Providence Magazine Issue 1

Providence Issue NO.001Spring Summer 2009/10“The Pilot Issue”

Jonathan ZawadaDeanne CheukStan LeeEmma KellyThe Bold ItalicsDaryl OrillazaMarie AntoniouJamie Ashkar

Providence

Providence

Providence is published by Daryl Orillaza and The Bold Italics ◊ Phone +61 2 9607 5731 ◊Fax +61 2 9607 7090 ◊ Email [email protected]

Editor In-Chief & Creative Director Daryl Orillaza

Design Assistance Aaron Seymour, Leon Cmielewski, Paul Principe

Copy Editor Elizabeth Phan

Contributors Jonathan Zawada, Deanne Cheuk, Stan Lee & Life at The Bottom, Emma Kelly, The Bold Italics, Elizabeth Phan, Natalie Miccinatti, Daniel Stilloni, Marie Antoniou, Jamie Ashkar, Helen Hatzitanos, Divyesh Rama, Joshua Crowley, Nicholas Chua, Emily Sykes, Evita Evangelista, Ashleigh Iorfino, & Paul Principe

Models Melissa, Annalisa, Nicholas, Julie

Printers Taylor Print, Penrith NSW

Inspirations Herb Lubalin, Jop Van Bennekom of Fantastic Man, Work In Progress of Self Service Magazine, Christophe Brunnquell of Purple, Studio Newwork of Newwork Magazine, Oliver Daxenbichler of Neue Mode

Providence is open to contributions. Please send contributions to the mailing addresses supplied; pack them well. If sending by email, please consider your file sizes. We apologise in advance if we do not use them. Any suggestions, complaints or ideas can be sent to [email protected].

Typeset in Adobe Caslon, ITC Caslon 224, Sabon and Bodoni families.

This publication and its entire contents are protected by copyright. No use (including disclosure) may be made of all or any parts of this document without prior written consent of Providence Magazine. No responsibility is taken for unsolicited material. Use of trademark is strictly prohibited. Providence Magazine tries to be published four times a year.

Providence

cover Nicholas wears black hooded tee, and black skinny leg jeans, both by Jamie Ashkar.

Issue NO.001 Spring Summer 2009/10

Editor’s Letter– 004 | 005 –

I gave myself just over a year to get this magazine off the ground. It was something of a lingering thought

and dream from the last four years of design school; an accumulation of ideas, inspirations, plus a clear image of what I didn’t like in magazine design. It was my love for yesteryear typographic heroes like Herb Lubalin, and a need to air my passion with a project to call my own before I retired to world of fashion photography for the rest of my life. So here, lies Providence Magazine. Issue no. 001. The Pilot Issue. My parting gift to the design school that has given me so much. An amalgamation of strong typography, white space, and

dramatic imagery. A project that I hope you will use as a platform for the rest of your design lives.

The first half is called “A means to an End”, and it’s aimed at bringing you the guidance and mentorship

in the creative fields that money couldn’t buy. We’ve spoken to masters, including home grown heroes Jonathan Zawada (pg 10) and Deanne Cheuk (pg 18), illustrator Emma Kelly (pg 24) and even got some advice from head honcho Stan Lee (pg 22). I only hope that you will learn as much from reading about their lives then we did writing about it.

The second half of the publication is “The Beginning of Forever”. Here, we open up the pages to contributions from you, the young and upcoming designers and the future design heroes, in the bid to grow and breed a stronger design community for tomorrow. We want to make you hungry for your futures and careers. We want to light the fire inside of you. Together, you and me, we’ll take over the world.

Daryl. Editor In-Chief & Creative Director

Forward

A Means To an End

010JONATHANZAWADA

GRAPHIC DESIGNER / ILLUSTRATOR / ARTIST EXTRAORDINAIRE

018DEANNECHEUK

AUSSIE ART DIRECTOR SHOWING THE YANKS HOW IT'S DONE

022LIFE AT THE BOTTOM

CREATIVE CATALYST STAN LEE GETS US INTO SHAPE

024EMMAKELLY

UK BASED ILLUSTRATOR WHO "LIKES TO DRAW THINGS"

030034

042050

THE BOLDITALICSYOUNG GUN CREATIVES TRYING TO MAKE IT HAPPEN

HERE COMESTHE SUNTHINGS HEAT UP BY THE LAKE. PHOTOS BY DARYL ORILLAZA

BLACK SUMMERJAMIE ASHKAR'S SS09/10 LOOKS. PHOTOS BY DARYL ORILLAZA

MONATELIERYOUNG CREATIVES SHOW OFF THEIR DESK TOPS

040JAMIE ASHKARA LOCAL FASHIONISTA'S BIG LIFE JUGGLE

The Beginning of Forever

A means to an

"

END."

