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MISC.The Miscellaneous Edition // Issue 25 // Free

interested in joining the team?...or looking to submit some work ? Please contact Paul t 1300 369 436 e [email protected]

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IN THIS EDITIONMusings On Language 3 WRITTEN BY RYAN BARGHOLZ. DESIGNED BY JOH D’COSTA

You Can’t Fake Gravity 4 WRITTEN AND DESIGNED BY BEN JACKSON

2014 Teenage Dating; Simple, Or A Struggle? 6 WRITTEN BY LAUREN CAIA. DESIGNED BY DANIEL GIBBS

Manga Workshop Sketches 8 SKETCHES BY READZ @ 4PM GROUP. DESIGNED BY JOH D’COSTA

The ‘80s 10 WRITTEN & DESIGNED BY JOE EDDY

Emporium Melbourne 12 WRITTEN BY LUCAS BREARLEY. DESIGNED BY BEN JACKSON

Minimalism 14 WRITTEN BY XIA TILIGADIS. DESIGNED BY DANIEL GIBBS

The Cons and Pros of Boy Bands 16 WRITTEN BY MIKAELA COPLAND. DESIGNED BY ZACH AYMAN

Picture This 2014 Top Three 18 IMAGES BY ESTELLE MCGRATH, HANNAH TIMUSKA-CARR AND MEGAN HIGGINS. DESIGNED BY JOH D’COSTA

KYSS Magazine: Join The Team 19

Competitive Cheerleading: A Sport To Be Recognised 20 WRITTEN BY EMMA VAN DEN HELM. DESIGNED BY ZACH AYMAN

What Does It Mean To Be An Adult? 22 WRITTEN BY XIA TILIGADIS. DESIGNED BY DANIEL GIBBS

Movie Review: Tracks 24 WRITTEN & DESIGNED BY REBECCA BELL

Hosier Lane 25 PHOTOGRAPH BY KATE PATTON

Crafting Up A Good Old Yarn 26 WRITTEN BY JOANNA LEE. DESIGNED BY ZACH AYMAN

The Story Of Charles Trippy 28 WRITTEN & DESIGNED BY ARSHIA CHAUDHRY

Enchantment 29 PHOTOGRAPH BY KATE PATTON

Casey 30 SKETCH BY KELSEY MANNERS. DESIGNED BY JOH D’COSTA

Skate of Mind 2014 31

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from the editor

DISCLAIMERThe views and opinions

expressed in these articles are

those of the authors and do not

necessarily reflect the views,

values and official position of

the City of Kingston or any of

its officials, representatives or

employees.

The KYSS team proudly presents the Miscellaneous Edition.

In this super-sized edition, we bring you such varied topics as the pros and cons of boy bands, musings on language and the debate at the heart of wrestling; is it real or fake? We also take a look at dating in 2014, flash back to all that was great about the ‘80s, and explore the new shopping, entertainment and food complex “Emporium.”

So slow down from the crazy pace of life, take a seat, and enjoy our Miscellaneous Edition, written and designed by the youth of Kingston for the youth of Kingston, which has something for everyone!

The KYSS team would like to thank all of our manga artists, sketch artists, photographers and our top three prize winners from the Kingston Youth Services photo competition “Picture This” who gave us permission to present your artwork and images to the youth of Kingston; you guys rock!

Don’t forget to check out the promotion for Kingston Youth Services’ “Skate of Mind” festival (page 31). This free event will take place on Saturday 15th November, 10am- 4pm at Sir William Fry Reserve in Highett. Looking forward to seeing you there!

We hope you love reading the 25th edition of KYSS as much as we loved creating it for you.

Arshia Chaudhry EDITOR

COVER DESIGN: ZACH AYMAN

The Miscellaneous Edition 3

MUSINGS ON LANGUAGE

Ryan Bargholz

Before my time in Germany, during September, I attended a very good friend’s wedding in Tokyo, where I also learnt to read hiragana and katakana, two of technically four alphabets that Japan uses. It didn’t faze me so much, the information I’d managed to teach myself in the space of two weeks. In fact, it wasn’t until I went to Europe that I found the magic of the information I gained three or four months prior.

