Nightly Life Drawing Classes at No Vacancy Gallery.

Taking the first few wary steps behind the white sheet hung in the window of No Vacancy Gallery in QV (opposite the Daiso entrance) I didn't exactly know what I was walking into. As with many new situations, however, the experience of a life drawing class at No Vacancy Gallery proved to be worth the nerves. 

Started in 2008, the classes allow for a relaxed environment for people to gather and draw together. Here are six super convincing reasons why you should head along:

- Casual and welcoming environment: The whole thing was a lot more relaxed than I was expecting - I mean the model even winked at me during a pose when I sneezed.

- Low price and cheap drinks: It is $13 for the session and that includes all the materials you could dream of needing. Payment works as an honesty system into a box that is passed around the room; they also encourage donations of old art materials.  Water is free and beer/wine is a couple of dollars.

- Inspiration is almost inevitable: Looking around, it intrigued me to see the different materials, colours and drawing styles experimented with by the people around me. It just made me want to try everything and get better.

- Great location: The walk back to the car was really nice. Drawing for two hours is really relaxing and when you come out you are in a totally pour-us-a-winey mood which would lend nicely to popping into a nearby bar afterwards.

- There are no prerequisites: There’s no presentation time or anything of that nature and all skill levels are welcome. It can be a very personal thing if you want it to be.

- Sausage dogs: They had one walking around. You could pat it. 

Classes run from 7pm- 9pm at No Vacancy Gallery in QV on Tuesday and Wednesday nights. I would definitely recommend getting there by 6.30 as classes fill up and you may have to sit on the floor. Maybe bring a little cushion just in case.

-B

'What's In My Bag?' Series: Alessandra.

I have never been someone to carry around a bag. I just hated the fact that I had to lug around something all the time so I used to take a much simpler approach and store my phone and my money (the essentials) in my pockets, or the left cup of my bra (but only in the unlikely event that my outfit did not feature pockets).

Despite my mum's nagging I saw no use for a handbag, until one disastrous day when I was in a rush and had run to the toilet. As soon as I went to sit down my phone decided to take a dive, causing irreversible water damage and another three shifts at work before I could afford a new phone. 

So for Christmas I bought myself a bag. I spent a whole day scouting out the perfect one, something in leather, something just big enough for uni - but also not too big - something minimalist and simple, and suddenly, just behind the shoulder of the sales assistant I was casually flirting with, there it was! My attention was immediately redirected and five minutes later I had my new bag. It was quickly wrapped with a card signed "To A, With Love, From A xx" and placed under the tree.

On Christmas morning I unwrapped it with delight and I haven't gone bagless since. 

A's Daily Survival Kit (A.K.A What's in my bag):

Wallet: The wallet is also new. I bought it on sale and it is just perfect! It is just big enough to hold my cards and money, but it never gets bulky. 

Mentos (or any other minty goodness I find lying around): I am addicted to oral hygiene (like I actually have been told I have a problem by my dentist). Once I was brushing my teeth up to five times a day and after a routine checkup my dentist told me I needed to cut down, so I now just brush them the recommended two times a day and have a mentos or piece of gum in-between (this particular packet I stole from my mum's car)

Car keys: The weird black square thing is my car key. My keys work on a sensor, which still freaks me out a little. My mum gifted me the keyring when I finally got my licence. 

Lucas' Pawpaw Ointment: If you have this little red tube with you you are literally invincible!  I don't know who Lucas is but I would like to take this opportunity to thank him on behalf of women everywhere. Seriously, this stuff is so good I once let my dad try some and he secretly went out and bought two tubes which I later found stashed in his car. 

Sunglasses: Because there is glare in the world. 

L'Occitane Hand Cream: An Impulse buy that I will never regret.

A Novella: I have a rule that I will only carry novellas because novels are too heavy and they will weigh me down if there is an apocalypse (this rule was made to be broken). I highly recommend Agatha Christie or Ian Fleming books which you can buy for $5 at most second hand book stores.  

