Best Medicine.

Struggling this week with a virus that is refusing to make itself fully known. Coward. When that happens the best medicine is of course amazing imagery. My eyes can dance even if the rest of me can't. Enjoy!

By Vivienne Strauss

 

Cardboard cutouts from Orla Kielly via Creates Loves

 

source.

 

Source.

Tempsperdu

Elanora Arroyo Illustrations.

I am such a sucker for miniature and diorama but these illustrative pieces by Elanora Arroyo are beyond cute. My favourite above evokes the magical, quiet of the world at night - or maybe he is an astral traveller - I can almost feel a warm breeze and hear the twinkle of stars....

The neutral palette with hits of red are a favourite too. See more like it here. 

Book Week.

A week ago now but Book Week at the school ended on Friday with a dress up assembly. Funny, I always saw myself as the mother who would be whipping up elaborate original costumes when the occassion arose but I realise now I was thinking of another mother entirely, not in fact myself. Not to worry - the kids assembled their own costumes - Batman and Harry Potter. See those blue girls sports pants doubling for Batman's uhmm...shorts... over his grey tights? That was my idea. Go me. Frankly though I was surprised he went for the suggestion. Glad he did though, they complete the ensemble. Otherwise it might just look like Batman pajamas with a vampire cape.... 

Hope. Spring. Maternal.

Ah Spring! Thank goodness you are here. Late. A bit chilly. But still here you are! All is forgiven as you melt the misery of this recent and difficult winter away. Some little thank-yous are necessary. Thankyou to my mum and dad who, while always helpful, really stepped things up these last three months taking the kids to school in the mornings and picking them up again in the afternoon with a grocery run thrown in between. Dad rescuing my sick car last month and mum making sure I  had a spare meal in the fridge and a fresh load of laundry out on the line. Not to mention working a bit of her magic in the house. Remember Bewitched and how Samantha Stevens could twitch her nose and go into a speed clean that had the house clean in twenty seconds whenever Darren called to say he was bringing clients home for dinner and the house was a total mess with only a few minutes till they arrived? Thats my mother. Without the nose twitching. Or the cocktail dress. One minute it's like a bomb has gone off in the kitchen and the next minute it's clean. I don't know how it's done but I sure am grateful. It's one thing to be sick but to be sick in a house that has no order is another thing entirely.

Other thank -you's: my intended of the last thirteen years for picking up the slack without complaint and dear friends who make everything seem brighter - even if it is with dark humour! Thankyou!!!

Dear Virus.

Dear Flu Virus,
When you first arrived over two months ago now I wasn't happy about it but thought I would keep my feelings to myself and just bear out your time with grace. I didn't complain that you had turned up uninvited or bring up the bad time we had the last time you stayed. I didn't mention how my kids resent you or how awkward it is having you suck up all my energy and attention when they need it more. I guess the first real problems began when I said I would put you up for a while but not to expect me to change my plans for you. I made it clear that I would be continuing to go about my activities and that my children needs would be coming first. I think that's when you really took offence and decided to make your presence truly felt. All of a sudden we were doing what YOU wanted, when YOU wanted it. Eating what YOU wanted to eat. Sleeping when YOU wanted to sleep. Spending insane amounts of MY money at the chemist (btw you've never paid me back). Even when I tried to sneak out to class on weeknights I found you had tagged along, then set about distracting me the whole time I was there. In the end it was just easier not to go and now I'm behind. In short it was all about YOU. But tolerence has it's limits. That's why I am writing this and hoping my message gets through loud and clear: you are not welcome. When I wake up tommorrow morning I want you gone and  I don't want to find a single trace of you left behind.
Please......

Reclaim, Reframe.

Have begun work on what is to be the the main project for this years study and supposed to draw on everything we have learnt so far. It will also be the main source of our grade for the year (no pressure!). As always when I see a brief I can't imagine how I'll ever begin to find a solution to it. Titled Reclaim Reframe we must use two recycled manafactured materials deconstructed and reformed into a 3D form which meets a percieved challenge in the area of one of following: Economics, Agriculture, Environment, Ergonomics...The difficulty here is the limit of two materials. To be honest I just let this go for a couple of weeks, completely at a loss. I don't feel comfortable with 3D and it did cross my mind, with the flu still in active residence, that this might just be my quit point. But it's early days to be giving up. I should at least see how I go, right? So here I am now with three old flan tins of various sizes and a book that 'speaks' to me -  "Affluenza" by Clive Hamilton. Hamilton is the founder and former director of progressive think tank The Australia Institute  and this book looks at how our increased wealth as a nation has not brought us increased happiness but instead tied us to longer work hours and a slavish devotion to consumerism. So somehow I have to reflect these issues in a piece of art. Seems a lot to ask of a flan tin doesn't it? So far my idea is to use the three outer tins as tiers for a chandelier and then cut up and rework the circular plates for hanging pieces. I'm calling it the Affluenza Chandelier (feel free to laugh). I've never worked with metal before so it's a real learning curve. Lucky I still have a second material to discover and I'm hoping when found it will magically bring the issues Hamilton so eloquently presents in his book come to life. Plastic forks perhaps??????

