When you’ve come from a place of hurt and brokenness and you have lost much and you have these stories and a whole bunch of imaginary friends who continually show up for you no matter what and help you put things back together and you prefer keeping to yourself because when you’ve been hurt or broken you fear the world like nothing else and all the things that could possibly go wrong (again) and you’re fragile and exquisitely sensitive and you want to protect that very precious breakable thing and hiding away feels majorly comfortable and showing yourself feels like being dropped out of a multi-story building but you take fear’s hand and in the other the most strength giving thing you have and together you venture beyond the hurt and brokenness and you’re mildly terrified and slightly excited but you have everything you need to take that brand new step as the one you’ve put back together again and no one can take that from you and you’ve made it and you know from now on you’ll keep on making it and you’ll never be alone again I love you Clunk & Jam .
Clunk & Jam’s Story …
Clunk & Jam evolved from an idea (back in 2008) to create a street newspaper, a printed way to share the art and stories from The Black Dog Project website. This was with some good people who kindly created the Black Dog website – Mike Cairns, Che Douglas and Kareen. Stormie Mills and Miso were some of the artists who kindly agreed to contribute artwork.
Clunk & Jam (the book) is a collection of art and stories that champion for individuality and difference – transform brokenness into something strongly beautiful.
The 200 pages include the character series collectively known as the Army of Ink – Robin Small, Amelia Bloom, Flipper Girl, the New Age BOy and Rose. The book is typed on an old manual typewriter – the sound (and poem) giving name to the book’s title.
Written, illustrated and published by Janine Browne (unless otherwise credited). Cover art by Stormie Mills. Art contributions from Victorian artist, Harley Manifold. Created using recycled paper, vegetable based ink and thread binding. Printed in Perth, Western Australia by an accredited environmental management systems printer.
(Pictured, Ash Browne).
Wisdoms of Rose Pocket Book
(See Stockists above. Rose is also included in Clunk & Jam, Second Edition, 2019)
A pleasant warning: In reading this book, varying amounts of Roselike attitude may rub off which could initiate an astounding new wave of self confidence, a general feeling of peaceful content – and a delightfully blissful state of oblivion.
Rose is an independent promoter of self acceptance – and indulgence. A star in personal development and a high minder of her own identity. She is supremely comfortable in herself, resolved and content in following her own path – free from any expectation to the like or followed. The stories read like a dream school report with a quirky twist and streak of Rose’s deadpan humour. To have and to hold Rose in this little book is to feel calm, confident, carefree and completely at home.
Clunk & Jam Handmade Loose Leaf Edition (Currently Not Available).
Robin Small Handmade Book
(Robin Small series now also included in Clunk & Jam book).
Although inspired by the Super Hero of ancient times, Robin Hood, Robin Small is not so much the crusading sort but more an outsider who is simply heroicc in his own time. He stands apprehensive within the modern world but is wise and brave within his own life and journey. (View entire series in BLOG here).
This 18 page book is home to the six Robin Small characters and has been handcrafted using soft, thick cream paper gently pulled from a thread bound art journal, folded and glued to create its unique stacked spine. Available from Fremantle Art Centre, FOUND shop, Western Australia.
Rock The Boat Book (Now included in Clunk & Jam, 2019)
Rock The Boat story … originally a handmade book (2009), handwritten by friend Maggie-May. As each of the 23 Army of Ink characters and their stories arrived, Mags who would hand write the stories with handwriting, not fit for school, but a perfect fit for the Army of Ink. The defiant Army of Ink characters throughout salute truth, difference and doing things your very own way – following your very own path.
In My Room (Out of Print)
In My Room (2007) … a collection of art, poems and writing that trace a personal life story. Harley Manifold a Victorian Artist designed and contributed art to the book. Book pages and concept here; Book launch photos; the invite . Bookreviews.Sample pages….
The Dead Bird Theory Handmade Book (Currently out of stock)
This quirky 34 page book is a black comedy about dealing with shitty people who do shitty things. Some are small shitty things like not saying ‘thank you’. Some are big shitty things that I don’t care to mention. And you end up feeling…..you know the story. But….’The End’ of this book brings ‘The End’ of feeling shitty.
The book has been written and illustrated using gauche paint. It’s handmade using paper from seconds copies of ‘Clunk and Jam’. Each of the book pages are folded and pile glued with the spine revealing dashes and slithers of the text and art in ‘Clunk & Jam’. The result is that no two spines are the same.
Date stamp within, archiving the day it came to life – or should that be death? (NB: No birds were killed in the making of this book).
21 Postcards (now available in Clunk & Jam, Second Edition 2019).
The collection contains 21 Army of Ink girls, each one offering clarifying insight into some tricky feelings and situations. The postcard collection comes with a black wrist band to wear as a symbol of giving generously to your SELF. They’re making empowering connections with those who offer them a home or a place in their bag – under their pillow – between the pages of a book – framed on the wall.
