I Became Because…  was initiated after Central Stationer, Ryan Thompson, was curious about what makes people choose to go down the path of becoming artists, designers (graphic or otherwise), illustrators, photographers, film-makers … or whatever they like to describe yourself as.

Submission by Genevieve Ryan

So, Central Station put a call out and made it into a bit of a project. We asked our members to show us on a Post-it note why they do what they do. The results can be seen on our flickr gallery here.

(originally published on Central Station V1)

Step into the streets of Sydney and feel an inviting hum of wonder blaze around you. Wide city streets, full of activity, slowly spread out into magnificent yacht filled bays weaving around the meandering coast. Made up of many different areas, Sydney is an incandescent mesh of sundry villages. Each part has its own distinctive residents, atmosphere and elusive forms of creativity waiting to be discovered: galleries hidden in residential areas, markets by the beach, and pop up designer boutiques in bars or abandoned shops.

The scaffolding of art and design societies here is constantly expanding and interchanging. Everything feels new and exciting; almost raw. Waterloo, Paddington and Surrey Hills are home to some super galleries in Sydney.

Ambush Gallery in Waterloo recently held THE KEG SHOW, an exhibition of beer kegs designed by twelve artists. Sponsored by the Element Advocate programme, THE KEG SHOW was curated by Rick Bannister with each sale going to a charity of the artist’s choice.

Another superb exhibition was on recently at China Heights Gallery in Surrey Hills. THIS IS HOW WE ROLL was a group exhibition organised by J’aime Fazackerley by 24 Australian and international artists who share a common love for skateboarding and its culture.

Claire Orrell had some beautiful work at this show:

I loved her work so asked for some details about her life and work. This is what she said; ‘I hail from London, but have been out in Sydney for just over 4 years. I studied Graphic Design at Nottingham Trent and then worked in an agency in the UK for 3 years. Then I came over here on a working holiday visa as a challenge to myself to try and and live in another country and ended up staying. I freelanced for the first year and then got a job doing the design for the Museum of Contemporary Art where are stayed for 3 years. In March this year I went back to working in a commercial design studio. I miss working in the arts but I wanted a mix of clients again.

Recently though, although I get to work on a lot of illustrative projects through my day job, I’ve really wanted to start creating my own work. I’ve had some freelance contracts over the last 6 months where I’ve got to explore this and I’ve also started doing my own artwork again. I only just got my residency and a series of 6 month contracts at the MCA made me feel very unsettled. I’m so glad I’ve started again, It makes me feel so happy and inspired (i’m sure you know the feeling!). I’m also exploring animation and my housemate (a filmmaker) and I recently got into the top 5 of an animation competition at Sydney Opera House, you can view it here: http://play.sydneyoperahouse.com/index.php/graphic/868.html

I’m hoping to be able to develop this side of my work more in future and to continue to evolve my own creative practice.’

There was also some great work by Lewis (Dr Dolomite) Buttle, Gibson Fox, J’aime Fazackerley and Leo James.

Another good place for exploring is Paddington, a beautiful residential area in Sydney, packed with buried delights. The Saturday markets are filled with young designers and the whole area is dotted with brilliant shops and galleries. You can also have a game of lawn bowls, which is surprisingly popular with young people here. It also leads to Rushcutters Bay, where you can have pancakes and watch the boats come and go.

The best part about working in Sydney is that you can live on the beach, watch the waves roll in while eating breakfast, surf every day if you like, and still feel the glow of that not-so-distant hum. It is not easy to find the hidden gems of Sydney, but the hush-hush is exceedingly endearing.

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My Creative Scene is an insight into different creative & cultural happenings in cities where your members and readers live. Browse through more insider guides here or contact us to write about the arts scene where you are.

]]> https://thisiscentralstation.com/my-creative-scene/mcs-sydney/feed/ 0 https://thisiscentralstation.com/featured-blog/a-censta-top-5-collaborative-projects/ https://thisiscentralstation.com/featured-blog/a-censta-top-5-collaborative-projects/#comments Tue, 15 Jun 2010 19:56:23 +0000 genny http://thisiscentralstation.com/?p=1195 Central Station is a great place to find people to collaborate with. The possibilities really are endless… for a little inspiration here are 5 projects which came about from people finding each other and teaming up on the site.

1. Jo Mango – collectors’ edition 10″ double single, The Moth & The Moon / The Black Sun

Album artwork and packaging for Scottish musician Jo Mango by Rydo! and Hanna Tuulikki. The three didn’t know each other before the project and Jo found and commissioned them through Central Station. See Rydo’s showcase for more images of the work.

