One of my favourite festivals of the year is always the Lantern Festival in Belgrave. It marks the shortest day of the year and from then on I start looking forward to longer days. It’s also a great night of celebration where all the community comes out. You can parade your lantern whether it’s big or small and there are so many amazingly creative interpretations. But how do you have a Lantern Festival in the time of COVID-19?
This year the festival will be reimagined. From June 20 (the longest night of the year) to July 05, for two weeks, lanterns will blaze in shop front windows and sidewalks of the Belgrave township.
In place of the traditional Belgrave Lantern Parade that would usually attract over 7,000 visitors, the 2020 Belgrave Lantern Festival has been reimagined in response to COVID-19 restrictions, keeping the Yarra Ranges community tradition of celebrating the beginning of winter alive and alight.
This festival of light, a public artwork showcasing glowing light installations of lanterns made by local artists and the community will symbolise the resilience, unity and strength of purpose of communities across the hills.
Atop Dandenong Ranges and across Hills townships, we are responding to the communities collective voice and overwhelming passion for connection and exchange, by encouraging our local community to celebrate and join in the glow with homemade lanterns, displaying inside shop front windows, on sidewalks and peppered in the front yards and driveways.
For the self-described, ‘creative and quirky’ townships, meeting and matching the recent challenges has meant turning setbacks into opportunities, inviting new ideas and connecting together at a completely new level. There is shared understanding that moving forward means moving as one. Moving forward means inspiring confidence in the community. Moving forward means thinking differently, seizing the occasion and making a new mark.
Dates: Sat 20 June — Sun 5 July
Cost: Free
Location: Dandenong Ranges
Public Art Installation — Burwood Highway, Belgrave
Pop up lanterns in Hills Townships — Participating artist collectives and venues in Upwey, Tecoma, Kallista, The Patch, Olinda and Sassafras.
Community participation — Own business, home, driveway and street
Burrinja would love you to join them for their virtual sneaky peek tour of its recently completed refurbishment. How you ask? Why, as a life size cardboard cut-out of course! They have extended the deadline for drop off to the 1st of May (this Friday) so more of your fabulous cardboard selves can join them!
Instructions can be found here on how to make a card board cu-out. Then you can drop off your life size selves at Burrinja’s stage door Tue – Fri between 10am & 3pm by the 1st of May (ring the bell so they know it’s there). Be sure to include your name and social handles if you would like Burrinja to tag you in the virtual opening & tour. If you can’t drop it off, Burrinja is offering a cardboard cut-out service available here for the small fee of $20. You’ll need the pdf of yourself from the link above to send to Burrinja so they can cut it out for you.
Be part of the fun and join this virtual re-launch from the comfort of your home. With a wine in hand of course.
Meet Tanya DeSilva-McKay our Summer guest designer. Being a professional designer she didn’t need any mentoring from me at all. In fact I think she could teach me a thing or too. Her work is so rich, I love how she totally reworked this issue and made it her own with a fresh new look. We’re so pleased to have her as part of the team.
Tell us a little bit about your creative journey?
My creative journey began when I was small where I loved books and illustrations and honestly – stationery! I played with whatever I could get my hands on. Fancy pencils, graphite, textas, fineliners, calligraphy pens, different papers and all the things I could draw a mark and communicate with – admittedly these things make me very happy now! Design with my Bachelors degree further down the track enabled study in photography, graphics and illustration but I also got to create three-dimensional work where I made objects such as furniture and experimented with different materials. Now, I work as a freelance Art director and designer where I mostly design books, magazines, and other collateral such as logos and digital content. I also started a digital film postgraduate course doing motion graphics and animation. Over the past several years I have also renovated homes with my husband – so I have drafted plans for kitchens, bathrooms and have staged homes for sale, working in a physical space in the capacity of an interior designer. Otherwise… I miss using my hands and spend many late nights after my childrens’ bedtime doing more tangible work such as drawing and painting. My journey seems to be one that keeps unfolding which is exciting. I am still not sure where else it will lead but it is all fuelled by curiosity!
Why did you want to become an artist/designer?
I didn’t necessarily set out to become a designer – it was just a drive to pursue creativity and have an outlet which became a career. I just enjoyed seeing an idea come to life that was purposeful and beautiful. Creative communication in all the different mediums such as graphics, motion graphics, drawing and painting are fulfilling and energising.
