Sharon Soo tells us about what she’s been up to in her Moonah shopfront location, called Oh Oh 9.
Oh Oh 9 is a small creative space at 32 Albert Road in Moonah. It is very close to the Moonah Art Centre.
The name Oh Oh 9 comes from our Moonah Post code — 7009.
Image: A still life drawing workshop at Oh Oh 9
It is the brainchild of myself and my partner Bill Harvey. We wanted to make a contribution, promote sustainable lifestyles and build resilience during this time of pandemic. We’re using this shop on Albert Road as a place to engage members of the Glenorchy community.
Image: Materials set out for a workshop at Oh Oh 9
Since we opened in July 2020, we have run a series of workshops, including mandala drawing, incense making, fruit art for children, Chinese ink painting and still life drawing classes. Response from the community has been very encouraging.
Image: Mandala drawing workshop at Oh Oh 9
Our hopes for the future of this space is to engage people — to not only participate in creative activities, but also to share their creative talents by facilitating workshops. Running a workshop also gives them an opportunity to generate some income for themselves.
Image: Ink painting workshop at Oh Oh 9
Being involved in creative activities helps improve mental health, create friendships and builds opportunities to reduce isolation. Oh Oh 9 is a great space for this.
Image: Sharon, ready to welcome guests for her “Blind Dining Experience” in 2020
Moonah is a growing vibrant community with diverse demographics, including migrants, asylum seekers and refugees from all over the world. Oh Oh 9 strives to be as inclusive as possible to encourage people from different cultures to mingle and share their skills. We also endeavour to make our programs accessible for people with disabilities to join.
Want to find out more about Oh Oh 9?
Oh Oh 9 is on Facebook. Visit the shop at 32 Albert Road in Moonah. You can also email Sharon for information about running or participating in workshops.
Posted: January 2021