I always hold my breath when the media comes knocking on the door. It’s just ‘norm’ that personal information always gets distorted and somehow feels like your information is suddenly owned by the writer with all rights to embellish and adjust.

Whether intentional or not, I usually regret telling my story. But this time, it went well!

The fabulous Cam Ward got the details right, and it wasn’t an over-dramatised account of our very long chat. Well, except for the ‘horror injury’ and ‘couldn’t be happier’ bit… I’m sure we could all be happier. I definitely would be happier if I could jump in the car and drive to see a loved one. Or if I didn’t have to worry about my livelihood and could just make art (laughing emoji here).

But Cam did a great job, and if you’re interested in reading about how life came to be in Queenscliff, this is a great account.

QUEENSCLIFF, VIC - MAY 11TH, 2023 Soula and Theo Mantalvanos are directors of the Queenscliff Gallery. Soula is an artist who experienced more than a decade of pudendal nerve pain when the fit ball she was sitting on while working at her desk burst and she fell on to the concrete floor. They will be opening a new Michael Leunig exhibition on May 11. Photo : Ginger + Mint

CURATING A NEW LIFE

SOULA AND THEO MANTALVANOS WERE FORCED TO RE-EVALUATE THEIR FUTURE AFTER A HORROR INJURY. AFTER SETTING UP SHOP IN QUEENSCLIFF, THEY COULDN’T BE HAPPIER, WRITES CAM WARD

THIS is not how life was supposed to be for Soula and Theo Mantalvanos, idyllic though living and working in Hesse St, Queenscliff may be.

Now directors of Queenscliff Gallery, the couple are quite straight forward when they say they would not have come to Queenscliff if life had not gotten in the way.

Nothing against the borough, but they were content with their lives and the graphic design business they were running out of their converted Collingwood warehouse, as well as Soula’s own career as an exhibiting artist.

“It was enough money to live the lifestyle that we wanted,” Theo recalls. “When we worked we worked, when we holidayed we holidayed.”

But in 2007 their lives were up-ended when a fit ball Soula was sitting on burst and dropped her on to the concrete floor.

She was left with chronic pain and it would be 4½ years before she would be diagnosed with severe pudendal neuralgia. Soula now says she was “really lost for quite a few years”.

Read the full story by clicking on the button or image below.

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