Providence

a conversation between Jonathan Zawada & Daryl Orillaza

ZawadaJonathan

On appropriation of work, the changing design scene, working relationships and being down with The Presets.

Jonathan Zawada is a graphic designer and illustrator from Sydney. He’s best known for his print and art direction work in the Australian fashion and music industries - calling the likes of Ksubi, stylist Mark Vassallo, and Modular Records close friends. He’s even won an ARIA for his work with The Presets. He's also had a fast growing following for his personal art works, with recent exhibtions at Monster Children, China Heights, and the Australian Centre of Photography galleries. Meet Jonathan Zawada.

Jonathan Zawada– 010 | 011 –

DARYL ORILLAZA ◊ You’ve stated in other interviews about starting off with the odd

freelance job - building websites and selling the odd screen-printed shirt. From there I understand you started a design degree, but later dropped out. Can you maybe shed some light on why? Given a second chance (even though you seem to have turned out alright, haha, and are picking up quite regular work for bigger and better clients), would you have done it different and finished off your degree?JONATHAN ZAWADA ◊ I don’t think I’m the sort of person who is particularly tuned towards learning within a regimented and structured framework - actually, if I’m being totally honest, I’m not really all that comfortable in large groups of people anywhere. I’ve always enjoyed learning on my own and during that first year of uni although I enjoyed learning the theory and history side of things it all moved hideously slowly, not to mention the almost totally stagnant practical side of the course which was incredibly frustrating when I had been working - albeit in a very minor capacity - for a few years already.

The final straw for me though was one day when the 150 students in my year were assembled and were asked, one by one, to name their favourite designer. I think only 5 people managed to name anybody, 2 of which were the people sitting beside me who asked me to give them names. I guess design wasn’t quite as popular then amongst kids as it is now. There’s absolutely no chance I would have done it differently, possibly I would never have started the degree at all I guess! As I get older it also grates on me the self-importance that people within design education place on the field of work, it really is just a job and I don’t think there is a job in the world where you can learn more about it than by doing it. Particularly in a field as shallow as design!

Daryl ◊ I’ve also read that it was in these early days that you met George Gorrow of Ksubi. Given the relatively small size of Sydney’s design ‘scene’ (for lack of a better word), and it’s close working role with other creative industries like fashion and music, do you think this fortunate meeting with Gorrow may have been instrumental to your eventual success? You’ve gone on to work with Ksubi, Josh Goot, Mark Vassallo, Tina Kalivas, Kris Moyes, The Presets, Modular Records and other artists on their roster. Do you think in Australia, there’s a slight sense of it’s who you know, not what you know?

Jonathan ◊ I can totally trace back all of my continued ability to work in Australia to having met the Gorrow brothers when I did - having said that though, I only met them through their working partners at the time, who cold-called me after seeing a website I had built for the mining company that my brother worked at, so really I should thank my brother! I think no matter what you do, it comes down to personal relationships. I met the Gorrows at first by working for them, building websites that they designed because that was the part of my skillset that was strongest at the time and there weren’t really too many people who could build sites around at the time - and I was cheap!

Providence

The work that I got after that only came about through proving myself time and time again in the commercial environment, incrementally stepping up from website building to website design, from that to print design and from that to illustration - which took me a good six years or so! Especially when you’re starting out it’s the people who know you who will trust you enough to take a chance on employing you and even years later, because of accountability on the part of your clients (and their fear of their own bosses/businesses if it turns out they haven’t spent the company’s money right) I don’t think those employers are ever willing to take a chance on people they don’t have a bit of a personal assurance or connection to.

At the time when a lot of this stuff started for me, working with people like Ksubi, The Presets, Kris Moyes and even Modular - they were all businesses/ventures that were totally in their infancy too and were by no means a patch on the successes they’ve turned out to be. Not only was there no money there but there was no guarantee that these things were even going to amount

to anything so in that environment of mutual risk taking it was really the luck of the draw that I ended up amongst a group of people who became successful in the long term.

Daryl ◊ The Presets’ Blow Up Ep and later Beams and Apocalypso (congratulations on the Aria by the way), are probably amongst your better known works. Are The Presets like, totally divas to work with now? Do you even like their music? Did you ever think that they’d become as commercial as they have? Will you be totally upset if they don’t get you to work on their next album? Jonathan ◊ I was friends with The Presets before they were The Presets. The first thing I got to do for them was to build a website for a band they were in before, called Prop. I was actually a bit of a second thought to be asked to have a go at designing the Blow Up cover and I think they only really asked because they had already exhausted all of their other options. I love both of those boys and they’ve been nothing but themselves for as long as I’ve known them and I think I can safely say that they’ve been more open and trusting towards me than anybody I’ve ever worked with. I remember when I showed Julian the bark mask I wanted him to wear for the Apocalypso cover on the day of the shoot he said “I don’t necessarily like it but I trust that you know what you’re doing” and that’s exactly what they’ve always been like with me. I don’t know if I ever thought they’d be the commercial success they’ve become - especially after the first time I heard Apocalypso.