Did you study art/design?
Yes, I initially studied film and television in a Contemporary Arts stream at University before shifting and graduating with a Bachelor’s Degree in Design at Monash University. I’ve circled back to further Postgraduate study and I am keen to see where it will lead.
How did you become involved with the hillscene?
I’ve always seen the magazine in my travels and saw the opportunity to be a guest designer and was excited by being involved in a publication that was local and community-driven.
In what ways, if any, do you engage with the hills community?
I engage in the community mainly through my activities with my family and just living here! There are so many things to do and we use as many local businesses and services as we can and spend most of our time on the mountain.
What do you wish you knew about being a designer/artist before you got started?
It is a hard task getting into the industry, you get paid very poorly (especially starting out) and it requires more grit and passion than you feel you can sometimes summon. This is mostly due to doubt you may feel with your abilities and the comparison you have with other very talented people. You need to move beyond it, acknowledge your capabilities, be open to feedback to improve, continue to learn and remain humble. Being driven by pride is also a good thing in the sense that your name is attached to what you produce. Regardless of how small a job, it’s true value is your work and your attribution, not how much money it made or how much it is seemingly worth to others. It’s valuable and it represents your standard and you. Also, whatever strikes you as interesting, pay attention to it, and record it as often as you can. I wish I kept a better visual and written record of all my ideas. More importantly, is to not be afraid to explore these ideas sooner rather than later.
Who are your creative heroes?
I have many heroes spanning many different disciplines so the list is extensive… I admire Saul Bass and his clever use of graphics and motion graphics, to current designers such as Chip Kidd and Aaron Draplin. The art of Roy Lichtenstein features on my walls at home and I also love the art and sentiments of Vincent Van Gogh. Elsewhere, I love Wes Anderson films and his distinct style, have a particular obsession with beautiful chairs (particularly those of Hans Wagner and Charles and Ray Eames) and I admit to collecting too many books (if there’s such a thing)… particularly those books with stunning illustrations usually reserved for children. I will eternally adore children’s books – they are so succinct and poetic. In saying that, I do love whimsical work by Jane Newland, the vivid colours in Clair Bremner’s art and landscapes, to the distinct folk art by Dinara Mirtalipova. I also admire many colleagues who I have been privileged to work with and learn alongside over the past several years.
What do you enjoy about living in the Dandenong Ranges?
There are so many things to enjoy living up in the Ranges. I love the quiet, community-oriented, open-minded, accepting and friendly community of the hills. I love the smell of the rain and the fireplaces in the winter, the vibrancy of all the green, the sounds of the kookaburras, the glimpse of the colourful birds in the trees and their little songs, and of Puffing Billy rolling past my house daily. Not to mention the general feeling of comfort and peace of my home and the view every day. Especially on those misty ones, they are truly the best.
What are your plans for the future (immediate or long term)?
I intend to keep on making – learning, and learning some more. I’m looking forward to expanding my practise in all the different ways I am compelled to explore. I hope I get better with my craft in whatever direction it goes. I am open to the path unraveling, so for the moment, I will just continue to make.
Meet Tiffany Morris-North, local artist and foodie. She’s been our cafe tart for many years and was the first artist featured on our cover. I’ve known Tiffany for many years as our kids went to school together, I’m lucky enough to work with Tiffany and she’s always got great stories and fantastic recipes to try. She shares some of her stories here.
Tell us a little bit about your creative journey?
I don’t feel like I’ve been on a journey. Its just a part of me. I think my creativity is what keeps me grounded, it’s like a meditation and helps me to relax. I love learning new things, experimenting and attending workshops.
Why did you want to become an artist/designer?
It hasn’t been a decision I’ve ever made. I’ve just always drawn pictures, painted, crocheted. Maybe I dandy have a choice.
Did you study art/design?
After Secondary School I studied an Art and Design Certificate at TAFE before working for a graphic designer, which I hated!!I then travelled overseas and studied prop-making and visual merchandising in London.
How did you become involved with the hillscene?
I have always had a small interest in the hillscene from the beginning. I’ve contributed photos, written cafe reviews and also had a painting featured on the cover of the premier issue. So I’ve been part of it right from the start.
