ben briand says...

Since the release of his 2007 film, Hammer Bay, Ben Briand has been impressing audiences and critics alike with his creativity and style. Taking on short films, video clips, commercials and photography, Ben has instilled in his work a unique visual approach that’s seen him dubbed “one of Australia’s most promising film makers”. We caught up with him in the wake of the release of his latest short film, Some Static Started.

Covered: dying men, square pegs, scripts and shorts.

KB: You’ve just released Some Static Started, can you tell us a bit about it?

Ben Briand: It’s a short film I made in association with the guys at China Heights. I describe it as a strange nightmare in a hot motel by the side of a highway. In his final moments a bleeding man recalls a reoccurring dream he has had featuring a beautiful girl in trouble. It’s a short film

KB: It finishes the trilogy that includes Apricot and Castor & Pollux – were these films devised as a set from the start?

BB: Not consciously. But there are certainly threads that are consistent through all the works. I like to think of them as different perspectives on the same idea. More...

ben briand, some static started, china heights, film

ghostpatrol says...

Melbourne based artist Ghostpatrol started off in IT, but lucky for us he took a sharp left turn into art. This is a man who has dreams of creating large scale murals, travelling to the moon, trying his hand at taxidermy and having laser battles! As you can imagine his varied works are imaginative, unique and instantly appealing.

If you live in Melbourne you have probably seen his work in the streets, but Sydneysiders can enjoy Ghostpatrol’s creativity as part of Project 5, which opens tonight and continues over the weekend at Cockle Bay Wharf. If you like what you see, head along to aMBUSH Gallery on March 3, where works from the show will be auctioned off.

Covered: sword making, animation and secrets...

Sam Hartmann: You started off doing an IT degree, what inspired such a change?

Ghostpatrol: Drawing and painting are much more enjoyable. I was fortunate to be surrounded by supportive people and lucky to be welcomed into the Melbourne street art scene.

SM: Where did you get the inspiration to create artworks on pencils?

GP: I’m still thinking about this.

SM: Is there a medium that you have not explored yet that you want to?

GP: Bronze sculpture, moon travel, large scale murals, taxidermy, ceramics, sword making and laser battles.More...

ghostpatrol, project 5, ambush gallery, street art, interviews

emma magenta says...

It’s more than likely that you’ve heard of Sydney illustrator Emma Magenta, or at least seen her work. After all, this prolific artist has three adult picture books under her belt, works as part of the Third Drawer Down collective and has illustrated two children’s books for Toni Collette as well as one of her own. Now she’s branched out with an animated series, The Gradual Demise of Phillipa Finch, comprised of 17 episodes, plus an accompanying hardcover book, interactive web component and an iPhone game. We caught up with Emma to chat about her latest creation.

Covered: the emotional abattoir, working with Toni Collette, sequels and being a hermit.

KB: So tell us about Phillipa Finch the character. Is she as sweet as she looks?

Emma Magenta: Phillipa Finch looked a lot sweeter before her heart was taken to the emotional abattoir. She is a girl whose sense of wonder has diminished due to her thwarted attempts to procure perfect love; ideal love. She is a portrait of what can often happen to a girl when she tries to hide her disappointment, as she comes to terms with her expectations of not just love, but life. She develops a shadow side that has obsessive compulsive disorder as a method of controlling her emotions. The shadow side makes itself present in the form of hyper attention to cleaning rituals, health and cup/pet collecting.

She is flawed yes, but that is the essence of the story I guess, it is only by accepting one’s own flaws that one begins to empathise with the flaws in others... then real love can take place.

KB: As well as the animation, there’s an interactive web component, a game and an illustrated novel. What prompted the decision to turn The Gradual Demise of Phillipa Finch into a cross-platform affair?