I absolutely loved it and my wife and I played it pretty much on repeat for 2 weeks while we were

camping but I remember thinking that the vocals were way too wacky for it to work commercially - shows what I know about the music business! It’s a really funny position to be in, hearing music with absolutely nothing to go off,


no artwork, no marketing, no hype and getting to form a completely independent opinion of it - its quite liberating. I’d be cut to the bone if they didn’t at least ask me to work on the next album but at the same time I could also completely understand if they felt like they needed a fresh set of eyes - not to mention the myriad of business politics behind it all.

Daryl ◊ In what ways do you think the design-landscape has changed with the advent of high speed internet? Are countries losing a sense of ‘visual design identity’ and ‘styles’? Are clients really offloading their design needs to the global pool of talent?Jonathan ◊ I definitely think it’s been responsible for the collapse of the idea of a regional design style or identity. When I began working about 10 years ago, although it had already been collapsing, there was definitely still a sense of a difference between English, American, German and Scandinavian design - at the very least. More than anything though I think this was the result of a sense of nostalgia, which I think designers are

always guilty of, for the middle of the 20th century rather than necessarily being bound to the scope of designers exposure to other design. I’d suggest that

the globalization of design has more to do with the globalization of their employers and their marketplace - which is obviously due to the internet, than it does with the

idea of designers increased exposure to a wider variety of design. In terms of clients working with a global pool of talent, in terms of my current situation I would have to say this was true. Probably 75% of my work is currently for international clients, be they in London, France or Tokyo. As a caveat though I’d have to say that I probably see as much of my international clients as I do of my local ones, which is - next to nothing!Daryl ◊ I think it was Empty magazine that quoted you saying “Every job has the potential to be a great one, if you take the time to identify the right

elements of it.” Are you at a point in your freelance career that you’re able / having to turn down jobs because of interest / time / type of client? Jonathan ◊ I’d definitely still stand by that statement however I think as you work more you get better at spotting where the limitations will arise, and at spotting them earlier and earlier on, which would be the only reasons I’d ever have for turning work down. The fundamental difficulty with freelancing is that it breeds a perennial fear that your workflow is going to suddenly dry up so its very rare that I’ll turn anything down. Really the only times I turn down work are when I’m given carte blanche - for example being asked to do a tshirt print for a label with no theme or direction. Generally I don’t find that sort of work at all interesting as it is devoid of the challenges and problem solving that I feel are integral to design.Daryl ◊ We don’t have to talk specifics, but what’s the pay like for someone such as yourself at the near top of the Australian-design-tree? Does the grass get any greener or are we all going to keep eating Rice Bubbles for breakfast, lunch and dinner for the rest of our lives?

I don’t think there is a job in the world where you can learn more about it than by actually doing it.

Providence


Providence

Jonathan ◊ In my experience, which I think has more to do with the types of clients that I work for than design

as a profession as a whole, the money has barely changed at all. There have been a couple of larger scale jobs that have come along that earn a little more but if you’re talking about something like a cd cover, website or tshirt print, they have remained pretty much static in price for the entire time I’ve been working. That said, I recently found out that the designer who will be doing the cover of the new Wolfmother album - the god of album design, Storm Thorgerson, will be getting paid something like 10 times what I would for about 1/5th of the work - so there’s hope yet!

Daryl ◊ I caught your talk at Semi Permanent a while back about your use of appropriation. With kids coming through design schools these days growing up magazines like Monster Children, and listening to bands like the Presets, how do you feel about people

taking a leaf out of your design work and using your ideas? Jonathan ◊ I’ve encountered that a bit recently and to be honest most of the time i haven’t thought twice about it but in one instance it bothered me a bit more than I thought it would. I guess I’ve always felt that my appropriation has been separated by at least time or context and it’s maybe a little frustrating if the appropriation is there but the difference in those other aspects is not. That said though, I pretty quickly got over it, mainly with the realization that I absolutely loath getting asked to do something similar to something I have done before so in a weird way its a relief. It’s also a good sort of a hot poker to keep you moving.

Daryl ◊ You’ve mentioned once that “M is for Modular”, that magazine you basically masterminded for Modular, as some of your proudest commercial work. What ever happened to that? Is it just me or did it stop after issue one?