In what ways, if any, do you engage with the hills community?
In the past I have been a part of Open Studios, helped start a local business (Leaf studios in Kallista), been part of local art exhibitions and initiatives and sold my wares at local markets. Because of this I’ve met many locals and artists and we continue to talk and share local interests and events.
What do you wish you knew about being an artist/designer before you got started?
I wish I knew more about the business side of things and marketing myself. Although these things really don’t interest me, I just wish I knew stuff.
Who are your creative heroes?
My heroes are the friends and artists I’ve met along the way who can fit their creativity into their work and family life as well as all the other surprises along the way.
What do you enjoy about living in the Dandenong Ranges?
I love the trees, the colours, the space and hearing the birds when I get home from work.
What are your plans for the future (immediate or long term)?
Nothing definite. I’m always planning the next painting even if it never eventuates. I’m always on the lookout for a class or workshop to learn and have fun.
For many of us, when we think of the Dandenong Ranges, we think of mountain tops with picturesque views, luscious temperate rainforests, charming gardens and a great community of inspiring artists. What would you say if I told you that for two weeks in October, you only need go to one spot to experience all of these things?
‘Art of the Mountain’ is an art exhibition held at Karwarra Australian Native Botanic Garden and Plant Nursery in Kalorama. The exhibition will celebrate the beauty and diversity of the Dandenong Ranges by exhibiting artwork by local artists inspired by Australian native flora and fauna and the stunning natural landscapes of the region. The exhibition will be held between Saturday 5th and Sunday 20th October, in the height of spring, when you can see the native botanic garden flowering in the lovely weather.
Eastern Spinebill by IT-HAO.
Over 70 artists are contributing works to the exhibition including renowned botanical artist Marta Salamon, who is inspired by the awesome structures within nature, both in creatures and plants, and award winning ceramicist Eva Glac, with her heart-warming ceramic sculptures of the intricate details in Australian native flora. You can also see beautiful watercolour renderings of native birds such as the Kookaburra and the Eastern Spinebill by local artist IT-HAO, a regular teacher at Sherbrooke Art Society in Belgrave. There will also be pieces by unexpected artists such as knife-maker Matthieu Dechamps, jewellery crafter Helene Campbell (of Tall Trees Studios) and poet / illustrator Cameron Semmens.
The exhibition will burst beyond the walls of the gallery, featuring abstract and figurative sculptures placed in the gardens created by skilled artist duo, Juet, who work with recycled steel, wood and stone.
Juet with one of their sculptures.
Lee Goller will be facilitating a free pottery demonstration / workshop for those that want to get their hands dirty on Saturday 19th October.
While there have been successful Botanical and Wildlife exhibitions at Karwarra in the past, the ‘Art of the Mountain’ exhibition will showcase a more flexible interpretation of Australian flora and fauna. This ‘passion project’ of The Friends of Karwarra is lead by Committee member Helen Beck. When Helen moved to the Dandenong’s, she was immediately attracted to the beautiful Karwarra Gardens, and with her long history of working in art and tourism, she saw the potential for something amazing to happen. “We started with teapot cosies.” Helen says. “We asked local artists to make teapot cosies that responded to our lovely flora and fauna, it was a great laugh, with some of the artists really playing and having fun with the theme and their quirky sense of humour, but we saw that this was just the beginning.” That exhibition premiered last year as a much smaller exhibition. “This year, we went big.”
‘Lyrebird in Dandenong Ranges’ by Marta Salomon
Helen and the Friends of Karwarra see ‘Art of the Mountain’ as an opportunity to promote the gardens and the gallery. The exhibition is a chance to further Karwarra’s exposure to the community. As part of the preparation for the exhibition, Helen contacted many well-known local artists to promote the opportunity. She went on to explain that “so many of the artists that I contacted to come see the garden, for inspiration, had never been here before and are returning with friends and family.” Helen hopes to see an increase in membership to Friends of Karwarra as more people in the community find out about this little treasure.
Annual membership is only $10 for an individual, and includes invites to special events such as the opening of exhibitions and ‘Breakfast with the Birds’. Members can learn to look after a native garden, help with weeding, raking and propagation. If you are not so interested in the practical side of the garden you may have skills and interests that you can bring to The Friends. The garden has a small retail native plant nursery open to the public during normal Karwarra opening hours.