EM: I wrote the book for my own catharsis in 2008/2009 and then Rachel Okine (the producer from Hopscotch Productions) asked me to develop an animation series. So I wrote a script around the concepts in the book and The ABC network saw the potential of both mediums working as well as the potential for a game. The concept to make the website interactive occurred after employing the genius of Based on Birds. The main focus was to make any technology associated with the work very human based; things that would click emotion into play rather than the cerebral alone. More...

emma magenta, the gradual demise of phillipa finch, illustration, hopscsotch, based on birds, abc, toni collette

no layout says...

OUR NEW FAVOURITE DIGITAL LIBRARY: NO LAYOUT DISPROVES THE BELIEF THAT PRINT AND ONLINE ARE SUNDERED ENTITIES AND NEVER THE TWAIN SHALL MEET.

Based in Italy, Switzerland and the United States, No Layout is the love child of the digital age: a single online destination housing, and facilitating the low-fuss reading of scores upon scores of print magazines. It taps into the longing we all have to sit cross-legged beneath a leafy tree, knees draped with an intriguing publication and brings it into the office.

A digital library for independent publishers, No Layout focuses on art books and fashion magazines – but never delves into the ho-hum. Whether you’re on an iWhatever, a laptop or a slow ol’ work computer, No Layout lets users flip through full content on any screen without downloads, fancy browsers or apps. 

I managed to track down editor-in-chief Jonas Brunschwig for a chinwag about what’s in store for your new favourite website (other than this one, of course).

Covered: the future of publishing, being passionately dispassionate and avoiding anything lukewarm

Liz Niland: Who’s behind No Layout & when did it come about? 

Jonas Brunschwig: The site came about last summer and we are based between Switzerland (Daniel Pianetti – project manager), Italy (Bogdan Licar – chief coder) and the United States (myself and Daniel at times). 

LN: What was your motivation in creating No Layout? More...

no layout, jonas brunschwig

alpine says...

Alpine first captured our attention when their demos hit the airways. After months of hard work, they have perfected their sound for their debut EP Zurich, and an Australia tour kicking off this month.

With their serene vocals and lofty harmonies, it's no surprise this Melbourne band has a fixation with all things Switzerland. Previously named 'The Swiss', Alpine's Zurich will transport you to a dreamlike world of snow capped mountains against a backdrop of synthy pop. I caught up with Phoebe Baker (vocals) as she tapped into a reception sweet spot in her bathroom in Melbourne.

Covered: six-person songwriting, drum-kit injuries, cat food and australian tours

Danielle Le Toullec: As the lead vocalists, Lou James and you have great vocal chemistry, how did you come together?

Phoebe Baker: We were friends from school; we’ve known each other for almost 10 years. It does help to be singing with a friend.

DL: You have a very clean sound for a band with six members. Can you tell me a bit about the song writing process with that many people involved?

PB: Quite a lot of the earlier songs were mainly written by myself and Christian (guitarist). He came up with a basic instrumental idea and we’d develop from that and I would come up with the melody. Then for the more recent songs, we’ve all written them together. We have an idea of the sound we are looking for and we are all in tune with what we want from the music. It comes naturally.

More...

alpine, phoebe baker, lou james, northcote social club, the swiss

nic mckenzie says...

While most artists are looking for ways to make their music more futuristic, Deep Sea Arcade's sound is rooted in the beats of a past time. Often compared to the likes of The Beatles and The Smiths, their sound is soaked in a delicious pop reverb that transports us to a sandy beachside boulevard and props a surfboard under our arms. Friends since primary school, the two founding members Nic McKenzie (vocals) and Nick Weaver (bass) have spent years perfecting their art. I caught Nic McKenzie after a dinner of dumplings and wine in Sydney’s Kings Cross.

Covered: sixties chord progression, cinematic journeys, Nancy Sinatra and heartache-inspired music

Danielle Le Toullec: The name Deep Sea Arcade (DSA) evokes a kind of aquatic fantasy world, what’s the story behind it?

Nic McKenzie: It’s a lyric from a song we don’t play anymore; it’s actually in reference to an album called The White Arcades by Brian Eno and Harold Budd.

