Artists
Arnold Zable, 2008
Arnold Zable is a highly acclaimed novelist, storyteller and human rights advocate. His books include Jewels and Ashes, The Fig Tree, Cafe Scheherazade, and Scraps of Heaven. His new novel, Sea of Many Returns, was released in June 2008.
Judith Rodriguez, 2008
The first of Judith’s eleven poetry collections was published in 1973. The most recent Manatee (Picaro Press) is a sampler of new and older poems. She was awarded the FAW Christopher Brennan Prize for Poetry for New and Selected Poems (UQP). Her collaborations include the play Poor Johanna with playwright Robyn Archer; and as librettist for composer Moya Henderson’s opera Lindy. Among Australia’s finest poets, Judith is also a teacher of literature & writing, and a poetry editor.
Elizabeth Campbell, 2008
Elizabeth Campbell lives in Melbourne, where she was born in 1980. Her first collection of poetry, Letters to the Tremulous Hand, was published in 2007 by John Leonard Press. Awards include the 2006 Gwen Harwood Prize. Current projects are reviews, essays, a play and also collaborations with composer David Chisolm on a staged recital and with artist David Rosedsky on a video piece. Elizabeth teaches English at Eltham High School.
Ian McBryde, 2008
Canadian-born poet Ian McBryde has been a long-term resident of Australia. He is widely published and anthologised both nationally and overseas, and his poetry has been translated into several languages. His fourth book Domain was shortlisted for The Age Poetry Book of the Year in 2005. McBryde's sixth book, entitled The Adoption Order, will be published in 2009. In addition to five mainstream collections, McBryde has also released two CDs of spoken word as half of The Still Company, an ongoing collusion with Melbourne musician Greg Riddelll.
Michael Farrell, 2008
Michael Farrell lived in St Kilda from 1991-2007 but has since moved to Fitzroy. Most of his poems were written in St Kilda. His books are ode ode, a raiders guide and BREAK ME OUCH, the last a graphic poetry book published by local (Barkly St) design publishers 3 Deep. He is a postgrad student at Melbourne Uni.
Jai Larkan, The Wishing Well, 2008
Celebrating the launch of their remarkable first CD Life on the Border recorded and released independently in March 2008. Jai Larkan – vocals, acoustic guitar, piano Aaron Yeoh – cello Larissa Weller – violin Rivkah Larkan – second violin
Kalyan Ky, 2008
Kalyan is a bilingual poet, filmmaker and musician currently residing in Melbourne. She was born in Ban Aranyaprahtet - a refugee camp on the border of Cambodia, and moved to New Zealand in 1988. There she graduated with a degree in Film, Television and Media Studies; and Philosophy, at the University of Auckland. In 2005, Kalyan moved to Melbourne and has worked with the Melbourne Poets Union on various projects including the performance-based Hidden Treasures live poetry project. She has also performed for the multicultural variety show Viva Melbourne and contributed as a radio broadcaster on the Starting Out live radio show on 3ZZZ. Her experiences have helped to shape her artistic work - which focuses on the refugee movement, suburban confessionals and bilingualism.
Bruce Rankin, 2008
After a first career as a survey draftsman, Bruce Rankin went back to RMIT a second time in 1981 and completed a Graphics Art Diploma in 1984. He worked as freelance illustrator until 1988, when he joined the publishing company Longman Cheshire (now Pearson Education), where he still works full-time, doing a variety of technical and creative illustration for primary and secondary school books. Most of the drawings in his personal collection are done in his lunch breaks: they are small and done quickly because of the time constraints. The media is mainly old-fashioned dip pen with Indian ink and wash, or water pencils or crayons wetted, on watercolour paper. Sitting under a tree and drawing from life is his favourite way of drawing.
Melissa Petrakis, 2007
Melissa Petrakis is a writer of poetry, plays, short stories, academic reviews and clinical work in the field of mental health research. She is currently completing her PhD on suicide prevention. That process was accelerated prior to the birth of her first child Isabel, in March 2007. She recently had a short story published in the anthology Mothers from the Edge. Her poetry has been published in various journals and anthologies in Australia, including Meanjin and overland, and in the USA, including kotapress and The Muse Apprentice Guild. Her three published collections are The Naked Muse (2001), Attic Dweller (2002) and The Earth of Us (2005).
Jen Jewel Brown, 2007
Jen Jewel Brown is a professional freelance writer whose work has been widely anthologised. She is author of the band biography Skyhooks' Million Dollar Riff (Dingo Books 1975) and of three poetry books - Marsupial Wrestling (Outback Press), Alleycat (Feral Books) and gutter vs stars (Flat Chat Press 2006). She is winner of the Greater Dandenong Writing Awards Open Poetry Prize 2006.
