creative people: a hobby for hobbies’ sake
These passionate hobbyists make a case for creativity outside of their 9 to 5s.
GRETTA OLSEN – BIRDWATCHING
@grettalouise
Snap by Natalie Jeffcott.
Tell us about how you got into birdwatching. Where I grew up plays a huge role. I was raised on a gorgeous little nature reserve in East Gippsland called Raymond Island, or ‘Gragin’ in local Gunaikurnai language. It’s full of birds, koalas, kangaroos and a bunch of other native wildlife. I have my parents to thank, too; they greatly encouraged my love of the natural world. That part of myself kind of got pushed aside during my teenage years and early 20s, then was nurtured back to life later on with the encouragement of friends and family. My bird-nerdiness hit its peak when I had a ‘birdieth bird-day’ instead of a 30th birthday. My lovely, incredibly thoughtful mates pitched in to get me a pair of fancy binoculars – a gift that truly keeps on giving.
What do you love about it? There’s just so much variety across species in colours, sizes, shapes, plumage and behaviours. The random chance nature of birdwatching keeps it exciting – there’s certainly a ‘thrill of the chase’ element to it. Looking and listening intently and channelling your attention into spotting birds is great for a busy mind. Being outside and engaging in a special interest is a good way to regulate the nervous system, especially for neurodivergent people like myself (I’m an autistic ADHDer).
Do you have a favourite bird or a favourite moment in your birdwatching adventures? I was fortunate enough to visit the Amazon Rainforest during a trip to Brazil a couple of years ago – I wanted to try and spot a bird: the Guianan ‘cock-of-the-rock’. I first saw and fell in love with this bird as a kid when I saw it in the book Imagine by Australian children’s writer-illustrator Alison Lester. This bird only lives in very small and dense territory – it was a mission to find! We finally spotted two cock-of-the-rocks at the last minute, just as we were leaving the area (which also happened to be jaguar territory). I pretty much put my life on the line for this bird and have zero regrets. Huge thanks to my partner for happily going along with my hijinks and helping translate – he was just as excited as I was when we finally spotted them.
Have you ever thought about turning your hobby into a career? Yes, absolutely. I attempted a wildlife and conservation biology course once, intending to become an ornithologist. I dropped out before the census date as I could not get my head around chemistry, which unfortunately was a core subject! However, I’m content with the career path I ended up taking: I am a counsellor specialising in neurodivergence and queer mental health and I would like to explore providing nature-based therapy, so hopefully I can incorporate some kind of birdwatching element there and have the best of both worlds.
How does it intersect with other parts of your life? I have collected bird nerd friends along the way and have enjoyed several dedicated days and weekends devoted specifically to birdwatching with them. It’s a real bonding experience – I’m yet to meet a birder I didn’t get along with.
What’s your advice for someone trying to find a new hobby? My advice would be to choose something that brings joy, playfulness, connection to self and or others and a sense of calm and or excitement if that’s what you’re going for. I also recommend giving things a crack before investing too much time, money and energy into it from the get-go. You could join a friend while they’re doing their hobby, or find a workshop or a short course via something like Laneway Learning or your local neighbourhood centre. Importantly, though, I think you’ll know you’re onto something good when you feel the most yourself when you’re doing it, as I do when I’m birdwatching.
RUBY SMITH – SEWING
@_rubys_threads_
Snap by Claire Searle.
How did you get into sewing? I got into sewing because I started doing textiles in year 8. I chose it for the rest of school, and then I ended up doing it for my HSC. I kind of stopped enjoying it after school because I was a bit burnt out. When my husband and I moved to Melbourne in 2016, I couldn’t find work for ages. I still had my sewing machine and a magazine that had some free patterns in it. Then I got a job as a gardener, and I think that’s when I started to get back into it. The hours were long and I needed a way to relax. Sewing was my creative outlet.
What do you love about sewing? I love the creative aspect of it, and that I can dip in and out of it when I have the time. I also really like that my daughter’s interested in it. She’s only just about to turn four, but she understands that I’ve made clothes for myself and her. She has this little toy sewing machine, and she’ll take my scraps and pretend to make something. And as much as sometimes sewing doesn’t go the way I want (like the piece doesn’t fit), I still really enjoy the process. I’ve found it to be good for my mental health.