Here is what causes the languages to enchant me in their wonder: I can speak with anyone on the street in English, and provided they speak English as well, I can understand them without thinking about it. Compared to say if someone came up and began to speak with me in Urdu, which I certainly don’t know how to speak, I’d flounder. Here’s the kicker: someone who understands Urdu can understand and comprehend that Urdu speaker in as good a capacity as I can in English.

Since returning from Europe, I’ve continued my Japanese and German, attempting to further better my understanding of what I believe to be beautiful languages.

When I arrived back from Europe, much like when I was in those countries, I made another realisation in the form of an analogy. I use it now often when I try to explain my interest to others.

Language is like mountaineering equipment. I can set a cultural marvel in front of myself. In many cases an

unscalable behemoth. When I slip into my harness and pick up my set of carabiners I can, if but for a moment, search this marvel and climb about it, understanding its nooks, crannies, dips and rises. Learning has become very tactile to me after realizing this, not physically, but proverbially.

Language to me is closely linked and influences the culture who uses it to communicate. As a language, Japanese (like other East Asian languages) is built from the ground up to support honour and respect. It’s so deeply ingrained in the language, I believe it’s bled into the culture, rather than the culture being respectful and honorific of its own accord. They also influence how the culture speak with each other.

Let’s switch tracks to Mandarin Chinese.

For young people to request an elder’s last name, they ask “Qingwèn, nín guì xìng?” It means; “Excuse me, what is your last name?”, however, if it’s broken down literally, it asks what the elder’s “expensive” last name is, as a sign of respect. This is a language built from the ground up to be respectful, and it’s crossed into the culture over time.

Coming back to the idea of mountaineering equipment. I can apply it to anything I have to learn, be it for personal interest or uni, and so can you, intrepid reader.

In December till February, I travelled solo to Europe at the end of my high schooling. While over there I found two things I didn’t expect. Firstly I found pride in my German

heritage, and secondly, I discovered a deep love and appreciation for language acquisition. My German, as it stands is passable at best, but that’s not what gave and still gives me such

joy in touching the side of a language in my passing.

I suppose in some ways, life is much like a marvel in itself to be explored and learnt, language is just an avenue, or cave that I’ve found to explore,

and my goodness is it a big cave.

COVER DESIGN: ZACH AYMAN

4 The Miscellaneous Edition

Readz @Four P.M.Manga Workshop Sketches

2. Aaron

5

4

2 6

7

9

8

10

3

1

1. Jamie, 13

3. Jamie, 13

5. Samantha, 12

4. Laura, 13

6. (Unnamed)

7. Sarah

9. Ellie, 10

8. Molly, 10

10. India, 11

“Readz @ 4pm” is a bi-monthly program run by Kingston Libraries in partnership with Kingston Youth Services. The program is provided free of charge and sessions are open to young people aged 12-16 years. We run a variety of different activities such as Manga art workshops, interactive creative writing workshops

with authors, zine and comic workshops and even a chocolate appreciation session inspired by “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory!” For more information, please contact Regi on 1300 135 668 or via e-mail at [email protected] or Paul on 1300 369 436 or via e-mail at [email protected]


I hate to be one of those people who says "I was born in the wrong generation".

But I think I might have been born in the wrong generation. Call me a hipster or a condescending, 'cultured' person, but it is my personal opinion that the decade that spanned 1980 to 1990 was a 'golden era' for pretty much everything. Everything that matters, I should say. Music, fashion, art, the list goes on of things that were so much more interesting back then than in the world we live in today. So much has changed since the eighties, and it is a decade that I am sorry to have not grown up in.

