Meet the CWC team: Bec Mackey

Team CWC! Left to right: Alessandra Azzone, Yvonne Meng, Samantha Jayaweera, Anika Cook, Fiona Brand, Bec Mackey, Liz Anderson, Jane Connery

We recently sat down and interviewed our new board members to give you a chance to get to know them better, and we’ll be featuring one of these Q+As each week on the blog. Before we do though, today we are excited to introduce you to Bec Mackey, our new Content and Marketing Manager!

What is your current business/creative pursuit/job?

My new job is Content and Marketing Manager for CWC! So far I’ve been loving working alongside the talented board members, engaging with our awesome members, and I’m looking forward to working to champion, connect and support more amazing creative women through our new marketing and member initiatives. My personal creative pursuit is writing, and I’ve just started an Instagram account called @_conversationswithmysister to experiment with a bit of microblogging. I have a one year old daughter so on the days I’m not working I’m spending most of my time playing with (and running after) her!

Can you outline the journey that got you here? What previous work/creative pursuits/life decisions brought you to this place?

I started my career working as a Producer making TV commercials. I eventually moved into Television for a while, and then gave up my producing hat in favour of working in business and management in TV and Film at ABC and Screen Australia respectively. During this time I also did my teaching dip ed. I absolutely love to teach but after finishing my diploma I was drawn back into the screen industry. Eventually I realised I had pretty much given up all creativity in favour of more linear business and operational roles, so I quit my full time job and went on a bit of a journey of self discovery. Since then I’ve freelanced as a producer again, served on the CWC board, starting writing again on my own blog, done some teaching, and in the past few years, worked in a very similar role as to my current role with CWC at an Arts Education organisation which is also membership based. A year ago I had my daughter and it helped clarify that working with people and organisations with similar values to my own is really important to me. My time is suddenly very precious and I want to spend it wisely.

When did you first come across Creative Women’s Circle?

During my journey of self discovery as above! I came along to the first ever board info day that Tess McCabe held and it was love at first sight. I knew straight away I wanted to be involved.

How has your experience been with CWC?

When I attended the board info day back in 2015, it was at a time when I didn’t feel I had a lot of colleagues or friends who understood where I was at in a career or creative sense. I was blown away by the combination of Tess’s vision for CWC and the inclusivity within the CWC community that she had created. That day she brought together a group of brilliant and supportive women, many of whom I am lucky to call friends to this day. Throughout the past few years I have always felt equal parts supported and inspired by the CWC members, board and volunteers. It really is a special organisation.

How would you describe the value of membership with CWC?

Its so worthwhile. Besides the list of benefits, there is the added bonus of being part of such a beautiful community. Our members often find themselves collaborating with other women they have connected with via CWC, or volunteering with our organisation to build on their skills and their network. There are many possibilities beyond the events, discounts and resources - all of which are brilliant too of course!

Which creative person, living or dead, do you most admire and why?

I just love Cleo Wade, the artist/poet/feminist.  She is one of those people who has found a way to articulate brilliantly what so much of the world is feeling at the moment, and her success is in part due to her genuine kindness and drive to create a connected community. Cleo, along with other artists who use Instagram to soothe our collective soul, showed me that I can write from my heart and still value activism, research and intellect. Its a lie that these two sides of ourselves don’t go together, and art is where they best meet.  

How do you challenge yourself creatively?

By getting out of my comfort zone and trying new things. It’s a bit of a cliché, but it works.

What would you be doing if you weren’t in your current career? What is your ‘other’ dream job/business? 

I sometimes fantasise about finding some great properties around Victoria to turn into Airbnbs that I would manage. That, or running an amazing social enterprise. You know, the small goals!

Where do you see Creative Women’s Circle heading over the next two years? Why is this a great time to renew/sign up or volunteer to join the CWC community?

