Australian music carried Bendigo graphic designer Kylie Strachan through some of the toughest times in her life, so when the opportunity came to support the industry she jumped at it.
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Strachan, a former newspaper graphic designer, has been working in the music industry for about six years through her company Nomad Create, designing album covers and merchandise for Aussie artists such as Tones and I, Vance Joy and Angus and Julia Stone.
Her latest work is the Homegrown t-shirt, a collaboration with charity Support Act which raises "urgently needed" money for artists, managers and crew workers.
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The shirt features hand-sketched depictions of almost 60 Aussie artists and bands with all proceeds going to Support Act.
Strachan said the project was born out of a candid conversation with close friend, Powderfinger frontman Bernard Fanning, about how she could give back to the artists she loved.
"I told him about the idea, and he goes, 'this is excellent, we need to do this'," she said.
"I approached all the artists that are on here and just said, 'my friend Bernard says this was a great idea, what do you guys think?' I was allowed to use his name as sort of leverage."
Music creators are 'precious assets'
After reaching out to artists such as Paul Kelly, Amy Shark and Daniel Johns, they eventually all jumped on board.
The end product is a who's-who of Australian contemporary music.
Australian artists were the most giving people Strachan had ever met, she said, and it was "our duty to protect and support them".
"They're not like those rock stars of years ago who lived in mansions, some of them are doing it really tough," she said.
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For Strachan, music had supported her through debilitating illness which saw her bed ridden for the best part of two years.
"Music has been my solace, it has carried me through," she said.
"Art and design is how I've really got through it, and this is the product just to top it off."
Strachan's Homegrown shirt was available from ausmusictshirtday.org.au/premium-t-shirt-range.
Australian Music T-Shirt Day was an annual fundraiser for Support Act, encouraging donations and t-shirt sales.
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Jonathon Magrath
Jonathon has been living and working in Bendigo since March 2021, currently working as a general reporter. Contact him on jonathon.magrath@austcommunitymedia.com.au.
Jonathon has been living and working in Bendigo since March 2021, currently working as a general reporter. Contact him on jonathon.magrath@austcommunitymedia.com.au.
