Sunday 26 March 2006

Was it the Melbourne Games or the Commonwealth Games???

Missed me anyone?? Engrossed in the Games has kept me
away from cyber space. But I've come away wondering
whose games was it?

Melbourne will take all the cudos, but what about the rest of
our gorgeous country? What about the blonde haired, blue
eyed, fresh shiny, beaming faced angels (girls and guys) who
won medal after medal? Double the number of the UK with
no other nation in coo-ee of such a total but were all these
bronzed Aussie winners from Melbourne - no way - but you'd
have thought so!

Channel 9 who broadcast the games and tonights closing
ceremony wants a floggin' for a number of fuax pas! The
audacity of switching to a commerical break "to pay some
bills" according to Ray Martin during John Farnham's
performance. Yep I am a Farnham fanatic! Why not an ad
when the Bollywood extravanganza was taking place??

What about the channel 9 nob head who after interviewing
the amazing Melissa Lui asked her to cross back to the studio
and when she missed the cue he proclaimed it as a "Bronze
medal" performance? C'mon you loser I was screaming, she's
13 years old, she a legend - disgraceful.

As for Channel 9, Ray Martin should have stayed home here
in Sydney instead of, under the guise of commentary, plug
"his" show with interruptions of brilliant moments with his
innane and self proclaiming banter.

Channel 9 made plenty of blunders - too many to mention here!

An another thing - what about the 2010 Commonwealth Games
in India?? Whenever we've seen a travel show from that country
- right back to the days of John Saffran on that ABC show 'Race
Around the World'- viewers have been appalled and saddened at
the poverty of India. The starving children begging on the streets,
kids running beside cars in the last series of 'Amazing Race' begging
for money. What about the experiences of pretty girls travelling and
their stories of how Indian males poke and prod femaile tourists at
every opportunity and we're expected to send our sporting beauty
talents there? Holey Dooley.
One can only wonder what's the bill for the extravaganza we've
just witnessed?? How in 2010 is a country rife with poverty and
population explosion expected to produce a similar extravaganza
when it's unable to feed its children??
Something's not right.

But Melbourne takes the cake - the home of Aussie Rules! Oi
did they forget that Sydney Swans are the current Premiers??
What, doesn't anyone play Rugby League or Soccer down there??
What about the lovely ditty recited by the actor at the beginning
where he included a line about "the fingers of Shane Warne" - are
they the same fingers that sent R rated texts to women?
EeeUuuWww! Melbourne can have him.

Where was some indigenous representation ???
Oh that's right Paul Kelly and Casey Donovan got the gig!

Aussie's are celebrating across the land at the prowess of our
sporting heroines and heroes, Aussie families are glowing with
pride, some international athlete's have absconded but who'd
blame them, the games are finished the closing ceremony is over ...

So does that mean Melbourne's closed now???

Friday 17 March 2006

GET UP has Got THEM in their sights!

Get Up is at it again and good on them.

We're 11 weeks into the Cole inquiry over the AWB wheat bribes
scandal and everyone's eyes have glazed over. In this drawn-out
tale of corporate scheming, accountability loopholes and legalese
it's become almost impossible to keep track of the facts, much
less why the public should care. Unfortunately, this just lets the
government off the hook - which is just what they're counting on.
That's why GetUp has created a new ad, to get past the spin,
jargon and media fatigue, and drive home the real story of AWB.
Watch the ad now, then send it to five of your friends: http://www.getup.org.au/campaign/AuthorisedBribes The real
story here is simple and very serious. Under the Howard govt.,
Australia's monopoly wheat exporter paid Saddam Hussein's
government almost $300 millon in bribes, a rort of the oil-for-food
program that Saddam used to get around UN trade sanctions, and
buy weapons. The Howard government received at least 24 clear
warnings of these bribes, but instead of investigating the allegations,
it chose to vigorously defend AWB to our allies and the UN. Last
October, when the UN inquiry finally revealed what the government
should have known all along, the official reaction was a stock-in-trade
response: deny and delay. Eventually, they announced an inquiry
with limited powers to question the government; silencing the critics
while ensuring a third party gets all the blame. It is crucial that people
understand the seriousness of this scandal before it slips off the radar.
We've created an ad to explain it --- can you forward it to five people
today? Click the link below to watch the ad and send it to your friends: http://www.getup.org.au/campaign/AuthorisedBribes
Sometimes a bit of direct humour can send a strong message.
Australians deserve to understand why AWB matters.