I remember when I didn't have Facebook. I was one of those kids whose parents never let them on any type of social media whatsoever. Only last year I got Facebook, and it made me realise just how much more simple my life was beforehand. I can't say for sure, but this must have been what it was like in the eighties, when people didn't have to 'request' to be your friend, when people didn't have to visually show that they 'liked' whatever you were doing, when you weren't bombarded over social media with advertisements of products you didn't even need. Is it just me, or as time goes on, has everything gradually become more artificial when it comes to being social? Back then, no one needed to know what you were doing every minute of every day. So much more simple.

words/design/photographyby Joe Eddy


‘80sthe

I’ve just started collecting vinyl records. Because I'm into hip-hop, they are quite expensive, but I think they're worth it. I know vinyl has been around for a few decades before the eighties, but music was so good back then. Okay, some people might disagree, but I think it was a really important time for music, because people started experimenting more. Rock became harder, a reaction to the hippie movement of the 1970s. Some would say that the eighties were the golden era of hip-hop, with new styles of beats being produced. A whole new electronic style of music was created, and heaps of sub genres that included house, dance, techno which I think all sound the same but I don't mind a bit of electronic music now and then. And of course you had to actually buy music, there wasn't any of this 'illegally downloading pirated material'. But it made listening to music itself more enjoyable. I know whenever I have a vinyl session it's more than just listening to music, it's about appreciating the work of the artist. And the quality is so much better.

I love hip-hop in general so I have to mention that it was around this time that the street art culture that had been evolving in the U.S. for a decade or so finally made the leap to Australian streets. A whole new generation of kids was raised on breakdancing and spray painting after MTV was first aired on Australian television. Melbourne is now one of the best places in the world for street art now, and its origins can be traced all the way back to the eighties.

If I could, I would wear clothes inspired by eighties fashion every day. You might think that a bit strange, wearing brightly coloured sports tracksuits and leg warmers with a fluoro coloured headband. I wouldn't go that far, but I do have a soft spot for high top sneakers, and I know I would look ridiculous in a Kangol bucket hat but I think they are so cool. Beastie Boys, anyone? I guess I just like the eighties in general because you could wear all these brightly coloured clothes that look a bit strange today. One thing I dislike about eighties fashion was the mullet. I'm sorry, but that was a particularly awful hairstyle and it pains me to say I have on more than one occasion been told I have one.

I'll admit that I haven't been as specific as I'd like to when describing these things. You could apply them to any era. And to be honest, there were some trends in the eighties that should never be repeated. The mullet of course, I've mentioned, but other things, especially some new wave rock bands were pretty awful. I’m prety sure the hideous trend they called double denim is something people would rather forget. But I would have loved to experience these things in the eighties, when life, I think at least, would have been so much more simple.


It's 2014 and boy bands are taking over the world! But how much good or harm are they doing?

PROS & consWRITTEN BY MIKAELA COPLAND - DESIGNED BY ZACH AYMAN

•They will eventually grow up This is an obvious one; they can’t be heart throbs forever! But you will also grow up and one day you might hear their song on the ‘golden oldies’ radio station while driving your children to school … isn’t that a scary thought?! •Cost of concert tickets Teenagers aren’t made of money; our main supply is our parents and any part time job we have, so when boy bands release front row/backstage ticket packages for $399 … it’s not exactly affordable! •The rumours So apparently Harry Styles is currently dating Taylor Swift, Kendall Jenner AND Cara Delevingne?! The media plays a big part of getting to know the band with interviews and snapshots into their life, so when a fandom sees a new ‘unconfirmed’ rumour, they go crazy speculating and turn into detectives. •They don’t know you exist Every fan has that realisation that no matter how many interviews you watch or songs you listen to, you won’t ever be able to just ring them up and have a chat like you are best friends. There are some lucky ones though, who are fortunate enough to meet them and be noticed but then again, it is still unlikely they will remember you. It’s one of the more devastating ‘cons’ I think. •Fans are categorised When you think of One Direction fans, what images do you associate them with? Screaming? Camping out in tents outside hotels? Weird, insane tweets to their favourite member? Fans are stereotyped in fandoms and one fan can just ruin it all for everybody. This can bring shame to fans when admitting to liking a band because of the associated stereotype and they will often hide their music taste, afraid of being portrayed as that image.