A Notepad and Pen: I carry with me the coolest note pad ever that N and C gifted me from Japan. Each sheet in the notepad has directions on how to turn the sheet into a paper plane after you have written down your note.  Despite having an app on my phone where I can write notes I love having a physical note pad and pen where I can hand write things out and make lists of the things I need to do.

-A

Movie Review-vie: Boyhood

I have changed somewhat over the past few years. I used to be able to sit down and watch movie after movie and I just can't anymore. It takes a lot to hold my full attention for the length of a movie but as soon as the introductory Coldplay song began to play I had a feeling that Boyhood was going to be worth the near three hour long running time. The 166 minute length is totally justified as it follows the life of one boy, Mason, from the age of 5 to the age of 18. The special thing is that instead of replacing the child actor with a slightly more pubescent lookalike then a bearded lookalike, it features the same actors for the entire movie - and it was 12 years in the making. 

The journey is written and directed by Richard Linklater (creator the unforgettable School of Rock) who filmed his actors for a few days every year, ultimately tracking their physical growth while superimposing onto it a poignant fictional journey of emotional growth and questioning and restlessness and experimentation  - which essentially, equates to the experience of adolescence. 

I found it so special as every few scenes Mason and his sister Samantha (and all the other characters for that matter) were a few years older in appearance. It made you grow a true attachment and gave you that nostalgic feeling not unlike seeing your 'baby' cousin for the first time in a year only to find his voice has broken and his baby fat is nowhere to be seen. It may seem that a storyline this strung out would seem disjointed, but it flows beautifully and really resonates nicely with true life. Not all loose ends were tied up in a neat little bow, there were some parts that left you unsatisfied but in the back of my mind was a little voice saying 'ah well, that's life'.  People weren't always better off, no character was perfect, it wasn't all sunshine but it wasn't all gloom either. I found the dialogue so casually real and it made for such easy viewing. Absent was the angst and extravagance of typical coming of age dramas and what was left were the smaller moments - Mason's relationships with those around him, the advice he is given, his frustrations and his fears - more so than his first kiss and his prom night. 

It reminded me of why I write a journal, in that once the film had finished I immediately wanted to 'flick back' through the storyline and see him as a 5 year old again.

-B

*Mosaik does not take credit for any of the images used in this article*

Spoon Returns to Melbourne.

Spoon had not been to Australia since Groovin' The Moo 2010 and their performance at The Forum Theatre on February marked their second show of three in Australia. While my dad and I were lining up waiting to be let in to the gig, we were discussing Spoon and their success. He said to me;

 “Spoon is the best band that Melbourne doesn’t know about” and I couldn’t have agreed with him more.

For the many who don’t know Spoon; they are a five piece Indie/Pop/Alternative band hailing from Austin, Texas. Two of their most recognisable songs for our generation would have to be; “The Way We Get By” featured in Season 1 of The O.C, and “The Underdog”, from the infamous scene in 17 Again where Zac Efron steps out of his Audi and puts on THAT leather jacket (swoon).

The night began with their support act, Deep Sea Arcade, who set the mood for the evening. Their Psychedelic – Indie/Rock sound got the crowd going, loosening them up ready for Spoon. Everyone really got around them when they played their hit “Girls”, with most of the crowd shouting it out until they actually played it.

I had been waiting for Spoon's performance since I first started listening to their album Ga Ga Ga Ga, and when they came on, it was musical heaven to my ears. They had no fancy backdrop clips, just themselves, their instruments and some awesome lighting to set the mood. They opened with the first track off their latest album, "Rent I Pay" and closed with my two favourites "You Got Yr. CherryBomb" and "The Underdog". 

Everything else in between was simply magic. They had the crowd bopping their heads, tapping their feet, shaking their hips and playing their air drums and air guitars, to their undeniably catchy songs all night. Despite the technical difficulties and mishaps, they still managed to create a concert that did not disappoint. They have now left me listening to their recorded tracks feeling like there is something missing.