Tony Birch, Poet & Writer, November 2007
Tony Birch is an academic and a published writer of poetry, short stories, essays and curatorial reports. Among his short fiction is 'The Good Howard’, (Best Australian Short Stories 2006). He has performed his work at the Melbourne Writers' Festival and venues such as the historic La Mama. He collaborated as a writer and curator with photographers, film-makers and visual artists.
Owls of the Swamp, Peter Uhlenbruch, 2007
Named after the English translation of his German surname, Owls of the Swamp is the solo music project of 24-year-old Melbourne artist, Peter Uhlenbruch. Described by critics as a unique style of 'monastic swamp-folk', Owls of the Swamp uses organic and ethereal instrumentation combined with a creative approach to songwriting to develop music that resonates with the heart and soul of the listener.
John Jenkins, 2007
John Jenkins lives in Kangaroo Ground, on the rural fringe of Greater Melbourne. As well as poetry, he writes variously on music, travel and the arts. He has written, co-written or edited about 19 books, and numerous reviews and articles. His poetry has been extensively anthologised and broadcast. His most recent books are the verse novel A Break in the Weather (Modern Writing Press, 2003), the poetry collection Dark River (Five Islands Press, 2003) and a non-fiction travel book Travelers' Tales of Old Cuba (Ocean Press, 2002).
Tim McMillan, 2007
Tim McMillan performs at venues around Melbourne, inc. Manchester Lane, and at community events, such as the Port Melbourne Community Carnival of March 2007. He toured Germany in Sept 2006 and is returning to Europe on tour in late 2007. His most recent release is entitled Tim McMillan and features his original works.
Alex Pallent, photographer, 2006
Alex exhibited at the 2006 concert
'Growing up in South East London and from an early age, I have always been interested in all types of art and music. I developed an interest in photography after borrowing my brother’s SLR camera when travelling in Europe. This 2006 opportunity is my second exhibition, but it is my first chance to display my photography. My first exhibition in Deptford, South East London was an art exhibition with two of my artist friends. I displayed four paintings with mixed media derived from my photographs. After visiting Australia and being exposed to new photo opportunities, my interest in photography thrived. Now based in Melbourne, I have taken advantage of the natural beauty of the cities and their surrounds. In particular, I have an interest in night photography, capturing city lights. In this exhibition I have kept the theme fairly loose to appreciate a variety of opinions and cater to a wider audience. I have photographed what I consider to be the everyday experiences/sights, which often go unnoticed.'
Alice White, 2006
Since arriving in Melbourne in 1999, Alice has been actively involved in the poetry scene. She is a pianist, performance poet and published writer. She has contributed pieces to Inspyr's chapbook in 2003; and to First Breath - Poems on Pregnancy, Birth and Motherhood (2004). Alice is co-writer of Heartstricken, with Nick Hamer-Smith, published by Ginninderra Press in 2001.
Tang Yi, 2006
Tang Yi was born in Shanghai, P. R. China. She completed her arts degree at Xiamen University in 2005, majoring in Chinese Language and Literature. She came to Australia in 2005 to study for her Master of Creative Writing at the School of Creative Arts, University of Melbourne. She writes poetry in both Chinese and English, and is interested in developing her verse bilingually. Her poem 'Lute', published in Blue Dog (November 2007), is a lyrical and contemplative poem which captures the beauty and peace of nature.
Ross Donlon, 2006
Born in Sydney, Ross Donlon lived as a young man in New Guinea and Norway. He worked at many manual and clerical jobs before teaching at secondary schools and Deakin University. Ross is widely published. He has read at numerous festivals and on tour across Australia to promote his book Tightrope Horizon (Five Islands Press 2003). He is convenor of the successful monthly poetry readings 'The Poets' Castle' in Castlemaine, where a Melbourne poet is paired with a regional poet. He is currently working on a CD with music, and a second collection.
Austin Brady, 2006
A professional musician for many years with a long string of live and studio sessions to his name, Austin has explored and covered a lot of musical territory from Jazz, Classical, Celtic, RnB, Reggae and Funk/Soul. Since 1998 Austin has worked in Melbourne and regional areas mostly as a solo artist. In this capacity Austin's songs feature a very complete guitar accompaniment (bass, chord and melody using finger style guitar and open tunings, much like a piano style) that draws on all the styles mentioned above.