Says it all doesn't it?

When STUFF Becomes Art.

There's no greater hoarder or maker of wonderful things out of found
objects than Moi. MJ is now capable of opening the fridge when others
have wailed "there's nothing to eat" and created a feast for the
famished.

My CV includes "the ability to make something out of nothing"
and the word is out!
Read on ~

Make Do Exhibition at the Chrissie Cotter Gallery

Make Do
is an exhibition of recent works by Maggie Stein and
Robyn Moloney showing at Chrissie Cotter Gallery in Camperdown,
from the 8th to the 19th of March.

Both artists have been inspired by what others discard and love to
transform pieces they find into objects of beauty. They frequent
Reverse Garbage and local Op shops and can be seen rummaging
through stuff dumped on the street, often finding items which catch
their eye and imagination. In making their art they love to play with
colour, pattern and texture.

For Robyn Moloney “make do” brings together her petit-point
tapestries and ‘around and around paintings. They are made from
wool and canvas from discarded tapestry kits; cardboard from
cereal boxes and found frames and bits of wood .She is inspired
by anything that has that home made, make do feel about it,
anything that has the mark of its maker – like patchwork rugs
and nice bits of wood.
She says “A couple of years ago I began a project called ‘Goes
around comes around’. The rule is to make do with what’s around
– to buy nothing new. I don’t know what’s more thrilling – making
art or finding good junk.
Birds and flowers seem as good a subject as any. Some are a record
of what’s around me at the moment. They bring some joy to me in
my semi- industrial part of Marrickville.”

For Maggie Stein the title “make do” expresses a desire to make do
with what we have and also expresses her sometimes compulsive
desire to create.
Maggie enjoys working on wood in a variety of shapes. She uses a
mixture of media and techniques (paint, collage and assemblage)
to adorn surfaces with a rich patterning and over layering of shapes.
Her inspiration comes from many sources including ancient cultures,
architecture, her inner self and the natural world.

She says of her work
“I like the idea of an object having a previous life; some of that
patina/ history contributes to the direction of the work. I enjoy
the intuitive process of working not really knowing where it’s

going but feeling compelled to take the journey”

Venue: Chrissie Cotter Gallery, Pidcock st, Camperdown.
Hours: 11am to 5 pm Wed to Sun until the 19th of March.

SOoooo......... now you all might understand why I'm up at the crack
of, garaging, why my fave saying is "out with the old, in with the older".
But why there's been no exhibition of my work???
Pop round some day and you'll see why!

Make Do sounds like a perfect Artist's Date doesn't it??

Saturday 11 March 2006

LOST ALONG THE ARTIST’S WAY!

At Week 6 “the Recovering a Sense of Abundance” AW journey was progressing nicely. Mmmm abundance had a pleasant ring to it. Plentiful, yep I have loads of enthusiasm, talent, positivity, modesty, this week will go well. NOT!!!!!!!

That God word appeared again. That was it for me. The lights went out the shutters went down and AW became buried under gorgeous copies of Quilting Arts, Cloth Paper & Scissors, and anything else in reach that didn’t include the G word.

The G word produces an irritation that makes the hairs on this fair flesh stand upright. Despite years of discussion, listening to points of views of believers and non-believers, as well as almost coming to terms with the thought that god is really within each individual, when the G word appeared on p.106 foe me it became an I’m Over It reaction!!! Questions like “what if god’s a woman" …well … hello, what does it matter?

