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Bill Mousoulis

Bill Mousoulis

Bill Mousoulis

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Bill Mousoulis is one of Australia’s most distinctive filmmakers – prolific, resourceful, and independent, with 10 features and 100 shorts to his name since 1982. Most of his work was made in his hometown of Melbourne, but in 2009 he based himself in Greece (producing two features there), and from 2017 he has been based in Adelaide.

Mousoulis’ work is unconventional and eclectic. Influenced by the realist, humanist and formalist cinema of European auteurs such as Robert Bresson, Jean-Luc Godard, Roberto Rossellini and Chantal Akerman, he has created a body of films of remarkable variety, across different genres. His films have screened at over 500 events, including film festivals such as the Melbourne International Film Festival, Sydney Film Festival, Athens International Film Festival, and others, picking up various awards.

A number of his films are held within the National Film and Sound Archive. He has also been involved in film culture, in various ways, as a critic, programmer, and committee member of different organisations.

In 1985 he founded the Melbourne Super-8 Film Group; in 1999 he founded the online film journal Senses of Cinema; in 2003 he founded the website Melbourne Independent Filmmakers; and in 2018 he founded the website Pure Shit: Australian Cinema.

Since 2018, together with Chris Luscri, he curates the Australian film programs Unknown Pleasures and Australian New Wave. He also retains connections in Greece, being a member of the Greek Film Academy since 2014.

Wild and Precious (2012)
Songs of Revolution (2017)
Blue Notes (2006)

Sifis Tsourdalakis

Sifis Tsourdalakis

Sifis Tsourdalakis

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Sifis Tsourdalakis was born in Melbourne, Australia.

Son of Soctates and Anna Tsourdalakis, he was born in Melbourne in July 1975. He grew up in a Cretan family environment and he was introduced early to Cretan music by his parents. His father, born in Melambes of the Agios Vasilios district of the Nome of Rethymno, migrated to Australia in 1965. Ηis mother from Asi Gonia of the Apocoronas district of the Nome of Chania migrated also to Australia in the same year.

From an early age Sifis, together with his twin sister Eleftheria and his older brother Antonis, were the main members of the of the Rethymnians Association of Melbourne, “Arkadi”, dancing group and later of the Cretan Brotherhood of Melbourne and Victoria. Sifis has inherited the musical talent of his ancestors as his grandfather Antonis Tsourdalakis was a famous mandolin player in the district of Agios Vasilios since 1918. All his grandfather’s brothers also were players of Cretan musical instruments. Two of his uncles, Kostas and George, in Melbourne, were skilled Cretan musical instrument players as well as two of his cousins. Sifis in this environment has followed the family tradition.

His father, Socrates, was one of the founding members of the of Rethymnians Association of Melbourne, “Arkadi”, and its Secretary for ten years. In this capacity he was in contact with many of the Cretan musicians that the Association was inviting to Australia from 1973 onwards. Most had been provided with hospitality at his home, such as Mountakis, Sifogiorgakis, Skevakis, Melessanakis, Skordalos, Papadakis, Kaklis, Makrogiannakis, Alefantinos, and many more. Listening to their music made an impact on young Sifis that resulted in him wanting to follow the family tradition of a career in Cretan music.

In 1979 when George Papadakis was visiting Melbourne together with Manolis Kaklis, recognising the emerging talent of young Sifis he gave him as a gift of one of the two Cretan lyras that he had with him. Since then young Sifis treasured this gift of the lyra. With the only teacher his Cretan musical instinct and listening to the recordings of the early Cretan musicians, his love for the Cretan music flourished and started his early musical career.

News & Media

Sifis Tsourdalakis: Music rooted in Cretan tradition, The Greek Herald, 2 March 2024

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Emily Karanikolopoulos

Emily Karanikolopoulos

Emily Karanikolopoulos

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A long term teacher and practitioner of Sogetsu Ikebana (Japanese Floral Art) and a key member of the ikebana community in Australia, having studied for 18 years. Along the way was awarded multiple accreditations, culminating in the final, ‘Riji’, the highest accreditation possible outside of Japan. In 2014, spent three months in intensive study at headquarters in Tokyo as the recipient of the Norman and Mary Sparnon scholarship.

