, and I don’t want to put too much pressure on my wife by wasting them, just wearing them up to the corner shop. Generally, they last between three and 30 wears before they begin to get a bit tired.

There was one shirt I was especially in love with, my shinkansen shirt – the Japanese high-speed bullet train. We bought the material in the Shinjuku railway station in Tokyo. When the shirt wore out at the collar, my wife went to the tremendous effort of unpicking it and putting it on backwards, just so I could get another 20 or so wears out of it. I’m a very lucky boy.

My collection lives on my side of the wardrobe in our bedroom, over two levels – 20 shirts on each level. People have asked me for my old shirts when they wear out, which is a little bit creepy. In general, I tear them up and use them as rags when I’m done with them.

It’s a shame, but they are worn out, after all.

Colour is an important part of our lives. I think I’m the only person in the University of Sydney with an office that has bright orange walls. I like wearing the bright shirts simply because they can spread happiness in the world around me. Basically, you’re born, you live, you die, and if you can leave the world a better place, that’s a good thing.

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Photo Lukasz Wierzbowski

writers’ piece

THE JEALOUS KIND four writers discuss the things that make them green with envy.

By Caro Cooper Fresh towels; proper meals; clean floors; wine that doesn’t taste like vinegar. Warm lighting; wooden bookshelves lined with paperbacks old and new; inherited silverware; Charlie Parker playing in the background and the smell of your favourite food bubbling away on the stove in Le Creuset pots that you will one day inherit.

That’s what I imagine it’s like when you drop in at your parents’ house for a casual Sunday dinner, or when you spontaneously pop in on a weeknight because you simply couldn’t cook after such a busy day.

I imagine you’re carrying a bag of laundry that you trust will be washed and folded for you while you slump on the couch leading the family in the newspaper quiz and drinking your parents’ wine.

Or maybe you’ll do your own washing, but it’s in their top-of-the-line whitegoods that don’t require you to insert two one-dollar coins into a slot. Your parents would have that good organic washing powder, too.

Your Christmases are food and music and trundle beds at the beach house. Long days spent lounging

in the sun with siblings you’re so similar to, you hardly need to say a word. A beer appears before you even realise you want it, and soon you’re all back in the kitchen prepping the evening meal together, while someone’s kid or dog gets in the way underfoot. Yeah, your family life is a Diane Keaton film.

another state. Even my boyfriend is in a different state. Despite my isolation, I rarely feel lonely. I plod through life untouched by it until I hear a friend say they’re off to a “family dinner”. Then it strikes me.

I start to shiver and the little match girl in me awakens. Oh, woe is me, standing on the outside looking in.

It’s weird to admit that I’m envious of family life, or more specifically, of my friends who can just drop in for dinner at their folks’ place. I’m not the family type – I moved out at 17; I’ve moved states and countries and hardly ever call home. Yet here I am. Green with envy and a touch of nausea. When I break down what it is I envy about these imagined scenes of domestic bliss, I realise it’s the easy comfort of family company.

Time with people whose plates you can pick from; whose fridge you can raid without judgment. These are the people who won’t judge you for wearing tracksuit pants or discussing your recent colonoscopy results.

Walking home to my studio apartment on Sunday nights, I can almost hear the familial laughter and tinkle of glasses from every house I pass. I’ll make a dinner of sautéed broccoli stalks, carrot tops and the rubber bands from my last bunch of kale, topped off with an apple core and a kick in the teeth.

You’ll be fed a proper meal and sent home with leftovers for the week. On these nights, the lights in the houses I pass look warmer than ever and the streetlights more harsh.

Don’t get me wrong, I have a good family – eccentric and dysfunctional, but reliable and likeable. I can’t drop in for dinner, though, because, like so many others, my family lives far away from me, or I live far away from them. My sister lives more than 30 hours away, not to mention the several thousand dollars it costs to get there. The rest of my family lives in

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I know my fantasy of your family dinners is just that. You probably get sick of your parents after 20 minutes. Maybe you sit there wishing you could be home in your pyjamas, passed out in your own plate of hot vegetable nothingness, too. It’s cold comfort, though, and it doesn’t stop the little girl inside me shivering with envy and wishing that, just once, I could be the one stealing my parents’ wine and loading up their washing machine with my filthy clothes after a day at work.

writers’ piece

By Daniel Moore My cat has the best life. He sleeps all day, eats when he wants, and if he decides he wants a pat, you have no choice but to pat. That’s the life I want!

Cats don’t make their own tea; do their own printing; or have to make their own PowerPoint presentations for meetings.

Instead, they go about their days outsourcing the details of life, like getting food and paying bills, to humans. They don’t even get in trouble for killing things! (PLEASE NOTE: I do not want to kill things.)

A cat’s life is pure bliss. They live entirely in the moment, and while I do love my furry feline friend, I am intensely jealous of him. It’s 5am and he wants food. The outcome? He gets food.

At 7am, I go to work without even a “Goodbye, have a lovely time!” Just a stone-cold look that says, “Go now, for I must sleep all day.” Cats know how to let go. They have no sense of the days, hours, minutes and seconds flying by. As a result, they have next-to-no stress.

Which sounds pretty excellent.

And when was the last time you saw a cat clean anything, apart from themselves? OK, granted, they do have to lick their own butts… but they don’t really seem to give a shit (pun absolutely intended). My cat vomited the other day because he ate too much, too fast. Did he pull out the Spray n’ Wipe and paper towel? No. He simply stepped around his disgusting pile of vom and waited by his food bowl for it to be topped up, because, well, he was hungry again.

Cats are the epitome of Zen. They have no worries or regrets, and they don’t ruminate over stupid shit, like if they acted like a total dick at a party. You know why? Because cats don’t go to parties. They don’t need to or want to. Instead, they’re like little furry retired people.

They create their own schedule; take lots of naps; have tonnes of time for hobbies; and don’t particularly care what you think about them – they’ll walk around nude whenever and wherever they want to, thank you very much.

Do you ever have those days when you try on outfit after outfit and absolutely nothing feels or looks right? Or you’re going to an event and can’t quite figure out the appropriate dress code?

Cats are never faced with those sorts of predicaments. They wake up and are automatically ready for the day, dressed perfectly for any occasion.

Living like a cat is my ultimate dream. The key to happiness. The key to success.

(Or not – who cares?)

By Mia Timpano The reason I’m not in a relationship is because I don’t trust anyone to love me unconditionally. I assume they’ll always have an agenda, and want to control, manipulate and dominate me – even though I know they probably don’t. It’s just the messed up way I was raised to think, and it means I have serious intimacy issues. When someone tries to get close to me, I start getting mad. Angry. I get pissed off that they’re five minutes late to meet me at the tram stop, and that their excuse was that they wanted to eat their fish fingers at home really fast so I didn’t see them eating, because they thought that would be disgusting for me ( you know who you are, and I’m sorry I held that against you).

Basically, what I’m trying to say, is that my cat is now my life coach.

Calm, observant, wise, elegant, charismatic and proud. The saying goes, “Dogs have owners and cats have staff”. Cats know what they want, they communicate it and they demand reverence. Our feline friends epitomise the fearless self-respect we humans lack. We tend to bottle up emotions and hide our problems, rarely expressing ourselves as honestly as cats.

The fact is, I would love to be in a relationship. I love relationships.

I love being in love. I’m in love with someone right now, and am constantly thinking about all the banal things they might be doing, and analysing every word choice in their messages. But even as I’m pondering their triple exclamation use and whether it means they really do want to fuck me or are just being polite, I’m also reminding myself that this person would never really love me. Not really.

Not permanently. Not once they discover everything about me.

How could they? I’m horrifying.

So, instead of sitting here writing about how I’m jealous of my cat’s life, I’m going to live by my new mantra: WWBD? (That’s right: what would Beanie do?)

I’m going to hiss at people who annoy me; run my face against people I like on the train; and if you eat tuna at work? You’d better fucking well pour its juice into my water glass.

My farts smell. Sometimes I have to run away from them. They’re also loud. I’m also gross. I cleaned a pan this morning with the jumper I was wearing, because I couldn’t be bothered walking literally one pace across the kitchen to get a tea towel. A dude came to the door, a property value inspector. I said, “Sorry, I’m in super-casual mode today,” explaining the fact I was

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writers’ piece

wearing the pan-cleaning jumper, which I only wash semi-annually.

I looked down to notice it also had multiple dried-up splodges of toothpaste and encrusted brownish areas (I have no idea what this was originally). I also lie about things.

I couldn’t be arsed washing my hands of olive oil at an ex’s house, then used a bunch of stuff in his kitchen. When he came into the room and remarked, “Someone’s put olive oil on everything,” my response was, “How odd.”

I know it’s sad that I think I’m unlovable. I’m sure some people love my quirky ways; I do have friends. But the notion that someone would actually love me and want to be with me and not hold anything against me – well, it kind of just doesn’t compute.

Which is why seeing loving couples makes me feel a sort of jealousy.

I want what they have. Not the relationship per se, but the ability to love themselves enough to let another person into their hearts.

To be able to fart – fart fully, powerfully and with total pride – and know that your partner will still find you beautiful and want to bed you exclusively. How do you get this? Where does this security come from? How do you feel like you’re constantly living up to the necessary standards of beauty and hygiene, and don’t need to protect yourself from a gauntlet of games and psycho-drama, and can just go to bed, blowing off literal steam out your arsehole, believing – nay, knowing – that your love will endure the better part of a century?

Maybe nobody does. Maybe everybody’s freaking out, assuming their love will end.

Or they’ve resigned themselves to the fact that their love may end, but their lives won’t. I recently spoke to a couple whose love I admire, and told them, “I can’t live with someone; I couldn’t handle anyone in my space.”

They said, “When you meet the one you love, you won’t even care.” One day, maybe. One day.

By Eleanor Robertson Jealousy is one of the most horrible human emotions. It’s right up there with the feeling you get when you accidentally trip over a toddler on the train, or the seething rage caused by turning up late to the free minisandwich table at a conference, when the only thing left is egg and lettuce. Being in the grips of extreme jealousy almost feels like dying: there is something you want – really want – without which you feel empty, inadequate and ashamed.

Then there’s usually a bonus layer of guilt: why aren’t I happy with what I have? Why do I need this object/ job/love interest/social status? Why don’t I feel as fully human, as alive, as the person I’m jealous of appears?

Serious jealousy has two endgames: either you don’t get what you want, and you have to figure out a way to cope with that; or, somehow, you do actually get what you want. The first scenario, although it may feel earthshattering at the time, can sometimes turn out really well – the jealousy fades; your attention is caught by the flash of a new shiny object; you forget why you even wanted the thing in the first place. Hopefully you have the wherewithal to observe this process happening, and make a little mental post-it note for next time. Or, if you remain impotently jealous, you can spend the rest of your life consumed by envy and bitterness, thirsting for satisfaction. This may not be pleasant, but at least it gives you something to really put your mind to.