The legacy set up by the outgoing board is awesome and inspiring. The next two years will be an exciting time of building on the work the previous board has done and we expect a lot of growth for CWC. There will be new and more widespread events, exciting new initiatives for members and a LOT of connecting to do. Come, join us now and be part of something wonderful!

Bec Mackey is a writer, producer and teacher. She has worked in media and the arts for over a decade as a producer, in arts administration/management and arts education. Bec believes in the power of words – to connect, to galvanise and to heal. She has particular interests in psychology, storytelling, and working with and advocating for women. Bec combines most of these loves in her part time role as the Content and Marketing Manager at Creative Women’s Circle and via her Instagram account @conversationswithmysister. By far her biggest joy and learning curve to date is her beautiful one year old daughter.

Say hi to Bec on Instagram @becmackey_writer and @_conversationswithmysister.

CWC Spotlight: Georgia Cannon, Interior Designer

This week we’re back with another profile of one of our members: Georgia Cannon, director of her own interior design studio, which focuses on small-to-medium-scale boutique residential and commercial fit-outs. Enjoy reading about Georgia’s story and swooning over her lovely work!

What path did you follow to what you do now? 

I remember designing geometric houses for friends and family on graph paper in Year 5, so I guess this path was somewhat predestined!

After faffing about for a bit post-school with a gap year and some indecision between studying architecture and interior design, I completed a Bachelor of Built Environment (Interior Design) in 2007. From there I worked in a couple of formative roles: one based in Brisbane for a multi-national, multi-disciplinary studio, with a quick stint in their Bangkok office, and another in a Melbourne-based studio that also involved a bit of time spent in their Sydney office. It was whilst I was living in Melbourne that I realised I would love to head home to Brisbane and do my own thing. That was at the end of 2012 and it's been a steep but ultimately rewarding learning curve since then!

What does a typical day involve for you? 

Clients often think the life of an interior designer is all about glamorous shopping trips, but in reality there’s a lot of sitting in front of the computer! A typical day starts with going through my weekly to-do list and prioritising action items for that day. From there, it could be meeting with clients or reps; visiting showrooms or work sites; sketching, drafting, scheduling or responding to emails; bookkeeping or updating social media (which usually falls to the bottom of the list!).

What have been one or two favourite recent projects or commissions?

Pitch and Fork café is a recent project that was small but wonderful to be a part of. The tenancy is situated within a beautiful new building on a site that has great local history. My clients were fun to work with and really trusted in the design process.

Pitch and Fork café (image by Cathy Schusler)

What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned in your work? 

Interestingly, when I first started out, all of the advice I received was to say ‘yes’ to everything. But as I’ve moved through the teething part of starting a business, I’ve really learned the value of saying ‘no’ when you need to. It can be nerve-wracking the first few times you do it, but if you say no to that project that doesn't quite fit with your ethos, it means you’re ready, available and enthusiastic when the right one does come along.

What are your plans for the future?

Mid-year we’ll be moving into a beautiful new studio space with some of our favourite Brisbane creative, so that will be super exciting! On the project front, I would love to have the opportunity to design a boutique hotel.

Church House (image by Cathy Schusler)

What are you or have you recently enjoyed… 
…watching?

We don’t have a television in our home but we do watch a bit of Netflix on the iPad and I tend to gravitate towards embarrassingly trashy TV for a bit of escapism.

…reading?

I currently have three books on the go: Blink, by Malcolm Gladwell; Insomniac City, by Bill Hayes; and The Win Without Pitching Manifesto, by Blair Enns.

…listening to?

I listen to a broad range of music. If you were to take a snapshot from the last twenty-four hours, you would have heard the Internet, Tina Turner, Justin Timberlake, Diana Krall, Masego, Elder Island, Jose Gonzalez, Oddisee and Miles Davis, but in the car I usually listen to ABC Classic FM.

M2 House (image by Toby Scott)

Can you list for us your top resources across any media that you turn to when you’re in need of creative inspiration?

I love Nowness [an online video channel], in particular the In Residence and Great Gardens series. I also love looking through old design magazines and books. Everything old is eventually new again!

