Creating a heartfelt community space

Laura Issell spent a decade pouring her heart and soul into becoming an industry leader in sustainable event management.
In fact, she even named her business Put Your Heart Into It.
It is a motto that sums up the Jan Juc creative’s passionate approach to business.
But, like so many, Laura’s hard work to nurture a successful business was suddenly upended in March this year when coronavirus restrictions came
into force.

“Within 24 hours I had everything cancelled after 10 years of working really hard on it,” Laura explains, still managing a smile.
Before the pandemic hit, Laura was styling and catering events, as well as running sustainability workshops through local councils, corporate businesses and in people’s homes.
Her clients included the likes of BMW, Mountain Goat Beer and Specsavers to name a few, as well as Melbourne Food & Wine Festival, the City of Darebin and many others.Almost overnight, her 14-hour working days were abruptly replaced with a clear calendar.
“Sometimes businesses feel like babies to people because they invest so much time, creativity and love into them,” she says.
“I think it only hit me weeks later the shock and the grief of what I had just lost.”
Laura says she took time out to grieve while also making a conscious effort to focus on her health and upskilling so she would be ready for new opportunities.
That opportunity came in the form of Tara Lee McGrath from 4 Kings Coffee and Food at Anglesea, who asked Laura whether she would activate a space within her Great Ocean Road cafe.
She took up the offer.

The result is the Put Your Heart Into It Studio – a gallery, shop and studio which is set up in one half of the cafe which was previously filled with tables and chairs
for diners.
Lush plants lovingly grown by Laura are dotted around the room while an array of artworks, jewellery, ceramics and other wares created by local makers and artists adorn the walls and upcycled shelving.

It is a relaxed and welcoming space filled with the inviting scents of homemade candles combined with a hint of the Padre Coffee aroma emanating from the coffee machine next door.
The emphasis is on featuring local ethical artists, handcrafted wares, plants, flowers and giftware.
Some of the creatives already on board include Misuki candles, Botanique Bower terrariums, ichimu ceramics and artist Jade Mallick.
In return for showcasing their work, each creative spends a morning per week in the gallery and Laura says the initiative has been embraced by the community.
“It was that thing of two businesses teaming up,” Laura says of the collaboration.
“Some people think in the competition realm but if two or three businesses are working together there is more hope there that you can support each other to keep the business running.
“It is really nice that Tara has given me this opportunity and all the locals who have come in have just had such great feedback.
“They are saying it is great to see something opening rather than something else closing.”
The space is evolving over time and Laura is looking forward to installing a “Put Your Heart Into It” neon sign on the wall – a gift from Tara.
Laura moved to the Surf Coast a year ago and says she always felt a deep connection to the land when she visited from Melbourne as a child.
“It is an actual dream to move down here,” she says.
“From the moment I moved here I’ve connected with people who are so passionate about the environment, who are all about building community and supporting each other – so that has been incredible.”

She says while it has been tough to see the devastation caused by the pandemic, it is also heartening to see how the creative community has been able to pivot and adapt.
“When you hear each person’s story, they have all lost their past business and are now focusing on a product or their artwork.
“Even though they are all skilled at craftsmanship and have been making for a long time, they all did have other incomes but now they don’t.
“I have days where I feel the grief of what our old life was and I think a lot of people are experiencing that – it’s coming in waves.
“When you have that taken away it is a real loss and we need to be speaking about that.”
Laura says the shift back to gardening, appreciating what we already have in our homes and supporting each other is another positive to emerge from the dark times.
“What a beautiful time to put emphasis on that as a shire.
“For us to embrace each other and ask ‘how can we support our neighbour, how can we support local makers?’.
“Stepping away from just driving to the biggest supermarket and all the packaging that comes with that.
“It’s a speedy lifestyle so by slowing down we can really help our community feel empowered.”
Laura also hopes to help create local workshops and events that cater to face-to-face speakers while working within the existing restrictions.
“I do think there is space on the coast to have interesting events where we do get to hear people speak face-to-face but in a way where it is safe.”
“I think we are all craving that sense of connection.”
Laura has dreams of moving into a bigger space when the time is right and is hopeful of obtaining a financial grant to support her vision.
“It’s a collective really and I hope that the council get on board and I can potentially find a bigger space and turn it into an education hub about locally made skilled craft, sustainability and environmental issues,” she says.
Put Your Heart Into It Studio opens from 7am-1pm seven days a week inside 4 Kings Coffee and Food, 143A Great Ocean Road, Anglesea. Follow on Instagram @putyourheartintoit