2. Filmmakers Group Edinburgh

This informal group was set up via Central Station. Lina has recently blogged to say that they currently have 21 filmmakers and are hoping to announce joint projects and collaborations in the near future. Watch this space.

3. Strawberry Fields

In January this year Genevieve did a call out to curators, designers and sound artists for her project Strawberry Fields – an exhibition based on work inspired by the Beatles song of the same name. She was also on the look out for a venue. Within 24 hours she’d found a whole team to work with and a space and the exhibition took place the following month. Success.

4. Radius

Image: Entry/exit site view by grahamlister

In the lead up to Glasgow International Festival there were several Central Station members who had planned an exhibition but whose submissions hadn’t been accepted. After discussions on the site, spearheaded by Stephanie Spindler, Radius developed as a series of fringe events happening around the city during the festival.

5. Uzzz

uzzz.JPG
The ultimate collaboration and a project that introduced the world to Central Station. We asked for our members to submit an image that tells the audience something significant or revealing about them. Alec Farmer then created a video entitled Uzzz from the submissions and Jack McConchie from the band Isosceles did the soundtrack.

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See more of our Top 5 selections here.

They were at Edinburgh College of Art at the same time, and were paired up by their two departments to work together on a collaborative project. The idea was to address the idea of the creative working as an isolated / solitary force. And to work in a different, more open and engaged way. It was a flexible brief.

So Jo created a short text, something that was quite open-ended. Which forced her into thinking about someone else, someone else’s interpretation, how someone else might think. She emailed work to Gen, having never met her…

Gen in the mean time was being asked to create an image that the writer could respond to. So she drew We Howl, a wolf catching salmon for their tea.

Both girls seemed to be frightened of how the other artist would respond. What would they interpret? Was there enough for the other to work with?

The actual work: Jo wrote a prose poem responding to Gen’s work. Very different stylistically to what she normally writes. And Gen came up with a delicate image called The Watch in response to one particular line in Jo’s text.

Both Gen and Jo recommend collaborating, having been wary and cautious to begin with. It’s really affected how they approach their work, what they do, how they think. Going forward, they’re going to work together again, planning a book for the not so distant future.

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To find out what Dundee Popup was all about or to read more reviews & blogs  from the day, click here.

It’s already looking like a great day and a great turnout of people, but don’t fret if you can’t be here. Along with some of Censta’s members we’ll be blogging and tweeting the day. Watch out for blogs in the Dundee Popup group, follow @censta for tweets, tagged #dundeepopup and there will be photos uploaded by Ross_McLean all through the day and footage coming from Andy later in the week.

Posters by Superfly have been spotted all round the city, and the LTD edition booklets by SooperDD and Johanna Basford are already a coveted item.

The blogs as they come in…… and the tweets for the day.

And here’s the first blog … read all about Public Image at the Cooper Gallery @DCJAD.

Lots of people meeting, eating and blogging in between tours at the Censta hub at the Dundee Rep.

Emlyn Firth gives the lowdown on the DJCAD graduates showcase, including a live link up on Skype.

Our very own Suzy Glass gives her view of the Dalziel & Scullion studio tour.

Ever been inside the coveted doors of Realtime Worlds? Jon Carlos went along, what did he see?

Censta and members got a very special sneak preview of the soon to be re-opened and very much renovated McManus Gallery. Gillian Easson gives you an idea of what’s in store.

Heidi Proven disappeared into the Visual Research Centre at Dundee Contemporary Arts, and thinks you should too.

JonGill took in the DCA Print studio, screen printing, etching, block, lino and litho. Jessica Ashman gave us her account of the DCA Print Studio tour too.

Martin Boyce took members round his No Reflections instillation at the DCA, and explained the challenges of exhibiting the work in two different spaces. Here and at Venice Biennalle. Curator Donna HolfordLovell takes us through the talk.

Superfly has an obsession, find out what it is.

Artists and makers from Handmade Heaven, showed off their wares and Censta members a plenty bought things. See what Hellojenuine liked.

Then it was time for This is… at the Hannah Maclure Centre which went like this:
Yuck & Yum told us about the ways they distrubute art without using gallery spaces
Johanna Basford & Sooper DD entertained us with stories of collaboration
Arika went through their KYTN 2009 plans and how you can get involved
Genevieve Ryan & Jo Swingler talked us through recent illustration & creative writing collaboration
We heard and saw music & animation from Colliderscope‘s Fiona Soe Paing
Georgina Follett let us know about the V&A Dundee developments.

These were covered by Htothep, suzy.glass & DJCADExhibitions.

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To find out what Dundee Popup was all about or to read more reviews & blogs  from the day, click here.

Editioned Screenprint by Genevieve Ryan. View more work here