DL: You are often put into the genre of 1960s Brit/surf rock music culture; was that a conscious decision when you were developing your sound or did you just fall into it?

NM: I think we’ve just fallen into it; it's also just the music that has been chosen by radio stations to play. We have a lot of different songs, that all come from the same place, some do use a more sixties sounding chord progression and sound production.More...

deep sea arcade, nic mckenzie, nick weaver, surf city

jaime wirth says...

It seems that no sooner were we bemoaning the lack of a decent beer garden in Sydney than our prayers were answered in the form of The Norfolk, which has (re)opened just in time to be the Christmas present we were hoping for. Taking over what was well and truly a pub past its prime, team James (Wirth and Miller) has revamped and reinvigorated this Cleveland Street venue, revealing what will be the place to be this summer. We caught up with one half of the team in the wake of the launch.

Covered: sleepless nights, untapped potential, beer gardens and queer Mexican dance parties.

Kat Hartmann: The Norfolk opened to the public with a bang last week. I hear it was a bit of a process getting the bar from old-man dive to the retro European-inspired, rancho relaxo you unveiled. Can you tell us a bit more about that?

Jaime Wirth: We basically had eight weeks to get the place from derro pokie pub to where it is now. We had really great builders and tradesmen but it was a pretty mad scramble at the end to get it open. There was 20 years worth of crap to get out the place, walls to paint, roofs to build, floors to replace, seats to install and trees to plant. Sleepless nights, very early starts and some tense moments but we managed to stick to our opening date. Phew.More...

the norfolk, bars, jaime wirth, james miller, surry hills

hellen rose says...

It’s hard to sum up Hellen Rose in one paragraph. Sieving through the highlights from her raft of accomplishments alone would fill pages. Not one to conform, Hellen has achieved admirable success and commanded high levels of respect from those in the know for more than 20 years now. While she’s not busy pushing musical boundaries, her preceding reputation has also led her to tap into other creative pursuits, including acting and opening her eponymous performing space, the Hellen Rose-Schauersberger LabOratorium. And the list goes on. For a woman who has proven her worth many times over, we’ll keep the superlatives to a minimum and have Hellen shed some light on her past, present and future.

Covered: Back in the '80s…, constant adjustments, The Hellen Rose-Schauersberger LabOratorium, Moonlight film and a one-woman show.

Audrey Lee: You've been making music for more than 20 years now and have sung alongside bands including X and Dangerous Curves back in the 80s. Care to give our readers an insight of how your career in music first began? How have you and your sound progressed since then?

Hellen Rose: I started singing when I was very young. I come from a family where one side is music and the other is… all the other stuff that I’ve never been into. I snuck into a pub at around 14 and pushed my way onto the stage and just got up and belted out a blues number I was making up on the spot! My first live show with a band called Great Dane who were totally cool about it and the crowd loved it!More...

hellen rose schauersberger, X, ian rilen, george gittoes, dangerous curves

natalia ladyko says...

Natalia Ladyko is our kind of girl. Not content with being great at just one thing, she’s turned her attention to a whole raft of rather impressive skills, adding things like “stilt-walker” and “aerial artist” to her resume. Now she’s teamed up with some other talented folk to create Umbrella Theatre, which will reveal itself to the masses as part of Peats Ridge 2010. We caught up with Natalia as she prepares for her first big festival performance.

Covered: Theatre magic, The Dark Crystal, video games and world domination.

KB: The name Umbrella Theatre conjures up quite a few images, but what’s it really all about?

Natalia Ladyko: Umbrella Theatre is an intimate travelling venue where you’ll never know what performance you’re going to get. We have a growing number of shows we perform in Umbrella Theatre, with duration never exceeding 10 minutes. As you queue outside the red curtains, you’ll hear laughter, screaming and God knows what else. But you can never assume you’re going to have the same experience as the people before you, or the people after you! We rotate between performances and most of our pieces have alternate endings. Or do they? To be more precise, it is a three-metre tall, custom-made umbrella where magic happens.More...

umbrella theatre, natalia ladyko, peats ridge, underbelly arts

the parliament of two says...

