Kickstart Arts

Fabric of Life workshops begin on Flinders Island

admin — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 00:17:14 +0000

The Fabric of Life workshops kicked off yesterday at The Rose Garden Room at Whitemark with Artists Andy Vagg & Richard Bladel working with enthusiastic community members from Flinders Island. It was a thrill for Andy & Richard to work with some seriously skilled textile artists from Flinders and we all learned a lot from each other.

The Happiness Pod cinema dome will be decorated on the inside by The Fabric of Life: an amazing multi-coloured patchwork of community made collages created from items of recycled clothing and clothing that people bring along and offer to make these amazing artworks. Each item of clothing has a personal story attached, and the stories are embedded into each panel.

The workshops begin with some play and experimentation with a huge variety of what most people think of as rubbish, and the workshops explore the telling of stories through the use of objects and materials. It’s a lot of fun.

Andy will be running workshops in the other 5 communities that are involved in The Happiness Project: Dover, Cygnet, Glenorchy, Oatlands and Levendale. Watch this space for more news…

Pics from top left: Andy collects workshop materials at the Whitemark Tip; Andy washes each piece of rubbish for use in workshops by hand; Jana, Maria, Andy & Judy at the workshop; Ben and his story.

How do you design a portable solar powered cinema?

admin — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 23:48:48 +0000

The Happiness Pod will provide seating for about 40 people, but due to it’s dome shaped nature where few surfaces are genuinely flat, quite a lot of thought is being put into what sort of seating will be comfortable, and the position and angle of the screen and audio speakers will be very important. The cinema will have a floor to add comfort and warmth and we are looking at a mix of specially made bean bags and chairs to cater for all ages.

There will be a foyer structure for audiences to enter through, and this will provide space for people to gather and for information and interpretation installations. This will arrive in the next few weeks.

Left: Artistic Director Jami Bladel has the vision – Online Designer Matt Daniels and Teaching Artist Andy Vagg are on board.

Right: Touring Manager Craig Fehre, Designer Gerhard Mausz, Teaching Artist Andy Vagg and Sound Designer Matthew Fargher unload the flooring.

Production meeting in the Happiness Pod

admin — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 23:58:01 +0000

The Happiness Project production is in full swing, with 13 weeks before our launch at Agfest, the team met yesterday to discuss scheduling, design seating, audience entry and exit and equipment purchase.

Left: Designer Gerhard Mausz & Teaching Artist Andy Vagg discuss while Sound Designer Matthew Fargher checks the facts.

Right: Graphic Designer Patrick Badger and Kickstart Company Manager Pip Dennis

Jami Bladel I Artistic DIrector / CEO

admin — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 12:38:20 +0000

Jami Bladel has been the Artistic Director and CEO of Kickstart Arts since 2006. Prior to that she was the founding Artistic Director of Big Wig Youth Theatre and worked extensively as a freelance theatre director, actor, writer, dramaturge and specialist teacher. She graduated from the VCA (Bachelor of Fine Arts – Theatre Practice) and from UTas. (Bachelor of Education). Jami develops and manages creative projects; brokers partnerships; works as a teaching artist and mentors emerging teaching artists. Awards include the ABAF Toyota Community Partnership award – State winner 2011 and National Disability Services Award for Excellence – for services to Social inclusion in the Arts 2010. Jami sits as a member of the Health and Wellbeing Advisory Council to the Tasmanian Minister for Health and is on the Leadership group of the National Arts and Health Foundation.

The Happiness Pod has arrived!

admin — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 01:08:16 +0000

The Happiness Pod cinema has finally arrived and the Happiness team – Craig, Gerhard, Andy, Matt and some wonderful willing volunteers have set it up in a backyard to start working out logistics for seating, interior design, sound and projection. It’s amazing inside – should seat 40 comfortably and seems bigger inside than out. Very “Tardis-ian” as Andy puts it.

Pip Dennis | Company Manager

admin — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 04:36:07 +0000

Pip was born in the Chinese year of the Pig (Metal). She tried to be an actor but flourished behind the desk instead. For the past decade Pip has worked predominantly in the non-profit performing arts sector, where she held roles for HLA Management, The One Extra Company, Reeldance Dance on Screen, Version 1.0 Incorporated and Salamanca Arts Centre.  Prior to moving to Hobart in 2008, Pip was General Manager for PACT Theatre, Sydney’s leading contemporary  performance company for emerging artists. Pip has a dog called Patch.

Richard Bladel | Creative Producer

admin — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 04:34:52 +0000

Richard Bladel is well into his third decade of working as a professional artist. At one time or another he has worked with all sorts of arts organisations as a writer, playwright, dramaturg, video maker and as a producer of projects in music, visual arts, digital media, performance and writing. Richard has a focus on encouraging the expression and inherent creativity of people of all ages, building connections between people through art making and on breaking down the barriers between the arts and other sectors. He studied BA in Communications at the University of Technology, Sydney during the 80′s, majoring in film theory and production. He was founding Artistic Director of Kickstart Arts, and managed the organisation from 2001- 2007. From 1998 to 2000 he was Arts Officer at The Tasmanian Trades & Labor Council (now Unions Tasmania).

Richie Hallal | Creative Producer

admin — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 04:36:47 +0000

Richie is a community theatre specialist and has worked on a number of projects with the highly regarded Torch Project and Zeal Theatre Company. He has recently been performing with the Sydney Theatre Company and has completed a number of short films, one of which was awarded a prize for Indigenous filmmakers. Richie holds a diploma in small companies and community theatre from Swinburne Institute.

Matt Daniels | Resident Geek & Digital Artist

admin — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 04:37:11 +0000

Matt is an interactive media developer with a passion for art and technology. Matt is interested in how people relate to technology and what role it has in art and play. Matt is currently exploring physical computing and taking digital art beyond the screen. Matt was the Systems Designer for Terrapin Puppet Theatre’s highly regarded production ‘LOVE’ (2011). Matt also works as Technical Director with Blue Rocket while teaching Flash animation and interaction at The Polytechnic. Matt has a Bachelor of Computer (Games Technology) from University of Tasmania.

Happiness on Flinders Island

admin — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 05:09:35 +0000

Richard Bladel is working with young people at the Flinders Island Primary School, making short films exploring what Happiness is to them.