Tuesday, July 01, 2008
Monday, June 30, 2008
because there hasn't been enough making on this blog...
...here's a preview of the book Byrd and I just collaboratively submitted to an exhibition called Into The Fold, opening at Artisan Books (Gertrude St, Melbourne) in August:
It's called
SNATCHES: a mystery in six parts.
Letterpress (using bits of 20 years worth of un-dissed hell type) and ink drawings on this funky polyester cover sheeting that I discovered and have been hoarding.
Not bad for a weekend's work, eh?
It's called
SNATCHES: a mystery in six parts.
Letterpress (using bits of 20 years worth of un-dissed hell type) and ink drawings on this funky polyester cover sheeting that I discovered and have been hoarding.
Not bad for a weekend's work, eh?
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Ask the universe
I need to find two people, and maybe someone out there can help.
1. A home hairdresser (i.e. someone who will come to your home and do old-lady perms, sets and cuts) who does not call an elderly client 'luv' or 'darl'.
2. A bookkeeper who will not scoff at a numerically dyslexic and completely disorganised artistic type. And has room on their books for one more hopeless client.
Anyone know anyone in the Canberra vicinity? If so, email me (ampersandduck doing the gmail thing).
I'd be ever so grateful.
Or, if you're not local, feel free to share your own hairdressing / accountancy problems.
1. A home hairdresser (i.e. someone who will come to your home and do old-lady perms, sets and cuts) who does not call an elderly client 'luv' or 'darl'.
2. A bookkeeper who will not scoff at a numerically dyslexic and completely disorganised artistic type. And has room on their books for one more hopeless client.
Anyone know anyone in the Canberra vicinity? If so, email me (ampersandduck doing the gmail thing).
I'd be ever so grateful.
Or, if you're not local, feel free to share your own hairdressing / accountancy problems.
Saturday, June 28, 2008
Take a walk in my shoes
Thanks to the magic of seeing Lorraine Crescent in action, I'm giving you a sample of what I've been listening to on my shuffle. Some of my fav songs aren't available, sadly (like Eleni Mandell's 'Taking you out', which is highly recommended for any women who (a) like Hothead Paisan or (b) have the shits with men in general), but this is a pretty good cross-section.
[For anyone interested, the Billy Joel song is what I'm having played at my funeral. Don't laugh. Or do, I don't care.]
Anyway, I hope you enjoy. I haven't set it to start automatically; I decided to give you the choice of pressing the play button :)
PS: if you decide to make on of these yourself, check the songs carefully before you put them on your playlist. I've had to edit this a couple of times, the first because a couple of songs were running at double time, and once because it was a completely different song, even though it has said the correct artist and track name! Sheesh.
Friday, June 27, 2008
Remember to Breathe
It's Zoe's birthday! She's feeling the strain of nursing sick kids (including big kids) for weeks on end, so how about you pop over to either of her blogs and tell her how wonderful she is.
In the immortal words of the Bard:
Love's in need
Of love today
Don't delay,
Send yours in right away...
(doo doo do do doo doo)
(
)
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Wintery wonders
It's really winter, at last. Yesterday Bumblebee and I were riding to school, swathed in knitted headwear, wind-proof jackets and thick gloves. He looked at me and said How much longer is winter? with a big cloud of fog leaving his mouth as he said it. All I could say is A lot longer; this is only the first month. To his credit, he kept riding stoically.
I've spent the last two days over at the Canberra Institute of Technology, sitting on an assessment panel for their art and design diploma students. I've been riding my bike there, and on the way I ride through the above park, next to Civic. This photo was taken at 9am this morning.
There's a calm about Canberra at certain times of the year (and day) that really appeals to me. I love feeling like the only person left roaming the earth... this morning was one of those moments. Usually I only get that sensation on a Sunday night at about 9pm, or in the wee small hours of any Canberra morning. This morning there was a light mist in the air, and I felt like I was moving under water. The trees were stretching up, the same way I'd been stretching up in yoga the night before, trying to remember to keep my shoulder-blades down and my side ribs up.
They didn't look naked, or shivering, or thin, like so many winter trees do. They were reaching, breathing, and loving the cool damp air as much as I was.
I've been embracing the cold, enjoying the chance to make comfort food (tonight we had our favorite beetroot risotto followed by a wonderful nutty quince cake that BB made yesterday) and reading good books (in my nice warm bed, of course).
I was very excited a few weeks ago to discover that Joan London had released another novel, a long time after her amazing first book, Gilgamesh. I adored Gilgamesh because it was so dense with layers and thoughts and yet seemed so simple. It was anchored to outback WA, yet roamed into exotic territory in Europe and the Middle East. Her latest effort, The Good Parents, again has its roots firmly in rural WA, and again roams, but this time she doesn't leave Australia's shores, and instead of being set in the past, she stays firmly in a contemporary scenario. She still explores issues of loss and intimacy, but it's a tighter circle. It seems deceptively simple, but I think when I revisit it (I like a gap of about 12 months for words to lie fallow) I'll find similar archetypal layering to the first novel.