Have you made any friends through your hobby? I got into the sewing community a bit more through Instagram and I went to my first Frocktails in Melbourne. It’s this event where you make an outfit and you get dressed up. It’s so friendly and you’ve got that icebreaker already by going up to someone and saying, “Hey, I like your outfit. What’s the pattern that you used?” It’s such a lovely environment. I also have a couple of friends who sew in Coffs Harbour, and when we moved back from Melbourne, it connected me with those friends again. We all have kids, but maybe once or twice a year, we can manage a whole day where we get to sew together.
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Is there a favourite piece you’ve made? There’s a boiler suit I made using an Alice & Co pattern that I love. Every time I wear it, I feel so happy and get so many compliments. It’s a really fun pattern and it’s not super-tight, so if your body fluctuates, it still fits. I made a denim one that fit me through most of my pregnancy, and I could still wear it to breastfeed. It’s super-comfortable, easy to get in and out of and has pockets!
Have you ever thought about turning your hobby into a career? Yes and no. Quite a while ago, I was making embroidery hoops and selling them for a little bit on Etsy. I ended up hating embroidery after that because I felt like I couldn’t relax. The process takes so much longer than I think people realise. It would take me a week to make a whole dress – and that’s if I spent all my time doing it. Even when people ask me to alter their clothes, I’ll say no – it’s just for me. It’s nice to have something I love that’s so different to what I do for work.
What advice would you give to someone who wants to get started? Thanks to social media, I think it’s a lot easier to find resources. Like on Instagram, there’s this great lady I follow called DIY Daisy. She has these really easy patterns where you just take your measurements, make a bunch of rectangles or squares and then you’ve got a flowy skirt or a dress. Very simple, but you can make them fun.
KIAH NICHOLAS – DANCING
@kiahpantsonfire
Snap by Monica Pronk.
Tell us about how you got into it. The day my big brother Tim died was the day I stopped dancing. We took dance classes together but, in truth, we hadn’t been to a class since he got sick, eight months prior. Timothy, or ‘Flea’, was 27 and I was 24. It’s been over 10 years and I can still see his big goofy grin. His literal flat feet stomping, almost to the rhythm of the music. Fast forward to 2019. After a three-year stint at an ad agency in New Zealand, I’d landed back in Sydney, just in time for lockdown. Like most people, I was looking for a way to break up the housebound day when my longtime mate Carlo texted, “They’re offering dance classes on Zoom.” Not only did it work, but also I was immediately hooked. You know when you find something that makes you feel like you’re smiling, not just from your mouth, but from your head to your toes? I was so happy to finally be able to reconnect with dance and my brother in this way. Every class felt like standing in a patch of sunshine after an eternity in the shade.
What do you love about dancing? Beyond community, dance has given me so much. I’m forever grateful to my inspiring teachers (past and present) for the foundations, tools, encouragement, support and safe space they have gifted me to freely express myself through styles like hip-hop, popping, chorey, contemporary and house. They’ve helped me build confidence in my skin and neurospicy brain.
Is it similar at all to what you do for work? I guess dance is similar in some ways. Dancers and creative directors both foster a safe space for creativity and new ideas to flourish. Freestyle is a lot like brainstorming in many ways. Both balance a mix of in-the-moment play, inspiration and reactivity with intention, discipline, experience and training. Although, thankfully, my brainstorming never has to take place in front of a crowd or on stage. Mortifying.
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Have you ever thought about turning your hobby into a career? While I’d probably dance all the time if I could, I couldn’t turn it into a career. Not just because it’s too late for me at 35, but because my capitalism isn’t so internalised that I think passions are only worth pursuing if they can be commodified. No one asks, “Why spend so much time in nature if you can’t make any money off it?” They understand the value of ‘pointless’ acts like this, but still seem confused about the innate value of creative pursuits.
What’s your experience with the dancing community been like? As a beginner, going to the wrong studio or class for your level is the fastest surefire way to scare anyone off dancing for good. I’ve left studios crying because the vibe was unwelcoming, a teacher rolled their eyes at me, snapped, snarked, or even gave me a lecture in front of the whole class. Trust me when I say there are plenty of brilliant, kind teachers and safe spaces that are right for you and your level – even if you have the grace of a watermelon-carrying bodybuilder or the moves of a drunken giraffe.
What are your recommendations in Sydney/Warrane for beginners? Newtown Popping in Marrickville. Poppin’ Jack is an OG and one of the best teachers you’ll ever have. He runs a six-week beginner-level popping course on Monday nights. Also, DUTI Dance Studio in Newtown is one of Australia’s most welcoming dance studios for people of all levels from all walks of life. Founded and run by the talented Mathew Mizyed, their studio offers a broad range of styles, enabling you to try almost everything to find your thing.
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