Jonathan ◊ Yep, it just dried up. I was lucky enough the first time around that nobody at the label really cared at all about the project so I ended up having pretty much complete freedom with it. Unfortunately, because the first issue was received quite well, that freedom was completely gone by the time we started work on the second issue. It just kind of suffered a slow death by being pulled apart by the many different interested parties who all wanted to be involved in some way. Businesses like Modular and Ksubi aren’t the tightest financial ships either and you have to work with the tides!

Daryl ◊ I was lucky enough to grab a copy of your zine at the Izrock table at the MCA Zine Fair the other month.

You’ve had a few shows around town of late - MC Gallery, the ACP. Your self driven projects

as an artist have been gathering some speed as far as recognition. (Like I said,


“celebrity” in Australia design). Do you personally find it important to keep doing these personal projects? Is it a creativity outlet thing, where you don’t have to worry about clients’ demands?Jonathan ◊ There’s a bit of a gradient of personal projects that all serve to fulfill different the shortcomings of my professional work. Projects like Trust Fun and Petit Mal are definitely reactions to the frustrations of not getting to do what I’d really like to do in my professional work. My personal work, exhibitions and such are more independent of my professional work though. I really feel like the two parts of me don’t connect at all, design and art are such different things that I genuinely feel like the art projects are exactly what they would be whether I was a designer or a carpenter. In all honesty the personal art is the only work I ever want to do, the commercial stuff is purely work and that’s how I see it. I wouldn’t be doing it if I didn’t have to pay bills and looking at design is the last thing in the world that I would want to do for fun or any sort of non-financial fulfillment.

Daryl ◊ On the same token, your work features on a broad range of mediums - you’ve done websites, t-shirts, video, posters, logos, cd covers etc. Does getting all these different briefs keep it exciting for you? Or would you rather be better known for “mastering” one specific medium? Are you most comfortable working in a specific one?Jonathan ◊ I think I’ve encouraged my working in range of mediums by attempting them in the first place. I get bored pretty easily and once I’ve given an idea a go, even if it doesn’t end up as successful as I might like, I generally feel like I’ve explored it and am ready to move on - at least in the immediate future. Working across mediums has

really been a method of survival too, there’s not really enough work around to survive by just doing one of them. In an environment of computers - within reason of course - I don’t know that the concept of being a master of a specific medium really applies for designers as much as it might have in an analogue world filled with specialty analogue techniques and skills.

Daryl ◊ Has anyone ever told you that you and Kris Moyes look alike? Although a freelancer, you collaborate a lot in your work - your wife and Shane on Tru$t Fun, video work with Kris Moyes; How important do you think is it to find these people you work well with, who are creatively like-minded, when collaborating on projects? Jonathan ◊ Yes! There’s one cafe in particular where people constantly ask us if we are brothers. I think he even got asked if he was my brother at my wedding reception. As I said earlier on, I’m terrible at working with groups of people and I’d say that even in a broader sense I’m pretty well completely anti-social. As a result it’s even more vital to be able to find people to work with who can broaden my ideas and challenge me because my general exposure to other people is quite limited. I’m not all that patient when it comes to working with other people and in most cases I’d much rather work on my own - another reason I’ve ended up working in a broad range of mediums, generally I err away from anything termed “collaborative” as in most cases and with most people it really doesn’t suit me.

Daryl ◊ Any exciting projects we can expect from JZ in the near future?Jonathan ◊ There’s the possibility of an exhibition in Tokyo later this year, and involvement in an exciting exhibition

in L.A. early next year which will hopefully be more broadly installation based. There is also a big group show at Penrith Regional Gallery late in 2010. Other than that there will hopefully be more Trust Fun product, another issue of Petit Mal and if I can find the time I’d really like to work on some personal art projects too. When it comes to work though my main aim is just to continue paying the bills!

Daryl ◊ Finally, any last words of advice you can pass on to upcoming designers? Jonathan: There’s two things I can think of: 1) God is in the details; 2) Stop looking at design.

catch more of Jonathan Zawada’s work at zawada.com.au

Providence

words by Daryl Orillaza

DeanneCHEUKOn being creatively stimulated, the growing list of disciplines, and taking each day as it comes, and trying to do what she enjoys.

If Deanne were a tradie and not a designer, she’d be what they call a “jack of all trades”. The Perth-born beauty now works and resides in big city New York, operating under the titles of art director, illustrator, designer and artist.

Deanne Cheuk– 018 | 019 –

Deanne hit her straps as a designer at quite an early age, landing her first art directing role at the ripe

age of just nineteen. “Part of my design program (at Curtin University) when I was studying was to have a mentorship somewhere – and the magazine that was mentoring me asked me to be the art director while I was in my final year of University, when I was 19. That was my first real design job.” Since then, she’s gone on to art directed and designed for over twelve titles, including Tokion. All whilst still at the mysteriously-coy age of ‘twenty something’. Add to that list regular contributions to publishing heavy weights such as The New York Times Magazine, The Guardian, Nylon, Dazed & Confused, Flaunt, and Black Book, and Deanne has experienced much the success in her short life that many designers can only wish for in their careers.