New Cat On The Block.

Poor Cat. It hasn't been the easiest few months for her. Not only did she come to stay with someone who was paranoid about the risks of Kitty Litter on a compromised immune system but she had moved into a neighborhood where a nasty clique of Mean Cats roamed. These Mean Cats started up an intimidation campaign almost immediately. They would approach right up onto our deck as she innocently sunned herself on a deck chair. A warning hiss would bring me to the window where I would bang on the pane to scare these shameless intruders (I swear one was the size of a small lion) away. They gave her no peace. On Monday we noticed something hideous on her back leg. Suspecting she'd been attacked by a small lion we took her to the vet. It turned out out she had been attacked but probably a couple of weeks ago resulting in a hideous abscess. This would require a $380 operation, a shunt inserted and some antibiotics. All things considered I decided that this was not a good place for Poor Cat to convalesce. It was decided Poor Cat would be far more comfortable with original owner Grandma in her cosy unit, cutting short the proposed six month stay. And there she is, beside herself I am told, with comfort. Back to being the House Cat she originally was with her doting carers. Smart Cat. How could something so good come from something so nasty she probably asks herself as she enjoys the civilised life, catching sight of the shunt in her leg. And all it cost was $380 (insert strained smile here)...

House On The Mind.

Not sure why but a lot of my sketching involves girls wearing a house on their head. I'm pretty sure it's not a fashion thing. At least I hope not. I do dream a lot about houses (with maze like interiors) and apparently to do so is to explore an emotional vulnerability. It kind of makes sense. The sketch below adds in another favourite theme: the circus. Not sure what that means.

The Principles of Uncertainty

Well the virus still has it's ugly claws into me, not willing to let go yet. Some days I think it might be relenting, others I see it has a while yet to go. So far I've been getting by in surrender mode, study going by the wayside for the time being. I haven't given up though and art, mostly in books (have found the internet a bit overwhelming), continues to inspire and enliven. Scored for myself a second hand copy of "The principles of Uncertainty" by Maira Kalman, "visual columnist from the NY Times", in hardcover for $19.00. Such beautiful and joyful work. Her colours remind me of Matisse. Hope you enjoy this sample of the book and look I forward to reconnecting some time! xoxo

July Is A Battle.

Illness I can't shake.

And this cold dark July weather.

Fortunately, and miraculously, the fashion photography by Paolo Reversi in the June issue of British Vogue reaches out to me with it's soft colours

as though rendered in chalky pastels.

A place to rest tired eyes.

Ghost World - Top Five Favourite Movie.

One of my most favourite movies of all time ever is Ghost World - the movie adaptation of Daniel Clowes cult comic about  misfit teenager Enid and her best friend Rebecca. There are so many reasons why this movie is a treasured DVD in my collection but take for starters the casting - it is pitch perfect. Thora Birch as Enid and Scarlett Johansson as Rebecca are inspired choices for the two alienated yet too-cool-for-school just-graduated best friends but really it's Steve Buscemi as the reclusive Seymour whom Enid befriends which makes the movie. His character is so fully concieved and painfully rendered that at times it's hard to watch. The addition of Illeanna Douglas (totally underated actress), as the hysterical and embarressingly hippie art teacher, is the icing on the cake.

But for anyone who appreciates a movie's style as much as it's substance (or even more than!) this movie is heaven from the very first frame. The credits open with the fabulous "Jaan Pehechan Ho" number from a 1965 Bollywood musical "Gumnaam" as Enid gets ready for her graduation ceremony. If this scene - an intersperse of the "Jaan Pehechan Ho" number with views into the windows and lives of anonymous inhabitants of the apartment block Enid lives in, as she dances to the video in her tiny room - doesn't get you in I don't know what will. Watch it below and see if you just don't want to hire it immediately. Otherwise I might have to bring my copy around to your house, pop it in your player and sit there watching you expectantly through all my favourite bits. Which I'm told is really off putting.

You Tube clip of Ghost World intro. (sorry, can't seem to embed it here. Can anyone offer tips besides cut and paste?)

Rochas Groovy Autumn 2010 Runway Show.

Heaven is Rochas recent runway show in Paris. Retro seventies, back combed hair, lots of leopard print and all that soft lemon and bright turquoise. As for the pantsuits - sooooo Samantha Stevens. Happy and fun fashion - the best kind of all.