Newcastle-based abstract artist Melanie Norman creates art that connects. Whether she’s painting live, guiding a workshop, or teaming up with her son for a collaborative exhibition, her work is all about expression, emotion and community.
This NAIDOC Week, we spoke with Gamilaroi artist Shannon Kelly, whose work explores strength, culture and belonging. Living and creating on Worimi Country, Shannon uses both traditional and digital mediums to tell stories that honour the past and uplift the next generation.
Newcastle author Amy Lovat’s second novel Big Feelings is a heartfelt, sharp, and funny exploration of love, loss, and figuring yourself out – and we absolutely LOVED it! We had a quick chat with Amy to find out more ahead of her Newcastle book launch on July 17.
The team at Betty Loves Books are taking us back to simpler times with their inaugural Book Fair on Saturday 12 July. Here’s all the details.
Forget the nine-to-five – Dominic May’s office is the open ocean. As the founder of CoastXP, he spends his days exploring the coastline, spotting whales, and championing sustainable tourism in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie. We spoke to Dom about launching his business, protecting the places he loves, and why there’s nothing better than working on the water.
In this bonus interview with Newcastle artist Melody Suranyi, she shares the artists who inspire her, her dreams of international residencies and fashion collaborations and the colour palettes currently lighting up her studio. Plus, Melody offers honest, heartfelt advice for emerging artists navigating the highs and lows of the creative journey.
No one really prepares you for what it’s like to start over in a city that already knows who it is. I can’t call myself a fully-fledged local yet (I still need Google Maps to find half the suburbs), but after a year, Newcastle feels more like home than I ever expected. It didn’t happen in one big moment where everything clicked, but rather with little things that added up over time.
You’ve heard of degradable bags that are actually more harmful to the environment, brands ‘green-washing’ to appear more eco than they actually are… and how the heck can we compost when we live in apartments? Keep calm, read on, and don’t forget your reusable cups.
Hidden deep within the Newcastle suburbs, Elizabeth Walton’s home is nestled amongst garden beds bursting with paper daisies and straw flowers. But it’s inside, with bunches of exquisitely dried flowers filling each room, where the magic of her business,
Amble and Twine, really comes alive.
The Newcastle Writers Festival is back, and it’s one of our favorite times of the year! With an incredible lineup of speakers and events, this highly anticipated festival promises to be bigger and better than ever. Don’t miss out on the exciting literary celebration coming to Newcastle from April 4 – 6 2025!