And what if you do manage to attain the object that your jealousy has fixated on? This can be the more tragic scenario, because you will inevitably be let down when you realise that possessing the coveted object cannot actually alter your inner life. No matter how many sleek Scandi armchairs you buy,

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you will never be as comfortable and carefree as the chick in the IKEA catalogue. Even if you get the same job as your most enviable and successful friend, you will never feel as cool as they look. Jealousy is basically a psychological trick that our brains play on us: “Look at that person. That person looks happy.

I’m not happy. I should get what they have, then I’ll be happy like them.”

A frankly surprising amount of world religious doctrine is oriented towards reminding you that advertising is trying to trick you into buying things you don’t need by making you subconsciously jealous of hot people. Buddhists try to deal with this constant internal rollercoaster by exhorting people to rid themselves of desire. You can’t be tricked by jealousy if you already don’t want anything! Christians have a similar move where they’re supposed to only imitate Jesus, who was sinless and therefore didn’t feel jealousy.

The secret here is, of course, that nobody is ‘really happy’ in the way your monkey mirror neurons think they are. Some of the most insecure and jealous people in all of human history have been kings and queens, pop stars, millionaires, and assorted other folks who have amassed every possible signal that says ‘my life is perfect’ to the external observer.

Humans learn our desires by interpreting these external markers as indicative of inner peace, selfesteem and satisfaction, but they don’t actually indicate any such thing.

It’s a hard lesson to learn, though.

When you attain the desired object and it doesn’t perform the magic trick of making you feel safe, secure and adequate, what you immediately think is, “Fuck, it didn’t work.

I must’ve got the wrong thing.

I should find out what the right thing is and get that instead.” But there is no right thing! It’s all a lie!

Except for the thing I’m jealously craving, which I’m absolutely convinced beyond any doubt will be the solution to all my problems.

I’ll let you know how it goes.

my project

the agoraphobic traveller jacqui kenny turned a personal obstacle into an eye-catching photography project.

INTERVIEW SOPHIE KALAGAS

Tell us about the Agoraphobic Traveller project. For over two decades, I’ve lived with severe anxiety. Nine years ago, I was diagnosed with agoraphobia. Agoraphobia is an anxiety disorder where you fear and avoid places or situations that might cause you to panic and make you feel trapped or embarrassed. At times, this has severely limited my ability to travel far from home. I went in search of a creative outlet to help me get through it, and found refuge online. I began travelling the world – through Google Street View.

What kinds of things are you looking for? I try to find spots of magic and the extraordinary in everyday scenes. I love matching colours, bright blue skies and dusty towns, as well as celebrating similarities throughout the world, while highlighting the uniqueness of different places. When I find something I love, I often imagine little movie scenes.

Are there any particularly interesting or funny situations you’ve come across? I’ve taken over 27,000 screenshots, and I'm always finding little things I love. The small moments that show so much humanity are my favourites, like an elderly man walking his little dog, while the dog’s lead is tied to his Zimmer frame. Moments like that make me smile and love the world a little bit more.

What made you start exploring that platform? I've always had a vivid imagination and been interested in worlds that are slightly surreal or out of my grasp. I haven't been to any of these places in person, so I thought it would be fun to imagine them in a unique way. I was excited by the possibilities of Google Street View – a tool primarily designed for functional purposes, not creativity.

I realised I could use my passion for photography and culture and combine it with modern technology, to create something unique and of its time.

How has this project changed you? At first I was concerned that staying home for long periods of time searching through Google Street View would not be very healthy, but, in fact, it has had the reverse effect. Not only has it connected me with people from around the world with similar struggles, but openly talking about it has made my life feel both bigger and better. I’ve received messages from people all over the world, from artists to travellers and students. It’s also given me the confidence to take on more challenges. I've found some beautiful places on my Street View travels, and I want to venture further away from my comfort zones and check them out for real.

With an entire world to scroll through, how do you manage to spot these visual gems? It’s so much fun jumping from one country to another – I love discovering remote places I didn't even know existed. Once I find an area I like the look of, I spend as long as I can trying to capture that perfect moment, experimenting with angles and composition, which can take days or weeks.

My favourite places so far are countries like Mongolia, Senegal, Chile and Peru. They all have amazing light and incredible colours. It’s really hard to find a great image, though – like finding a needle in a haystack.

What have you learnt about the world? That we are all more similar than we realise.

Where can we see more of your snaps? theagoraphobictraveller. com or on Instagram at @streetview.portraits

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DISCOVERY CREATIVITY COMMUNITY

WHERE ART MEETS CULTURE The leading contemporary arts centre in Melbourne’s West Only a 15 min drive (or 10 min train ride) from Melbourne CBD 45 Moreland St, Footscray VIC 3011 03 9362 8888 footscrayarts.com

Image by Snehargho Ghosh

learn something new Illustration Cass Urquhart

money matters

mortgages – they can and will give you a better price if you ask for it.

All you need to do is give them a call, say you’re thinking about leaving and ask if they can convince you to stay. I hated this, because I’m awful at confrontation, but you can approach it politely – “I really want to stay with you” – and still get amazing results. I ended up saving more than $6000 a year, just by making a few uncomfortable phone calls. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

COMEDIAN CLAIRE HOOPER SHARES THE TOP THINGS SHE’S LEARNT WHILE MAKING HER FINANCE-FOCUSED PODCAST, THE PINEAPPLE PROJECT.

Money mindsets are inherited. As humans, we’re primed to think of our own attitudes as some universal truth, but, especially when it comes to money, they are 100 per cent the product of our family and culture. When I was growing up, we always had this sense that money, or even talking about money, was somehow evil, so I never thought to value myself properly, or take steps to improve my financial situation.

Work out why you think about money the way you do and it can help you become more clear-eyed about your own finances. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Interview Luke Ryan

You’re you, regardless of how much money you have. Let’s get this one out right at the top. Your bank balance isn’t going to change who you are, in the same way that going to Europe for six months isn’t going to make you a better person. In my career I’ve experienced some ridiculous fluctuations in income, but no matter how much or little I was earning, I continued making the same mistakes with my money. So stop waiting for a raise or a better job and start sorting your shit out now. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

An emergency stash might save you. There’s only one certainty in this world: bad stuff is going to happen. You could become too ill to work or have a car crash that you’re liable for. If you don’t want this to become a life-ruining moment, start squirrelling away an untouchable emergency fund. This is a hard sell – it’s like telling people to stop smoking because they might die in a few decades – but if you start now, you’ll be ready no matter what crazy shit life throws at you. (On that note, consolidate your superannuation NOW. It literally takes a few minutes online and could save you tens of thousands of dollars in the long run.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Budgeting is a necessary evil. Budgets suck. They’re boring and you know you’re going to break them within a week. But I really think everyone should give it a shot, even for a month. Just write down everything you think you’ll spend in that month, put it in a spreadsheet and see how it matches up with what you actually spend. I promise you will be shocked by where your money is going.

It’s a real eye-opener about the difference between needs and wants – the things that are totally justifiable in the moment, but in the long run could cost you an end-of-year holiday. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Debt is not your friend. The entire credit card industry is built on humans being shit at resisting temptation. That is why the average Australian has $4000 worth of credit card debt. If you’re just ticking that over, you’re never going to get anywhere. Make clearing your debt a priority and then never let it happen again. How? Learn patience. If something’s going to be great today, it will still be great in one, three or six months when you can actually afford it.

You’re probably paying the lazy tax. Most of the companies we interact with on a daily basis rely on us not asking for a better deal.

Phone and internet; all forms of insurance; utility companies;

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pots and pans

some like it hot nothing beats the winter blues like a steaming cup of hot chocolate – especially when it’s spiked with coffee, rum or tummy-warming spices.

WORDS AND RECIPES LUCY CORRY PHOTO HILARY WALKER

BASIC HOT CHOCOLATE MIX

PIRATES’ HOT CHOCOLATE

1/2 cup cocoa

2 tbsp basic hot chocolate mix

1/2 cup brown sugar (pack it in firmly if you have a sweet tooth)

2 tbsp spiced rum (or more, if you’re a well-seasoned pirate)

1/4 tsp salt

2/3 cup coconut milk

125g dark chocolate (at least 62 per cent cocoa), grated

1 square good-quality dark chocolate, chopped

If you have a blender, whack all the ingredients in and whiz until it forms a fine brown powder. Working without a blender?

Sift the cocoa into a bowl, adding the brown sugar and salt.

Grate in the chocolate and mix well. Tip into an airtight jar and store in a cool, dark place – and don’t forget to stir before using. Makes enough for about 10 hot chocolates.

Use the same process as the classic hot chocolate, swapping boiling water for rum, and regular milk for coconut milk. Once combined in your cup, sprinkle chopped-up chocolate on top and serve immediately. Arrrr, delicious.

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For the white hot chocolate mix:

2 tbsp basic hot chocolate mix (see recipe)

125g white chocolate, chopped

1 tbsp boiling water

2 tbsp cornflour

2/3 cup milk

2 tsp ground cardamom

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For the hot chocolate:

Put the hot chocolate mix and boiling water in your favourite cup or mug. Pour the milk into a small pot set over medium heat. Bring it close to simmering point (don’t let it boil over!), then remove from the heat and pour into the cup, stirring to combine. Serve immediately, perhaps topped with a marshmallow or some chocolate sprinkles. .

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BLONDE HOT CHOCOLATE WITH CARDAMOM AND VANILLA

CLASSIC HOT CHOCOLATE

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2 1/2 tbsp white hot chocolate mix 2/3 cup milk 1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract To make the white hot chocolate mix, put the white chocolate, cornflour and cardamom in a blender and whiz to a fine powder. Alternatively, grate the white chocolate into a bowl, then stir in the cornflour and cardamom until combined. Store in an airtight container until ready to use. Makes enough for about 4 hot chocolates.

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MOCHA HOT CHOCOLATE 2 tbsp basic hot chocolate mix

To make the blonde hot chocolate, put the white chocolate mix in a small bowl. Add a little of the milk and stir well. Pour the rest of the milk and the vanilla extract into a small pot set over medium heat. Bring it close to simmering point, then remove from the heat and add the milk and white chocolate mixture. Mix well and return to the heat, stirring all the time, until the mixture thickens. Pour into a cup and serve.

1/4 cup freshly brewed strong coffee (or one shot espresso) 1/2 cup milk 3 tbsp coffee liqueur (optional) chocolate-covered coffee beans (optional)

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Use the same process as the classic hot chocolate, swapping boiling water out for coffee. Once the hot chocolate is complete and in your cup, splash in the coffee liqueur, if you’re using it.

Serve garnished with chocolate-covered coffee beans for an extra pick-me-up.

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Thanks to Spotlight for helping us out with some lovely kitchen bits to decorate our table. Cup and saucer, canister, doily and floral fabric all from spotlightstores.com

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pieces of me

everybody has a story murrawah johnson, 23, has spent years campaigning against australia’s largest coal mine.

