Into the Unknown: Three Brisbane projects born in Lockdown

There was a period of time where the vibrant city of Brisbane lay still, hiding from the oncoming pandemic like Alan Grant trembling in front of a T-Rex, exclaiming ‘It can’t see us if we don’t move’. Many folks took to new hobbies in valiant attempts to combat the dread and disconnect that arose from a city in Lockdown. Others hibernated, hoping it would pass quickly. And while we continue to recover, it’s nice to think that there are some good things to have come from all that time away. Here are three Brisbane creatives who dove headfirst into new projects during lockdown.

Dangerous Bloom

Angela Peita is one of my favourite people in Brisbane. She moonlights as an event producer and an emcee, where she is known for her boisterous banter and obscure anecdotes. Leading into lockdown, as events were postponed and cancelled, Ange had a lot more free time on her hands and found herself sucked into a ‘weird YouTube craft video vortex’. The weeks that followed were filled with ordering resin and molds online, walking around the neighbour picking flowers, and –to the dismay of her housemates– overtaking the front room with experiments.

Typically unsuccessful in craft projects, with many attempts appearing ‘like they belonged on Pinterest fail pages’, Ange was surprised that making resin jewellery from pressed flowers just stuck. Dangerous Bloom arose when Ange realised she was spending a lot of money on resin supplies. The business grew out of need to break even and keep her earring collection small. Now, Ange grows her own flowers and spends most days making jewellery. ‘It’s really nice sending things out to people you’ve never met and seeing photos of people wearing your art’.

Ange has her own Etsy store and will be selling her wares at markets soon. Follow Dangerous Bloom on Instagram.

Blue Bottle Journal

Sean West is a Brisbane-based poet and workshop facilitator. He Interns for Ruckus Slam, and on any given day you will find him at Poetry slams, hopping between audience members to pull poets’ names out of a hat or at Visible Ink, hosting workshops for young poets. Amidst the pandemic panic, such events were put on hold and Sean began to feel he wasn’t doing enough to promote the voices of emerging poets. So, he devised a platform for all kinds of writers to showcase their work.

In June, he launched Blue Bottle Journal, an online poetry journal that prides itself on diversity, inclusivity, and publishing ‘words with sting’. Sean has a soft spot for eco poetry and adores any work themed around the ocean or the natural world. Central to the journal is the idea of offering personalised feedback, no matter the outcome of the submission. As a poet himself, Sean has been published by countless journals and has a deep appreciation for the ones that take the time to tell you why your work is not being published. ‘We don't want to discourage anyone but instead show a way forward for growth’.

Check out Blue Bottle Journal’s website and Instagram. They take poetry submissions every second month.

Brooke and Friends Open Mic

A few weeks into isolation, comedian Brooke Reilly was feeling ‘sorely bummed’. As an extrovert, she decided she needed a distraction from ‘the whole being alone thing’ and a way to cheer up her friends. She scouted for interested performers and was overwhelmed by the response. And so, Brooke and Friends Open Mic was born: an hour of Brooke ‘talking shit’ alongside comedy, music, poetry, and whatever else people brought to the table.

The events involved Brooke and the performers in a zoom chat that was livestreamed on Facebook, with the audience throwing banter in the chat. A typical night included play along drinking games and bingo for every time someone walked past in the background or ‘when Brooke’s mum comment[ed] in the chat’. One open mic was a ‘happy new year edition’ where together they ‘counted down to the New Year at like 9:30pm on a random night in May’.

As restrictions eased, Brooke was compelled to keep the fun going so she contacted local legends Backdock Arts to host a live event and, on the 13th of August, a bunch of strangers gathered to experience the first Brooke and Friends Open Mic live. Now Brooke hosts monthly events at Backdock Arts. ‘That energy, and sense of community; I never understood what community meant until these, and I’m so grateful for it’.

Keep an eye out on Facebook and keep your Thursday nights free as the next open mic is always right around the corner.