In December 2000 Austin released his debut CD "Random Vignettes" using a variety of instruments to orchestrate his songs - Cor Anglai, Oboe, Cornetto, Cello, Double Bass, Soprano Saxophone,
Austin's next release "Touchwood" showcases his talents as a songwriter/solo performer. "Touchwood" includes some dynamic guitar instrumental pieces that have been enthusiastically welcomed by audiences.
Bookings - (03) 9585-5572
email: austinbrady746@hotmail.com
Claire Gaskin, 2006
Claire Gaskin is a poet and teacher. Claire's A Snail in the Ear of the Buddha was published by SOUP publications in 1998. On receipt of a grant from the Literature Board, she completed a second poetry collection, entitled a bud (John Leonard Publishing 2006), launched at the Victorian Writers Centre, Swanston Street, Melbourne, in September 2006.
Ella Holcombe, 2006
Ella is 24 and lives in Melbourne. Her work has appeared in publications including The New England Review, Voiceworks, Poetrix and Farrago, as well as several Melbourne University Creative Writing collections. In 2001 her poem 'Olivia' was read on Radio National's Poetica, as part of The Young Regional Poets Competition, and she has presented her work at a variety of events. In 2005 Ella's poem 'The Storm' was awarded first place in the John Marsden Competition for Young Australian Writers, presented by Express Media, and in 2006 she read her work at the Melbourne Emerging Writers' Festival. Ella's poetry recently featured in the 'Cabinet of Lost and Found', a display of poetry and objects presented by the Red Room Organisation, as part of the Sydney Writers' Festival. Ella's poems detail the strangely intertwined lives of humans, houses, skeletons, and broken umbrellas.
Jason Aphoy, 2006
Jason Aphoy is 27. He has enjoyed reading and writing since childhood. He particularly likes the classics, and writing that is realistic and innovative. Jason's short stories and poetry have been published in various magazines and anthologies. He has been working on a novel for five years.
Jennifer Harrison, Poets Lineup 2006, Amanda Wilson Memorial feature October 2007
Jennifer Harrison has published four books of poetry and one collaborative collection. Her new book, Folly & Grief, was published by Melbourne’s Black Pepper Press in 2006. She won the 1995 Anne Elder Award and the 2003 NSW Women Writers National Poetry Prize. In 2004, she was awarded the Martha Richardson Poetry Medal.
Stephen Nicolazzo, 2006
Stephen's poem 'Cat Piss' was published in the 2005 annual publication Vivid 9 and read at the official launch of the book at University of Melbourne.
He is currently developing an original play, based on a short story, to be produced late in 2006. His other publication interests lie in short fiction and poetry.Stephen produced and directed an amateur production of Patrick Marber's Closer in 2005 at The Store Room, North Fitzroy. He manages a small production company, 'Tiny Ballad'.
JT Leroy, the literary hoax, is among his favourite authors, and he is obsessed with Roddy Doyle's irreverent Irish novellas.
Talie Helene, 2006
Talie Helene is a musician and writer. She has played in a number of extreme metal and gothic bands, is currently principal double bass with Maroondah Symphony, and is staff writer for the UK extreme metal magazine Zero Tolerance, where she has her own column. She is studying Professional Writing and Editing, and Film Scoring, at Box Hill Institute. Talie's poetry has appeared in Voiceworks, Inscape, Inkshed, Avant and Mary Manning's About Poetry (Oxford University Press). Talie reviews Australian speculative fiction for AS if! (part of the National Library of Australia's Pandora Project), she keeps a blog, and a Gallery as part of the Elfwood Science Fiction & Fantasy Art Project. Talie's compositions can be heard at her My Space Music Profile.
Grant Caldwell, 2006
Grant Caldwell writes poetry, short stories and novels. He has had seven books published - five of poetry. His work has been published widely in Australia since the early seventies, as well as in Canada, Colombia, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan and the USA. His 1996 collection You Know What I Mean (Hale & Iremonger) was nominated for the Age Book of the Year Award. His latest book is the poetry collection Dreaming of Robert De Niro (Five Islands Press, 2003). He was awarded a Category B Fellowship by the Australia Council in 1992, and a Category A Fellowship in 1994. He has also received two Arts Victoria grants. In 1991 he co-wrote and co-directed/performed the poem-play Call it Poetry - Tonight at the Wharf Theatre (Sydney Theatre Company), Sydney. In 1996 the Australia Council funded his attendance at the Medellin International Poetry Festival in Colombia. In November, 2005 he was invited to represent Australia at the 3rd Wellington (NZ) International Poetry Festival. He is a lecturer at the School of Creative Arts, University of Melbourne, Victoria. He completed an MA (Creative Writing, English) at University of Melbourne in 2004, and is currently writing a PhD (Creative Writing) at Deakin University.