AS TOLD TO LETA KEENS

the day after the end of semester. My younger sister and I had had a big night, I was a bit hungover, and it was like, “Shit, we’ve got to get to this meeting.” We were sitting in the corner, and there was a spare seat at the council table for my family, so some of the old aunties who were in the council asked my dad, “Does your daughter want to come and sit with us? It’s important that young people listen and we bring them to the table.” As the meeting went on, I thought, “If I’m here, I might as well not sit silently.” That’s how it all started. It wasn’t by accident, though – I feel it was destiny.

I’m from Clermont in Wangan and Jagalingou country in Queensland, where the Adani Group want to build a coal mine – 40 kilometres by 10 kilometres, slap-bang on top of the riverbed.

It would be 10 kilometres away from the natural springs, some dated three-and-a-half million years old. Nobody’s going to tell me it’s not going to poison the water and destroy the country. For us, the traditional owners of the land, the springs – where all the water to the country comes from – are the water spirit. It’s like our god, our dreaming; it’s where we come from, it’s everything. If you destroy those springs and everything that flows downriver, you’re going to totally destroy who we are as a people; what we hold to be sacred and divine; and how we connect to the country. It’s our responsibility to stand up and speak for the land, because it can’t speak for itself.

My mum and dad are black; all my grandparents are black; my greatgrandparents were black. But living in and around Mackay and other parts of Central Queensland, we were usually the only black kids in school. We’d get death threats – they’d say Aboriginal people are unattractive, but my mum was beautiful and my dad was so goddamn handsome. Apparently we’re not meant to be smart, but my dad had a university degree. We’re not supposed to be good mothers, but my mum had four kids and was a great mother. None of the things they told me matched up – I knew there was a lie there somewhere.

We said no to the Adani coal mine in 2012, then again in 2014, and had the threat of compulsory acquisition from Adani lawyers hanging over our heads. At the 2014 meetings, I put my hand up and was like, “Isn’t this meant to be one of the largest projects in Queensland ever? Where’s the environmental impact statement?”

They said, “That’s not your concern.” It’s our obligation to look after the land, so how can they separate us from issues of the environment like that? There was this assumption that traditional owners should have no say over the environmental impacts of this project – that shocked and confused me.

It was clear that education was my way out – it was going to be the thing that defined my future. When I was 14, I thought I was going to end up in Canberra talking to politicians, because they forget about us mob up here. Only very recently, I thought, “Holy shit, what’s going on?” because I’ve now been down in Canberra lobbying politicians over native title, speaking at a senate enquiry and talking to the Attorney General’s office. It actually happened.

A Wangan and Jagalingou family council meeting was held soon after, which triggered the ‘no means no’ movement for us. It was quite funny, because I only went along to make sure my dad got there all right. I’m taking Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander studies at the University of Queensland, with public health as a major, and it was

One of the defining moments of my childhood was in Nebo, not far from Mackay. There was a celebration in town where all the white kids dressed up in colonial clothes, and had floats and everything.

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pieces of me Photo Natalie McComas

they’re poor, and we’re asking them to say no to what the government and mining company have spruiked as an amazing deal that they’re going to get something from. The reality is, all they’re going to get is a big hole in the ground.

No Aboriginal people were told about it, but my parents found out, and got my aunties to bring some of my cousins. They wrapped us in brown material and painted us up, chucked us on their big trailer, pushed into the parade and said, “Kids, get up and wave now.” It was amazing – like, “No, we’re not going to pretend we’re not here.”

I’m studying full-time – I intend to do a PhD – and am already five years into a four-year degree. That and the campaign are my number one priorities now – for a while, the campaign was at the top and uni and everything else fell into a heap. At one point, we had so many court hearings that I was running out of clean clothes and ended up wearing activewear to court. I can’t imagine what it will be like if we don’t win; we should have a decision from the latest court case soon.

After the family council meeting we’d taken my dad to, it was decided we were going to go around the world in 18 days to visit seven gigantic international banks and tell them we’d said no to Adani. We wanted to make them care about it. I was asked to be the young, female spokesperson. We had a paralegal with us as our adviser, and someone who used to work for Greenpeace. It was scary. I didn’t know what respectable clothing was for these places; I don’t even know if I knew what I was talking about. In a 15-minute meeting, how do you put your humanity out there and tell people on the other side of the world they should care about us? I’m a little bush girl trying to make it in the big smoke – I think Brisbane is the big smoke! We told them no one knows what will happen to us if this goes ahead, but we can tell you what it will feel like.

I’m learning to find balance and say no to things, like getting asked to speak around the country, or going to the States. I was a volunteer at Seed – Australia’s first Indigenous youth climate network – for two years, but left because I had to prioritise getting back to uni and the campaign. I already had my own thing going on, setting up how I could look after my country, but Seed is an amazing contact point for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. It builds them up so they can speak for their community in a way that’s culturally appropriate, but that white people can understand, as well.

The Standard Chartered bank had already lent Adani money, but a few weeks after we met with them, they said they wouldn’t lend any more for the Queensland project. A bunch of other investors pulled support as well. That was the win we were looking for. I’ve also had to lobby in Canberra about our native title claim – that’s something else we’re fighting. The whole thing has been hard; I’m an emotional eater, and I’ve put on 25 kilos and gotten really sick. One of the hardest things was when Adani bought off a few influential people within our group – people I’ve known and respected my whole life – and totally split us up. It’s been really difficult to see people put in a position where

I feel really blessed with all the opportunities I’ve had, but I forget how to be young sometimes – how to be silly and reckless. I need to go to the beach more; I love swimming. I love to hang out with my friends, who keep me strong; a lot of them are artists, weavers or make music. I go to their gigs or do traditional weaving, sit around and talk and listen to old-school reggae. I’m kind of low-key, really. If I could just stay home and watch Harry Potter over and over, that would be good.

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[ eco directory ]

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BAMBI & SAMMI A raw, natural, vegan-friendly hair and bodycare range, made in Australia from local ingredients. The natural elements in our products adapt to you – hydrating, nourishing and repairing according to what you need. bambiandsammi.com

ALTER ECO A chocolate-centric, sustainable food company, taking healthy indulgence to a whole new level. Our enlightened treats include Dark Chocolate Coconut Clusters, melty chocolate bars and blissfully delicious truffles. alterecofoods.com

HANNAHPAD Certified organic, vegan-friendly cloth pads for period, maternity and light incontinence management, as well as other green cleaning products and pad accessories. hannahpads are super-soft and come in 16 floral patterns. hannahpad.com.au

WHAT THE WOLF We design and produce eco-friendly kids’ homewares and art to enhance and inspire their world. Pop past our online shop to check out bamboo dining sets and fine art prints featuring original, fun and quirky character designs. whatthewolf.com

OLIVE ECO HAIR A home-based hair salon – located down a leafy garden path in Tarragindi, Brisbane – that offers a range of quality services, using non-toxic products in a tranquil environment. Our aim is to support mind, body and wellness. oliveecohair.com.au

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[ eco directory ]

LOW TOX LIFE Low Tox Life is a community hub created for folks who want to lower their toxic exposures. Check out our ever-expanding range of online courses; wholefood, gluten-free recipes; our podcast; and brand new book. lowtoxlife.com

EARTH GREETINGS We’re a haven for fans of Earth-friendly paper goodies, including cards and stationery made from 100 per cent recycled paper, and adorned with Australian botanical designs. We also sell ecofriendly pens and pencils. earthgreetings.com.au

MUMMA ETC. We sell natural, 100 per cent linen ring slings that look great, keep parenting minimal and allow you to nurture in style. No more bulky baby accessories that get in the way of a good outfit!

And more good news: we do free shipping, too. mummaetc.com

SHOALHAVEN HEALTH CO. Using the finest sustainable marine ingredients sourced directly from pristine ocean sources, we create natural health and beauty products for men and women, containing a high percentage of bioactive ingredients. shoalhavenhealth.co

EARTHLETTE We make 100 per cent natural, plant-based, vegan personal care products, using only the highest quality sustainable ingredients.

Our Pit Paste deodorant and anti-chafe balm are suitable for blokes and ladies alike. earthlette.com.au

LUNETTE MENSTRUAL CUPS The Lunette menstrual cup is a game-changer in period care.

Made of hypoallergenic medical silicone, it’s small but mighty; can be worn for up to 12 hours; and is safe and easy to use. Plus, it’s latex-free and vegan. lunette.com.au

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my project

diamonds on the inside kate fox has a rather sparkly vision for medical implants.

WORDS LETA KEENS ILLUSTRATION MEL STRINGER

When Kate Fox tells people she’s a biomedical engineer, some of them don’t believe her. “There aren’t many girls in engineering, which is sad,” she says. “Every kid loves dinosaurs and science – I can’t figure out when that sense of adventure is lost. I’m big into getting girls into the industry.”

South Australia, but it wasn’t much fun. “You spend days sitting by yourself in an office thinking about whether to use the word ‘include’ or ‘comprise’. It wasn’t particularly female-friendly, either – there were too many guys in suits.”

It was while she was bored out of her brain that she discovered the Australian Bionic Eye Project – which was using diamond to treat and aid blindness – was recruiting. Out of around 1000 applicants, she got the job. This wasn’t just a professional win, but a personal one, too. Kate’s first child, Jacob (now 12), was born with cerebral palsy and is vision impaired. “I had a calling to go and help. Once you have that personal connection, you’re driven to succeed.” After working as a researcher on the project for about five years, Kate was approached by some people at RMIT, who thought she’d make a good lecturer. “I’d never thought of teaching before, but I really enjoy it,” she says. It was the uni’s work on 3D printing, though, that really drew her in. “I was obsessed with it; that ability to make whatever shape and size object you want, limited only by your imagination. It’s an incredible tool to have.”

Apart from enjoying maths and science at her all-girls high school in Adelaide, Kate – who’s now a senior lecturer at Melbourne’s RMIT University – went into engineering thinking it would be a good way to meet boys (it was). But she soon discovered one of her favourite things about the path she’d chosen was its somewhat unexpected creative side.

Take, for instance, the opportunity to experiment with medical procedures and precious stones. Right now, Kate reckons she might be the only person in the world researching the use of diamond in 3D-printed body implants. “Diamond is basically just carbon, and our bodies are 23 or 24 per cent carbon, too,” Kate explains. So, theoretically, the two should go together pretty well. The man-made stones she’s referring to aren’t the type you’d whack on the band of an engagement ring, though.

They’re “black and ugly”, but they’ll sparkle in the right light, Kate says. They’re also tiny – some so small that if the diameter of a piece of hair was the height of the Empire State Building, they would only be a couple of centimetres tall.

A few years on, the novelty hasn’t worn off. Kate’s still pretty amazed by the possibilities for merging engineering and medicine, including the ‘just-in-time’ 3D-printed implants some of her colleagues are working on. With conventional implants, she explains, it’s a case of one size fits most – which isn’t ideal, given no two bodies are alike, inside or out. “With just-in-time implants, you can take a scan of the body part, design an implant that will precisely fit that space, and almost print it on the spot. The idea is that, while the patient is asleep, the implant is printed and inserted.” The technique is still in the experimental stage, but Kate’s pretty sure it will only be a few years until it becomes widely available.

