I just realised that it’s been almost six months since I decided to, mostly,  move on from writing about music, and to really getting back into covering my first love: art.

Its always been the goal that once I managed to regularly cover events here in Melbourne, that I wanted to begin to cover events and artists out in other parts of Australia – so, I’m looking for people to help out here and there to cover events and artists across the rest of Oz.This city, and its artists, are amazing.

Yet, being from Perth, and having moved over to Melbourne not (all that) long ago, I know that there is so much more going on in the country than just this city – even though it has evolved into somewhat of a mecha for the art that we love. It has been a great experience since I started seriously blogging about this stuff, and its surprising that it has only been six months since I started – it feels like a lot longer.

Thus far, I have found Melbourne to be very accepting of an outsider coming in to write about their scene, not many of my contacts from having been involved in the Perth scene of the early 90s really crossed over to this new home of mine, so it has at times been a challenge. I’ve learnt a hell of a lot in the past six months about Melbournes history, and current, galleries,  street and urban art – and I’ve met some fantastic people thus far. I almost very rarely get the somewhat insular-clique orientated vibe and the “who the fuck are you?”, and in almost all cases, everyone is quite supportive of what I’m doing with the blog – and what am I doing?

Just writing about what I love, and learning as much as I can – its why I’ve always enjoyed doing interviews with artists and muscians for the past decade (for very litte renumeration!), because I find it inspiringly beautiful, those things that can be produced by talented people applying themselves with all their heart to their personal passions.

I work a full time job in a very non-artistic area, it is challenging and at times brain breaking job, but it also leaves only out of work hours and weekends to do the other things that I love. For the most part, when I’m writing articles, I do it outside of work. If I’m not familiar with the artist who is doing a show, then I try to go out of my way and read and research as much as I can about them before sitting down to write the questions. I could take those questions, and send them to the next artist, or the next artist .. but I find people would rather read *about* someone, that just a cooky cutter list of throw away twenty-questions. If I get a chance to talk to them in person, then I always try to write up a proper feature article – and that can take even more time, transcribing and writing it up. Of course, if I’m familiar with the artist, I usually already have a bunch of questions I’ve been busting to ask them, and I can get somthing off to them asap – but all of this does take a bit of time here and there, that, with more and more happening, is becoming to come in short supply.

Articles here always reference “we” – because this was always my aim – to get things rolling, and then to invite other people along who may be interested in the format I’ve established, to contribute to it as a whole. Every week, I see amazing shows happening in Sydney, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide and everywhere else, and lament that I just dont have the time on my hands to talk to or cover the other events and shows I constantly see. Plus, I love collaboration, and believe that community is a fundamental and indeed, essential part of helping to establish new art, artists and ceative endeavours in the public consciousness.

So, if you’re interested in writing for Invurt, drop me a line if you’re interested in helping out – I’d love it. The format here is really simple, and there is already a huge bunch of resources that I have put together to get you started if you are interested. Send me an example of something you’ve written to invurt [@] gmail.com, or just drop me a line via the contact form, and we can go from there.

It would also be great if anyone is interested in taking photographs of some of the event launches for us, it would be great to document all of those as well – I am, self admittedly, the worlds crappest photographer!

I’d just like to also take this opportunity (I know this has all turned into a bit of a diatribe) to thank all of the artists who have allowed me so far to take a bit of their time, usually at very busy moment for them pre-show, to ask questions and pick their brains. It always one of the best parts of my day when I get a bunch of questions and photos of artwork back from someone, and start putting the posts together – and, also thankyou to whoever reads this blog, I’m glad that this little fkn passion project of mine caught your eye, and I hope you enjoy reading all about these guys and girls doing their thing as much as I do.

ez,
Fletch.