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A Small Art Factory Holds Big Surprises

Sculptor Anna Small doesn’t have to travel far to get inspiration – it’s right there in her backyard on the Fleurieu Peninsula. Anna and her husband Warren Pickering design and create laser-cut metal sculptures derived from the natural environment.

From small pieces such as garden stakes and wall hangings, through to larger steel pieces, Anna’s work is created with love and evokes feelings of wonderment at the beauty of nature.

The creative starts with Anna sketching the flora that she comes across in her daily life in the beachside suburb of Moana. From these sketches, she creates the designs that are then laser-cut.

“We then hand-form the metal using traditional techniques, allowing the flowers and plants to take their chosen form,” she said. “When completed, the sculptures are placed in our garden where we “water” them every day, allowing for a beautiful rust patina to create a random and self-maintaining finish.”

Recently, Anna and Warren have also moved into high-gloss finishes, creating perfect sculptures for indoor and out. 

“The ongoing delight that our work gives people who place it on their walls has inspired us to develop our ideas further,” Anna said.

“At first our designs were exclusively small, reflecting the littleness of the stuff that life is ultimately made of.  As we have progressed I have found that the events that make meaning may be small but the cumulative life effect is big and so it has been a natural move towards creating larger steel pieces.”

Since starting as a full-time artist about five years ago, the demand for Anna’s work has grown and can now be seem in galleries in both South Australia and Victoria, including the Textile’s and Arts (T’Arts) Gallery in Gays Arcade, The Handorf Academy and Urban Cow Studios.

For more information, or to contact Anna,

visit her website at http://www.asmallartfactory.com.au

Nicole Leedham

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From Scotland to Adelaide, one Pirate’s Journey.

A plethora of interesting characters flock to Adelaide each year - for festivals, wine, maybe even a bike race - but for one individual it was roller derby that beckoned.

Claire ‘Pirate’ Tannahill hails from Scotland and moved to Adelaide in 2010,with only one friend here and armed with the knowledge that it ‘gets hot’. 

Her first impression of the city was ‘a quiet seaside town where  everyone knows everyone else, except they don’t really, because it’s    actually quite a big place’.  She felt immediately at home with the laid back attitude for which Adelaide is known, and settled right in to  Adelaide Roller Derby League (ADRD).

Pirate had an initially difficult time adjusting, as the league with which she skated in Glasgow trained three times a week, all year round. She arrived here the day after ADRD’s grand final in September, 2010, which meant shut-down mode until January this year.

Pirate skated hard through the summer so she could hit the ground running in ADRD’s 2011 season, which had a focus on grass roots derby and the community - a way of giving back to the city and people that support it.

In her own words, she had ‘a lot of fun this season.

“It’s great to be part of something so huge -  ADRD is definitely a community - it felt wonderful to touch down in a different part of the world and know that you can meet like-minded individuals who are willing to help you out,” she said.

Pirate made her mark in the league, with her Scottish flag face paint and determined attitude.  She has become an integral part of her team, the league at large and the Adelaide locals who love the sport - from the children scooting around at the bouts to the grandparents in their camping chairs to the people who hold the stall for animal rights.

Away from derby, Pirate has sampled a variety of things that Adelaide has to offer: a job at a rock pub in Adelaide - the Forresters and Squatters Arms - volunteering as part of the Willing Workers On Organic Farms scheme, the festivals, the music scene, the art scene and of course she has been diving with sharks.

What began as a one year visit to Adelaide has turned into a sordid love affair, and Pirate is in the process of organising to stay - another colourful addition to our city, another satisfied customer.

By Robyn Hall for the Villager

pic by Mimby Jones Robinson

With a cherry on top, please! 

We all get those forbidden late night sweet cravings, but if you’re going to be naughty, then do it the right way! 

Maccas run? I think not. Once the clock ticks 8.00pm, slip on those uggies and head down to the Elephant Walk, a late night dessert restaurant that calls Melbourne Street its home. 

Elephant Walk is much more than a treat to the tastebuds; it’s an experience in itself. It is seductive, enthralling, funky, hut-like, African influenced and astonishing, and that doesn’t even touch the surface. Elephant Walk screams: ‘I am different, and I am proud.’ 

Puddings, waffles, icecream sundaes, coffees, and spiders-, yes, spiders – the choices are never ending. The banana and chocolate waffles are a favourite, but why just commit yourself to one? 

Elephant Walk has a quiet ambience about it. The dim, mood lighting and intimate booth-style is the perfect setting for that famous first date. Whoever said diamonds were a key to a woman’s heart were wrong, it’s chocolate! 

So boys, if you know what’s good for you, take that special someone to Elephant Walk. You will be pleasantly surprised and delighted. 

Love Adelaide is saying good bye to its current director Craig Hunter.

We are undoubtedly losing a great visionary. His great passion to DEMONSTRATE REAL LOVE to Adelaide is only superseded by his big heart for people. Read More…

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Peter Combe

Please go to www.theatrebugs.com.au to book and not the trybooking website

PETER COMBE 

30 Years making kids happy and no sign of slowing down!

If you’ve never washed your face with orange juice or belly-flopped on a pizza where have you been? Peter Combe’s songs have infected our language just like those of Cold Chisel or Powderfinger. Now you can relive those memories or create new ones at a massive Christmas concert on Saturday December 3rd. 

Enjoying something of a revival after more than 30 years in the kids’ music industry, 

Peter has lost nothing of his passion or ability to write fun songs.

“I want to do the best I can possibly do. Write quality songs, record well, sing well and not just make money out of merchandising,” Peter says.

At a recent licensed concert at HQ, hundreds of adults who grew up on his songs enjoyed what is becoming an almost spiritual experience.

“In pubs and clubs across Australia I see these twenty-somethings shouting back to me all the words to these kids songs. At first they look a bit hesitant, but then get caught up in the moment.”

What about his controversial YouTube hit from a few years ago, Free David Hicks?

“Hey, I’m allowed to have opinions too!” he says. It turns out that Peter had performed to David when he was a kid. His father, Terry, asked him to perform the song at one of the rallies for his release. “If it was my son, I’d want him to have a fair trial.”

And for Peter, his ultimate love for music has seen his now adult children become outstanding musicians in their own rights. His kids were singing on his albums from the time they were five, and are still performing with him today.  His son Tom wrote the hit Hey Ho Jerry-O on the Chopstix album. His second daughter Alice will be one of the backing singers for the Christmas concert. Joni Combe, who is the director of Theatre Bugs, will bring some kids to add some drama too.   

This Christmas concert will attract new fans as well as older ones, and is an opportunity not to be missed. 

If Adelaide is a village, it is great to be able to be part of creating songs and memories that foster this. We even have tickets to give away to the concert – so let us know for a chance to win some. Now, I’m off to brush my hair with a toothbrush… 

Craig Hunter