Funnily though, it wasn’t necessarily all in her life plans either. “I honestly feel like I had no time to dream about what I wanted to do, everything seems to have happened in the blink of an eye” she adds. “As a child it was not something I really thought about or was bothered about. I really didn’t even draw a lot as a child. It wasn’t until I was finishing High School and had to choose subjects for University that I really thought about it, and even then I had no idea what graphic design was. I really just take each day as it comes and try to do what I enjoy”.

So how does Deanne continue the hunger for a design mountain she’s already conquered? “Stay fresh!”.

Whilst easier said than done in an industry where being different is the norm and expected, Deanne’s recent focus shift away from publication design may be the key to her continual success. “Are you

a designer that’s been at the same job for years? Are you an illustrator looking to see what’s new in your field? At whatever point you happen to be — you need

stimulation to help you create”. With a growing list of projects from a broad range of fields – sunglasses for Colab, laptops for Dell, snowboards for Burton, Deanimals figurines, a window display for Gap, prints & patters for a plethora of fashion labels, a zine called Neomu, and her own art exhibitions as well,

asked me to be the art director...I was 19. That was my first real design job

Providence

Deanne Cheuk– 020 | 023 –

Deanne proves that by keeping it interesting for oneself, the results are bound to be interesting too. With such a hectic work schedule, Deanne also doesn’t forget to rejuvenate with regular down time too. Listing “sleep…relaxing on a beach somewhere” and “sunrises and sunsets” as a few of her favourite things. She also makes an effort to come home to Perth, a city as far from New York as they come (both geographically and in regards to lifestyle), to ground herself and help prevent feeling burnt out.

Coming home to Australia isn’t always play though, with Deanne showcasing another of her talents,

charcoal illustrations, in an exhibition at the Monster Children in Sydney in January 2010. If Deanne was to leave our readers with a bit of advice, it would simply be “Create, don’t imitate, and just go for it!”.

see more Deanne at deannecheuk.com

Providence

Last week I judged the folios of

students from the ADMA Creative

School. At the graduation drinks

I gave a two minute kick start speech to

the kids where I told them that finishing

the course was not the end but merely the

beginning. Yes, it’s great that they’ve done

some sort of creative study. Yes, it’s great

that they’ve spent time with some senior

creative people.

And of course it’s great that they have

managed to put a folio together. But, every

Stan Lee is an award winning creative catalyst, and accidental life coach. He writes for Melbourne's Life At The Bottom, a valuable resource for young designers looking for a break in their chosen creative fields.

LIFE AT THEBOTTOM On standing out from the crowd, and getting a foot in the door.

words by Stan Leephotograph by Natalie Vasco

Life At The Bottom– 022 | 023 –

one of those students now has the same

folio. Obviously the concepts are all

different. And

some ideas are

better than others.

But ultimately

they all have a

folio with the

same products in

it. Which is why I

say finishing a course is not the end but

the beginning. So if you’re looking to

get a foot in the door the first thing you

should do is throw away the work in

your student folio.

Now that may not be the kind

of advice you want to hear first thing on

a Monday morning, but consider this:

If twenty-odd kids did AWARD School

in Melbourne this year, that’s twenty

people fighting for a job. And guess

what – all twenty of them have the exact

same products in their folio. So as far as

a Creative Director is concerned, you’re

just another wannabe with yet another

version of the same old school folio.

So be brave and start your folio over.

It may take you a while to get a whole

new book together. But when you show

it to a CD you’re

going to stand out

from the crowd. If

the work’s real good

you may even be

remembered. And

even if you’re not,

at least your book

is different to the other twenty odd

AWARD School graduates.

Making the transition from

aspiring creative to working

creative isn’t easy. Never

has been. Never will be. It takes a

combination of four things; talent, work,

persistence and luck. Yes luck. Talent is a

given. If you haven’t got any, there’s not

much chance you’ll ever crack a gig. So if

you don’t have talent buy yourself a suit

and go work as one. Getting a creative

gig takes work. Don’t think that because

you’ve got a degree you’re guaranteed a

job. You’re not. It takes work. A lot of

work. That’s where persistence comes in.

If being a creative is what you want to

be, what you really want to be, then

you’ll get a job. Eventually. But getting

that job takes persistence. It might take

you a month. It might take you three

months. It may even take you a year. In

essence, it takes as long as it takes. I’m

tempted to tell you not to despair, but I

know you will. I did!

But if being a creative is what

you want to be, what you really want to

be, you have to keep on keeping on. No

matter how long it takes you. Because

sooner or later you’ll be in the right place

at the right time to land a job. It may not

be your dream job. It may not be at the

place you always saw yourself working.