Kluster are proud to feature a series of awe-inspiring designers selling wares at the Finders Keepers Spring/Summer Markets at Sydney’s CarriageWorks this December.

Vanessa Moule and Melissa Beal are Sydney based jewellery designers and, together, they make up the Parliament of Two. The pair’s inaugural ‘Open Book’ accessory range of brooches and necklaces are made from plastic and metal materials that are deceptively simple, yet exquisitely detailed. They find inspiration from book illustrations, old typography and aged books. Parliament of Two will be down at the FKSSM next month for their first Finders Keepers stall, and we’ll let them take it away from here.

Covered: From besties to business partners, first FK stall, bookworms, new launch of accessories.

Audrey Lee: Tell us a little about your design background. When did you first decide to venture down the path of producer of creative wares?

Parliament of Two: We have been besties ever since we met at University where we both studied Jewellery Design. Mel continued on the jewellery path and has worked as a designer and gemmologist and Vanessa went on to study graphic design and currently works in print and textile design. More...

the parliament of two, vanessa moule, melissa beal, finders keepers, spring summer markets

angie mccarthy says...

Kluster are proud to feature a series of awe-inspiring designers selling wares at the Finders Keepers Spring/Summer Markets at Sydney’s CarriageWorks this December.

Angie McCarthy has the unique gift of adding texture and a burst of colours to everything she set her hands to. Founder of the Materialistic range, Angie’s striking hand screen-printed pieces are specially designed to adorn special spaces in your home. From her vibrant, intricately designed tea towels, cushions and tablecloths to the humble ‘Scrappy’, a stuffed toy for kids, all products are made from natural fibres and eco-friendly materials. Here’s what she has to say about her creative experience and her upcoming FKSSM stall.

Covered: Not just ‘disposable design’, colour and more colour, Hills Hoist and a slight obsession with ceramics.

Audrey Lee: Tell us a little about your design background. When did you first decide to venture down the path of producer of creative wares?

Angie McCarthy: Screen printing was initially just an indulgent hobby, an escapism to long hours as a branding graphic designer. Then after years of being overworked in the graphics industry, I was hankering to create something more tactile and long standing not just ‘disposable design’ (which corporate graphics can be at times) and also something just for me.  I had so many ideas for prints and designs, scrapbooks full of potential that it seemed a waste not to try and make something of it. We spend so much of our life working, and I really didn’t want to waste it not doing something that I really loved.More...

materialistic, angie mccarthy, finders keepers, spring summer markets

fold studio says...

Kluster are proud to feature a series of awe-inspiring designers selling wares at the Finders Keepers Spring/Summer Markets at Sydney’s CarriageWorks this December.

Put simply, Fold Studio is a collective of young designers from Melbourne. The culmination of their creative efforts is a series of finely crafted wooden products, ranging from necklaces to coasters and waste-paper bins. With their first ever Finders Keepers Spring Summer Sydney market stall just round the corner we asked one of the designers, Roslyn Campbell, to give us the lowdown.

Covered: Three friends, same goal, using environmentally thoughtful materials and expanding the business.

Audrey Lee: Tell us a little about your design background. When did you first decide to venture down the path of producer of creative wares?

Roslyn Campbell: Myself, Patrick and Laura all met in the furniture department of UTAS Fine Arts School a couple of years ago. Then we decided to move to Melbourne to study Furniture Design together at RMIT. We are just about to graduate. Hooray! We have always had a knack for designing and creating things, but recently decided to try our hand at making an income from it too.

AL: What can visitors expect from your stall at The Finders Keepers Spring/Summer Markets this December? Is this your first Finders Keepers stall?More...

fold studio, roslyn campbell, finders keepers, spring summer markets