Don’t get me wrong here. People who believe have my utmost respect. If it makes them feel better then it makes me feel better for them too. Such personal opinions have long made me wonder why the word offends me. How the over use of it by the G blamers …those who won’t accept responsibility for their own actions as they echo “G made me do it” make me want to scream … Nah you did it yourself. We have choices. We have a subconscious and using the G word as a reason for how, or when, or why and why not something was or wasn’t done is a cop out!! Phew glad that’s off my chest.

So with that revelation AW, MP’s and reading was put aside. Not out of my thoughts though.

Today - Day 52
The AW commitment had been made. As a woman of my word the feeling of letting myself, only myself, down irked me.
So today, the afternoon of Day 56 AW’s returned to my daily life!
Morning pages plus reading and journalling from p.106 to p.149 the end of chapter 8.

Briefly:
WEEK 7 –
Jealousy doesn’t exist in my life so the exercise on p.124 is not for me.
Archaeology exercise has all been dealt with an not where my creativity lurks.
Positive Inventory, taking stock of the good I have to build on in the present is everything – all is good in my life!

The Tasks 1 – 7 were inane.

Task 8 – Five Fave Films
The Generals Daughter
The Angel one or is it Michael with Travolta – anything of J Travolta
Moulin Rouge
Old black & white’s

Task 9 – Fave topics to read about
Positive Thinking
Memoirs
Australian history
Stories of survival
The Irish diaspora
Week 7 Artist’s date - was book shop trawling – coffee – craft store = Heaven.

WEEK 8
I was confused as to why Cameron writes that all artists’s must learn the art of surviving loss. Isn’t that a human experience that all people whether artistic or not have to face? Flagging and mourning loss has been done over and over for me so I found this topic of no value. I did agree with her observation that academia harbours a deadly foe to creative spirit. As a mature age student, in 2003, I earned a degree in Sociology. But what a slog it could have been had I not realised, early on that academia wanted to hear what they wanted to hear. Criticism and argument had to be addressed in a format that had been around for hundreds of years. No individuality, no off the wall research and no criticism of them. Academia is for academics. To hold the outside world in awe, to separate themselves from the status quo and to squash any glimmer of individuality that might challenge their hallowed halls – bah humbug.

This AW sends me off on tangents that stroke and make my thinking creativity blossom – but drat – that’s not why I’m doing this …that’s another story!!
I agreed too with her “every end is a beginning” that old adage “one door closes another one opens” is a much used personal fave as well as her “HOW instead of WHY ME’. Cameron has played with my thoughts. From irritation to agreement she has got my creative thinking, creatively writing nut just as she get’s me calm she throws the curved “too old” number and I’m Over It again!!
Early Patternings exercise was all done in my life years ago.

The tasks were back onto the “DREAM” routine again and like I’ve said before, I don’t dream. The “list 5 things you are not allowed to do” Come ON … there is NOTHING that I am not allowed to do!!!! So for me these exercises detracted from the zillion positive things to think about and accomplish – these exercises were a load of codswallop!!! Gone sufing!


WEEK 9.
Julia’s reminding me that my artist is a creative child – well how come this kid has the money to gain and gather the goodies needed for the upcoming projects of beauty and wonderment I’m about to let loose.

I’ve Blasted through the Blocks minus resentment.

Week 9 Artist’s Date was stupendous today. With my PIC the most amazing visual feast of all things any artist could need was discovered plus finding another stunning publication heralded that creativity is flowing in the right direction and loaded to the hilt with FUN!
Stay Tuned!

Sunday 5 March 2006

THE AMAZING HUMAN BODY SHOW an Artist's Date.

Week 6 Artist's Date was to The Amazing Body Human Body
Show and amazing it was!