But your first job is a result of talent,

work, persistence and luck. A lot of luck.

for more advice from Stan,

visit lifeatthebottom.com

all twenty of them have the exact same products in their folio. Be brave and start your folio over.

Providence

Emma

Kellya conversation between Emma Kelly & Daryl Orillaza

Simply, she likes to draw things.

Like many creatives, Emma Kelly’s career is a diverse road travelled. Living in London, her CV reads everything from a degree in Interior Design and an MA in Computing for Design, through to experience as a graphic designer and eventually a head of graphics at an architectural firm. What’s funny about Emma’s journey, is that she’s since left her groundings in the digital world, and gone on to work today as a full time freelance illustrator.

Emma Kelly– 024 | 025 –

DARYL ORILLAZA ◊ So I understand that you used to work as a graphic designer and

only recently made the switch to full-time freelance illustration. Can you shed some light on why you changed disciplines? and maybe how similar or differently you approach your work now?EMMA KELLY ◊ I wanted to be an independent designer and use my drawing skills more thoroughly. I was very fortunate to have been taught how to draw very well when I was very young - fundamental years. Despite early experience of using computers in the creative context, my continued love of freehand drawing and interest in using them prevailled. I guess being a graphic designer helped me develop skills such as layout, type and art direction. Being a freelancer illustrator is something I always wanted to be eventually anyway.

Daryl ◊ Most of the work on your website lends itself to a nostalgic feel.What is it about these everyday objects that inspires you?Emma ◊ I guess I am inspired by objects that people have a certain kinship with, whether that be from a nostalgic or smile inducing view point. I love it when people see my work and you can see

that moment when they recall a specific memory either related to the object or the era it was from.Daryl ◊ Who are some of the commercial clients you’ve done work for? And do you find you approach these commercial jobs differently to how you would personal drawings?Emma ◊ Commercial clients vary from corporate to editorial. I’ve recently just done some commissions for a national newspaper, a big marketing company and an international music publishers.

Daryl ◊ How do you think the internet has

changed the design landscape?Emma ◊ I think it has changed it for the better. It has opened my eyes up to how many illustrators there are worldwide all doing their own thing, it’s quite fascinating and there is a massive worldwide community now established which never used to exist so easily and accessible. On the other hand I also think it has caused a lot of mediocre work to get published and commissioned.

Daryl ◊ Do you think as an illustrator, it’s important to portray a strong and distinct personal ‘style’? or is there merit also redefining yourself and your style constantly?Emma ◊ I think it is great to have something you are known for, whether it be style, or ideas. I guess my constant

aim is to work harder on each new drawing, pushing myself as much as I can. I never really saw myself as having a style as such. So pushing oneself whether it be style or draftsmanship is definitely important.

Daryl ◊ What do you think are the hardest

things about working in the creative industries? Is it the money, the demands, working alone, the constant pressure to keep producing and performing?Emma ◊ Time! I never have enough time! Otherwise, if you do what you love and you work hard at it then it should never be a chore. Money is a sacrifice, small budgets tend to be some of the nicest jobs around and viceversa, big budgets not so nice and a lack of control.

you can see that moment when they recall a specific memory either related to the object or the era it was from

Providence

Emma Kelly– 026 | 027 –

Daryl ◊ And on the same token, what things can you pass on to young illustrators to get their foot in the door?Emma ◊ Work, work, work will definitely get you somewhere as will networking, which sadly plays a ridiculously important part.“It’s all about who you know” – No kidding!

Daryl ◊ Any exciting projects we can expect from Emma Kelly in the near future?Emma ◊ I’m involved in a few exhibitions, private and public and I plan on doing lots of collaborations in the next year! I’ll also be releasing a couple of screenprint editions.

Daryl ◊ Finally, any last words of advice?Emma ◊ A piece of advice I was once given: “Your last piece of work defines you”. Remember it before you start and finish.

see Emma’s work at iliketodrawthings.com

The beginning of

"

FOR EVER.

"

Providence

Young gun graduates Daryl, Nic & Paul open up on what makes them tick, their design heroes,

and being McDonald’s regulars.

THE

BOLDITALICS

words by Elizabeth Phan

The Bold Italics– 030 | 031 –

I have a love-hate relationship with cupcakes. I sometimes dread the process of eating them because I’ll want to save

the icing for last; and let’s face it - that is the best part. And when I finally get to it, that lovely, smooth, pastel-pretty icing, I’ll eat it slowly, deliberately, because I’ll want to savour every bit of it. The Bold Italics (TBI), on the other hand, does not put one in such a predicament. A design boutique founded by Daryl Orillaza, Nic Chua and Paul Principe earlier this year, TBI is a delicious mouthful of quirkiness, intrigue and daring, washed down with a glass of clever thinking. The boys are particularly dedicated to design and art direction for print media, with a gamut of skills ranging far and wide. While they can independently exhibit proficiency in graphic design; collectively, the forte of TBI is a lovely tangle of intricate and detailed illustration, ethereal and evocative photography, and crisp and refreshing typography.