To understand Kate’s current diamond-focused study, you first have to understand how medical implants work. Used in surgeries to replace or repair body parts, implants are often made with titanium – a very ‘biocompatible’ metal. However, titanium doesn’t always interact with our bodies the way it needs to, increasing the risk of the implant moving or being rejected. Kate’s idea is that diamond – which, surprisingly, isn’t as expensive as some other implant materials – will help sort that problem out. A coating around the titanium device will allow it to adhere better to our body’s cells. She’s also working on 3D-printed facial and skull implants made of diamond. “It’s strong and hard, but also brittle,” Kate says. Fine for our heads, but not so great for hard-wearing parts like the bones in our legs.

After all, various body parts are already being 3D printed. “We can print ears quite successfully, and we’re not far off with kidneys and the liver,” Kate says. “But no one’s close to being able to print complex organs like the brain or heart.” She wouldn’t rule out a sci-fi-like future ahead of us, though. “In 20 years’ time, you might be able to have your bones talking to you, telling you they’re about to break, and cool stuff like that.”

Kate got into implants early in her career; her PhD involved looking at new hip implant materials. “I always liked the idea of using engineering to fix the human body,” she says. “It was my way of being a bit of a doctor, if that makes sense. I didn’t have the application to do medicine, and for me, this was a better fit anyway.” Strangely, though, after completing her PhD, she took three years away from engineering to be a patent attorney. It seemed an easy option at the time, and was a way of staying in

It’s that sense of the unknown that Kate finds exciting – the idea that anything could happen over the next decade or two. Engineers, she says, “are here to solve the problems that we don’t even know exist yet”. When she was a kid, things like 3D printing and the internet didn’t exist, so she could never have imagined the world she’d be working in now. “But I think I was born to be a crazy scientist coming up with crazy ideas.”

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around the house

homebodies evie kemp lives in a kaleidoscopic south auckland abode with her husband sam and their pets eddie danger, biggie and pebbles.

INTERVIEW SOPHIE KALAGAS PHOTOGRAPHS SIMON WILSON

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around the house

What do you do for a crust? I’m an illustrator and designer, and Sam is an obstetrics and gynaecology registrar at the local hospital.

I create and sell my own art; work with other brands; do some styling; and occasionally design children’s books. Basically, if it’s visual and creative, I’ll give it a go!

How would you describe your decorating style? I’m completely stumped by how to describe it – definitely eclectic; a bit retro; a bit pop; and a bit boho. My biggest influence is probably the retro thing, but with modern colours and a bit of a twist. I love plants and layering textures and textiles. Lots of art; lots of cushions.

Describe the house you live in. Our house is a bit of a Mid-century homage – mostly one level, with low wood-panelled ceilings; Japanese -ji screens; and ranch sliding doors to the deck outside. It has sho some quirky spaces, most notably the round brick ‘turret’ we use as a movie room. The main living room is sunken with a two-way fireplace through to the dining room, so that’s a little bit wannabe James Bond.

What about the colour palette? Clashing! Right now I’m really loving oranges and reds, so they’re popping up more around the house. Pink is always a favourite. I tend to go for discordant accents of colour, but I don’t really plan it – I just throw a cushion in and see what I like.

Do you know anything about the history of the house? I actually know the full history, as we bought it from the original designer and builder, after he’d bought it back from the owner before that.

He designed and built many houses in the area, but this one was for himself and his wife. When we moved in, we were given the original architectural drawings and plans, as well as photo albums of the building of the house, and various stages of its life. The previous owner started his career as a draftsman in his hometown of Liverpool, England, which, coincidentally, is where Sam and my families are from. There were lots of little connections that made this extra special for me, and so sure that it was ‘home’.

How do people react when they drop by? I get told I’m ‘brave’, which might not always be a compliment, but I’ll take it!

Does your home reflect your artistic style? Yes, totally! It kind of all merges together into one, and lots of the art I’ve created has come about when I’ve had an idea for the house and decided to make it (like the giant Bowie print in the lounge). Both my work and home are very imperfect, and a little rough around the edges.

What goes on in your house (aside from sleeping)? I work from home, so it’s also a studio; a prop warehouse; a posting and packing warehouse; and a shoot location. I try to keep ‘work’ stuff down one end – luckily we have lots of storage. We’re both real homebodies and spend a lot of time doing stuff around the house or garden.

Sam’s current thing is making the house as techy as possible, so almost all our old lamps are controlled by wi-fi.

What’s the first thing you see when you walk in the front door?

A pink hallway and the big ‘POP!’ poster by Playtype, which always makes me so happy.

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around the house

What’s your favourite memory that’s taken place there? We once held a big retro fondue party for friends, which was super-fun.

I love an opportunity to dress up and do the house up, too, so Christmas is always a favourite.

decision over the Christmas holidays. A few artists I have original work from are Chelsea Gustafsson, Sandra Eterovic, Evie May Adams and Colleen Pugh.

What’s the most precious item in your house? The leopard print chair in the sunroom is a special piece. My grandma made the covers for my mum, and it was always in our home growing up – now it’s in mine. I obviously come from a family of animal print lovers, but also creative, hardworking women who dare to be different, and the chair is a symbol of that.

Do you change things around a lot and restyle, or is it ‘done’?

Nothing is ever done. The pink hallway is possibly the most longstanding part of the house. I love changing things around; I feel like I’m only just finding my groove and unique voice, so it’s fun to explore that and push it further.

Is there anything you’re currently hunting for? The perfect stools for the kitchen bench. I’ve been looking forever, but everything I find is too tall. I’m not even quite sure what I want, but I’ll know when I see them!

Where has most of your stuff come from? Op shops, flea markets and Trade Me (which is like a New Zealand equivalent of Gumtree). About 70 to 80 per cent of my stuff is secondhand – I also make a lot and mix in bits I find elsewhere. On a recent trip to Melbourne I discovered the Waverley Antique Bazaar, and it kind of blew my mind. In Auckland, Retro Addiction in Mount Albert is a great little shop.

Do you have a favourite room to hang out in? It changes with the seasons (depending on where is warmest), but I love to have my morning coffee in the armchairs in the dining room, looking out onto the back garden.

Talk us through some of the art on your walls. I use my house as a bit of a gallery for my work, but I also love collecting art. I mix up originals with posters or framed tea towels, plus other bits, like neon lights, mirrors and little shelves. The pink dog in the hallway

by John Bond is always a talking point, and was the first piece of art I bought via Instagram (which is where I find almost all art these days). The swirly mural was a bit of a spur of the moment

What does ‘home’ mean to you? To me, home is a reflection of self, where you can be completely yourself, surrounded by things you love and that give you good energy. I’m a huge believer in the power of home to restore – it’s important it really is a reflection of you and the things that make you happy, which is different for everyone.

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PAPERBARK X FRANKIE

wombat walkabout AS ART DIRECTOR OF MOBILE GAME PAPERBARK, NINA BENNETT BRINGS THE AUSTRALIAN BUSH TO A SMALL SCREEN NEAR YOU. Interview Sinead Stubbins Photo Bri Hammond

Tell us a little about yourself: were you always so interested in game design?

I sort of wound up in game design by accident. I grew up with three brothers, so they were always roping me in to play games like Warcraft III – I ended up actually really loving it. I didn’t know it was a possible career until I went looking for alternative arts degrees! Now I can’t imagine having done anything else.

Paperbark is set in the bush and you’re from regional Victoria. Is that where the inspiration came from? We [co-creators Terry Burdak and Ryan Boulton] all had a childhood spent in the Australian bush, being outside and having that lovely freedom to roam around in. It was something that united all of us when we first started this project during our final year at uni. We also used a lot of children’s literature as the inspiration: gorgeous books like Blinky Bill, Snugglepot and Cuddlepie, and Possum Magic. Reading and gaming both have that sense of being able to lose yourself in this engaging experience, like a lot of these portable iOS games that look small but end up captivating you. They provide the same beautiful, tactile sense of holding your favourite children’s book in your lap and being able to cuddle up and read it.

That’s what we really wanted from Paperbark.

Australian artists were an inspiration too, right? Yeah, Australian landscape art was really important for Paperbark. Artists like Albert Namatjira – we have posters of his work on the walls in the studio – and that watercolour feel we love.

The main thing we wanted to do was move away from some of the stereotypes.

Some Australian art can feel very kitschy – red desert, kangaroo, everybody goes to the beach. We really wanted to find a more honest and true representation of our actual experiences growing up in the countryside.

How do you describe the game to someone who hasn’t played it yet? It’s a very slow and atmospheric kind of experience, a love letter to that feeling of wandering around the Australian bush just soaking it in. Something that’s a little more like sitting down with your favourite book and going through it really slowly, rather than tearing through the pages to get to the end. It’s about that feeling of being lost, but of feeling at home at the same time. Being able to do that by following this sleepy little wombat that spends its day exploring, not necessarily knowing where it’s going – that’s what Paperbark is.

Can you talk a bit about translating your watercolour visuals and art direction to the game? We really wanted to use that watercolour effect because it was so common in our inspirations. We worked hard at getting the colours right, like that unique Australian blue that is inspired by the sky and the quality of the light that’s throughout Australian art. We also had help from our friend, Emma, who’s an ecologist. We would basically give her a list and show her an area that we were basing a level on, and ask her to okay everything from a scientific perspective.

Like, “Yeah that would definitely be in that particular area,” or “No, it’s not native to that region.” It was so cool to be able to put in little details like that.

What is the actual playing experience of Paperbark like and who do you imagine playing it? We wanted to make something that could be enjoyed by everyone, with any level of experience with games – and which is not necessarily age-related.

We wanted people who didn’t even consider themselves gamers to be interested in picking it up and playing with it, like you might even pick up and leaf through Possum Magic as an adult just because it looks so good. It isn’t hugely focussed on skill or difficulty; we really wanted to make Paperbark for everyone. It’s a heartfelt story for anyone who feels connected to the Australian bush the way we do.

Paperbark tells the story of a sleepy wombat’s journey through the Australian bush. It’s made in Melbourne and available now for iPhone and iPad. To find out more, visit paperbarkgame.com, or the App Store.

something to say Photo Kuei

convinced myself that this particular little flesh sack of a body was ‘immune’ to seasonal depression. At first I blamed South Australia – 10 years of Adelaide’s ‘burn in demon fire’ summers had made me think of winter as a fun reprieve from months of sweat and sunburn. But when I spoke to Adelaide friends about my new northern hemispheric sadness, they surprised me by revealing that they’d also experienced seasonal depression, even in the relative comfort of their South Australian homes. As it turns out, winter blues are a global phenomenon, no snow required. And when I reflected back on my Australian winters, I realised this probably wasn’t the first time my mood had decided to take a sad little nap for three long months. SAD explained a lot about my life.

under the weather WINTER GIVES SAM PRENDERGAST A MEAN CASE OF THE SADS.