What drew you to becoming a member of CWC?

I had recently returned to Brisbane to start my own business and CWC seemed like a lovely, supportive community of like-minded women that it would be a privilege to be part of.

What do you enjoy or value most about being a member?

I really enjoy checking in to the members-only Facebook group to see what other members are up to, hear about their triumphs and challenges and, most importantly, how other women have tackled those challenges in their own practice.

What is the best advice you have ever received, and what is the one piece of advice you would offer to a young artist, maker or designer?

Trust your instincts. Sometimes in the creative realm it can be difficult to explain to a client why what you’re proposing to make or do is right for them, but if you’ve fully engaged in the briefing process and done your research, sometimes you just have to have the confidence to ask them to trust you.

To find out more about Georgia, visit her website and follow her on Instagram (@georgia_cannon).

Opening photo: M4 House (image by Cathy Schusler)

Phoebe Miller is a member of the CWC Board. Her professional background covers experience in marketing and communications for the corporate, arts and not-for-profit sectors. She also ran her own creative side project, designing and making accessories under the moniker Simply Phoebe. Follow her on Instagram (@simplyphoebe).

Interview with Claire Harris, Filmmaker

When we heard about a recently released independent film called Zelos, made by a majority female crew, we were intrigued. We figured our members and followers would be too, so we had a chat to the woman behind it all, Claire Harris.

Like many creative pursuits, the career path of a filmmaker never seems straightforward. Tell us a little about the journey that led to where you are now?

My journey was particularly unusual - prior to making Zelos I'd never worked in the industry, never made a short film and never even set foot on a film set. After finishing my degree in film, I went travelling for ten years, working in various odd jobs in different countries and backpacking in between. I 've written travel articles and short stories but I wanted to write a screenplay. I returned to Australia to study at the Australian Film Television and Radio School where I met the director. It was never my intention to produce a film, but we just decided to go ahead and make it ourselves. 

Without giving away any spoilers, what is your film, Zelos, is about?

In a nutshell, it explores the aftermath of an affair and the corrosive effect of jealousy on a relationship. It's about a couple in their thirties - the girlfriend Sarah returns from an overseas holiday, and her boyfriend Bernard finds out she has been unfaithful while she was away. To save the relationship, she insists that he also sleep with someone else. He has to decide whether to go through with the infidelity - and if he does, then with who?

What was the inspiration behind the film?

I get asked a lot if it's based on a true story... The events didn't unfold in my life the way they do in the film, but when I started writing it I was in a long term relationship and I was thinking about the way that every couple has to navigate jealousy one way or another. It doesn't mean that there's always infidelity, but when you've been with someone a long time, you'd be lying if you said you didn't at least think about the possibilities. The more I talked to other people about this, especially couples in their thirties who are thinking seriously about their future with their partner, the more I realised that everyone had a story to tell on this theme.

The film is written and directed by women, but centres around a male protagonist. How do you think this impacts the story and the way it is told?

The approach to the main character's journey and even the look and feel of the film would probably be quite different (our cinematographer is also a woman). But I find it very hard to generalise, as no two people would write, direct or shoot this film in the same way - no matter what gender they are. I'm often asked why I wrote a male protagonist, and it makes me wonder whether men who write female protagonists get asked about it to the same extent. But I'm keen to write more female-centred stories in the future, because I realise the importance of redressing the imbalance.

Zelos film still

In addition to the writer and director, most of the crew were also women. Is this unusual in the industry and if so, how do you think it impacted the filmmaking process?

I've never really worked in the industry, but from what I've heard this is very unusual! We didn't necessarily set out to have a majority-female crew, but starting with a female writer/director/producing team, we found that the project naturally seemed to attract other women. I think this created a pretty unique dynamic on the set, working with a mostly-female team.

What is the best advice you have ever received, and what is the one piece of advice you would offer to a young female filmmaker?