Artists looking to exhibit in the Karwarra Gallery at other times of the year are welcome to contact Karwarra for more information. The fees are very affordable. All exhibitions must be in response to native flora and fauna to be presented in the gallery.
Karwarra will also be the venue for this year’s hillsceneLIVE Festival Shifting Thresholds to be held on 9 + 10 November. The festival sees 16 live art makers create experimental art and performative expression that delves into our shared human experience as they unearth the lineages of our collective past and move towards our shared future.
‘Art of the Mountain’ Exhibition Saturday 5th – Sunday 20th October 10:00 – 4:00pm Tuesday to Sunday Karwarra Australian Native Botanic Garden and Nursery – Kalorama Memorial Reserve 1190-1192 Mount Dandenong Tourist Rd, Kalorama Ph: 03 972 84256 facebook.com/FriendsofKarwarraGarden/ Instagram friendsofkarwarra Friendskarwarra@gmail.com
To find out more about the hillsceneLIVE Festival – Shifting Thresholds go to www.hillscenelive.com
Enjoy live art alongside wine at ‘Scratch it up’, a sneak peek into this years ‘hillsceneLIVE’ art festival
Hosted at the creative space of Two Floors studio in Belgrave 25/08, ‘Scratch it up’ will give you a glimpse into this years ‘hillsceneLIVE’. From dance to circus, storytelling to interactive performance, this event will introduce many of the artists who will be performing at the festival later this year.
The 2019 hillsceneLIVE (HSL) theme is that of “Turbulent lineages to shifting thresholds” and the artists present at ‘Scratch it up’ will showcase a variety of pieces inspired by the phrase. Gulsen Ozer describes her work as one of highs, lows and love and through her storytelling, will focus on the personal story of family and life experiences. Katie Lohner will join alongside with her story of an intimate human act, one of tradition, isolation and addiction. Eating!
Dani-Ela Kayler’s piece is described as visceral, playful and intimate and explores our changing realities through contemporary dance. Fellow dancer Kathleen Renehan also aims to test the theme through her piece which will challenge the vertical limits that currently defines dance.
Physical theatre will be present through The Contingent, nuanced and bittersweet notes through dance, clown and creative writing improvisation. Interactive Art is showcased by Champagne Glitch, exploring the uncertain future and the Pandora boxes we may be opening today, questioning what we will do next when confronted with conflict and realisation.
Journeying with Cheryl Ho and Sze Min, attendees will experience the timeline of GIRL and her ancestors. Using audio to transcend time, place and history, they will delve into where we are from, where we have been and where we may have to go. Brigid Morgan presents a durational solo performance with themes of ‘kintsugi’, the celebration of flaws. Their work is realised through voiceover, reflections of motherhood and the fractured relationships healed by becoming a mother.
In line with the hillscene program, artists come with their abstract and potentially confronting ideas in which they are given the opportunity to develop and explore themes not possible through other means. These ideas will be realised and performed at the eighth HSL festival.
The art showcased at ‘Scratch it up’ are not completed pieces, yet will provide a taste for what is to come at this years HSL festival. This free Sunday session is for those who like some adventure with their wine and will start from 5:00 pm at the Two Floors Studio. Feel free to stick around.
Justine Walsh, our Autumn guest editor, is a familiar face around the hillscene and many other community projects. She has been both a writer and an interview subject in the hillscene for her varied talents. Justine has also been involved in the hillsceneLIVE festival and has a wealth of creative ideas she’s happy to share. She’s fearless and a huge advocate for creating and facilitating culture in the hills. We talk to her about her many projects and love of writing.
Tell us a little bit about your writing journey?
I have always written poetry and songs, making art with text and finding playful and experimental ways to use language. I also ran a poetry night in the hills for 5 years, To the Ends of the ‘Verse, which was beautiful and powerful in equal measure.
Why did you want to become an editor/writer/poet?
As a young person I realized a big part of me was storytelling, which has over the years emerged in so many different ways. I’d say ‘artist’ works best as I have a broad set of skills, dreams and projects… I can’t say I ever aimed to become an artist as such, I just had to do it and I followed my nose, testing many forms and methodologies, learning my cycles of creativity and fallow periods, allowing for it to change as it needs.