I recently lived through my first real winter – a northern hemispheric hell-storm featuring frozen footpaths, real-life snow, and something called a ‘blizzard’. I thought I’d seen winter before, but this was a whole different deal. The sun disappeared for three solid months, and in its place was a white, glowing sky that turned into darkness every day at 4pm. I began to call the afternoon the ‘evening’, and to schedule my existence around getting into bed at nine to drink a six-pack and watch four solid hours of Buffy the Vampire Slayer – television’s gloomiest superhero.

Once I recovered from the shocking discovery that my depression might be tied to the weather, I engaged in a little more googling (so far the internet had served me well). My first discovery was the ‘SAD lamp’ – a lamp designed for SAD people. Ideally, the light replicates the sun. In reality, especially if you use it in your tiny apartment, the lamp replicates the glowing light bars that zoos install in reptile enclosures. It’s not exactly the effect I was going for, but, still, I gave it a try. I enjoyed the idea that I could alter my mood with an overpriced light bulb. Two weeks and four migraines later, I abandoned the device and moved on.

Theoretically speaking, I should have been prepared to encounter winter depression. Even in the height of summer, I’m basically a twolegged Eeyore. Depression of varying kinds has been a big part of my adult, adolescent and childhood life. Psych wards; Prozac; horrifying encounters with cognitive behaviour therapy: I’ve known it all. If you could go back in time and interview me in the womb, I’m sure you’d call me a pessimistic embryo. Still, when the days grew short and my soul started to resemble a flaccid uncooked sausage, I found myself 100 per cent confused. I googled my symptoms, assuming the internet would diagnose me with glandular fever, Lyme disease, or late-stage hypochondria. Instead, when I typed in “shitty mood; shitty sleep; general inability to stop talking in monotone”, it suggested I might be SAD – the all-caps kind.

Most recommended ‘fix-her-up’ treatments for seasonal affective disorder focus on tricking your mind into believing the seasons haven’t really changed. A SAD lamp is basically a big box of misleading information, designed to make your body think the sun is definitely shining and the ocean is warm and very nearby. Once I cottoned on to the idea that I might be able to fake it till I made it (to summer), I began a frenzied game of make-believe. I covered my apartment in cheap plastic plants; visited the ocean; pretended it was warm; and started listening to a 2000s playlist of Australian ‘coastal chills’.

Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn’t. Season-induced or not, seasonal affective disorder is still depression, and depression is depressingly immune to my gimmicks – even ones that cost 50 bucks and promise to be just like the sun.

Despite having lived through at least a decade of public health warnings about seasonal affective disorder (SAD), I failed to recognise that I might be wintertime depressed. Somehow I’d

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ORGANIC | HANDMADE | SUSTAINABLE

WALKING C LE A N IN A D IRTY WO RLD

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popcorn

bands on film rowena grant-frost looks back at some of the great make-believe music groups.

WYLD STALLYNS

THE BLUES BROTHERS

Appeared in: Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure. Musical genre: Metal. The lowdown: You’ve probably heard of Bill and Ted – they’re those deeply dumb-but-sweet slackers who just want to rock out and say “excellent” a bunch. But here’s what you might not know about Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure: it’s a historical time-travel movie featuring a magical telephone booth. It has Socrates, Genghis Khan and Beethoven in it. Here’s how it goes: Bill and Ted are in danger of flunking their history class “most heinously”, and if Ted flunks he’s also in danger of being sent to military school, which will end Bill and Ted’s dream of making it big with their band Wyld Stallyns. Far in the future, though, the music of Wyld Stallyns has created an interplanetary utopia through its sheer bodaciousness. If Ted fails history class and gets sent to military school, the universe is in peril! Time travel is our only hope!

Appeared in: The Blues Brothers. Musical genre: Blues. The lowdown: When I was young and small, I’d only ever heard of The Blues Brothers by reputation – its famous indoor car chase, shot in Illinois’ Dixie Square Mall, was one of the most expensive action sequences ever filmed. So, I figured this was an action movie about men who drove blue cars, which is why it was called The Blues Brothers. The end. Fast forward to approximately three weeks ago.

I am pleased to tell you that The Blues Brothers is a musical comedy about two men who like blues music almost as much as they like smashing cars. Apparently the concept started as a sketch on a little TV show called Saturday Night Live. There are many, many very good people in it, including James Brown, Aretha Franklin, Carrie Fisher and Ray Charles. The moral of the story is: sometimes car chases can be funny, and sometimes John Belushi can do cartwheels.

AUTOBAHN

JEM AND THE HOLOGRAMS

Appeared in: The Big Lebowski. Musical genre: Sort of, ugh, technopop. The lowdown: Look, I didn’t think the world needed a 22-minute song about Germany’s autobahns – those famous high-speed ribbons of asphalt – but I’m also not in Kraftwerk, Germany’s weirdest band.

In 1974, Kraftwerk released their fourth album and a very long song, both titled “Autobahn”, which would provide the inspiration for some extremely good comedy 24 years later. In The Big Lebowski, three German-accented members of a band called Autobahn claim to have kidnapped Bunny Lebowski, the young trophy wife of millionaire Jeffrey ‘The Dude’ Lebowski. When they’re not dabbling in crime and extortion, Autobahn are fully committed to existential nihilism, which maybe gives the film some of its most memorable scenes. If you’ve ever wanted to see a techno-pop trio of Kraftwerk-inspired nihilists throw a marmot into a bathtub while proclaiming, “We believe in nothing,” The Big Lebowski won’t let you down.

Appeared in: Jem. Musical genre: Glam rock. The lowdown: If you ever need evidence to prove how weird the 1980s were, here are three suggestions: (1) the wild swing in Cold War geopolitical relations from 1983 (very bad) to 1989 (revolutions and joy); (2) the Viennetta was considered a classy dessert; or (3) literally any episode of Jem and the Holograms, a cartoon story about a woman who uses a super-computer and a fancy set of earrings to transform into a rock star hologram named Jem. If you’re wondering how we ever survived this debauched and terrible decade… I honestly can’t tell you. The good news is that, despite the extremely strange premise, Jem and the Holograms kind of ruled. The songs were catchy; the fashion was forward; the colours were bright; and I can only imagine all the writers were on cocaine, because what even is this.

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popcorn Image Hasbro Studios

JOSIE AND THE PUSSYCATS

THE STAINS

Appeared in: Josie and the Pussycats. Musical genre: Pop. The lowdown: There are so many early 2000s things to love about the Josie and the Pussycats film, I’m not sure where to start. Hair with flippy ends! Extremely low-waisted jeans! Boy bands with synchronised dancing! CDs! Tara Reid! All 98 minutes feel like a love letter to a decade you probably don’t know you miss (and they might prompt you to reminisce about stuff like that time Britney Spears did a slightly uncomfortable dance with an albino snake). If you think Josie is only good for some sweet 17-year-old nostalgia, though, you’re wrong: it also works as a satire of teen music and mass consumerism. Yes, it’s a fun adaptation of an Archie comic, complete with cat ear-wearing pop group and surprisingly catchy tunes (the soundtrack was big news in 2001), but then there’s this whole wild plot development about the US government colluding with the music industry to brainwash today’s youth. Stay away from your headphones, kids.

Appeared in: Ladies and Gentlemen, the Fabulous Stains. Musical genre: Punk. The lowdown: Laura Dern is permanently delightful (even in Twin Peaks: The Return, which really hurt my brain in a good way), but she’s especially delightful in Ladies and Gentlemen, the Fabulous Stains, where her tiny 13-year-old hands pluck away at a bass guitar. Along with an itty-bitty Diane Lane and Marin Kanter, Dern is a member of The Stains, a teen punk band without any real talent, but with a whole lotta attitude and snarl. The film kicks off with a local news report about a Pennsylvania town’s failing economy, where Corrine Burns (Lane) becomes semi-famous after quitting her deadbeat job live on TV. Her local notoriety gives her a chance to spruik her punk band, The Stains, who don’t really know how to play their instruments, but what does that matter, anyway? As the saying goes: you don’t have to be good at music to be a musician.

THE COMMITMENTS

CANTINA BAND

Appeared in: The Commitments. Musical genre: Soul. The lowdown: Who among us hasn’t thought (even quietly, late at night): “Truly, I will elevate myself from the doldrums of life by starting a soul band. It will be a very good soul band and it will be my path to glory, riches and abundance.” This musical fantasy pops into my head each Monday morning when the alarm goes off. Then I remember I can’t sing. For the musicians in The Commitments, though, soul music provides a way of transcending, but also bringing meaning to their sometimes less-than-satisfying lives. The brains behind the band is Jimmy Rabbitte, who wants to start his own version of Motown on the poor streets of Dublin’s north side. After some very bad auditions, Rabbitte chooses an unlikely group of musicians who pull together to discover what it means to create and share joy. If you need a little something to boost your faith in the world, just put on The Commitments and let it work its magic.

Appeared in: Star Wars. Musical genre: Cosmic jazz. The lowdown: The best-known themes from Star Wars go like this: ba-ba-ba-borBA-BA-bor-BA-BA (“The Imperial March”, very good); and like this: da-da-da-daaaa-daaaaaaaa-da-da-da-DAAAAA-daaa-da-da-daDAAAAA-daaa-da-da-da-daaaa (“Star Wars Theme”, also very good).

And look, while those pieces of music are stirring and all, maybe one of the original film’s best musical moments happens in a shadowy cantina in Mos Eisley, where Luke and Obi Wan meet Han Solo for the first time. While the pair works their way through the cantina, where the patrons are rough and less than welcoming, the mood is kept upbeat by a group of bald aliens tootling out some jaunty jazz numbers. Sure, the rest of the Star Wars soundtrack can offer iconic and epic themes suitable for a heroic adventure, but the cantina can offer us hairless musicians with weird wind instruments. Right on.

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pretty pictures

the escape artist EUGENIA LOLI MAKES COLLAGE ART THAT’S A LITTLE BIT VINTAGE AND A LITTLE SURREAL. Tell us about yourself, please. I was brought up in Greece, but I now live in California. I worked as a computer programmer for a few years, and as a tech journalist for a major technology blog, but when my health declined, I stopped working. A few years later, I found my health, but I never went back to tech – I became an artist.

What does it mean to be a ‘modern vintage collage artist’? It’s modern surrealism. A look into the dream world, but with a more psychedelic type of aesthetic. It makes the old new again.

Talk us through the process of creating a collage. Do you have a specific concept in mind at the beginning, or do the images you find dictate what comes next? With collage, you have no alternative but to let the images dictate the artwork. You’re only as good as the images you have access to. Commissions where specific ideas need to be implemented never come out as good as free-form collages.

Most of the time, I simply try a lot of things until something clicks.

What is it about collage art that appeals to you? The grittiness of it, and the playfulness. I also love the fact it can be put together much faster than a painting. It used to take me three hours to make a collage – I can make one now in 30 minutes using Photoshop. I need two days for an illustration.

What of you can we see in these images? Another world. I’m an escapist. I’m not that interested in what’s already on this planet, really.