Mark Hilton, 2006
Mark Hilton does live solo shows at venues in the inner city area of Melbourne, as well as performing in duo or trio format.
Mark played guitar and keyboards for The Philosopher's Stone (I.D./Polygram), and The Naturals who had a #1 alternative hit with "On the Alert" (Mushroom Records). He wrote and produced the soundtrack for "The Man in the Blue & White Holden" - first prize at the 1991 St. Kilda Film Festival.
The debut EP "Sleep is Calling" was released on My Records in 1997, with his band The Holy Ghosts. The title track and the cruise-o-matic kitchen-sink retro epic "God Must be Out of His Mind" received great supporton local radio stations 3RRR and 3PBS.
The second album "Beauty & Innocence" was released August 2000. It's a solo project and features contributions from some excellent local talent. The lead track "What I Want" was voted #4 in a listeners' poll.
In December 2003, the album "Here Come the Indians" was released. It holds great promise with at least three lead tracks.
In 2004 Mark's band played an 8-month weekly residency at The Curry Family Hotel in Collingwood. Mark also appeared as a featured guest singer / songwriter with Kerri Simpson on one of her Monday night sessions at The Cornish Arms Hotel in Brunswick.
2005 was a year for side projects, playing electric guitar and bass in Floyd Thursby & the Definite Article. Gigs around Melbourne included appearances in The Ang Fang Quartet, such as a burlesque show in the Gershwin Room with Baby Take a Bow and Hernan Palacio the Venezuelan Fish Juggler.
In 2006 Mark did an Adelaide tour in the Definite Article and tracked Floyd's first album "The Thief's Journal" due for release early 2007. Mark is doing the odd acoustic gig in Melbourne - so keep watching the GIGS page on the website.
Tel: 03 9525 4085 / 0412 839 040
Email: hum@markhilton.tv
Web: www.markhilton.tv
Barbara Boyd-Anderson, 2006
Barbara Boyd-Anderson lives in Port Melbourne. She has spent a substantial part of her life in this Port Phillip area.
Barbara has had a varied career as a teacher of French and English, a documentary film-maker, and a writer working in the educational and corporate fields.
She loves poetry and has been writing it on and off all her life. In 2006 she is studying poetry in a more focused way at the CAE.
Barbara has been published online with the Australian Poetic Society, Her poetry has been read on National Radio in 2006, and one of her poems was on display at a local Port Melbourne exhibition of 'Women of the Port' in 2005.
Four of her poems - personal accounts of local history in the Port Melbourne area - are to be published in the Port Melbourne Historical Society's calendar 2007.
Ben De Stepfhanis, 2006
Ben is a Professional Writing student at Deakin University. He is yet to be published but is currently working on a collection of poetry about life in the suburbs. He lives in Heidelberg in Melbourne's north-east.
Jo Hennessy, 2006
Jo grew up with a chaotic and abusive childhood. She became a teenage alcoholic and drug addict and ended up living on the streets and working as a prostitute for over 13 years. At the age of 25 she attended a women's rehab and has progressively got her heroin addiction as close to under control as addiction can be, as well as working on her mental health issues. Her loving, supportive husband and 81 animals she lives with in Geelong have contributed tremendously to her recovery, as have her other pursuits which include working on an autobiography; participating in therapy; and participating in music, art, writing and exercise.
Margaret Bishop, 2006
- Writer, artist, singer and part-time employee (Glenroy Neighbourhood Learning Centre)
- CAE Student, Writing and Editing course
- Poem published with LINQ North Qld. University
- Illustrated a set of literacy readers published by Glenroy Neighbourhood Learning Centre
- Editorial committee member for 'Seeking Harmony, stories from the Brunswick Women's Choir' - to be launched in October 06.
- Choir member, Brunswick Women's Choir
- Exhibited paintings in various exhibitions:
- Coonihan Gallery, annual 'Women's Salon'
- Art with Heart, Brunswick,
- Fire Station Café Gallery, Preston.
Kate Walker, 2006
Kate started on the violin aged 8 and was drawn to the viola when she was 12. She studied with Lois Shepheard, then Marco Van Pagee at the VCA while on a music bursary from the Conservatorium. She has played in the Australian Youth Orchestra and Geminiani chamber orchestras and is currently a member of Stonnington Symphony. She has plays with a wide variety of chamber groups in Melbourne and regularly attends Mt Bulla chamber music summer school.