Teaching since 2004 and, more recently, commenced teaching monthly Masterclasses for the more advanced students of ikebana.

Participated in numerous exhibitions for Sogetsu Ikebana Victorian Branch and Ikebana International as well as a Sogetsu Exhibition in Tokyo. Was invited to be a guest demonstrator at the Ikebana International World Conference in Okinawa in 2017, to an audience of 1100 delegates and 3 Royal Princesses.

Conducted numerous workshops and demonstrations here, in Victoria as well as Brisbane, Wellington and Christchurch. Exhibited numerous times at the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show and was awarded a number of prizes, including three firsts in the Shop Window Competition.

As the Sogetsu curriculum evolves, sculptural work has recently been introduced. This has given rise to branching out into sculpture. In 2017, in collaboration with another artist, created an outdoor sculpture for an apartment complex. In 2019, collaborated with artist, John Meade, in designing the 10 metre tall, street sculpture, Love Flower. Subsequently, is branching into large and more commercial sculptures and installations.

In 2020, due to the constraints of Covid-19, conducted a Zoom demonstration, hosted by the Mumbai Chapter of Ikebana International, shared worldwide and via YouTube.

Community broadcasts via weekly Ikebana blog.

Emily Karanikolopoulos’ journey with Japanese floral art ‘Sogetsu Ikebana’, Greek Herald, 23 June 2023

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Lambrini Niaros

Lambrini Niaros

Lambrini Niaros

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M 0425 739 342

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I’m a resin and multimedia artist. I draw my inspiration from my environment and am constantly inspired by Mother Nature. I explore the concept of the ocean through organic movement and fluidity. My work reveals an intuitive approach with fluid compositions, particularly suggestive of ocean-like forms that explore the interactions between the shallow and the deep. My layered works convey the ambiguity and complexity of my local environment.

Creating artwork has allowed me to explore dynamic colours, organic movement and and fluidity.

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Karen Barbouttis

Karen Barbouttis

Karen Barbouttis

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Trained in the Animation Studios of Hanna Barbera and Disney, I continued to work in Animation as both an Animator and Character Concept Artist for the next 25 years.

I also worked as an Illustrator for books and product concept art and design.

My work has always centred on, and evolved from, the pencil mark on paper.

I attended the National Art school in 2008-2010 to expand on my art skills, graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree, Painting Major, with Distinction across all disciplines. Invited to continue in an Honours Degree in Drawing, I chose to defer and just enjoy being a creative artist. I found that I was irresistibly ‘drawn’ to the simplicity, immediacy, and the honesty, of the pencil line on paper.

In 2011, I entered my first art competition, The Adelaide Perry Prize for Drawing, and was honoured to be announced the Winner for 2011.

Over the next few years I participated in both Solo and Group exhibitions in various galleries, in both Australia and Greece, as well as group exhibitions as finalist in various art competitions.

ARTISTIC PRACTICE

In my artistic practice the relationship of line, space, and place creates the dialogue that I choose to communicate with the viewer of my works. The subjects I draw are layers of fine vertical lines that create the form and define the subject. These lines are best seen from close viewing as they disappear when viewing from a distance. The vertical line is my “obsession”.

I enjoy the immediacy and simplicity of pencil on paper.

That is the beauty of “The Drawing”. It can be portable, disposable, spontaneous, deliberate, temporary, permanent. A quick sketch that captures the gesture or a detailed drawing that pushes the essence of the gesture to make it a detailed character analysis of the subject.

I walk every day, everywhere. I see things that I want to express as a drawing on paper. Pencil and paper are always on hand to record what I see. That is the beauty of the materials. Their immediacy and availability allow for the spontaneous and the more detailed work. My drawings are more than just drawings of any animal or any place. They are records of the places I have visited and the animals I have encountered in these places.

Pencil on paper is my drawing practice and the starting point to all my artistic practice.