On the weekend I started Sophie Cunningham's latest novel, Bird. I found it very hard to put down, and last night found myself unable to turn out the light as I was trapped in Leningrad under the most horrific circumstances. I can't praise this book highly enough; it just kept me rapt the whole way through, and I learned -- ingested -- more about Buddhism during the course of the book than I have from flipping through countless 'Buddhism for dummies'-type volumes over the years. Which is not to say it's a boringly didactic book. No, it's an international romp with sparkle, depth and feeling. I read a review that praised Sophie's ability to maintain such distinct voices for her characters, and it's true.
Now I've started her first book, Geography, which I know is the wrong way around, but I have a habit of wanting to read batches of books by the same author, and Bird just looked too luscious to wait for. I know the third novel is about Leonard and Virginia Woolf, which excites me greatly, and may I just say here, Sophie, that if you want a glossary of printing terminologies (I heard you fumbling around for 'printing metal' today on The Book Show) to add authenticity to Leonard's voice, I'm your girl. Of course, you may be thoroughly well-researched, and just had a blank moment this morning :)
By the way, that Book Show link was about the latest Meanjin, if you missed it. Good stuff.
I'm not sure which direction I'll head when I've finished Geography. Either it will send me somewhere I need to go, or I'll do my usual re-reading of something classic until inspiration hits me. I may need to go back to Mansfield Park, just to reassure myself that Jane really did know best.
I've spent the last two days over at the Canberra Institute of Technology, sitting on an assessment panel for their art and design diploma students. I've been riding my bike there, and on the way I ride through the above park, next to Civic. This photo was taken at 9am this morning.
There's a calm about Canberra at certain times of the year (and day) that really appeals to me. I love feeling like the only person left roaming the earth... this morning was one of those moments. Usually I only get that sensation on a Sunday night at about 9pm, or in the wee small hours of any Canberra morning. This morning there was a light mist in the air, and I felt like I was moving under water. The trees were stretching up, the same way I'd been stretching up in yoga the night before, trying to remember to keep my shoulder-blades down and my side ribs up.
They didn't look naked, or shivering, or thin, like so many winter trees do. They were reaching, breathing, and loving the cool damp air as much as I was.
I've been embracing the cold, enjoying the chance to make comfort food (tonight we had our favorite beetroot risotto followed by a wonderful nutty quince cake that BB made yesterday) and reading good books (in my nice warm bed, of course).
I was very excited a few weeks ago to discover that Joan London had released another novel, a long time after her amazing first book, Gilgamesh. I adored Gilgamesh because it was so dense with layers and thoughts and yet seemed so simple. It was anchored to outback WA, yet roamed into exotic territory in Europe and the Middle East. Her latest effort, The Good Parents, again has its roots firmly in rural WA, and again roams, but this time she doesn't leave Australia's shores, and instead of being set in the past, she stays firmly in a contemporary scenario. She still explores issues of loss and intimacy, but it's a tighter circle. It seems deceptively simple, but I think when I revisit it (I like a gap of about 12 months for words to lie fallow) I'll find similar archetypal layering to the first novel.
On the weekend I started Sophie Cunningham's latest novel, Bird. I found it very hard to put down, and last night found myself unable to turn out the light as I was trapped in Leningrad under the most horrific circumstances. I can't praise this book highly enough; it just kept me rapt the whole way through, and I learned -- ingested -- more about Buddhism during the course of the book than I have from flipping through countless 'Buddhism for dummies'-type volumes over the years. Which is not to say it's a boringly didactic book. No, it's an international romp with sparkle, depth and feeling. I read a review that praised Sophie's ability to maintain such distinct voices for her characters, and it's true.
Now I've started her first book, Geography, which I know is the wrong way around, but I have a habit of wanting to read batches of books by the same author, and Bird just looked too luscious to wait for. I know the third novel is about Leonard and Virginia Woolf, which excites me greatly, and may I just say here, Sophie, that if you want a glossary of printing terminologies (I heard you fumbling around for 'printing metal' today on The Book Show) to add authenticity to Leonard's voice, I'm your girl. Of course, you may be thoroughly well-researched, and just had a blank moment this morning :)
By the way, that Book Show link was about the latest Meanjin, if you missed it. Good stuff.
I'm not sure which direction I'll head when I've finished Geography. Either it will send me somewhere I need to go, or I'll do my usual re-reading of something classic until inspiration hits me. I may need to go back to Mansfield Park, just to reassure myself that Jane really did know best.
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