The design industry, especially within Australia is perpetually in a state of volatility. With trends being born, re-born and considered faux pa before you can say “that is SO last season”, designers are constantly researching and exploring. With roots firmly grounded in the classic design influences of the yesteryear, the boys don’t pretend to be revolutionary minds. Instead, they pay homage to their design heroes. Jonathan Zawada, for instance, is Daryl’s design hero, alongside the likes of Knotan, Hedi Slimane, and Mark “the cobra snake” Hunter and the guys at Hobo Gestapo. In regards to fashion photography, Nic enjoys the work of Tim Richardson. Selfconfessed type geek Paul admites “Typographer Herb Lubalin is a pioneer typographer whose recognisable style sparked my interest in typography. I also look up to Julien Pacaud”.

a delicious mouthful of quirkiness, intrigue and daring, washed down with a glass of clever thinking.

Providence

The Bold Italics– 032 | 033 –

So what does TBI want to see in design in the next five years? “I would love to see the design industry even more

appreciated and recognized by even non-designers. The world of design is often overlooked and even underestimated”, says Paul. Awareness of the industry is rapidly growing through the internet and its design demands, but Daryl also hopes that “people not abandon print as a medium”. “Oh…And less Comic Sans”, he adds with a laugh.

When asked what makes them happy, TBI offer some interesting answers. Nic would seem quite content to

sit in “a small bar, watching a mad band play great music”, whereas Daryl replies with “my lovely girlfriend, a good crop, chorizo and chinotto”. “Love”, declares Paul simply, “I don’t mean the girlfriend type of love, but love as a drive for all we do. Love for design, love for my friends. Doing things I love makes me happy”. So what’s next for TBI? “What isn’t next?” counters Nic. Touché. “A pet monkey?” he suggests. All jokes aside, the boys are looking to open up a design space of their own in the near future. But not before Daryl pays back his grandmother, and Nic settles “his tab at Werrington Maccas”.

thebolditalics.com for more from the boys

TheSun

Here Comesphotography by Daryl Charles Orillaza

with fashion by Marie Antoniou

TheSun

Melissa wearsleft Marie Antoniou one shoulder silk dress.above Zimmerman Jumpsuit.

hair & makeup Natalie Miccinattistylist Marie Antoniouassistant Daniel Stillonitalent Melissa & Annalisa

Annalisa & Melissa wear Zimmerman, heels by Gucci.

Providence

On the life of a young fashion designer trying to get that big break.

JAMIE

intro Daryl Orillaza diary account Jamie Ashkar

Tuesday, 18th August 2009birthday week / SS09/10 line shoot / production begins

5.30am ◊ Wake up, go to the gym for a 45min cycle class.

6.30am ◊ Back home for a quick shower after the gym, getting ready for a 7.30 meeting at the manufacturers.

7.15am ◊ The first of many phone calls today. The manufacturer is having an issue with the fabric for the Spring/Summer 09/10 line. I now need to race out to the fabric supplier before the meeting. Stressed.

7.50am ◊ 20mins late to the meeting, the fabric wasn’t available anyway. Meeting with manufacturer in regards to getting early samples finished by Thursday night for the new season’s photo shoot on Friday. We also discuss the start of production.

9.05am ◊ Driving across town on the way to my tailor, for a blazer fitting. It's my birthday this weekend and I’m hoping to debut some of the styles from SS09/10 line then, with this blazer as one of the key looks.

9.40am ◊ Finally get through the traffic to Newtown. So many problems with the blazer. So frustrating after having fine-tuned the design for the past 2 weeks, and had the pattern made and the fabric cut for him. I now have to go and recut various sections again to have it all finished for Saturday night.

11.00am ◊ Just spent an hour and half going through the designs and construction again with the tailor. Need to re-buy the fabric on the way home.

At just twenty years old, Jamie Ashkar has far more life experience than most can boast. He’s tried the obligatory retail job while he studied, and even tasted a career in interior design. He’s scrubbed bolognese sauce off white dishes at his parents’ Italian restaurant and now he's having a real crack at getting his own designer fashion label off the ground.

I’ve known Jamie for a couple of years now. I remember the first time he strode into this clothing shop I used to work at, full of confidence and energy, and we spoke at length about fashion week and photography. He was always someone who was going places. Things haven’t changed.