Black Dog came to life in 2006 from the simple idea of freely sharing art, stories, poetry and music as a source of strength and hope in the community – and to support Difference. (Poem: The Black Dog Story)
It has grown to create an ever-growing number of characters known as The Army of Ink and beyond the website to use print and street art as additional places for sharing.
Black Dog relies on word of mouth promotion from supporters to help it grow and reach others. If you’re able to help in any way, it is greatly appreciated.
The motivation for creating Black Dog came from both personal experience, and from working as a volunteer with Youth Focus who support young people at risk. (Poem: Once Upon A Dark Time)
One of the hardest things for young people to do was talk, put words to feelings and what was happening in their lives. Art, image, writing, poetry and music provided a means of communication. A way of expressing and exploring who they are – who they wanted to become.
So the idea evolved to provide an ever-growing pool of all these things – an place everyone was welcome to call into, be part of. Those struggling. Those close wanting to understand better what that struggle’s like. And those who share an interest in the social, cultural and personal issues that affect us all – particularly our next generation.
In 2006 Black Dog came to life as an on-line space, later redesigned through the kind, gifted time from a group of Melbourne creatives, Mike, Che and Kareen. And Harley Manifold created the Black Dog for the project.
Black Dog has since grown to include an ever growing ‘Army‘ of characters along with books and card series for both personal use (adults also) and by counsellors working with children and young people. Along with a sponsorship option which enables the books to be given (through community workers) to the young people to keep. (Related story ‘Once Upon A Dark Time’).
In 2019 the books and card series were brought together in printed form through the book, Clunk & Jam. Cover art kindly by Stormie Mills.
Clunk & Jam book. (All content within the book is freely available in the Black Dog Blog here). Book available here.
Thank you … Harley Manifold for creating the Project’s Black Dog; contributing art throughout the Blog and Clunk & Jam book; and designing ‘In My Room’. Thanks also to Stormie Mills for home page art; contributions throughout the Blog; cover art of Clunk & Jam and support. Also to Michael Cairns, Che Douglas and Kareen (Melbourne) for so generously recreating the website in 2008 and Mike for the many years of tech support. Maggie-May for her involvement in the Project and doing the handwriting for ‘Rock The Boat’ book. And the sponsors for generously enabling the books to be gifted to kids throughout the community.
“The secret to change is to focus all of your energy, not on fighting the old, but on building the new.”
And the Little Engine said; “I think I can. I think I can.”
‘The Little Engine That Could’ is a folktale originating from 1906 used to teach children the value of optimism and hard work. The underlying theme is a stranded train unable to find an engine willing to take it on over the difficult terrain to its destination. Only the little blue engine is willing to try and, while repeating the ‘I think I can’ mantra, overcomes a seemingly impossible task.
A good story to ride on when things seem impossible. And a reminder of the importance of little blue engines in life.
In relation to the diagnosis of ‘depression’ and the feeling of being ‘depressed’ … I’m uncertain how much of what I’m experiencing are normal feelings and how much is due to a chemical imbalance in the brain? How much of how I’m feeling and experiencing is influenced by past trauma and bad experiences. Circumstance and environment? Belief and perception?While having a diagnosis of depression, anxiety disorder, PTSD and other conditions of mind can help make sense of things and provide a guide for treatment and medication (if necessary). Giving it significance beyond that can further darken our world. It can lead to the perception that, ‘something is wrong with us’. A perception by ourselves and others that we’re weak or flawed. And it can be the entry point into the isolation of social stigma and shame associated with ‘mental illness’.
It has been helpful to separate myself from the diagnosis. To work out not, ‘what is wrong with me’, but ‘what’s not right’?
What remains are giant and often unmanageable feelings. A cocktail of emotion. Anger and rage in the mix with sadness, hopelessness and despair. Fear. Panic without a cause. Sensitivity or intolerance to light, noise, stress – people. The world around me. Places I can no longer go. Unrelenting critical head talk. Crippling self doubt. Dominant dark thoughts. Sometimes unbearably intense – other times, blunted. A feeling of nothing.
Fremantle Art Centre paste-ups of Rose and Robin. In the 1860’s the Fremantle Art Centre was then a lunatic asylum where women and children (as young as 9) were locked up for being considered socially deviant; not being sound of mind; having a child out of welock; a disability; drinking too much; or discarded by their husbands for behaving badly. They were referred to as prisoners on arrival, had their heads shaved and were given second hand prison uniforms patterned with convict ‘bread arrow’ symbols. With no therapy, many stayed 20-4o years or until they died.
The hope is that the spirits of these women and children are slightly soothed by Rose and Robin’s quiet presence within its walls.
Today the Fremantle Art Centre is a thriving community hub where families picnic in the safe, shady grounds; people attend music concerts and art exhibitions; do art courses; and relax within the beautiful historic walls and surrounding gardens.
