2019 in review:
Drawn to the City

Gala Moody, the performer

From her base in Belgium, performer Gala Moody has worked with the likes of choreographer Wim Vandekeybus (Ultima Vez), Italian director Romeo Castellucci and Call Me By Your name director Luca Guadagnino in Suspiria. This year, Moody briefly returned to Adelaide to lecture in dance at the Adelaide College of the Arts.

Eric Brumfield, the photographer

Eric Brumfield is a photographer of our city’s nightlife. With a busy schedule to document each week, Brumfield might be ‘at the party’ but he’s definitely there to work.

When the glitter falls over an elated crowd, or a leading queen such as Eve Elle takes to the stage, Brumfield is ready and waiting to capture the moment. “I am a sentimental soul and I work to encapsulate what is happening around me.”

Craig Middleton, the museum guy

The posts and handle of Craig Middleton’s Instagram ‘Museum Guy’ reveal his life’s passion – history. As curator at Adelaide’s Centre of Democracy, Middleton and his colleagues work to develop exhibitions and programs that pose questions and create displays that illustrate contemporary politics with historical examples. 

Gabrielle Hornhardt, the stage manager

As State Theatre Company of South Australia’s deputy production manager and stage manager, Gabrielle Hornhardt is the company’s “go-to person”.

Consistency in ‘calling a show’ is crucial as so much is going on behind the curtain. “Every show needs to be executed with the same precision and accuracy each night. However, with live theatre, things can sometimes not go to plan. This is when remaining calm and quick problem solving become vital to a show’s success.”

Emma Rebellato, the journalist

Presenting the nightly news on television was not something the ABC’s Emma Rebellato imagined would be a career. Even when describing her role, it’s not the presenting that comes to mind.

“I see myself as a journalist,” Rebellato says. “News presenting is the visual part of what I do but I carry out a lot of other activities and roles at the station. I don’t consider one primarily over the others.”

Patricia d’Ávila, the chef

“I’ve always had a passion for food,” says d’Ávila, who is one of 60 chefs working at Adelaide Oval. “I thought, ‘I’d love to learn more about food – proper food, and do that at a professional level.’”

Before her career change, d’Ávila had put together an impressive 15-year career in public relations in Brazil. Initially drawn to Sydney after making the move to Australia, d’Ávila discovered the Harbour City wasn’t quite what she and her husband were looking for.

Peter Stubbs, the garden designer

In 23 years of running his own landscape gardening business, Peter Stubbs has never once advertised, so it took some coaxing to get him to speak about his approach to gardening here in Adelaide.

“I am not snobby when it comes to plants. They all have a role to play and can look good somewhere,” says Stubbs when asked if he has any ‘go to’ plants. Saying that, Stubbs sticks to what he knows works best. “I sometimes try new plants out but not often. I’d rather other people have fails and I’ll stick to what works.

Emilio Pardo, the contracts manager

While some view contract negotiations as a “kind of war”, Spanish-born defence industry lawyer Emilio Pardo prefers to find common ground.

“A standard day goes between emails, formal correspondence and meetings. It is when I am in the middle of a negotiation [that] I really love my job. Reviewing all the contractual documents and provisions are like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle that I need to fit together to see the big picture.”

Sarah Shanahan, the organiser

With spring upon us it feels like the right moment to get things in order, and Sarah Shanahan knows all about facing up to the clutter. A professional organiser, Shanahan works with her clients to create calm and stylish interiors through the art of organisation.

“It’s such a big thing letting a total stranger into your home to sort through your possessions but I make it as stress free as possible and always show respect for the home I’m in.”

Alex Andrews, the bookseller

As a bookseller by day and drummer in a grunge band by night, Alex Andrews’ two lives both reflect a love of creativity and camaraderie. Andrews and his bandmates are decidedly more rambunctious than his bookstore co-workers, but the feeling of fellowship is not so different. “There is a palpable sense of camaraderie at Dymocks, we are all great friends,” Andrews says. “Just like in the band, it’s a group of very different people coming together for a common passion.

Ausma Balodis, the artisan

Balodis was working in administration for an ophthalmologist when, by chance, she was asked to manage renovations to the surgery. Observing the tradespeople during this project, Balodis had an idea: why couldn’t she do this work, and possibly even make an art out of it. So Balodis began researching her career change and life as a woman working as a tradie.

Charles Vince, the postie

It was a love of motorcycles that drew Charles Vince to the world of postal delivery. As we head into the Christmas season, posties like Vince are giving their trusty bikes their most intense workout of the year.

“My posties are in the office for longer and then out on the road for longer, so I have to find a balance for them so that they don’t get too fatigued.”