What is an editor’s role in this era of fake news and alternative facts?
To be discerning but also to do your best not to flavour the stories with your individual values. And to fact check, of course.
How did you become involved with the hillscene?
I was originally interviewed back in 2013 as a musician I think… I have done a few articles for the mag since then and still have a solid back catalogue in my possession!
In what ways, if any, do you engage with the hills community?
I work in a leadership capacity for the arts & cultural events of the Dandenongs, helping to run projects such as hillsceneLIVE, Belgrave Survival Day and up until recently, Belgrave Lantern Parade. It’s very intense and often unpaid (mostly underpaid) work, but I have done it for the love of the community and the arts, and have learnt unbelievable amounts along the way. I am so grateful for the community up here, there are so many artists and members of the public who have put endless hours into the arts in the region. I started out working on End of the Line festival 2012, began the poetry night, was an artist/mentor at tiffaney bishop COLLECTIVE, and everything unfolded from there… it’s been the most tumultuous and spectacular time I must say!
Who are your creative heroes?
People like Gareth Hart, Leisa Shelton, Tiffaney Bishop, Ross Farnell, Toni Main, Renate Crow, people who I am close to and work with tend to be the ones who inspire me the most. Pretty lucky to have such amazing friends and peers!
What do you enjoy about living in the Dandenong Ranges?
I can never get enough of that air. The moss and the lichens, the incredible worlds of forested beauty, I am always discovering new little tracks to walk. The land here has held me in such a deep and enduring way, I can’t express how grateful I am for these green places.
Well, I am very excited to be Co-Directing hillsceneLIVE again this year, and working on the committee of Belgrave Survival Day. Both of these teams are looking for new people to be a part of them too so get in touch!!
Apart from my events work, I have been learning about herbalism and collaborating with plants! Very exciting to spend time with them in a new way. I have also been working with sound school to run and help organize free workshops for young/queer/POC/femme people to access resources and learn about sound, which is awesome and very important. Also I am working on some sounds to be released mid-year on bandcamp through my project radiant/resonant… and of course there are some other projects in the pipeline haha… always 🙂
WINTER IS COMING. So it’s time to start working on the Winter issue of the hillscene. Which of course means there’s a poem call out. What is a poem call out? Well we want you to get creative, writing a poem about our local area, get your writing cap on and make those words sing.
POEM CALL-OUT: Write a ‘Winter’ poem for the hillscene magazine
Requirements: 5 lines maximum; and must include water in one of its forms, i.e. stream, ocean, fog, mist, cloud or waterfall. Due by: 26 May 2019. Check out:www.hillscene.com.au
Send your entry to our resident poet and this issue’s guest editor and designer Cameron Semmens at cam@webcameron.com by the due date for your chance to have your poem included in the hillscene. No payment. Just the pleasure of having your poem in print.
Words by Bluzal Field. Images courtesy the artists and Burrinja Cultural Centre.
HillsceneLIVE is a unique nine-month artist gestation program that culminates in a two-day festival on 17 and 18 November, set in the beauty of the Dandenong Ranges.
Since 2014, hillsceneLIVE has been supporting artists to create bold new work that explores all facets of live experimental art, including sound, dance, installation, audiovisual and especially work that doesn’t fit into these categories. This year, there are 15 new intriguing works being presented at the festival as part of the program. hillsceneLIVE Festival Director, Toni Main, says: ‘We ask artists that apply to our program to come to us with an idea, or a question that needs to be explored, and not a finished piece of work. We create a space to delve into that exploration, with a series of incubators, professional development sessions and experimental art workshops over a nine-month period. Throughout that time the hillsceneLIVE team are there to support, provoke and converse with each artist as they make their new work. Take local musician Edward Willoughby for example, through this program he has explored not just sound-making but the experience of stage fright and created an experiential work that is part-theatre and part-sound that places stage fright at centrestage in a cumulative revelation of a private, inner song.’