•Harder for you to meet them As boy bands become more famous, it becomes harder for you to meet them. Those small café gigs when they first started performing have turned into sold out stadium shows and those shopping centre signings have turned into expensive high tech security guarded halls. That’s why you see fans waiting outside of hotels; it’s free and much less of a hassle. The chance that the boys will come out and they can get their own personal meeting with them is worth the wait for hours in the freezing cold for some fans. •Predictable/repetitive lyrics Some bands write their own songs, some contribute and some just sing them. A catchy chorus or an amazing high note can be all it takes for the song to get in the charts or attract other fans to check out their whole album. Unfortunately, for fans that have heard every note that they have ever sung, their songs can become very repetitive. •Teased by friends/family/general public for idolising a boy band ‘Each to their own’ is a great expression to describe this feeling. Hell yeah I might idolise a boy band but what’s it to you?! Everybody is allowed to have different idols and I guess some people choose boy bands. It is really a shame people are put down for liking or idolising boy bands because if that makes you happy, it’s not really anybody else’s business.

Special thank you to my tumblr girls for contributing ideas to this article: ayy-hemmo ~ zjvmalik ~ loarackobama ~ h5rry ~ dacraicdaddy ~ everyzaynaboutlou ~ cutiexirwin ~ iddonarry ~ ofcalums ~ atlous ~ drtymouth ~ lukeandroll ~ zaynmalkz

•Making friends Boy bands use social media platforms to inform and promote themselves; you can meet other fangirls from across the world to gossip with via such platforms! Friendships blossom over this one similar interest in a band; whether it’s people from your school, country or people on the other side of the globe! •Second family Some fans even go as far as calling their fandom a ‘second family.’ You see fans from the same city or country having ‘meet ups’ all the time; imagine how excited they get when the boys come to town! •Different voices to listen to You never get bored with one voice because with many boy bands, they take turns on lead vocals. You can admire one’s falsetto and the other’s raspy voice at the same time! And don’t get me started on the harmonies! •A distraction When life is getting tough, you can always rely on your favourite band to be there for you. You can hide away and listen to their songs on repeat for an escape from reality and you can read fanfictions and imagine them there with you whenever you like. There is a certain freedom to use them as a distraction, guilty pleasure or relaxing past time.

•There’s a boy for everyone“No way! Luke Hemmings from 5SOS is totally my boyfriend! You can have the OTHER ones!” Ah, calling ‘dibs’ on band members with your friends is every fan’s favourite past time. Who says if you are dating band mates that you can’t double date? Better start planning what you guys are going to wear! •The friendship between the boys Sometimes it’s not even about the music; it’s just nice to witness the boys mucking around with one another. Pulling pranks, playing games and telling jokes are just some of the activities the boys participate in to express their friendship with one another. It’s just nice to take a step back and admire that you, the fans, are the reason these teenage boys get to live their dream together. •Inspiration Some of these boy bands have remarkable back stories of how they climbed the ladder of fame and thus they inspire others to chase their own dream. Whether it’s from a talent show like ‘X-Factor’ or from a social media platform like YouTube, they all have to start somewhere. Boy bands are also very encouraging, ‘retweeting’ new musicians and promoting new talent through their huge fan base. •Their music is easy to relate to You just failed your test, got rained on when you walked home and now you found out your sibling ate all the chocolate in the house! All you want to do is curl up and listen to the kind, catchy words of their songs to make you feel a whole lot better. There are songs for every mood you are in and sometimes you just want to disconnect from the world by shoving your headphones on and listening to them.

So what do you think? Do the pros outweigh the cons or is it the other way around?


Picture This

t o p t h r e e

2014

THIRD | MEGAN HIGGINS | "GIRLS JUST WANNA HAVE FUN"

RUNNER UP | Hannah timuska-carr | "Colour Run"

Winner | Estelle McGrath | "Summer Bliss"

Do you like writing, drawing or designing?

Then why not join the KYSS team!

Want to get involved?

If you are interested in joining the team or would just like to submit some of your work then contact us and we’ll be more than happy to help!

You can contact usOnline: www.kyfs.org.au

Phone: 1300 36 94 36

Email: [email protected]

COMPETITIVE CHEERLEADING

Written by Emma Van Den Helm - Designed by Zach Ayman

Cheerleader. Most people, upon hearing this word would think of teenage girls with not so nice attitudes, shaking pom poms on the sidelines of a sports game. However, the definition of a cheerleader over the last twenty years has rapidly evolved as All-Star or Competitive Cheerleading has burst onto the sports scene. Involving a two and a half minute routine of a combination of stunting, tumbling, tosses and dances of different difficulty levels, All-Star Cheerleading is a highly competitive, fast-paced and team oriented sport. Cheerleading however, is still not recognised by a number of international committees around the world as a ‘true’ sport.

