Access Arts Inc® - The Key to Success in the Arts

Access Arts Inc® People Page

Members' Profiles

Al Smith started playing in bands in the 60's, and as a very young child was curious to what the vibe that came from the house next door was. He was later to discover that it was Barry Gibb on one of his earliest musical ventures, jamming with the neighbour. Al's had many fine musical moments with some of the greatest musicians including Ray Davies, Lobo, Alan O'Day, Jimmy Barnes, Steve Kilbey, and Jeff Healey. He's made two C.D'S, "Three Day Wonder" and "Call Up", with the help of the best of musicians, namely Paul Cheeseman (Venetta Fields Band) Phil Manning (Chain), Don Lebler (Axiom) and Jeff Usher.

Al's been painting and drawing for nearly three decades, and has been a member of Access Arts since about 1991. His most admired mentor is James Holmyard, and his styles of art include, abstracts, portraits, and caricatures. He's also into designing web sites, and pages have been designed for many including John Williamson, James T, and Spectrum.

His latest project is a mind management technique called "Bin Magic" which continues to gather steam and is being distributed through about 85 outlets in Brisbane including all libraries, and is available at Access Arts. Bin Magic is similar to many Diversion Therapies and the basis of the idea is that a person who can imagine they have a bin to chuck unwanted thoughts into, simply does so.

You can find more information about Bin Magic here, or you can email Al at musician@tadaust.org.au.

Andrius Byrne is an enthusiastic, long term member of Access Arts whose love of the arts began to develop throughout his schooling career. During his time with the organisation Andrius has tried almost every workshop including acting, digital storytelling, hip hop, visual arts, drumming and Sound Circles. Andrius volunteers for the drumming workshops and in the office; assisting facilitators with their equipment, informing members of important notices and helping with various mail outs. In the wider community, Andrius loves his job working in packaging and enjoys spending time with his workmates. He also participates in other workshops including the Queensland Community Arts Network’s acting workshops with David Diamond in 2007.
As a proactive member of the organisation, Andrius was part of the Member’s Advisory in 2007, a that group represents members’ needs and interests at Management Committee meetings. Andrius says he feels “very strongly about arts for people with disabilities” and thinks it is very important that there is funding to keep organisations like Access Arts around. In the future, Andrius would like to make a film, try even more arts workshops and continue to develop his hip hop rap and dancing skills.

Doug Thompson is an Indigenous man from North West Queensland who has been writing verse and stories since 1997. Storytelling has been Doug's primary means to connect himself to his indigenous background, and turn his experience of separation, isolation and disability into a positive force in his life.
He currently lives in Brisbane where he continues to write inspirational stones about his family his fiancé friends and the people he has met along the way the way on the journey from his home. Doug first started writing six years ago as a way of exploring and expressing his emotions. He has developed into a prolific writer and asserts that he wants to challenge people 'to think about how we feel as people with disabilities'.
Doug Thomson's collaboration with musician Guy Webster evolved in to the production of a four track CD Seahorse which was launched during the 2003 Asia Pacific Wataboshi Music Festival.

Peter Donato is a quiet and reserved person who at fifty years young resumed his painting. His interest in painting began at seven, when he was in primary school. After a long hiatus, he resumed his interest in art, but not in a traditional sense, as he prefers to classify his art as 'his impression of the modern world'.
Through his unique vision, his perspective, his choices in life, he has found a way to express in a style of painting, that he is constantly learning, improving, developing and honing his skills. Peter found himself in other creative endeavors when he left school. As a youth he worked as a builder's laborer, where he picked up his carpentry skills and as is so often the case he moved on after he spent several years in that career.
He decided to go for an audition at a local reparatory theatre group, where he succeeded and won the part in a supporting role. The opportunity also presented itself to learn all aspects of the craft and all aspects of what happens behind the scene. His range of experience is broad and varied; he also became associated with many other theatre groups and the film industry

Michael Russell was born in 1976. At 18 months of age he was placed in care and has been a 'client' ever since. Michael is 'profoundly autistic', with no power of speech. He was deemed uneducable. The 'smearing' or painting of his own excrement - an act with both expressive and political motivations - led to the discovery that Michael could communicate. He was by then 17 years old.
These days Michael mainly communicates by typing words on a photocopy of a keyboard. With the assistance of his therapist he began writing about his experiences in what was to become The Glass Cage, through Access Arts in Brisbane, and later with dramaturg Ian Brown of Playlab.

The Glass Cage by Michael Russell
Version written with six vocal parts, The Glass Cage is performed entirely by David Field.
for Airplay ABC Radio National 19/06/2005
Producer/director: Christopher Williams
Sound Engineer: Andrei Shabunov.

Austin Hellier began drawing as a child, tracing pictures from library books. Austin also did tactical drawing while in high school and has always been a “doodler” with pen and paper. He claims to have inherited his mother’s artistic gene, who was a commercial artist. Austin’s drawings capture a snapshot of society, highlighting political and societal problems, while balancing serious issues with a lighter, comical style. Austin describes his graphic drawings as “clean art” as opposed to his other style which uses pencil and charcoal.

Austin is a participant of the Access Arts community drawing workshops and will exhibit his drawings in the state-wide Crossing Divides exhibition in July 2008. Austin is also a member of the Art Farm community arts group in New Farm.

Julia Listopad is a performing artist who first became involved in Access Arts when she was selected to perform in the Wataboshi Music Festival while she was participating in the Eumundi Butter Factory’s drama group. Julia travelled to Brisbane regularly to rehearse for the performance and in 2003 she played a significant role in “Mr Ichino’s Gift” as part of the Wataboshi Music Festival.

When Julia moved to Brisbane, she linked up with Access Arts again to meet new people. She quickly made many new friends and now enjoys meeting them for coffee, dinner and picnics in the park.

In the past Julia has participated in Access Arts’ drama and drumming workshops and has been a member of the Actors Anonymous performance troupe. She is a valued member of the Brisbane Sound Circles™ group and performed with them in 2006 in the DVD performance “Doug’s Not So Peaceful Dream” and at the Access Arts Open Day in 2007. Julia feels her involvement with Access Arts has been an “all round success”.

Julia’s current creative goals are to star in a play, write stories and join the new Access Arts drama program. Of her desire to perform Julia states that she “likes people to notice me”. Julia has a wicked sense of humour which is evident in her performances. Her favourite character to play is a pirate.

Outside of the arts, Julia enjoys playing basketball with her brother Peter and spending time with her bird Charlie. Julia currently lives in her own unit in Annerley, Brisbane.