Guides

  1. Unfinished novels under Australian streetlightsAt dusk, a small crowd gathers beneath the amber glow of a suburban footpath. There are folding chairs, takeaway coffees, marked-up notebooks and the slightly…
  2. How a Photographer Built a Darkroom in a Closet and Never Looked BackThe darkroom began with a problem familiar to many Australian photographers: there was no spare studio, no generous warehouse, and no budget for a dedicated…
  3. The urban forager turning weeds into living colourAn urban forager who makes natural dyes from weeds and parking lot plants sees overlooked places differently. A cracked footpath becomes a small botanical…
  4. A Late-Summer Playlist for the Season You Miss AlreadyThere is a particular kind of afternoon that feels borrowed from another year. The light turns honey-coloured, the fan hums in the background, and the day…
  5. The Typewriter Writer Selling One-Dollar Stories in Coffee ShopsAt a small table near the window, a typewriter makes a sound that belongs to another era. Each key lands with a firm metallic tap, drawing brief glances from…
  6. Learning to say no when the commission is wrongThere is a particular kind of excitement that arrives with a commissioned project. Someone has seen your work, imagined it in their world and offered you money…
  7. The Painter Turning Renovation Leftovers Into Living ColourAt first glance, the studio appears to hold a familiar collection of tins, brushes and half-used rollers. Look closer and the materials tell a different story:…
  8. A Guide to Hosting a Silent Disco Art Opening at HomeA living room can become an intimate gallery, listening room and social space with surprisingly little equipment. A silent disco art opening replaces…
  9. Colour, Craft And Dignity: Knitted Covers For Prosthetic LimbsA prosthetic limb can restore movement, independence and confidence, yet it can also attract unwanted attention. Bright yarn, patterned fabric and careful…
  10. The cartoonist who draws her last sight before sleepAt 11.47pm, when most of Melbourne has gone quiet except for the occasional tram bell and a possum on the roof, Nina Vale opens a small sketchbook beside her…