One reason that many people scoff at the suggestion that All-Star Cheerleading is a sport equal to all others, is due to the stigma attached to its origin. Cheerleading was, and still is in some teams, aimed at increasing the enthusiasm of crowds and supporters at other team games such as basketball and football. In some contexts, cheerleaders literally lead the cheers of fans in support of a specific sports team. All-Star Cheerleading however, contains all of the elements of a ‘traditional’ sport, where the cheerleaders themselves are competing in the spotlight. It involves competitiveness, teamwork, sportsmanship, skill and physical exertion.

Cheerleading teams of all levels often train all year round in preparation for competitions. They learn a range of skills in the areas of tumbling, stunting and dance. Tumbling involves a range of acrobatic tricks that can range from simple cartwheels to more complex passes involving a combination of difficult movements. Stunting occurs when bases, groups of strong, support cheerleaders, work together to throw, support or catch a flyer, as they complete a range of gymnastic tricks, tosses and jumps in the air. Every aspect of building a safe and well-executed cheerleading routine requires incredible strength, practice and conditioning. Like any other sport, cheerleading involves rigorous training and strategic thinking in order to perform at the highest level.

All-Star Cheerleading, like all other sports, follows a strict code of conduct and set of internationally recognised guidelines that outline what is allowed to be performed in each routine and at what level. Within Australia, the Australian All-Star Cheerleading Federation (AASCF) is the governing body that provides support and holds competitions for All-Star gyms across the country. These governing bodies work to improve the sport and increase awareness of what cheerleading can offer to an athlete at a competitive level, comparable to what the AFL Commission does for the game of Australian Rules Football.

Another argument that many critics of cheerleading use when explaining why cheerleading shouldn’t be an officially recognised sport is that the skills utilised and performed are not comparable or of similar calibre to the skills required for other recognised sports. This argument is not entirely valid, as a number of the skills that are found within All-Star Cheerleading are also found in professional gymnastics, particularly the tumbling component. Gymnastics is identified as a ‘real’ sport worldwide and even features at the most prestigious of sporting events – the Olympics. Why then, when gymnastics shares so many similarities in skills, is cheerleading still, for the most part, unrecognised as a sport?

All-Star Cheerleading incorporates all the key elements of a sport and encourages the same values that many other team games do – respect, teamwork, sportsmanship and co-operation. Ultimately, it shares the same goal as every other sport played- to unify people in a display of athleticism. We need to rid cheerleading of the negative stigma attached to the sport and begin to accept and appreciate the hard work and dedication that builds the foundation of the world of competitive cheerleading. Cheerleading IS a sport.

A SPORT TO BE RECOGNISED


Images sourced from:http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6e/JU_Cheerleaders.jpg http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6e/JU_Cheerleaders.jpghttp://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/62/US_Navy_111209-N-PM781-011_The_U.S._Naval_Academy_Cheerleading_Squad_and_Bill_the_Goat,_the_U.S._Naval_Academy_mascot,_perform_during_a_pep-rally_a.jpg http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/62/US_Navy_111209-N-PM781-011_The_U.S._Naval_Academy_Cheerleading_Squad_and_Bill_the_Goat,_the_U.S._Naval_Academy_mascot,_perform_during_a_pep-rally_a.jpg

COMPETITIVE CHEERLEADING

Written by Emma Van Den Helm - Designed by Zach Ayman

Cheerleader. Most people, upon hearing this word would think of teenage girls with not so nice attitudes, shaking pom poms on the sidelines of a sports game. However, the definition of a cheerleader over the last twenty years has rapidly evolved as All-Star or Competitive Cheerleading has burst onto the sports scene. Involving a two and a half minute routine of a combination of stunting, tumbling, tosses and dances of different difficulty levels, All-Star Cheerleading is a highly competitive, fast-paced and team oriented sport. Cheerleading however, is still not recognised by a number of international committees around the world as a ‘true’ sport.

