It Started to Rain Blueness
I always enjoy making my found poetry. I close my eyes and pull out a handful of cut out words from the little vintage tin. Then I spread them out on the table and regard them. Sometimes a poem emerges quickly, sometimes piecemeal. Sometimes, like this morning, the fragments lie scattered across the table while I eat my breakfast and let them sink in. Then, like a jigsaw puzzle they mysteriously, magically fall into place.
Today the random poem lead to a doodle, and then to another more tragic than the last – which turned into a darker fancy than all that had gone before. I had to write a sequel to dispel the sinister turn the day had taken. But more on those another day.
Oh, check out the Facebook page for a colour version of this collage poem – I couldn’t quite decide which I preferred.
Spun Sugar
From Christian Louboutin’s Fall 2011 look book
Marie Antoinette, Wendy PaulaRococo is an artistic movement of the eighteenth-century that grew out of Baroque. Extremely decorative and pretty, it was a reaction against the grandeur of the heavy Baroque style, and is characterised by pastel colours, asymmetrical designs, sinuous curves, voluptuous shapes and plenty of gold. It was applied to all forms of art: sculpture, painting, architecture, interior design, décor, and the performing arts. Lush, witty and playful, it first made its graceful appearance in Paris. Just think of Sophia Coppola’s Marie Antoinette. Here is a little collection of mine in lavish pinks, greens and golds.
Watteau II, by Stephanie Peek
From Such Foulness of Root Does Sweetness Grow, Ray Caesar, 2009
Inside of the ladies garden at Vauxhall, Joseph Highmore (1692‑1780), 1778
Sculpture at Heide
Rings of Saturn, Inge King, 2005–6A couple of weeks ago some friends and I visited Heide to view the Less is More exhibition. It was a very wet and dreary day, so we did not spend the time wandering the sculpture garden, but I did manage to get a few snaps of a few pieces.
Inge King’s imposing Rings of Saturn (2005–6) is made from stainless steel, and sits atop a little hillock; the ‘big balls’ scattered below were added to the lawn to complement this sculpture. They are by Xenian Living Light, a company providing architectural lighting to commercial projects. They look far more effective glowing in the dark (when the nearby carpark is cropped out).
Xenian big ballsThe three-piece sculpture Pebbles is by Wona Bae, an artist and florist, whose designs are inspired by the cycles of nature. Pebbles is constructed from Victorian cork, an inviting and interactive piece. The three giant bales are scattered in Sunday Reed’s garden of the rustic cottage housing the Heide I gallery.
Pebbles, Wona Bae, 2012
Pebbles, Wona Bae, 2012
The 7.30 Edition
Some of you may recall my breaking news back in June: the children’s books I had been working on for a year were published at last. Bridget Cull, the author, has been busily promoting the first two books, and this lead to a couple of newspaper interviews – one for each of us.
A few weeks ago, a reporter from the Stonnington Review came to chat (a surreal experience) and a real live paparazzo snapped me in the street where I live. The paper was published the week before last, although I had to wait for one to be mailed out to me.
One of my favourite scenes where the Yucky kicks the dog into the airThe environmental tales tell children all about The Yuckies – small dirty smelly creatures that live in our rubbish dumps and create havoc in our neighbourhoods. Sometimes they hitch a ride on cars and go further afield to pollute our lakes and rivers. It’s a great, entertaining way to teach children about our effect on our environment. I had a very entertaining time illustrating them, and creating some very yucky effects in watercolour.
The Yucky Adventures are digital storybooks and are available to purchase through iTunes, and you can check The Yuckies out on the Facebook page. You can read the full profile on me here.
Another scene that makes me chuckle: the fish are truly aghast
Like Crazy, Man
Concerto in D Major for Violin and Orchestra, Beethoven, Columbia Masterworks, 1947
Woah, it’s October already. I know, I say this every month, but how this year’s flown! October’s calendar brings me Beethoven and Bartók. Both of these album covers designed by Alex Steinweiss feature swirls, but it’s the fab handwriting on the striking Beethoven cover that I love. Both have that distinctive 50s style, although the first was actually produced in 1947. These classic long plays are totally coolsville, striking and modern enough to appeal to nerds aspiring to be hepcats. Like crazy, man.
Concerto No 3 for Piano and Orchestra Petite Symphonie Concertant, Bartók, Decca Gold Label Series, 1955