Local is the new black

Post by Amy Middleton.

Graeme and Jacqueline opened The Storehouse in Mt Evelyn only a few weeks ago with the purpose of giving the ‘little guy a leg up’. By ensuring that all produce is sourced locally and stocking artisan wears of local makers, this husband and wife team seems to have created a little hub of wholesomeness.

The Storehouse sells a wide range of self serve bulk wholefoods, including flours, seeds, nuts and dried fruits. They also have a good collection of sustainable living personal and household products. Locally roasted coffee from Capulus Roastery makes the perfect companion for the cakes and muffins baked down the road by Mel McGregor from Sweet Feast. All the fresh produce used by the cafe is supplied by Organic Empire a few kilometers away. You will find original artworks hung on the walls and the curious terrariums from Little Lands in Monbulk delight the solid timber tables crafted by Jayden Lucas, who also happens to be member of the family. Needless to say ‘local is the new black’ and this pair have style!

The Storehouse has a really relaxed atmosphere and as I stood back to watch Graeme and his Dad have an arm wrestle over the counter, it gave me that ‘feel good feeling’ to see a group of people having fun, whilst looking after the little guys.

Oh, and if selling organic and locally sourced goods wasn’t doing enough to encourage a healthy lifestyle, they also have some exercise equipment out the back. If you can do 30 pull-ups without stopping… you’ll win yourself a free coffee!

For more info head to their Facebook page, or pop in for a cuppa.

Kallista actor gets real

Post by Justine Cammerino.
Record Masterchef and come and see the real thing, as emerging local comedy group Toot Sweet Productions give you their maiden performance THE ULTIMATE for this year’s Melbourne Fringe Festival.

Fresh out of University, Kallista resident and actor/writer/artist Holly Bohmer says she’s excited to get her foot in the door of the Melbourne Arts scene. “Coming from the burbs of Melbourne, it feels like a ‘little fish, big pond’ transition for me. Having been involved in the Hills’ arts scene, the Melbourne Fringe Festival felt like a natural step forward.”

The show is a satirical exploration into the world of reality television. “THE ULTIMATE is something we’re very proud to bring to the Melbourne stage. It will make you laugh, then feel bad for doing so”, says Bohmer.

The show follows ‘host with the most’ Max Silvertooth as he searches for that one person who has the talent, the looks and the personality to be ‘The Ultimate’. The challenges are tough, the contestants are tougher. Watch them battle it out against each other to claim the ultimate prize: their own reality TV series and lotsa dosh. Not to mention the fame and notoriety that comes with it… and the spinoffs, book deals, interviews, product endorsements, invitations to fancy parties, Coles vouchers, a lifetime supply of cling wrap and VIP treatment at the school dropoff.

Bohmer says the characters will resonate with people who love, and love-to-hate, reality t.v. “Our characters are realer than real. Perhaps a little too close to home for some”.

Like Aussie girl Maddie who wants to find that special someone, or Sofia Sofia who loves her husband, kids and food (not necessarily in that order). Amber the quadruple threat or Gynah the lady who lunches. And Victoria whose quest for perfection knows no bounds. The show is being performed at Club Voltaire in North Melbourne from Thursday September 18th.

If you want to see local funny girl strut her stuff, you can buy tickets to THE ULTIMATE on the Melbourne Fringe site here.

Bohmer has her sights firmly set to the future. “Kallista to the City, the City to who knows where! I ultimately want to act and write, and make that my career.”

A wing and a prayer

Post by Zoe Amber Preston.

Stepping into the current exhibition at Burrinja called, “A Wing and a Prayer” was like setting foot into a fantasy world. Walking around the space I found earth-like talismans, peculiar characters, miniature worlds and handmade sculptures inspired by various spiritual beliefs and religions. The exhibition included artworks by Joy Serwylo, Janine Sutton, Jenny Rowe and Lisa von Mueller.

The little characters in Joy’s miniature installations seem to be trapped in a world where the pressure of being perfect dominates their lives. My curiosity got the better of me as I peeped inside each artwork, discovering little gardens filled with topiary trees, animals made from moss, hanging birds, deformed crocodiles and little human-like characters. Experiencing the exhibition made me wonder what it would be like to exist in these tiny fictional worlds. Each little character seemed to be fighting to keep their microcosm in order, believing a better quality of life will be afforded to them if they do.

In a brief interview with Joy, she mentioned that the meaning behind her new series is that “we don’t need to have the perfect life in order to be happy. So many people strive for perfection, but I believe we don’t need perfection if we focus on the beauty of an authentic life.” As a child, Joy grew up creating beautiful artworks, but now in her 60’s she wants to create meaning and purpose behind her work in order to inspire others.

“On reflection, I feel that avoiding imperfection, and creating our own small worlds will only fill us with fear for what lies ahead. I want to encourage you to walk out your front door, climb over that hedge and escape your idea of misguided perfection. Happiness is found in our natural spontaneous lives, anything could happen when you just go with the flow!”

Alongside Joy’s inventive sculptural collages are delightful ceramic models by Jenny Rowe. Like before, I felt like her work has been lifted from a fantasy storybook, but this time from thousands of years ago. The early morning sun shone through the window, giving the characters a radiant and heavenly appearance alongside the tranquil faces. I could imagine the history and untold stories behind each of the characters. I felt calm and intrigued by Jenny’s display, focusing on the individuality of each sculpture, “Juju” amulets and ghost-like ceramic baby. As I stared at the hollow babies, I imagined them staring back at me despite the lack of eyeballs. The thought left me nervous, but even more curious!

I had mixed responses to Jenny’s work. Some of the characters represented looked calm and content whilst others looked hurt and fearful. I discovered that some suggested a happy co-existence between humans and animals, demonstrating that we are all connected.

“A Wing and a Prayer” explores spirituality and suggests ways we can live harmoniously with each other and nature, despite our different beliefs and lifestyles. It helped me gain a new understanding about religion and spirituality that has made a lasting impression on me.

The exhibition is on until the 28 September in the Jarmbi Downstairs Gallery at Burrinja, if you want to experience it yourself.

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Review updated by Adriana Alvarez.

Janine Sutton’s work is a journey of discovering spirituality through cultural icons and the pop culture kitsch that surrounds us. Some paired down yet vibrantly painted, others laden with so much detail, you could spend ages looking to find the hidden treasure, toys and bling that is part of our modern existence. Her artists statement reveals the complicated thinking process that such a loaded subject as this would bring. Expressing the dilemma that spirituality and religion can often pose for us all.

Like Lisa Von Mueller, I am a huge fan of glossy magazines so I was drawn to Lisa’s work immediately. She has used collages of her old magazines to recreate medieval madonnas and saints into modern day idols to worship. The collages have then been printed onto silk and embellished here and there with some paint and beading work. Her modern take on these religious icons real and imagined bring to life in a modern sense the stories of worship and martyrdom of women who are scarred and tortured for their beliefs. These modern day saints have perhaps not come such a long way from their early counterparts and show us that the past is often repeating itself. And as always you have to fight for what you believe in.