I'm fortunate enough to have a mentor in the industry who gives me ongoing encouragement, support and advice. One of the most important things I've learned is to keep things in perspective and remember that your first film is for making mistakes and growing from the experience... The advice I always give is to be extremely careful who you work with. Filmmaking is a very intense and stressful process, it's a lot of hard work and it takes a long time. Trust your gut instincts and choose people who are in it for the long haul because the last thing you want is to be left doing all the work by yourself. And for god's sake, don't listen to the people who tear you down.

What project are you working on or do you hope to work on next?

Now that my producing role on Zelos is winding down, I'm excited about having more time just to focus on writing again. I'm working on a bunch of writing projects : including developing my next screenplay with a producer, and finishing up some prose writing that I had to put on hold for the film.

Claire Harris

What are you or have you recently enjoyed…

• Watching? Lovesong - written & directed by So Yong Kim

• Reading? Half of a Yellow Sun - by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

• Listening to? Anything by Mercedes Sosa

Which female creatives inspire you right now?

When I grow up, I want to be Miranda July. I love that she writes across various forms: films, novels, short stories, and always stays true to her own wacky style. 

Closer to home, I recently met Melbourne-based actor/writer/director Saara Lamberg and am absolutely in awe of her tenacity.

How can people find out more about the film and where to see it?

For a sneak peek, catch the trailer here. For details of our upcoming digital release, check our
website or follow us on Facebook or Twitter.

CWC Spotlight: Rhonda Pryor, visual artist

Last month we introduced a new monthly feature in which we profile one of our amazing CWC members. Following from our interview with long-time member Louise Jones, we thought it would be fitting to turn the spotlight onto a brand-new member. We hope you’ll love learning about Rhonda Pryor, her work and her creative path as much as we did!

What do you do or make?

I make 2 and 3D artwork and installations in which used textiles are often a feature. My work always relates to memory in some way, and sometimes I include photography in the mix somewhere. I find memory a limitless source of possibility. I also teach workshops.

What was the path you followed to doing what you do now?

I originally trained in fashion design, worked in the industry for several years, and then studied painting and photography at the College of Fine Arts (now UNSW Art and Design). It wasn’t until returning to university to do my Masters of Fine Art that my choice of medium changed (or, more accurately, returned) to textiles. It was then I found my interests really lay in ideas of time, and how we interpret memory. Textile is the perfect medium for this.

What does a typical day involve for you?

After duly processing and dispatching the family, I generally do a bit of email catch-up in my pyjamas before getting some exercise out of the way. Family admin follows, and then I’ll typically re-jig my to-do list and get down to writing (proposals, workshops, etc.) or continue working in the studio on whatever I’m involved in. I tend to get bogged down in research but once I’m in studio mode it’s hard to stop. I find it difficult to manage studio time, teaching, admin and all the other stuff that goes along with running an art practice. Somehow it all gets done, though. Evenings are generally taken up with family stuff but I do tend to continue with some writing, research or studio work in between.

What have been one or two favourite recent projects or commissions?  

I had the most amazing residency in Japan in 2016 (funded by a grant from the Australia Council for the Arts), learning about indigo, shibori dye methods, silk harvesting and making, and antique Japanese textiles. It really resonated with my practice of employing used fabric into my work, sifting through notions of memory and personal and cultural value.

Detail of Armchair Critic, by Rhonda Pryor

What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned in your work? 

Not trying to be perfect. In fact, I’ve learned to value imperfection more and more. I’ve always loved wonky, odd or mismatched things. Now I have an outlet for it! In any case, trying to be perfect only clams you up, stifles your creativity and makes you a miserable stress-head. Use your mistakes as a method of discovery, another way to do things, a different direction, a new product…

What are your plans for the future?

I’d like to manage my time better so I can spend more time making in the studio. I’m always looking for time management tools to help in this regard. After much trial and error, I think I’m at last getting some procedures in order that (thankfully) work for me and my lifestyle. I’m also working toward more exhibitions and artist residencies.