Aside from making art, how do you spend your time? Watching sci-fi and learning how to use filmmaking tools. Filmmaking is my other favourite art medium. I don’t miss a SpaceX launch, either.

What do you want people to take away from your work? I used to make artworks that were heavy-handed with meaning and political messages. People hated those. So then I moved on to make funnier and more abstract artworks, where everyone can put their own meaning on it. Sometimes the scene is witty or sarcastic; sometimes it’s horrific with a sense of danger or urgency; sometimes it’s chill.

Where can we see more of your work? cargocollective.com/ eugenialoli

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my project

between two worlds priyanka kaul crosses cultural lines with her fashion label, badaam.

WORDS KOREN HELBIG

Priyanka Kaul spent much of her childhood flitting happily between two very different worlds. “Coming home, everything would be Indian, and going out, everything would be Australian,” she recalls. Her parents had moved from New Delhi to Sydney in 1990, embarking on a grand adventure with baby Priyanka in tow.

They quickly grew to love their adopted country, but missed home, too. So they sought out other Indian migrants, to share familiar little snippets of culture, food and language. “I’d walk in the door at home and it was a different kind of feeling – different smells, a different language. It felt like living in two universes.”

Little wonder, then, that several hand-woven silk sarees have featured in Priyanka’s first Badaam collections. (Badaam means ‘almond’ in Hindi; a nod to Priyanka’s skin colour and the prominence of almonds in Hindu religious ceremonies, but also just because she likes their “free-flowing yet balanced” shape.)

Her “Indo-Western” fusion also includes a lush pearl suit; a cherry-striped top-and-pant set; and flared linen pants, all modelled by women from Asian or Indian backgrounds.

Priyanka has quickly become somewhat of an icon for young women feeling unrepresented in mainstream Australian fashion – something she hadn’t been expecting when she launched her label. “I’m designing for a different culture – I think I was doing that naturally. Like, this is my world, and I just want to express my world,” she muses. “But it became a bit of a protest, almost. I didn’t realise until people started messaging and congratulating me.

I was like, ‘Woah. I’m actually doing something really important and making a difference to someone, like that young girl who’s feeling a bit alone and not able to express herself.’ It’s a really nice feeling.”

As Priyanka grew older, the starkness of that contrast began to grate a tad. She started to notice the mainstream world outside her front door was oddly homogenous – especially when it came to fashion.

“I can’t walk into a store here and buy a kimono. It’s all Western fashion. But not everyone is of one culture in Australia,” she says.

Still, that’s not exactly the reason she decided to launch her fashion label Badaam last June. It was initially more of a creative outlet; an opportunity to stretch herself as an artist after a long day with her IT hat on, creating mobile phone apps. “I’m a fashion designer on the side,” she explains. “I call it my ‘night job’.”

She did try her hand at studying fashion design first, but grew frustrated at the theory-soaked and Western-focused classes, so quit after about a year, deciding to learn on the job. Or, rather, on her very own and very first business.

Every couple of years Priyanka heads back to India – “There’s always a wedding or something,” she says – which has helped her connect with the country’s wealth of talented textile artists. Her fabrics are all hand-woven there, a process that takes months, before being sent on to Australia for sewing. Working across two cultures and languages does have setbacks, Priyanka admits.

Aussie seamstresses, for example, aren’t totally au fait with the Indian shapes she’s aiming for. “Here, people like showing legs, whereas in India, they like showing backs and bellies,” she says.

“They’re cut differently, because the focus is different.”

Diving into the deep end of her first collection, Priyanka naturally drew from influences close to her heart. Her mum’s an engineer, but she’d often dabbled in fashion, making little Priyanka clothes to wear and meticulously embroidering and stitching pieces.

“There were defining moments where I’d open her suitcase and find all her crochet and old sarees,” Priyanka recalls. She loved wrapping herself in those brightly coloured sarees – her mum would show her how to drape the long ream of fabric, then she’d proudly parade around the house.

But it’s worth it, because cultivating that difference is Priyanka’s way of challenging Aussie fashion to become more inclusive.

“We haven’t reached a point where people can walk down the street wearing colours and patterns and different silhouettes and it will be OK – not in Sydney, anyway,” she says. “I do hope to change that. I think people are scared of what they don’t know.

When you start to show the culture and the reason behind things, people become interested. You gain their comfort, and once they’re comfortable, they’re open.”

Sarees are huge in Indian culture – a traditional signifier of womanhood, Priyanka says – though younger generations are wearing them more now, too. “It’s basically a 6.5-metre piece of cloth that you can fold in any way you like, according to what you’re doing day-to-day,” she says. “There are over 80 versions of draping a saree. It’s spread everywhere across India. It’s something that binds Indian women; a connector.”

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Priyanka was a fashion finalist in the 2018 frankie Good Stuff awards.

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AROHANUI BOTANICALS

LITTLE HANGINGS

IN A SENTENCE: Small-batch natural skincare and herbal remedies -orii (New Zealand’s native medicinal handcrafted from Rongoa Ma plants) and botanical ingredients from around the world // WHAT WE SELL: Skincare products, including cleansers, creams and masks, plus our natural remedies range, Arohanui Apothecary // PRICE POINT: From around $26 to $67 // WHAT MAKES THE SHOP SPECIAL: All our products are natural, organic and lovingly handmade. We use ancient and modern techniques to create seasonal products, too // FIND US: Online at arohanuibotanicals.co.nz

IN A SENTENCE: Minimalist, handmade jewellery that makes a statement // WHAT WE SELL: Earrings and rings in a range of metals and styles to suit all tastes // PRICE POINT: From $5 to $55 // WHAT MAKES THE SHOP SPECIAL: Little Hangings was born out of a genuine love for creating beautiful, unique and affordable jewellery. We’re also passionate about women’s rights and have donated thousands of dollars to various domestic violence and women’s charities over the past couple of years // FIND US: Online at littlehangings.com.au

GOOD AFTER NINE JEWELLERY

KASIA JACQUOT

IN A SENTENCE: Handmade jewellery that’s fun, unconventional and ready to be part of your everyday adventures // WHAT WE SELL: A huge range of rings, earrings, necklaces and bangles. Our pieces feature charming animals, flowers, skulls and abstract art // PRICE POINT: From around $35 to around $725 // WHAT MAKES THE SHOP SPECIAL: We design and hand-craft all our wares in our Bangkok studio. Our philosophy is to create with no rules, and let our perspectives change as we gather new experiences // FIND US: Online at goodafternine.com

IN A SENTENCE: Embroidery for embroidery lovers // WHAT WE SELL: Embroidery kits, finished embroidery pieces, and embroidery classes for folks at all skill levels // PRICE POINT: Around $40 for most physical kits; $200 and above for finished pieces; and $90 to $400 for classes // WHAT MAKES THE SHOP SPECIAL: My designs are inspired by old-fashioned folk motifs from my native Poland. I combine wool yarn with linen fabric in exciting and bold colour combinations, and always make my work accessible, so anyone who wants to get stitching can give it a go // FIND US: Online at kasiajacquot.com

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1ST WORLD PROBLEMS

FRINGE MYRTLE

IN A SENTENCE: A card game about nothing, developed for people who want to yell about their first world problems (and learn more about other people’s lives in the process) // WHAT WE SELL: The card game, 1st World Problems, in an adults’ version and a kids’ version // PRICE POINT: $30 including postage // WHAT MAKES THE SHOP SPECIAL: We invented the game when we realised there were so many things we didn’t know about our friends. It’s amazing the stories folks tell when you ask them the right questions // FIND US: Online at theworldturnedupsidedown.com

IN A SENTENCE: Big, bold statement jewellery, inspired by the Australian bush // WHAT WE SELL: Jewellery featuring tiny and unusual critters. Our debut collection, ‘Moths of Australia’, celebrates some of our shy but splendid moonlight aeronauts // PRICE POINT: From $30 to $45 // WHAT MAKES THE SHOP SPECIAL: As the environment is one of our greatest sources of inspiration, we go out of our way to minimise our impact on it, using sustainably sourced timber and 100 per cent recycled paper packaging // FIND US: Online at fringemyrtle.com.au

O P E N D R AW E R

MORE THAN EVER

IN A SENTENCE: A curated haven of handmade goods, unique textile supplies and vintage pieces // WHAT WE SELL: New and vintage textile supplies, haberdashery and vintage clothing. We also run a range of creative workshops in sewing, stitching, felting and more // PRICE POINT: From $2 to $400 // WHAT MAKES THE SHOP SPECIAL: We strive to make you feel inspired when you visit our shop. We also believe in reusing and repurposing everything, from fabric offcuts to doilies // FIND US: Online at opendrawer.com.au or at 1158 Toorak Road, Camberwell, Melbourne

IN A SENTENCE: Fun and playful homewares inspired by a love of colour and patterns // WHAT WE SELL: Mix and match bedding, cushion covers and prints // PRICE POINT: Bedding starts at $69; cushion covers at $49; prints at $29 // WHAT MAKES THE SHOP SPECIAL: Our bedding range is designed for mixing and matching – you can make it simple and sophisticated, fun and playful, or somewhere in between. We’ve used a consistent colour palette across our range, so our products look great however you choose to combine them // FIND US: Online at morethanever.com.au

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BELLA AND REG

HANDS ON WORKSHOP

IN A SENTENCE: Handmade Australian Indigenous fabric pendants // WHAT WE SELL: Unique pendants, showcasing more than 40 stunning Australian Indigenous fabrics // PRICE POINT: From $20 to $25 // WHAT MAKES THE SHOP SPECIAL: We give back to the Indigenous communities who create our fabrics, and donate proceeds from every sale to the Indigenous Literacy Foundation, helping to buy books for Indigenous kids in remote areas. You can also read about each artist and their artwork on our website // FIND US: Online at bellaandreg.wixsite.com/thecollections

IN A SENTENCE: Craft kits, tools and accessories from Japan // WHAT WE SELL: Cool crafting and sewing stuff that isn’t available outside Japan (or at least, isn’t sold widely), including leatherwork kits; Shibori dyeing kits; Nuno Deco (iron-on fabric washi tape); ceramic tissue transfers for creating patterns on ceramics; artisan aprons; and heaps more // PRICE POINT: From $4.95 for a roll of Nuno Deco to $150 for a handmade, embroidered wooden toolbox // WHAT MAKES THE SHOP SPECIAL: Our curated selection of hard-tofind goodies // FIND US: Online at handsonworkshop.com.au

M AVA S I

SUNSARA JEWELLERY

IN A SENTENCE: A Sydney-based collective of four young designers, combining fine artistry with high fashion // WHAT WE SELL: A pure silk twill accessory for both ladies and gents, ideal for completing an outfit and adding a dash of style and individualism.

