One Pax: Jess Blizzard & Shelley Bickerstaff
Co-Owners, Bickerstaff Blizzard
When we named our Out Of Office feature categories several months ago, we thought that “One Pax” was one of our cleverer ideas. It combined half of the business name with our heavy interest in tourism and hospitality, AND made sense when applied to a one-on-one Q&A with an interesting personality from the neighbourhood or far beyond. 10/10 for wordsmithery!
Today, however, it seems less clever as we get a backstage pass into the minds of not one, but two, Tasmanian powerhouses. It’s a One Pax feature … featuring Two Pax.
Shelley Bickerstaff and Jess Blizzard launched the eponymous Bickerstaff Blizzard in North Hobart one year ago. Making the very most of their respective creative backgrounds, their interactive space is an intersection of art, music and events.
We’re big fans of local lady mover/shaker types, and Shelley and Jess more than fit the brief. So we asked these - ahem - two pax to tell us a bit more about who they are and what they’re all about.
What do you do?
JB: I’m the Co-Owner and Gallerist at Bickerstaff Blizzard, and the Co-Owner at Daysy Australia.
SB: I’m the Co-Owner at Bickerstaff Blizzard, the Brand Manager at Frogmore Creek, and an artist.
How did you get into your line of work?
JB: I started my first company - The Talent Collective - nine years ago. The business represents talent in the fields of television, writing and social media influencers, and became a great foundation onto which to add other businesses to my portfolio. Bickerstaff Blizzard was created over a serendipitous dinner with Shelley, and the energy to work together is still palpable to this day.
SB: I started my career working with international airlines in various roles, before finding my way into branding and marketing. I’ve had incredible experiences and very broad scope in the companies for which I’ve worked, and I put that down to saying ‘yes’ to opportunities even if it felt like a stretch at the time.
Describe a typical day on the job for you.
JB: My family and I live on five acres in the Huon Valley, and I home-educate my boys. My day will start with snuggles, coffee and feeding the animals, followed by education and the boys’ myriad of activities throughout the day. I try to allocate my work hours to certain points during the day, as the constant pinging of the phone can be overwhelming. When I first started working for myself, I was available 24/7 to everyone and everything, and took on every role within a small business. The burnout was real. I’ve since learnt to hone this energy into short bursts which deliver high outputs throughout the day. Shelley and I allocate tasks and fill each other’s gaps. Life happens, and working with someone who has your back is a real blessing.
SB: There is always black coffee to start the day, whether I’m working from the vineyard, the waterfront or the gallery. I tend to load days with lots of meetings, or have none at all. I also co-parent my daughter Molly, and I’m so grateful to be able to work around being present for her during the week she’s at home.
What is the best thing about what you do for a living?
JB: The flexibility and freedom. Working for yourself brings high stress in some areas, but freedom in others. I am pretty unemployable now, and relish my space to work where and when I want. Working with creatives and an events cycle also feeds my need for a regular high-energy fix.
SB: I have a lot of flexibility and opportunity to be creative, and I love that I’m always meeting and collaborating with different people and industries. I get to share it all with my daughter, too, who is along for the ride and a big part of everything I do.
What about the worst thing about what you do for a living?
JB: It took Shelley and I way too long to bump in each exhibition when we first started hanging artwork in the gallery space. But we’ve got it down to a fine art now, so there’s not really a worst thing anymore!
SB: I love international travel and there’s not a lot of need for it at the moment, given our focus is here in Tasmania. So I do miss the travel that was a part of some of my previous roles.
You could live anywhere in the world, but you’ve chosen Tassie. Why?
JB: We’ve lived all over the world, but Tassie has always had a special piece of my heart since we first lived here over a decade ago. This was the first move we’ve made purely for choice and not for our careers. Raising our boys on the land with plenty of space was always our plan, and Tasmania is unmatched in its natural beauty. Hilariously, when we first moved back here, I ended up as Shelley’s neighbour - the universe was looking after us.
SB: I was in Auckland and London for three years before coming to Tassie in 2010. The plan then was to stay for one year and move on, but the vibrancy and growth across the island over the past 10 years has kept me inspired. The opportunities just keep coming so, for now, we are home here.
What are three must-dos for every visitor to Tasmania?
JB: Visit Elsewhere Sauna at Randalls Bay, hike everything, and come along to an exhibition opening at Bickerstaff Blizzard.
SB: Gallery- and bar-hop, have lunch at Frogmore Creek, and watch a JackJumpers basketball game.
Where is your favourite local coffee (or other beverage of choice) haunt?
JB: Sonny is unmatched for service and vibe.
SB: Queens Pastry for coffee, and I’ll be next to Jess at Sonny for a not-coffee.
Describe your perfect Saturday in the part of Tassie you call home.
JB: We’d be in nature with our boys - hiking Hartz Peak, Grove of Giants or the Franklin Forest. Then it’d be a slow-cooked family meal at home with the record player spinning and red wine flowing.
SB: I love a day to potter at home - painting or starting a random project. But we need supplies! So I’d start with a trip to Queens Pastry for morning coffee and a fresh croissant, then take a walk around the waterfront, and grab some flowers and fresh produce from the market. We also love a drive to New Norfolk for lunch, and walk Russell Falls at least once every season.
What are you reading right now?
JB: Beautiful You by Nat Kringoudis. I highly recommend it for all girls and women to truly understand their bodies.
SB: Just Kids, a memoir by writer, performer and visual artist Patti Smith.
And what are you listening to?
JB: My people know that every point of my day and life has a selected soundtrack - even a three-minute drive gets its own DJ set. We placed a record player in the gallery to create a warm and atmospheric experience for everyone. The collection ranges from Zeppelin and Hendrix to Tool and London Grammar.
SB: I love listening to the Armchair Expert podcast, and have had The Best of Otis Redding on repeat lately.
How can people connect with you?
JB: @bickerstaffblizzard for art-lovers, @daysyaustralia for body wisdom, and @thejessblizz for extremely random content ranging from chicken spam to cold water swims.
SB: @this_is_bickerstaff for everyday musings, featuring Molly and me.