One reason that many people scoff at the suggestion that All-Star Cheerleading is a sport equal to all others, is due to the stigma attached to its origin. Cheerleading was, and still is in some teams, aimed at increasing the enthusiasm of crowds and supporters at other team games such as basketball and football. In some contexts, cheerleaders literally lead the cheers of fans in support of a specific sports team. All-Star Cheerleading however, contains all of the elements of a ‘traditional’ sport, where the cheerleaders themselves are competing in the spotlight. It involves competitiveness, teamwork, sportsmanship, skill and physical exertion.

Cheerleading teams of all levels often train all year round in preparation for competitions. They learn a range of skills in the areas of tumbling, stunting and dance. Tumbling involves a range of acrobatic tricks that can range from simple cartwheels to more complex passes involving a combination of difficult movements. Stunting occurs when bases, groups of strong, support cheerleaders, work together to throw, support or catch a flyer, as they complete a range of gymnastic tricks, tosses and jumps in the air. Every aspect of building a safe and well-executed cheerleading routine requires incredible strength, practice and conditioning. Like any other sport, cheerleading involves rigorous training and strategic thinking in order to perform at the highest level.

All-Star Cheerleading, like all other sports, follows a strict code of conduct and set of internationally recognised guidelines that outline what is allowed to be performed in each routine and at what level. Within Australia, the Australian All-Star Cheerleading Federation (AASCF) is the governing body that provides support and holds competitions for All-Star gyms across the country. These governing bodies work to improve the sport and increase awareness of what cheerleading can offer to an athlete at a competitive level, comparable to what the AFL Commission does for the game of Australian Rules Football.

Another argument that many critics of cheerleading use when explaining why cheerleading shouldn’t be an officially recognised sport is that the skills utilised and performed are not comparable or of similar calibre to the skills required for other recognised sports. This argument is not entirely valid, as a number of the skills that are found within All-Star Cheerleading are also found in professional gymnastics, particularly the tumbling component. Gymnastics is identified as a ‘real’ sport worldwide and even features at the most prestigious of sporting events – the Olympics. Why then, when gymnastics shares so many similarities in skills, is cheerleading still, for the most part, unrecognised as a sport?

All-Star Cheerleading incorporates all the key elements of a sport and encourages the same values that many other team games do – respect, teamwork, sportsmanship and co-operation. Ultimately, it shares the same goal as every other sport played- to unify people in a display of athleticism. We need to rid cheerleading of the negative stigma attached to the sport and begin to accept and appreciate the hard work and dedication that builds the foundation of the world of competitive cheerleading. Cheerleading IS a sport.

A SPORT TO BE RECOGNISED


Movie Review

Tracks (2013)

In April 1977 Robyn Davidson, a young woman from Queensland decided to trek 3,200km across the Western Australian desert with four camels and her loveable dog Diggity. Based on a true account, Tracks is a moving tribute to an inspiring story of courage, strength and freedom.

Robyn (Wasikowska) is a fiercely independent and adventurous young woman who starts her journey from Alice Springs. Meeting an array of affable characters along the way, Davidson faces daily struggles against the harsh desert which at times seems insurmountable.

I found the film visually stunning with an astounding honesty that is often lacking in films today. The adventure was contagious and left you with a sense of wonder and inspiration to go forth and find your own tracks.

With a talented cast and an inspired true story, this film is a testament to the notion that ‘anything is possible.’

Director: John Curran Cast: Mia Wasikowska, Adam Driver Country: Australia Filming Locations: Flinders Ranges/South Australia Duration: 106 mins Rating: M Release Date: 10 October, 2013 DVD Release: 6 June, 2014

Written & Designed by: Rebecca Bell Extra information found: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tracks_(2013_film) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robyn_Davidson Pictures: www.smh.com.au, www.redbrick.me, filmschoolrejects.com, www.fliks.com.au and feministculturemuncher.blogspot.com.

