Counter Journal - The Pilot Issue

I've been hanging out for a new Wellington-based publication to appear for a while now. Something fresh and shiny, bright and full of new creative voices and talent to read about. Like a lot of people, I still love the romantic nature of picking up a magazine, something tangible and beautiful, a quality that online publications will simply never have. Enter; Counter Journal.

Almost one year in the making, Zack Holmes (editor) and Bonnie Brown (artist) have produced the pilot issue of Counter Journal.
It was a rainy day and I was browsing in Minerva, on Cuba Street, a beautiful store full of the most tempting magazines and books. My bank account was screaming as I fingered my way through the magazine section. Then I stumbled across Counter Journal, the very last copy on the shelf. Its bright and beautiful cover art caught my eye and it was love at first sight. I was delighted to discover that it was, in fact, a Wellington publication! It was Zack's initial idea that brought Counter Journal to life, with experience in digital printing and Bonnie's background in illustration, architecture, graphic design and typography, it was a match made in heaven.

Flicking through the pages of Counter Journal, I could tell it would resonate with me completely, the simple, yet beautiful layout and design, combined with so many fresh faces and creatives to admire. My personal favourite and an article that is so very relevant to my life right now is 'Perils of Distraction' written by Vivienne Kruckow. She is a successful entrepreneur, running her own business, as well as committing to freelance writing jobs too. So, in short, what I aspire to be. It's interesting reading her perspective on the art of distraction and procrastination, as it's something I struggle with on a daily basis. Working for yourself and choosing to follow the freelance path has its challenges. For me, it begins with waking up, the temptation to simply snooze your alarm when you have no immediate commitments is always there. But I find that once that first step is completed, I've showered, dressed (preferably not back into my pyjama pants) and brushed my teeth, the day has officially started. Vivienne includes a list of certified distractions in her piece which I will now apply to my own creative life, such things as listening to podcasts, writing blog posts and connecting with people online. These are all things that I can sometimes feel guilty for doing, or like I'm wasting time. When in fact, they're all necessary exercises to get my creative brain working and steer me in the right direction to completing a task. That being said, there are also distractions that are simply just that, *cough cough* Love Island and Married at First Sight on demand. "Do you think Sophia Amoruso built Nasty Gal by spending a whole day watching Netflix?" Writes Vivienne. Check out Vivienne's Instagram here.

Whilst Counter Journal is full of incredible writing, I was also impressed with the photography that was sprinkled throughout. Especially, 'Old School Aotearoa: Dairies', a series of images capturing the authentic Kiwi roadside dairy, where many of us would get our dollar lolly mixtures and ice blocks after school. This series is full of nostalgia, I'm sure for many people, but the photographer also gives a real sense of beauty to such run-down old Kiwi buildings.
My love affair with Counter Journal was then topped off on the final page, with Frank's, a business that is close to my heart. As one of my first ever blog posts, back in 2015 was a series of images and a small review of Frank's on The Terrace. Their distinct interior style is a just a square-cropped photo waiting to happen.

So, now I'm just patiently waiting for Counter Journal's official first issue to be released so that I can be one of the first to snatch it off the shelves. Counter Journal will be released quarterly throughout the year and I'm so excited to see what they come up with next, watch this space!

Found out more,
Counter Journal Online
Instagram

Bella 🌼