A cemetery in her back yard

ANNEMARIE Sloane is a larger than life character who took over the Gatehouse Café in the Ballarat New Cemetery in May.

She describes herself as a taphophile, fully qualified hairdresser, vintage stylist, mum of two, a photographer and DJ with an alter ego known as Lilith Nirvana Fairy Goth Mother.

“I’ve had so many different hats that Edward de Bono would be proud,” she said.

Originally from Adelaide via Melbourne, taking over the café bought her to the city.

Her exhibition, The Eyes of the Gatekeeper captures her life within the cemetery grounds.

“The Gatehouse is the only gothic and vintage inspired café in a cemetery in the world,” Ms Sloane said. “The sky and the light created these incredible landscapes that I felt I had to bear witness to.”

She has her camera with her at all times and with a creative eye sees ordinary things through a different lens.

Her favourite image in the collection is one she took when taking the rubbish out at the end of a day in July.

Ms Sloane said the purple sky with a slice of blue “took my breath away.”

She has renovated the Gatehouse and opened the upstairs loft as a gallery space.

The banquet room, off to the side of the gallery, will host an ofrendas [altar] during a three-day event honouring Dia de Muertos, Day of the Dead, beginning Thursday, 31 October.

“People are encouraged to come here over the three days to place photos and memorabilia of their loved ones at the ofrendas,” she said.

There will be Mexican food on the café’s menu, kid’s activities and a flamenco guitarist will perform.

The Eyes of the Gatekeeper exhibition is at The Gatehouse Ballarat, 1201 Lydiard Street, Ballarat North until Sunday, 1 December on Tuesday to Sunday 8.30am to 3.30pm. Entry is free.

Dia de Muertos is from Thursday, 31 October to Saturday, 2 November.