Hosier Lane Photograph by Kate Patton


CRAFTING UP A GOOD OLD YARN

written by joanna lee designed by zach ayman

Chelsea used to be a lot more ‘Nanna’ than ‘Nanna Chic’ – its main shopping hub consisted of pensioners doing their daily grocery shop and a few outdated-looking op-shops here and there. Yet hints of bohemian flair have been quietly infiltrating the

school-grounds and street trees of the local enclave, one crochet blanket at a time.

Part-graffiti, part-craft-project, adorning trees in knitted threads – or more commonly known as yarn bombing – is, put simply, vandalism at its most harmless and playful. Though the movement (yes, movement!) often takes on a distinctively socio-political, subcultural edge in its usual urban settings, yarn bombing in Chelsea and its neighbouring Bonbeach has been adopted by locals hoping to interject art-play into a creatively-barren scene and revitalise community spirit through craft.

Operating through local community learning and development centre Longbeach Place, the Chelsea Collective gather fortnightly for yarn projects of ‘Nanna proportions’ – not only to clothe trees and benches but to share their mutual appreciation for DIY craft.

Local mum and yarn bomber Alicia Langford says the creative outlet has been a good forum to meet other kindred souls and to share skills.

“We can all go home and go on YouTube for tutorials but to actually spend time with people and connect with the people through being creative is really cool,” says Langford.

Sharing skills and creating a creative dialogue within the community seems to lie at the heart of it all. Although a self-admitted knitting and crochet novice, Langford is far from a passive consumer of craft; wishing to expand the spirit of yarn bombing beyond the streets, she’s responsible for creating ‘Crafternoons,’ a weekly yarn bombing and craft session for kids and the wider school community at Bonbeach Primary School.

For Langford, ‘Crafternoons’ is also an ode to the lost art of ‘Nanna’s knitting basket’ for children born in the technology age. She muses that kids this generation are unable to comprehend the mentality of the natural or the handmade, citing the example of children grimacing at the idea of eating fresh produce grown in the school’s own veggie patch.

Yarn bombing’s inherent relation to the wholesome creative fun of yesteryear, then, seems to make the kids more grounded and in tune with the environment –rather than the screens– around them.

“It’s just opening the kids’ eyes up to looking at just everyday objects and what we can create out of them and sharing ideas in that way,” Langford explains. “We’ve got them collecting old kitchen utensils and tins and all different bits and pieces and getting them to look at what we can do from a creative aspect.”

‘Crafternoons’ seems to signal a broader return to the community spirit of yore –through craft– in Chelsea, which Langford attributes partly to ‘Nanna Cool,’ a market that began towards the end of 2013 that, she says, “brought people out of their caves.”

The handcraft and vintage market, held bi-monthly at the Chelsea Activity Hub, began life as a one-off fundraiser, but soon merged into a private business venture for local mums Vicky Weatherlake and Jenny Gorgorinis.

Though the two are humble about their influence on the local craft community, both Weatherlake and Gorgorinis agree that the market has brought out a whole assembly of creatives that they never knew existed.

“We had no idea what people were getting up to creatively behind closed doors,” says Weatherlake. “We found people doing paper bouquets in Bonbeach and herbal teas three doors down from them.”

“To realise that there were so many people creative people in Bonbeach and Chelsea – it was just like, ‘Wow!’” Gorgorinis exclaims.

For the new business owners, ‘Nanna Cool’s’ inception was partly due to their own interest in an alternative and creative scene, but also the recognition of its absence in the municipality.

Weatherlake notes that they had often made long trips into hipper, inner-city areas for what they were interested in, but given the hard task of caring for their own respective young families, it was often a near-impossible mission.

Yet ‘Nanna Cool’ is more than going to or liking cool ‘Nanna Chic’ things; it’s about what Weatherlake calls “thoughtful consumption.”

“We’re keen that our stallholders do well at the markets but we want people to be aware that when they do come to buy, they’re not only supporting local people financially, but emotionally, creatively,” says Weatherlake. “They’re doing a lot more than just buying a hat, they’re buying a bit of passion; it’s a good way to shop.”