What are you or have you recently enjoyed...

...watching?   The Crown, The Handmaid’s Tale. Completely sucked in.
...reading?   Working Class Man, Working Class Boy, Alone in Berlin, The Last Girl. I lean toward nonfiction, or fiction based on reality.
...listening to?  Radio National interviews. The radio is always on, unless I have serious thinking to do and need silence to hear myself think. My husband has the most amazing musical ear so we have lots of styles we listen to, but in the studio it’s Radio National.

Can you list for us your top resources across any media for creative inspiration? 

In print media, Selvedge Magazine. Online, it’s Trend Tablet, Garland Magazine, Hiut Denim’s newsletter. All full of inspiring stuff.

What drew you to become a member of CWC?

I wanted to mingle with like-minded individuals with a view to possible collaborations, expanding my profile and gathering business tips and ideas.

What is the best advice you have ever received, and what is the one piece of advice you would offer to a young artist, maker or designer?

Mistakes are learning tools. Learn from them and find a way to use them to your advantage. Also, trust your own judgment. If you believe it’s good, it is. It’s your vision, not someone else’s. That said, always be receptive to constructive criticism. You can choose to reject it but always listen. Listening is underrated.

To learn more about Rhonda and her work, visit www.rhondapryor.com and www.rhondapryor.wordpress.com.

Phoebe Miller is a member of the CWC Board. Her professional background covers experience in marketing and communications for the corporate, arts and not-for-profit sectors. She also ran her own creative side project, designing and making accessories under the moniker Simply Phoebe. Follow her on Instagram (@simplyphoebe).

CWC spotlight: Louise Jones, textile designer

We know our readers love to learn about other women’s creative lives and journeys. So, we thought it would be fitting to introduce a regular interview series shining the spotlight on our very own creative ladies: our CWC Members!

Louise Fernando

We’re kicking off with Louise Jones, a textile designer from the Dandenongs in Melbourne who has been a CWC Member since 2012. Enjoy the interview! If you’re keen to learn more about Louise, don’t forget to check out her CWC Member Profile.

What do you do or make?

I specialise in original artwork for fabric, wallpaper, interiors and soft furnishings. I use a combination of different mediums in my practice, including watercolour illustrations and my own original photography.

What was the path you followed to doing what you do now?

After graduating with a Bachelor in Communication Design in 2007, I started my career in a boutique design studio. I soon realised my passion was illustration and pattern design as I was doing a lot of illustrative designs for retail and hospitality clients.

In 2010, I took the plunge into freelancing doing traditional graphic design work, whilst trying to work out how to break into pattern design industry specialising in interiors. My friend, Shelley Steer (a textile designer/illustrator), and I were becoming frustrated with the limited opportunities, so we decided to create our own pattern designs. We started a Tumblr blog called A Side Project, where we posted one pattern per month based on a monthly theme, along with developmental work and other inspirational posts. Some of my pattern designs gained recognition and I started to receive commissions from big companies such as Abercrombie & Fitch. Whilst working on other exciting commissions and other collaborations, I was building my own pattern library, which allowed me to follow my dreams of creating my own textile range specialising in interiors.

What does a typical day involve for you?

There is no typical day for me, as I manage parenting and running a business. I’m extremely fortunate to have a supportive family, which allows me two days a week in my studio. I aim to do all my creative work and planning on my ‘studio days’, whilst leaving all admin/emails for nighttime or whenever I can steal a few minutes during my parenting days. I like to visit local gardens and galleries during the week with my young daughter, Grace, as she also loves to discover new flowers and explore new spaces.

What have been one or two favourite recent projects or commissions?

Launching my new website, logo and online store along with a new fabric design, Dreamscape. I worked with some very talented people to launch my website, including Dylan McDonough, Atelier Upholstery and CWC members Martina Gemmola and Ruth Welsby (dream team!). I worked with Martina and Ruth to shoot some bespoke furniture pieces I had sourced to launch the Dreamscape design. The furniture pieces ranged from art deco to mid-century styles, all upholstered in Dreamscape colourways, along with ottomans and cushions. It was such a treat to work with other talented creatives on the launch of my website and online store. I have learnt that a lot of planning, sourcing, and general work goes into creating products and selling them online.