The other day we met over drinks to discuss some photos he wanted me to shoot, and he would have received half a dozen phone calls in the space of one glass of my lemon-edged chinotto. He’s a living testament to how hard the people behind these start-up labels work to get their stuff seen. He’s up early mornings to see manufacturers, manning market stalls all around Sydney by the weekend spruiking his tees, and waiting tables by night to continue to afford the material for his next line. Yes, this is the life of a young and hungry designer. And it’s often years before they get their big breaks. Sometimes it's even never. Try walking a day in his shoes.

Jamie Ashkar– 040 | 041 –

ASHKAR

11.05am ◊ It’s not even lunchtime and the manufacturer is on the phone again, this time telling me that they won’t have the samples ready by Thursday night. It takes a lot of arm pulling, threats of pulled contracts and nearly 15 minutes of time that could have been spent on something productive, but we eventually agree on the initial deadline of Thursday night. I make a few more phone calls, including to Daniel Mostyn to confirm my hair appointment for tomorrow afternoon.

11.20am ◊ At Café Cinque, Newtown for a whirlwind coffee meeting with photographer Daryl Orillaza who I’ve roped in to art direct and shoot the SS09/10 looks on Friday. My assistant Helen and model Nicholas meet us there as well. No one actually orders coffee, but Daryl’s had about three chinottos. We finalise the visual direction of the shoot, but also talk logistics and all the less creative aspects of the brief.

12.20pm ◊ Arrive back at the studio. I have given myself till 1pm to alter the blazer pattern, and be back at the fabric supplier by 1.30pm. This means no lunch, no phonecalls, no Facebook or Twitter. Just me in the studio, alone, music going, and some serious designing happening.

1.15pm ◊ Leaving for the fabric supplier. I’m about 15min behind, but I’ve called ahead so all I have to do is pick it up. Let’s hope they actually have what I’m after this time.

1.45pm ◊ Back at the studio with the fabric. Manically re-cutting parts of the blazer pattern, and ironing on interfacing where required. I’m also working on some denim that needs to go to the tailor for studding, also for Saturday night. Have to have it in Newtown by 2.30pm.

2.35pm ◊ In Newtown for the second time today for a quick stop at the tailor before racing to beat the 3pm school traffic on the way back home.

3.25pm ◊ Now back home, and quickly getting changed. I’m about to head off to my parent’s Italian restaurant in North Richmond to help out for the night. I'm already tired as and it’s about a 40 minute drive away.

4.15pm ◊ Get to the restaurant. I'm in charge tonight, and there is a lot of prep to be done before opening.

5.20pm ◊ Quick dinner, which I realise is literally the first thing I’ve eaten all day. Restaurant opens, and it’s a busy night ahead with a birthday function booked. Customers should start arriving at 6.30pm.

11.00pm ◊ Clean up done, and staff clock off. Leaving the restaurant and going home.

11.45pm ◊ Home, and after a shower, I sit down and recap on the day that was in my diary, and also organise tomorrow. I also fire off some emails and get some net banking done as well.

12.30am ◊ Organised the plan for tomorrow, gym bag ready for 5.45am pump class and jump into bed.

There's no holding back the dirty summer nights.

BLACK

photography by Daryl Charles Orillazawith fashion by Jamie Ashkar

SUMMER

left veil and gloves stylist’s own.above Nicholas wears Jamie Ashkar hooded tee. Julie wears Jamie Ashkar bow tie tee.

Nicholas wears Jamie Ashkar Who? tote, and patterned over-sized singlet.

Nicholas wears Jamie Ashkar hooded tee and jeans. stylist Jamie Ashkarassistant Helen Hatzitanostalent Julie & Nicholas

Providence

all photographs by submission

AtelierOn what really lies behind the plain v-neck tees, the expensive jeans and quirky jewellery. We delve into the design spaces of eleven young creatives, and see where the magic really happens.

mon

Mon Atelier– 050 | 051 –

Elizabeth Phaninterior design student

Bonnyrigg Heights, NSW

Providence

Divyesh RamaillustratorBonnyrigg Heights, NSW


Daryl Charles Orillaza (The Bold Italics)

photographer Green Valley, NSW

Providence

Joshua Crowleygraphic designerPetersham, NSW


Marie Antonioufashion designer

Chipping Norton, NSW

Providence

Nicolas Ming Chua(The Bold Italics)graphic designerNorth Rocks, NSW


Jamie Ashkarfashion designer

Green Valley, NSW

Providence

Emily SykesphotographerCastle Hill, NSW


Evita Evangelistagraphic designer

Quakers Hill, NSW

Providence

Ashleigh Iorfinographic designerDenham Court, NSW


Paul Principe(The Bold Italics)graphic designer

Glenmore Park, NSW

Together,you & me,

we’ll take over the world.

Providence

Documents

Providence Magazine Issue 1