Quotes taken from interviews by Joanna Lee


CRAFTING UP A GOOD OLD YARN

written by joanna lee designed by zach ayman

Chelsea used to be a lot more ‘Nanna’ than ‘Nanna Chic’ – its main shopping hub consisted of pensioners doing their daily grocery shop and a few outdated-looking op-shops here and there. Yet hints of bohemian flair have been quietly infiltrating the

school-grounds and street trees of the local enclave, one crochet blanket at a time.

Part-graffiti, part-craft-project, adorning trees in knitted threads – or more commonly known as yarn bombing – is, put simply, vandalism at its most harmless and playful. Though the movement (yes, movement!) often takes on a distinctively socio-political, subcultural edge in its usual urban settings, yarn bombing in Chelsea and its neighbouring Bonbeach has been adopted by locals hoping to interject art-play into a creatively-barren scene and revitalise community spirit through craft.

Operating through local community learning and development centre Longbeach Place, the Chelsea Collective gather fortnightly for yarn projects of ‘Nanna proportions’ – not only to clothe trees and benches but to share their mutual appreciation for DIY craft.

Local mum and yarn bomber Alicia Langford says the creative outlet has been a good forum to meet other kindred souls and to share skills.

“We can all go home and go on YouTube for tutorials but to actually spend time with people and connect with the people through being creative is really cool,” says Langford.

Sharing skills and creating a creative dialogue within the community seems to lie at the heart of it all. Although a self-admitted knitting and crochet novice, Langford is far from a passive consumer of craft; wishing to expand the spirit of yarn bombing beyond the streets, she’s responsible for creating ‘Crafternoons,’ a weekly yarn bombing and craft session for kids and the wider school community at Bonbeach Primary School.

For Langford, ‘Crafternoons’ is also an ode to the lost art of ‘Nanna’s knitting basket’ for children born in the technology age. She muses that kids this generation are unable to comprehend the mentality of the natural or the handmade, citing the example of children grimacing at the idea of eating fresh produce grown in the school’s own veggie patch.

Yarn bombing’s inherent relation to the wholesome creative fun of yesteryear, then, seems to make the kids more grounded and in tune with the environment –rather than the screens– around them.

“It’s just opening the kids’ eyes up to looking at just everyday objects and what we can create out of them and sharing ideas in that way,” Langford explains. “We’ve got them collecting old kitchen utensils and tins and all different bits and pieces and getting them to look at what we can do from a creative aspect.”

‘Crafternoons’ seems to signal a broader return to the community spirit of yore –through craft– in Chelsea, which Langford attributes partly to ‘Nanna Cool,’ a market that began towards the end of 2013 that, she says, “brought people out of their caves.”

The handcraft and vintage market, held bi-monthly at the Chelsea Activity Hub, began life as a one-off fundraiser, but soon merged into a private business venture for local mums Vicky Weatherlake and Jenny Gorgorinis.

Though the two are humble about their influence on the local craft community, both Weatherlake and Gorgorinis agree that the market has brought out a whole assembly of creatives that they never knew existed.

“We had no idea what people were getting up to creatively behind closed doors,” says Weatherlake. “We found people doing paper bouquets in Bonbeach and herbal teas three doors down from them.”

“To realise that there were so many people creative people in Bonbeach and Chelsea – it was just like, ‘Wow!’” Gorgorinis exclaims.

For the new business owners, ‘Nanna Cool’s’ inception was partly due to their own interest in an alternative and creative scene, but also the recognition of its absence in the municipality.

Weatherlake notes that they had often made long trips into hipper, inner-city areas for what they were interested in, but given the hard task of caring for their own respective young families, it was often a near-impossible mission.

Yet ‘Nanna Cool’ is more than going to or liking cool ‘Nanna Chic’ things; it’s about what Weatherlake calls “thoughtful consumption.”

“We’re keen that our stallholders do well at the markets but we want people to be aware that when they do come to buy, they’re not only supporting local people financially, but emotionally, creatively,” says Weatherlake. “They’re doing a lot more than just buying a hat, they’re buying a bit of passion; it’s a good way to shop.”

Quotes taken from interviews by Joanna Lee


Written by Joanna Lee | Photography by Joanna Lee | Design by Zach Ayman

Enchantment Photograph by Kate Patton


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