Dreamscape Copper cushion, by Louise Jones Design

What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned in your work?

Understanding licensing and setting up proper agreements and contracts with clients has been the biggest learning curve for me. I have learnt to not undervalue your work and time, because not only does it affect your own creative work but it also impacts others in the creative industry.

What are your plans for the future?

I’m expecting a big year with my second baby arriving in March, so it will be a bit tricky working out new routines with family and work life. I plan to continue promoting and building my textile range in the interiors world by collaborating with other creatives, branching out overseas with international representation, adding a wallpaper range, sourcing more vintage pieces to showcase my fabric, and maintaining an online store of cushions and other soft furnishings. I’m also planning to put a dream project of mine into action later in the year, which is to collaborate with a furniture maker to create custom furniture pieces featuring my textile range.

Glass pendant lamp featuring Louise's Tropical design digitally printed on glass panels, designed by Italian industrial designer Francesco Favaretto for Italian lighting company Torremato.

What are you or have you recently enjoyed…

• Watching? Shameless, Fargo (all seasons), Narcos

• Reading? The Handmaid’s Tale

• Listening to? Arcade Fire, Whitney Houston (my 3-year-old daughter is obsessed)
  

Can you list for us your top resources across any media that you turn to when you’re in a need of creative inspiration?

• Instagram: I’m finding a lot of inspirations from contemporary florists, interior designers, stylists and furniture makers.

• Design magazines like Vogue Living, Architectural Digest, Belle and Habitus Living.

• Design blogs such as Sight Unseen and Design Milk
  

What is the best advice you have ever received, and what is the one piece of advice you would offer to a young artist, maker or designer?

Don’t be afraid to say no to paid jobs or projects that won’t lead you to your dream job, as it will only hold you back and delay you from doing the work you want to do. It took me a while to learn this, but once it became clear as to what I really wanted to do, I started to verbalise my dream job out loud to others as a way of making a public commitment. This made it easier to decline projects that weren’t aligned to where I wanted to go with my work.

What do you enjoy or value most about being a CWC member?

I love the speaker events. I find those afternoons to be such a great inspiration to hear the speaker's stories, and what works and doesn't work for them. And just catching up with familiar faces afterwards and having the opportunity to meet new creatives. 

To learn more about Louise and her work, visit her CWC Member Profile, her website and her wholesale textiles gallery.

Phoebe Miller is a member of the CWC Board. Her professional background covers experience in marketing and communications for the corporate, arts and not-for-profit sectors. She also ran her own creative side project, designing and making accessories under the moniker Simply Phoebe. Follow her on Instagram (@simplyphoebe).

Photo of Louise Fernando by Sarah Collins from Work & Co Photograph

Interview and studio visit with Jess Racklyeft

Jess Racklyeft is a freelance illustrator who works from her home studio in North Fitzroy, Melbourne. It’s a two-story building across her courtyard garden that wears many hats. The ground floor serves as a music studio for her husband while the upper floor is Jess’s studio, a granny flat for visiting parents and in-laws and Winston the dog’s day bed.

Filled with books, papers, artwork and craft-market inventory, Jess’s studio is undeniably, gloriously chaotic. Jess is a whirlwind of activity who clearly adores her job—but she didn’t set out to be an illustrator. As she describes it, ‘I always wanted to work for myself, and I always drew, but I hadn’t been brave enough to put them together.’

A vocation lost and found

When Jess was twelve years old and attending a family friends’ wedding, the photographer asked her what she wanted to do when she grew up. Jess told him that she wanted to illustrate books. It just so happened that this photographer had written a picture book manuscript, which he sent to her afterwards. Jess remembers drawing pictures for it. ‘I did the whole book, but I never sent it back to him. I was too shy,’ she recalled. After that, she forgot about wanting to illustrate books.