Edward Willoughby
The result of this process is depth. The strength and integrity of the work presented at hillsceneLIVE is achieved because of the opportunity and support provided by the program. This year sees the inclusion of local, Melbourne and interstate-based artists heading to the Dandenong Ranges, enticed by the quality of the program.
hillsceneLIVE aims to bring new life to disused or underused spaces throughout the Dandenong Ranges. The festival is set in unconventional spaces; in the past it has been staged in an old office, in empty shopfronts and even the main street of Belgrave, with its hidden alleyways and secret corners. This year, the festival will inhabit the beautiful natural landscape of Birdsland Reserve in Belgrave Heights. Main says: ‘What sets hillsceneLIVE apart from other art festivals based in the city is the inspirational natural landscape. Many artists have chosen to make their work in response to the landscape, incorporating the wetlands, sloping hills, fields and vegetation into the work. They have spent time investigating the surrounds and embedding the natural environment into their performative offerings.’
There are many examples of this, but highlights include local performer, Dani-Ela Kayler’s ‘Desquamate’, a dance with the tall grasses as she sheds her layers, or ‘…pieces of silver’, developed and presented by Louise Morris and Kirsten Prins who are creating an installation and performative response to the Birdsland site. Drawing upon the theme of violence against women, the installation responds to two specific areas on the site – the old heritage cottage and the hidden and forgotten walkway down near the swamplands. They have collated research to reflect the number of women who have been affected by violence since the land was cleared for grazing and crop production 150 years ago.
Pieces of silver by Louise Morris and Kirsten Prins
The festival is designed to be an experience, offering ticketholders a variety of workshops such as Bush Poetry with Leo Lazaurus, where you can use the power of writing and the energy of the bush to tap into internal and external worlds; or learn how to juggle with French juggler Anso. If participating isn’t for you, then get deep into conversation with our extensive critical conversation series that discusses the challenges, insights and obsessions of the artists engaged in the hillsceneLIVE program. All packed into two days in Birdlsand reserve.
hillsceneLIVE is a festival supported by Burrinja since 2014. This year saw the festival expand its scope thanks to funding received from Yarra Ranges Council and Creative Victoria.
hillsceneLIVE Festival When: 17–18 November Where: Birdsland Reserve – 271 Mt Morton Rd, Belgrave Heights
For tickets and to find out more go to www.hillscenelive.com
As editor and designer of the 2018 Winter edition of the hillscene ‘zine I decided to open it up to all those aspiring writers out there – to write a haiku for the forest! ‘Cause I love the forest, and I know a lot of other people out there do too.
Haiku holds a unique place in many people’s story. They are one of the few poetic forms taught in school that don’t rhyme, and that can be deliberately open and ambiguous. Which I think is a healthy acknowledgment of the mystery and ‘poetry’ of reality, rather than the spreadsheets and certainty we are sometimes sold.
The tight constraints of haiku: allowing only 5 syllables for the first line; 7 for the second and 5 for the third – act like a focussing lens; like a magnifying glass – cutting out all that isn’t needed, utilising just the most effective and evocative words.
I think this form of poem is at its best when simply capturing a single suggestive moment; an emotive word-photo of a landscape; or a fragment of a scene that is emblematic of a whole world. And so many people did this really well.
I got about 40 haiku submissions – which was great. But it wasn’t easy to whittle them down to the final ones published in the ‘zine.
My selection criteria was pretty simple: it had to be in and around the forest; to be original and fresh; to be vivid and evocative. And on top of that I was looking for both ‘heart’ and ‘craft’ – words that felt honest and emotional that also showed precision and deliberate crafting.
After making the selection, I paired them with an appropriate photo, and then tried to match them with a space or story in the ‘zine.
A big shout out to Katie Cremean at Ferny Creek Primary School – she got her whole grade 3 class writing haiku and producing complimentary art – which was just delightful.
So, I hope you enjoy the haiku selected…
But before that – the next poetry challenge! Since the last call out went so well, I’ve made a new poetry challenge for the Spring issue.
Write a Spring poem for Hillscene!
For potential publication in the Spring/Summer edition of Hillscene. To qualify, your poem must mention:
– 1 colour
– 1 type of plant or tree, and
– 1 place name from The Dandenong ranges.
5 lines MAXIMUM.
Send in by Oct 10, 2018.
Have a go. Let the inspiration flow. Put pen to paper.
hillscene blog 