We have 12 original designs within this collection, in unique Mavasi colourways // PRICE POINT: $180 per twill // WHAT MAKES THE SHOP SPECIAL: We individually hand-paint and hand-craft our products to ensure they feel authentic and exclusive // FIND US: Online at mavasi.com

IN A SENTENCE: Handmade sterling silver and moonstone jewellery for folks with an artistic soul // WHAT WE SELL: A range of jewellery, from alluring, delicate necklaces to distinctive statement earrings and detailed, intriguing rings // PRICE POINT: From $35 to $189 // WHAT MAKES THE SHOP SPECIAL: Sunsara Jewellery transcends the limits of age. Our pieces are for free-spirited, independent women who desire jewellery as individual as themselves. They experience the love and energy I put into each piece, and become part of the story // FIND US: Online at sunsarajewellery.etsy.com

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MAKING THINGS

M O L LY C O O M B S M A R R

IN A SENTENCE: An app for making things – or, more specifically, things you can knit. (We’ll be adding more crafts soon!) // WHAT WE SELL: Over 500 knitting and crochet patterns from independent designers // PRICE POINT: The app is free to download! From there, you can buy patterns or access them all for a small monthly fee // WHAT MAKES THE SHOP SPECIAL: We make paper patterns interactive and super-easy to use. Everything we design comes from the community – together we’re making something amazing // FIND US: Online at makingthingsapp.com

IN A SENTENCE: Bold and bright jewellery inspired by this sunburnt country // WHAT WE SELL: The current collection features classic Aussie snacks, including fairy bread and Rainbow Paddle Pops, plus local wildlife. Keep an eye out for our iconic duos in earring form, like the ibis and wheelie bin or the seagull and chip // PRICE POINT: From $25 to $65 // WHAT MAKES THE SHOP SPECIAL: This is Australiana for Australians. Each piece avoids the stereotypical symbolism found in tourist gift shops, instead drawing from the true Australian experience // FIND US: Online at mollycoombsmarr.com

KALON HAIR MELBOURNE

HAZEL + FOLK

IN A SENTENCE: A calming and sustainable little hair boutique in the heart of tree-filled Canterbury // WHAT WE SELL: Low-toxic hair services for males and females of all ages, plus natural haircare products. We also run women’s wellness gatherings // PRICE POINT: Our natural vegan hair treatment starts at $35; basic low-toxic colours start at $105 // WHAT MAKES THE SHOP SPECIAL: We offer heaps of premium, vegetable-based, ammonia-free hair colours, including ammonia-free bleach // FIND US: Online at instagram.com/ kalonhairbw or at 191 Canterbury Road, Canterbury, Melbourne

IN A SENTENCE: An Australian slow fashion label specialising in women’s accessories and garments that are comfortable, timeless and elegant // WHAT WE SELL: Tops, dresses, clothing sets, bags, jewellery and more // PRICE POINT: From $80 to $240 // WHAT MAKES THE SHOP SPECIAL: All our styles are limited – nothing is mass-produced. We also create designs that can be easily pieced together and worn in different ways, allowing you to get the maximum amount of looks out of the minimum number of pieces // FIND US: Online at hazelandfolk.com

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‘BLUSHED’ BY TEAGAN JACOBS

STRUTT SISTERS

IN A SENTENCE: Whimsical, ultra-feminine clothing for ladies who fancy a bit of daydreaming // WHAT WE SELL: Super-comfy threads stitched from the softest of fabrics. Playsuits are our go-to, but we make just about anything: dresses, skirts, tops and the occasional bralette // PRICE POINT: From $80 to $250 // WHAT MAKES THE SHOP SPECIAL: We do everything in our little Perth studio – from the design to the cutting, sewing and packaging of your order. Oh, and since we hand-sew every item upon request, we can make it fit you just right // FIND US: Online at teaganjacobs.com

IN A SENTENCE: Visual artists and designers who also happen to be twin sisters // WHAT WE SELL: Jewellery, mixed-media assemblage art, works on paper and tiles. We also teach collageon-paper workshops at regional galleries and community art centres // PRICE POINT: From $30 to $155 for jewellery; $40 to $10,000 for artworks // WHAT MAKES THE SHOP SPECIAL: Everything we make is the product of twin heads working in unison!

We also have synaesthesia, so we see numbers and letters as colours // FIND US: Online at thestruttsisters.com

N A M E LY C O .

ASH WHITE

IN A SENTENCE: A fashion and lifestyle brand born out of the desire to support artisan communities in developing countries // WHAT WE SELL: Timeless wardrobe staples, including dresses, jackets, tops, skirts, pants and more, along with a range of accessories // PRICE POINT: From $150 to $500 // WHAT MAKES THE SHOP SPECIAL: Our materials are all organic and ethical. We also spend lots of time with our talented artisan makers in India, sharing meals and sewing together. It’s integral to us that they’re financially supported // FIND US: Online at ashwhite.com.au

IN A SENTENCE: A bespoke knitwear brand making unique and contemporary custom name blankets and cushions // WHAT WE SELL: Knitted blankets and cushions for babies and children, all made to order with your little one’s name // PRICE POINT: From $59 for a cushion to $169 for a single-bed blanket // WHAT MAKES THE SHOP SPECIAL: Our blankets have a luxurious, handmade feel, and are stitched with the highest quality cotton yarn. We also release new colours every couple of months // FIND US: Online at namelyco.com

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meet the new generation of australian makers

an affectionate (and honest) tribute to the handmade way of life, from frankie magazine

nab a copy at newsagents, select bookstores or at frankie.com.au/lookwhatwemade

pretty pictures

five illustrators let us join them in a spot that makes them smile.

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sarah walsh My happy place? It’s a pizza party on the back of one of my favourite animals, the zebra. I wish this was what my lunch break really looked like. It comes from a recurring dream I had as a kid of me riding on a horse. I also love plants, trees and pizza, and am overdue for a vacation, so the idea of being totally surrounded by nature while scoffing a greasy snack really appeals to me. I’d be there with my husband – he’s my best friend and a very magical person. I think he’d really appreciate it; he loves pizza parties and cool animals, too! Some of the sights and smells would include fresh grass, blooming flowers, and the scent of pepperoni, bread and cheese. We’d hear birds chirping, the zebra neighing, and me chewing away. After I was done with my slice, we’d go for a ride in a clearing, feeling the wind and sun on our faces. Feeling free! There are many reasons why this scenario makes me happy. The colours are bright. Rainbows are an instant hit of happiness. Zebras’ stripes are amazing. Pizza is the perfect food.

The vibe is tropical. It’s a total escape – a mini vacation. My eyes are closed because I’m really soaking in the environment and living in the moment. At first I wasn’t going to have the zebra eating anything, but that didn’t seem fair, so I’ve painted him eating some grass. A zebra’s got to eat, too!

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jenniferbouron.com • frankie.com.au

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issue 85 on sale

Illustration: Caitlin Shearer.

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NOTES

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carla mcrae I’ve chosen a tiny town called Siglufjörður, or ‘Siglo’ for short. It’s the northernmost town of Iceland, and to get there you must drive a long, one-way tunnel through a mountain, which makes you feel like you’re journeying to another realm. It’s famous for being the hub of the herring industry in the mid-1900s, but was fished out and has been shrinking in population since the boom ended. I visited Siglo a couple of years ago with my boyfriend, and stayed in a tiny turf-roofed house – a sweet, humble, homemade recreation of the traditional Icelandic architecture style. It’s the most unique place I’ve ever visited. You’re totally encompassed by huge green hills and monolithic mountains that are capped with snow, even in summer. The flat streets are punctuated with bright, geometric houses and fishing museums. There’s not much to do there at all, which is another reason it makes me so happy!

I was there for four days with no internet connection, so there was lots of aimless walking; sampling of strange snacks (I ate what I think was a corn chip sandwich from the local bakery); people-watching; book-reading; beerdrinking; and snuggling up inside to watch the fog roll past the mountains. The pink mist rolling around the drawing is my favourite feature. It softens the landscape and makes me think of the foot-long pastry filled with custard and topped with pink icing that I ate while sitting on the side of the fjord, next to the fishery.

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alessandra genualdo My happy place is a quiet, isolated corner of a forest, surrounded by trees and silence. I would be there holding my dog, with a book and a cup of coffee by my side. It is probably an autumn afternoon, as that’s my favourite time of year. This partly reflects a true scenario – I love reading; my dog Kira is always nearby; and I’m surrounded by trees and nature daily while walking her in the park – but also an aspirational one, as I’ve always dreamt of living in the woods one day. As a kid, I loved playing in a little forest near my grandparents’ house. I feel a strong connection with nature; it is very important for my creative process. This particular spot in my drawing is quite isolated, so you can only see trees around. There’s an autumnal feel, when the air becomes a little chilly, but it’s still nice to sit outside wearing a jumper with a hot cup of coffee. It smells of wood and leaves, and smoke from some chimneys far away, and you can hear the leaves rustling. My favourite detail is the bushes in the distance, as behind them there’s an unexplored portion of forest you can leave to your imagination.

It wasn’t too difficult to think of what my ‘happy place’ is. My illustrations often depict those simple little moments when you are spending time alone. Maybe I will live in this place some day!

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anna blandford, aka able and game My happy place occurs each night when I get my youngest son Dougie to sleep. After his bath, we sit in a chair together and I feed him while I read out loud from my back-lit e-reader. Shushing a kid to sleep during the night feels like it’s been my life for over three years. What makes this my happy place, though, is my ability to read novels in a dark room. I’d previously shunned e-readers because real books are better, but I can’t read a real book in the dark. One key element of this happy place is my oldest son Clyde coming in from his bath, then scrambling up onto my lap to give Dougie and me a kiss and cuddle goodnight. He takes this job very seriously, and if there’s one thing that’s super-cute, it’s a small child doing something seriously while butt-naked. Another large part of the experience is feeding Dougie, which science tells me releases oxytocin – a drug that makes you feel happy. So, I’m on happy drugs in my happy place. There’s usually a cat on my lap, as well. I need a blanket there, otherwise she will dig her claws in. Sometimes she wants to sit on my chest on top of Dougie, but that’s problematic, so she has to take the lower lap, or above me on the chair. I wonder if it’s a routine I’ll be able to keep as the kids get older. I hope it is, because I’m enjoying reading so many books.

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kirbee lawler A cute little cottage sits on rolling green hills, looking out over the ocean. There are bunnies hopping around and beautiful coastal plants growing all over the place. The house is perfectly positioned on the cliff to see when storms approach, and there’s a beautiful garden out the back where I can pick all the fresh veggies and flowers I need. You can smell pizza cooking in the woodfired oven on the patio. From the back garden, there’s a track that leads down to a calm little beach, sheltered from any waves, where I can spend my time floating in the ocean. This is where I’d love to live one day. I’d be surrounded by all the things I love, and the things I’m inspired by. There’s something about the ocean that instantly calms me – I don’t think I could ever live too far away from the sea. My happy place would also have to be filled with gorgeous animals, including rabbits, goats, and a donkey called Dolly trotting around, too. My days would be spent drawing; making jewellery; swimming in the ocean; and staring at the stars at night. I’d also spend time trying to improve my gardening skills! This would be a home, a studio and a meeting place for all the special people in my life. One day, when the hustle and bustle of the city wears off, I hope I can find this special place, or one like it, to call home. A girl can dream.

