He cut his teeth as Jimmy Giggle in the hit children’s series “Giggle and Hoot”, but after a decade in the role, constant travel, and a young family, Jimmy Rees wanted a change. It was time to move on. Fast forward to 2026. Jimmy boasts an astounding 4.5 million followers across the platforms of Tik Tok, Instagram, Facebook and You Tube, and in 2024 he was awarded an Order of Australia Medal for his service to arts as an entertainer, and to the community.
Growing up in a house full of music it’s no wonder Frankston-raised Bob Wijnschenk also developed a love for it. And now, after a long career of playing gigs and teaching guitar at public schools in and around the Mornington Peninsula, 72-years-young Bob has released his second album, The Wine Pourer’s Tales, which he explains is a “personal exploration of love, loss, family, friendship and hope.”
Megan Smithies has spent decades making music – as a professional cellist she still performs today, and as president of the Peninsula Music Society (PMS), she ensures others get the same chance. It’s a role she clearly relishes.
To create something truly original when there are so many artists in the world is a real hat trick. Rosebud multidisciplinary artist, Alicia Bourley has done just that with her unexpected compositions. More remarkably, she’s only been making art professionally for a year.
Kelly Nash has spent her life saying yes to things that terrify her. And now, as she returns to the role of Patch in Sea Wolves Howl, she’s doing it again: playing a character who has found profound healing in the very thing Kelly herself isn’t a big fan of – the open ocean.
Frankston South photographer Casey Moore’s nomadic life has given him a keen eye for ‘place’. “There is a visual rhythm to every place. Having a camera gives me intention and an insightful way of seeing the world.
Seaford artists, Barbara and Edgar Gambin are in perfect alignment as creatives and life partners. She is a jeweller. He is a painter. He sees the beauty and exquisite craftmanship in her one-of-a-kind creations and she sees the painterly skill and razor-sharp insight in his. He is the dreamer, she is the realist. Their easy rapport and open honesty reward both.
Moorooduc master potter John Stroomer is internationally recognised for his crystalline glazes, a complex ceramic technique that produces gem-like crystals through carefully controlled cooling. Now, he is exploring a bold new direction in a collaboration with visual artist Marta Gola who paints her exquisite nudes onto John’s pots, resulting in genuinely striking and original works.
Mt Martha artist and retired surgeon David Freedman has unveiled A World of Dogs in Watercolour, a beautifully illustrated book celebrating over 140 dog breeds. His intricate paintings capture both familiar family pets and rarer breeds, highlighting the personality, expression and charm of each dog.