DRAWING THE ANIMAL

“Drawing the Animal” is a collection of works and part of my continuing theme that All Life Matters.

Too often we look but don’t actually see.
I draw what I see.
The simple materials, pencil on paper, best translate what I see to what I want others to see.
The subjects that I choose to draw are what I see around me. Most times I chance upon them in my own backyard, and my daily walks through the streets, parks, and beaches in my neighbourhood. On other occasions I seek them, when travelling in other countries, in zoos, aquariums, farms, animals shows, and museums. There is endless inspiration that will keep me drawing for the rest of my life.

I enjoy observing animals and their interactions with their environment, with each other, and with the artist as observer. As the “artist as observer”, the first thing I want to capture is that moment when the animal I am either watching, drawing, or photographing, actually watches me. Eye contact with an animal is a special feeling as it is in that moment that I actually see, and it is in that moment also that I realise that all life has a soul, that all life has dignity, that all life has compassion, that all life wants to live. All life matters. Karen Barbouttis.

Exhibitions

2020 Art2Muse Gallery, Double Bay, Sydney
2018 Art2Muse Gallery, Double Bay, Sydney
2017 Art2Muse Gallery, Double Bay, Sydney
2016 Art2Muse Gallery, Double Bay, Sydney
2015 Art2Muse Gallery, Double Bay, Sydney
2015 “Lemnos – the Greek Dimension in the Anzac Centenary”, an Exhibition presented by the Embassy of Greece in Australia, Canberra.
2015 “In Red – 100 years from the Battle of Gallipoli” . Ochra Gallery, Thessoloniki, Greece.
2014 “Creatures”. Solo exhibition, S.G. art gallery, Athens, Greece.
2014 “Adelaide Perry Prize for Drawing”. PLC Sydney.
2013 “Sydney Childrens Hospital Spring Exhibition”. Sydney Childrens Hospital, Randwick.
2013 Flanagan Art Prize, Ballarat.
2013 “Flora and Fauna”. Syndicate at Danks, Sydney
2013 Wilson Visual Arts Award, Lismore
2013 “St Spyridon College The Arts Exhibition 2013”. Invited Artist, Sydney
2013 Waverly Art Prize, Bondi-Waverly School of Arts, Sydney
2013 “All Creatures Great and Small”.Solo exhibition, Art2Muse, Sydney.
2013 “Nurturing Hellenic Heritage the Australian Way”. Hellenic Lyceum Sydney, Parliament House, Sydney.
2013 “Adelaide Perry Prize for Drawing”. PLC, Sydney
2012 “The Mortimore Prize”. Sydney.
2012 “arc Yinnar Biennial Art Prize”.
2012 “Hunters hill Art Exhibition”. Sydney
2012 “Animals Exhibition”. Syndicate at Danks, Sydney
2012 “Drawings from The Animal Walk”. St Vincents Hospital, Sydney.
2012 “BSG Works on Paper Prize”. Fitzroy.
2012 Adelaide Perry Prize for Drawing
2011 “Drawings from The Museum of Life”. St Vincents Hospital, Sydney.
2011 “Adelaide Perry Prize for Drawing”. PLC, Sydney.
2010 “Selected Student Graduate drawing Exhibition”. National Art School, Sydney.
2010 National Art School Graduate Show, Sydney.
2009 “Exhibition of Selected Student Sketchbooks”. Stairwell gallery, National Art School, Sydney.
2009 “A Week on Cockatoo.”, Selected Student Work from the National Art School, Cockatoo Island, Sydney

My Mykonos Donkey. Pencil on Paper. 80x57cm
RIP Sudan, the Last Male Northern White Rhinoceros 2018. Pencil on Paper. 80x117cm
Montgomery the Koala, Featherdale Park. Pencil on Paper. 78x57cm
The Cassowary. Attika Park Zoo. Athens, Greece. Pencil on paper. 78x57cm
Dalmations Waiting for the judges, Sydney Royal Easter Show. Pencil on Paper. 48x116cm
Mykonos Island Chickens and Rooster. Pencil on Paper. 80x110cm