‘I had really arty friends at Uni,’ Jess explained, ‘so I didn’t think of myself as arty [by comparison].’ She did a degree in communications in Perth, travelled overseas, then moved to Melbourne and took a job in customer service at Lonely Planet. From there, she was invited to work in a sales role in children’s publishing. That job was a turning point. She attended industry book fairs in Frankfurt and Bologna, saw what it might look like to work as an illustrator and got valuable insight into the business side of selling books.

She used her maternity leave as a window to try working as a self-employed illustrator. ‘I went into a frenzy. Every nap, every spare minute, I was going at it,’ she said. Jess got her big break when a publisher at Omnibus, to whom she’d been submitting her folio on a yearly basis (‘because she sent me an encouraging letter’), offered her a book. That first contract gave Jess the belief she could make a go of it as an illustrator and she’s been doing it ever since.

There’s an urgency to the way Jess works that seems to spring from gratitude and delight at finally doing what she loves. Interestingly, for someone who was once too afraid to show her work, a hallmark of her practice has become posting and sharing illustrations online.

Now working on her ninth picture book, due out in 2018 and tentatively titled Dreaming A to Z, Jess also runs an Etsy store, sells originals on Instagram and has her charming illustrations turned into pins, wall decals, cards and gift wrap. Yes, Jess crams a lot into those two days a week her kids are at childcare. How does she juggle it all?

Jess's artwork next to the printed book.

Jess at work in her studio.

The list

After dropping off her kids, Jess grabs a coffee on her way home and is at her desk by 9 a.m. She starts every workday by making a list. It’s a democratic, back-of-the-envelope affair: a combination of illustration work, business admin and household chores. Jess numbers the items, putting the jobs she least wants to do first. She starts at number one and moves through the list, spending twenty minutes on each item. Anything that can’t be finished in twenty minutes gets revisited later in the day (for another twenty minutes) or goes back onto the list tomorrow.

Jess has been using this system to structure her days for the last couple years. ‘By the end of the day, I know I’ve touched each thing I need to do at least once,’ she said.

Process

Jess has experimented with a bunch of mediums and techniques but watercolour is her favourite. Her approach has evolved from doing illustrations entirely in watercolour to using a combination of watercolour and digital. She often paints the background separately from the foreground elements, then puts them together in Photoshop. This gives her the flexibility to move elements around, lighten or darken them, and have more than one go at people’s faces, which she does digitally. ‘The eyes make such a difference to a picture,’ she explained. ‘With watercolour, you only get one go. If you get it wrong, you’ve killed the picture.’ On her current book—the first one she’s writing as well as illustrating—Jess has digitised her kids’ artwork and is using it to create background textures. ‘Hopefully they won’t sue me when they grow up!’ she said.

Jess considers practicing your craft daily to be the most valuable thing an illustrator can do. Like the small birds she loves to paint, Jess skips lightly over her busy schedule, in constant motion. ‘I chip away at a tiny bit of everything each day,’ she said.

For more about Jess visit jessesmess.com or follow her on Instagram (@jessesmess).

 Jo Watson is a Melbourne-based screenwriter and artist. Visit her on Instagram (@diary_of_a_picture_book_maker).

Interview: Jane Connory, a champion for women in graphic design

In spring, tourists drive down Jane Connory’s street in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs to see the cherry blossoms bloom.

Inside her home, the walls are covered in art, including Guerrilla Girls' manifestos—an indication of Jane’s determination to increase visibility for women in Australian graphic design. On Jane’s desk sit treasured books about women in art and design such as Paula Sher and Guerrilla Girl Donna Kaz. From Jane’s uncluttered workspace she has views over tree-lined streets and neat rooftops.

