I cannot deny what I rightfully love:
Opening the cover of a magazine and being hit by the smell of paper and ink and information and hope.
Cradling a magazine between my elbow and armpit while walking down a bustling city street.
The artful line the spines of my favourite magazines create when crammed into my bookshelf.
Seeing the left hand edge of a magazine peeping out of the top of my handbag.
Revisiting a magazine after a year, or two, and by default revisiting another time – different fashions, and people, and innovations.
Falling in love with a photo shoot and delicately ripping out its pages to place as artwork on my walls.
Flipping the pages of a magazine and believing I can do, or be, anything.
So, I can no longer deny my ambition, my goal, and now my reality:
To take this little Onya baby to print.
To have it decorate shelves the country over.
To have it inspire people, to fill them with hope, and belief.
To have it cradled under the arms of people bustling down city streets. And peep out of people’s handbags. And smell of paper and ink and information and hope.
I am overjoyed, excited, proud, ecstatic to declare that in late 2010 Onya Magazine will be available as a PRINT PUBLICATION – to hold and smell and read and enjoy and keep.
Onya will continue to operate as an online magazine – before, during and after print. Our website will continue to be updated weekly with articles, opinions, reviews and much more. In fact, going to print will only enhance and strengthen our online content.
At this stage, Onya, the print version, will be released twice a year but I’m sure that it will grow as rapidly and naturally as we have so far, not even six months after our launch. A specific month and date of release will be determined by January next year.
Onya, the print version, will be nothing less than utterly incredible.
So thank you, dear readers, for all of your support, comments, and genuine interest in Onya so far. It is because of you that going to print is a possibility. But it is for you, mostly, that it will be done.
It is also for the Onya writers. Whether they have written one article, two, ten or regular weekly or fortnightly columns, my vision to launch an online magazine that was different, purely Australian focused and of a high quality would never have been achieved without them.
They are talented, driven, creative and deserve much more recognition than they receive. My vision is to collaborate with them, my web and graphic designer Caroline McCurdy, and a few more passionate Australian designers and photographers to deliver a truly unique and wonderful publication.
Going to print is also for one more person: me.
For the six year old kid who started writing and never stopped.
For the Grade 5 student that created a magazine on her Dad’s typewriter and sold it in the playground for 20 cents.
For the twelve year old girl who grew up in Melbourne’s South Eastern suburbs and had her local newsagent order in ridiculously overpriced imported magazines from London. And the sister that paid for them all.
For the fifteen year old that cried when, on an flight stopover in Bangkok, the cleaner threw out her pile of not-even-read magazines placed on her seat. She’s still not over it.
For the girl that wrote for newspapers and magazines and then decided to launch her own, because she wanted to create something that really showcased how amazing and underrated this country is.
Magazines have been my inspiration. My savior. My teacher. My refuge. My love.
And, in late 2010, Onya will hopefully become yours.
Or at least a little part of it.
With love, and excitement,
Sandi
PS Feel free to share this news with everyone. Tell your friends. Get super-dooper-excited!