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Photo Getty Images

learn something new

the pain of a pretty face sophie kalagas investigates some of history’s most horrifying beauty practices.

TAPEWORMS // In the 1900s, folks discovered a way to shed kilos without changing their lifestyle one bit – the only catch was that they needed to carry a parasite around in their bellies. The tapeworm diet worked like so: swallow a pill containing tapeworm larvae, then allow the worm to grow to maturity in your gut. In theory, the little freeloader would absorb all your food (not to mention, bring on a weight-dropping bout of diarrhoea and vomiting). Once a dame had reached her desired weight, she’d pop some anti-parasitic medicine and hope for the best. Unfortunately, ‘the best’ meant having to pass the tapeworm in a bowel movement – a risky exercise when they’ve been known to grow up to nine metres in length. .

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left the face with a silky finish, the make-up was also incredibly toxic, triggering eye inflammation, baldness and rotting teeth. Ironically, it also led to skin blackening over time, which meant a tonne more powder was required for a true pallor to be achieved. .

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PERMANENT WAVE MACHINE // Since time immemorial, folks with straight locks have found ways to make their hair seem curly. Some slept with rags or pins in their mane all night; others heated curling irons over a flame. With the early 1920s came another option: the permanent wave machine. Looking a little like a robotic jellyfish, the apparatus promised long-lasting results through a combination of chemical processing and heat. Hair was wound tightly around dozens of dangling brass rollers, then clamped into place (often burning the client’s scalp to the point of hair loss in the process).

In fact, mishaps were so common with this technique that some hairstylists referred to it as a ‘pocket perm’. The name came from the fact they’d hide broken-off tresses from clueless clients by shoving them deep down into their pockets.

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CORSETS // Apparently respiration wasn’t de rigeur in the 1800s, when extreme corsetry was all the rage. Spurred on by the invention of metal eyelets, which allowed the wearer to cinch their corset tighter than ever before, women donned the restrictive undergarment to train their torsos into a more desirable, tiny-waisted shape. The bad news? Not only did it make day-to-day life rather uncomfortable, but with prolonged use, it also inhibited normal breathing; caused muscle atrophy; warped the spine; and deformed the ribcage. .

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DIMPLE-MAKER // 1936 was the year New York lass Isabella Gilbert invented the ‘dimple-maker’ – a contraption that consisted of “a face-fitting spring carrying two tiny knobs which press into the cheeks”. Looking more like a torture device than a beauty product, the idea was to strap yourself in for five minutes at a time, two or three times a day, while “dressing, resting, reading or writing”. Eventually, users would wind up with a fine set of dimples (apparently). The American Medical Association begged to differ, though. They argued that the gadget was not only useless, but with continued use it could actually cause cancer.

HAIR-PLUCKING // Wander through the Renaissance wing of any art gallery and you may notice the historical ladies sporting an unconventional look. Back then, large, curved foreheads were an indicator of true beauty and sophistication, not a reason to go running for hair loss treatments. Women used potions of vinegar or caustic quicklime to erode their natural hairline – often taking layers of skin along with it. Another approach was to grab some good old tweezers and pluck away at their hair until it was visibly receding. The plucking extended to the eyebrows, too, since barely-there brows made the forehead look even bigger. .

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NIGHTSHADE // If you’ve never heard of deadly nightshade, know this: the herb is so lethal that it’s historically been used to assassinate kings and coat poison-tipped arrows. So, sure – it makes sense that women of the Renaissance would willingly drop an extract into their eyes to make them look more wide-eyed and innocent. The plant dilated the pupils, earning it the nickname belladonna – or ‘beautiful woman’ in Italian. However, long-term use could also lead to heart palpitations; an inability to focus on close objects; and even permanent blindness.

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LEAD MAKE-UP // The historical quest for a pale complexion is long and treacherous. While peasants sported tans from working out in the fields, well-to-do white folks favoured milky skin as proof of their status – and they’d go to great lengths to achieve it. Blood-sucking leeches, arsenic and bloodletting were used to produce the pasty skin tone they desired. Also popular was lead face powder, applied by men and women alike. While it was easy to make, inexpensive, and

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my project Photo Benjamin Johnson

flour dumplings, and sometimes tı-tı-, the fatty muttonbirds harvested -ngi have on New Zealand’s Stewart Island. Though boil-up and ha a place in Monique’s heart, they’re not at the centre of her Hiakai menu. Instead, her research has led her into Aotearoa’s forests and oceans, where she sources ingredients native to the New Zealand environment. Bush herbs, berries and seafood make up a big part of her cuisine – but they haven’t been easy to come by. “When I first came back to New Zealand from New York, I was arrogant,” Monique -ori recalls. “I thought, ‘Maybe no one’s opened this kind of Ma restaurant because they can’t cook like me.’ I quickly realised this wasn’t about skill. It’s a matter of access, because you can’t just call someone and be like, ‘I want a kilo of bush herbs.’”

-ori cuisine, Monique has had to work closely To learn about Ma -ori with archives, local elders, and the few people who know Ma

native gastronomy MONIQUE FISO REINVENTS TRADITIONAL MAORI FARE FOR HER POP-UP RESTAURANT, HIAKAI. Words Sam Prendergast

-ori-Samoan chef who first learnt to cook in her Monique Fiso is a Ma Samoan grandmother’s kitchen. Her parents worked long hours, so as a five-year-old she’d spend her Saturdays with her grandma, going to the markets, picking out ingredients and breaking down the root vegetable taro, ready for Sunday lunch. “Samoan families are massive,” Monique laughs. “So it was like a mini catering business we used to crank out of grandma’s kitchen!”

forest lore. In the first few months back home, she would go out and harvest puha (a native green), only to be told off by the local -tua, or elders. “That was the biggest lesson for me,” she kauma says. “Understanding what the customs are around harvesting, -ori lunar calendar. If you do things collecting, and the whole Ma respectfully – and that’s the only way I want to do them – then you’ve got very specific days you’re meant to be out foraging.”

-ori ingredients now, but she’s Monique has a better sense of Ma

Two-and-a-half decades later, Monique is cooking on a slightly different scale. For the past few years, she’s dedicated her time to -ori ingredients, researching and experimenting with traditional Ma all towards the goal of opening Hiakai (translated: ‘hungry’), a -ori pop-up restaurant based in Aotearoa – New Zealand. modern Ma Monique developed the idea when she was working at New York’s Musket Room, a New Zealand-inspired restaurant far away from her Wellington home. “I was a sous chef at the time, and the head chef would be like, ‘We need to think about how we can make this dish a little more New Zealand.’ Then I’d have to sit there and go, ‘Actually, what does that mean?’” For Monique, who grew up eating homecooked Samoan food, the answer was distinctly Polynesian, but she wanted to push beyond the foods she’d eaten for Sunday lunch.

-ori cuisine means a mixture For many New Zealanders, indigenous Ma -ngi (meat and vegetables cooked in the ground), of pork, potatoes, ha

also developed a new appreciation for traditional techniques.

-ori used to just chuck tı-tı- birds in the “People have this idea that Ma -ngi,” she says. “But no! They actually used to grab the birds and ha render the fat down, the same way the French would do with duck.

-ori were using early When you really look at the techniques that Ma on – smoking, preserving – they’re extremely sophisticated.”

For Monique, a big part of Hiakai’s goal is to change the way people -ori cooking – both historically and in the present. think about Ma It’s about working with the past and presenting it in an eye-catching way on a plate. “The food looks modern,” she says, “but these elements have been in New Zealand for ages. Here are oysters that -ori have been eating forever; here are native berries that no one Ma ever uses. Here’s New Zealand, just in an oyster shell.”

and ‘boil-up’ – a meaty broth made out of pork bones, watercress,

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life-saving time watching magic videos on YouTube, but I digress.)

Sure, I laughed heartily at Gob Bluth’s hackish antics on Arrested Development, but he’s a crystal-clear picture of what’s wrong with real-life magicians: his favourite song’s “The Final Countdown”; he’s mad for hokey tricks (sorry, illusions); and is incredibly sleazy, in a cringey, awkward way. We laugh at him, not with him. Yes, he’s a fictional character, but actual versions of him exist, and I am terrified.

impractical magic GISELLE AU-NHIEN NGUYEN IS NOT IMPRESSED BY ALL YOUR HOCUS POCUS.

Part of me knows this aversion is connected to the fact I don’t like anything that makes me feel not-smart. Rather than being amazed by magic, I’ve always felt like I’m being left in the dark – and, for me, that’s not fun so much as completely enraging. I want to be in on the secret, but I want to be the one to work it out, rather than having it plainly spelled out for me. So, these smug magicians keep performing their tricks, and I go on none the wiser. It defies all my instincts about trust and understanding, and I’m not sure how to deal with it.

Everyone has something that they truly, irrationally hate. An abhorrence that springs from somewhere deep within and cannot be contained; a fire that burns bright, unable to be extinguished with logic or reason. Mine is magicians.

You may ask how I can say I hate magicians when I’m openly obsessed with the Harry Potter series. The answer is simple: Harry Potter is a WIZARD, not a magician. Obviously. And also, within imaginary worlds, the idea of magic is far more enticing – it’s lighthearted escapism involving flying, teleportation and turning scary creatures into things that make you laugh. (Riddikulus!) In the real world, it’s clear that performed magic is a deception – it’s something to lose yourself in, but what you’re seeing isn’t legit.

Someone once told me that magicians are professional gaslighters, and I tell you what, they’re not wrong.

I wish I could tell you a story about going to a weird magic show as a kid and being traumatised by what I saw, or a nightmare I had where magicians kidnapped my entire family and held them hostage, threatening to saw them all in half unless I promised to give up my own life ambitions and become a magician myself.

I wish I had any sensible reason at all for this passionate loathing.

But I don’t. All I know is when I see a creepy-looking, pinstripe vest-wearing guy on Tinder with a deck of cards splayed open in his hands, eyebrow cocked, I swipe left faster than you can say ‘abracadabra’. How do I know he’s not going to start pulling coloured hankies out of certain areas?

Despite all that, I know plenty of people who are dazzled by the mystery of it all, reverting to childlike wonder at the baffling things they see unfold before them. And, even as my hatred for magicians burns eternal, I can’t help but feel a little bit envious. Maybe I’ve been looking at it the wrong way. Maybe, in this day and age, when things can feel a little hopeless, what we need is a splash of inexplicable magic. Perhaps what I’ve been missing while declaring myself an out-and-out hater is the concept of magic as hope, when hope isn’t easily found elsewhere. My dad might be onto something after all. (I’m still not dating a magician, though.)

As an adult, I have flatly refused to attend magic shows with my friends. I’ve systematically deleted emails from my dad containing Criss Angel or Cosentino videos with a subject line like, “Wow! Amazing!” (This happens alarmingly often, always during the work day. My dad is a doctor. I’m concerned that he’s spending precious

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