Graphic design heroes

In addition to her role as the head of communications at the Design Institute of Australia (DIA), Jane interviews women in design for the program Broad Designs, broadcast on Joy FM, and is currently undertaking a Ph.D. at Monash University entitled, ‘Invisible: Women of Australian Graphic Design.’

In May 2017, at the Women in Design conference in Launceston, Jane launched the AfFEMation website to make her research available online. The website’s tag line—‘Making heroes of women in Australian graphic design’—states her intention to document the stories of women in design and highlight their contributions to the industry.

‘I am defining my conversation around not success, but significant contributions,’ said Jane. This means being recognised by industry peers but not necessarily having a large profile. Included in her research are interviews with designers including Jessie Stanley, Sue Allnutt, Kat Macleod and Chloe Quigley. Of particular note, Sue Allnutt has shown that women can run successful design businesses, have families and work nine to five. Fittingly, Sue is about to retire and hand the business over to her daughter.

Jane’s research highlights not only the work of women in design but also the importance of networking to sustain a thriving design practice within Australia. As shown on her website, all of the interviewees are in some way connected to one another. In such a small pool as Australia, the benefits of supporting one another instead of competing are evident.

A career in design

In the mid 1990s, Jane completed a graphic design degree at Monash and went straight into art direction in an ad agency. ‘The legacy of the “Madmen” era was still there,’ said Jane. With her strong belief in achieving success through merit and hard work, Jane was surprised to see that barriers still existed for women in advertising. ‘It was like hitting a brick wall,’ she said.

After working in agencies here in Australia, Jane worked in London and was frustrated to find a similar culture there. She found the expectations of long work hours incompatible with having a family, so she chose to redirect her career path. ‘I left and went into education as a career because I could schedule my time around pick ups and drop offs,’ she said.

Equipped with skills ranging from illustration to graphic design and branding, Jane worked in TAFE and higher education for nearly fifteen years. ‘It’s still a majority of women doing these design degrees and they still look to the industry and they still don’t see female mentors or role models. It was starting to weigh on my conscience,’ she said. Jane decided that she could contribute to changing the design industry culture and began her Ph.D. ‘I can do something about this and this is really important. These histories can’t just disappear,’ she said.

Jane has left her career in design education for the moment to focus on her role at the Design Institute of Australia whilst completing her PhD.

Jane Connory

Creating a legacy

Jane’s motivation in her work is to, as she explained, ‘Provide some sort of resource as a legacy for this next generation of women flooding the industry so they can figure out how they want to do it.’

With in-house design studios making a resurgence, Jane sees the value of design not purely for design itself, but as a way of thinking that can be applied across organisations to solve problems and innovate.

‘I think we have to be careful about how we define what a designer does because it shouldn’t be narrowed,’ said Jane. ‘Broadening that scope for women, especially, can leave those options a little bit more open about how you want to do it.’

In her previous role as a senior lecturer at Billy Blue College of Design, Jane would begin the first lecture by playing a recording of Fleetwood Mac’s ‘You Can Go Your Own Way,’ reminding new students that there are options within the design industry. ‘I always say to students, “What are your other passions in life? Is it music? Is it theatre? Look for in-house studios within those businesses.”’

Identifying mentors for young designers

Throughout Jane’s twenty-year career within design and education she has seen the importance of developing a framework to write inclusive history. She hopes that her research will help young designers find mentors and create networks to build their careers.

Jane’s advice to young women wanting to pursue a career in design is, 'Be resilient and stick at it if that’s what you want to do. It’s not easy. There are a lot of people doing it. Look for mentors; they’re out there. Find one and help them to help you up.’

For more about Jane’s work, visit affemation.com or follow her on Instagram (@invisibleinaus/)

Jenni Mazaraki is an artist, designer, writer and podcaster who helps women tell their stories. She is currently working on her first novel, which was shortlisted for the 2017 Deborah Cass Prize. You can see more of Jenni’s work at localstoryspace.com or on Instagram (@localstoryspace) or Facebook.

Photos by Jenni Mazaraki