For my sake, you should all go check out my favourite album of their’s, Ga Ga Ga Ga and their latest album They Want My Soul, you won’t be disappointed.

- S.P

Photography by Charles Morley

Photography by Charles Morley

*Mosaik does not take credit for any images used in this article

Movie Review-vie: Foxcatcher/ Unbroken

Foxcatcher:

A psychological thriller, directed by Bennet Miller and based on a true story.

The film, which runs for just over two hours, is compulsively eerie from the start as it follows the story of Olympic wrestling champion Mark Schultz (Channing Tatum) who is summoned by John Du Pont (Steve Carell), a supposed wrestling enthusiast and coach, who wants Mark and his brother Dave Schultz (Mark Ruffalo) to live and train on his estate.

Steve Carell (who I unashamedly have a huge crush on) delivers an unrecognisable performance as he plays a character that I couldn't help but compare to Mr Burns from 'The Simpsons'. I could feel the entire audience cringe as Du Pont makes certain demands of the brothers as he tries to compromise a relationship that he never had.

The film subtly suggests Du Pont's repressed homosexuality and Miller clearly captures his deranged mentality. However, Du Pont's inevitable final act is still a shock - people in the cinema gasped, and my mum screamed.

Rated- Creepy

Unbroken:

Angelina Jolie directs the true story of Louis Zamperini (Jack O'Connell), an Olympic runner and a prisoner of war.

This movie should really be renamed "Unbelievable", this man was not only an Olympic athlete but he survived 45 days on an inflatable boat in the middle of shark infested waters without food or water, only to be rescued by Japanese soldiers who kept him as a prisoner until the war ended. His life was so remarkable they had to edit the film down for fear the audience wouldn't believe it. Jack O'Connell portrays Louie's bravery and determination (he also wears that army uniform very well).

Rated-  Intense

Bendigo

Taking advantage of the last few weeks of the holiday break, I recently took a trip up to Bendigo. I didn’t know what to expect, or what would be on offer once we arrived, but was really pleasantly surprised by the amount of activities available. I hope this very brief summary inspires you to head out on a road trip of your own to one of Victoria’s beautiful country towns.

On the first afternoon we stumbled upon ‘Book Now’ on Farmer Lane. Housing rare and out of print second hand books, ‘Book Now’ has a fantastic collection spanning all genres, and classic children’s novels with beautiful vintage covers from all the way back in the 1940s.

The Bendigo Art Gallery has a beautiful permanent collection with both classic and modern art works on display, but it was their temporary collection featuring the work of artist Ben Quilty that was my must see. Large scale canvases depicting his take on the invasion of Australian land and his self-portraits, all created with his signature 3-D brushstrokes feature in a bright contemporary space. The exhibition will be running until the 1st of March.

The Golden Dragon Museum houses traditional Chinese textiles, clothing items and vintage homewares. The Bendigo Chinese Association use this museum as a means to provide tourists with an insight into both the rich history of Chinese culture, but also the challenges associated with living as a member of the Chinese community during the Gold Rush. Quick tours around the museum are conducted daily and really help to give the key pieces in the museum more meaning, as well as providing interesting recounts of life in Bendigo during the Gold Rush.  Serene gardens with Chinese architecture and landscaping can also be found on the grounds. 

Bendigo also has some beautiful natural spaces, Rosalind Park was gorgeous and had we had a little more time it would have been a beautiful spot for a picnic. Hiring a bike and going for a ride around Lake Weeroona or through the Botanic Gardens are also lovely options if you’re after something more outdoorsy.  

We stayed at The Schaller Studio, a really fresh and modern place, with artist Mark Schaller’s work featuring throughout the hotel and in every room. You can book through the hotel’s website but great deals can also be found on Wotif.com


-M