My most learning moment was to see how high up in our
body the heart and lungs are. I couldn’t stop thinking of that
old adage “my heart was in my mouth” often exclaimed when
shocked, surprised or frightened – now I know why. That the
heart is surrounded by the lungs was a learning experience
too. However more amazing was the delight felt at having
given up smoking twelve years ago as I saw the appalling
condition and discolouration of the lungs of the
“specimens” and “speciwomen’s”.

The following was a puzzlement -
Had the organisers of the show removed all identifying
information for any specific reasons? Had acadaemia decided that
these were only of scientific value therefore not worth, according
them, any identifying information? The commentator told how they
were all Asian people yet we were left wondering who they had been,
what age had they died and why? Were they athletic? We noticed
differences in their hands, arthritis in fingers, yet we knew little else
and we wanted more. Not for a macabre reason but to be able to
understand who these people had been and what they had done in
their lives. Had the woman had children, if so how many, how old
was she? How was her body different to say someone of a younger
or older age? Why was she right at the back of the display when
she should have been with the male at the beginning of the display!
This was a patriarchial event for sure!

The Sydney Morning Herald has a short video where lots of these
questions are answered and where the money making v the
scientific debate opens up as to what the real reason of this
"show" is about.

For twenty bucks admission plus another three bucks for a
recorded hand held device, too man questions weren’t answered.
The recorded commentary lacked. It was perfect for a bunch of
school kids. We could have saved that money as the printed sheet
told more. The lighting was appalling.The skiing guy was almost
in the dark, most of the display cards revealed little. Wasn’t this
“show” meant to be life changing, educational and controversial??
It was thought provoking maybe, hopefully life changing for any
smokers peering at the indigo coloured lungs of each body yet
overpriced and not well prepared for the general public.

From an anatomical perspective the exhibition was enthralling.
Personally it was life changing. Many years ago I willed my body
to N.S.W. University. Not any more. The thought of this wonderful
shell being ripped through a bandsaw to become one centimetre
slices is too disturbing – AND … there’ll be no more lamb grillers,
pork chops, or liver and bacon served out of my kitchen either.

Saturday 4 March 2006

Lost your block found a WOMBAT.

You know when you've lost something and
searched every darned where yet still can't
find it?? Well that's how it's been round here
searching for the block pictured. Ready to
to pull the doona over my head, the urge to
look in one more spot came - and voila!!

Yee - bloody - Haaaa! This was the take to
Nowra CQ Retreat block last November to
be embellished and emblazoned with all kinds
of magic. It shows traces of Crumebum and
Ms P but blocks made way for fun.

Now it's found it's to become the first in a new full of fabularity project.
Lost Block no more - WOMBAT for sure!
Watch this space ... game on!!!

Thursday 2 March 2006

The Topp Twins - are tops!

A rare night out tonight to The Topp Twins show. A
unique K- one-W-one musical and comedy duo we
laughed till we cried. The receptive crowd cheered
and applauded the music, their look at life on and off
the farm, their travels plus their sending up of anyone
in their sights!

@enmore was the venue. Unfortunately we stood for
the whole show wondering why these joints sell tickets
yet don't provide sufficient seating. Food was great but
the kitchen was overwhelmed - sad!!!

The Topps made it all worthwhile!

Untouch - able Girls ... YeeHaa!

Wednesday 1 March 2006

PAINTING TRAFFIC SIGNAL BOXES

BOXED ART PROJECT

Sydney's Canterbury Council is calling for community artists
to submit ideas to paint the more than 80 traffic signal boxes
in the area. They're those grey blue boxes at every set of
traffic lights screaming to be emblazoned with quirky art so
if you have never noticed them before, get ready to, as artists
turn them into their own community art canvas.

An exciting new website promotes the work of artists who have
participated in this community art project.

Check out the work of participating artists.

There is the potential to win monetary awards.

On the website are photographs of a number the remaining
boxes still unclaimed - linked on the website – “Unclaimed boxes”

Mmmm if only there was a box under cover ready to be CQ'd,
embroidered, beaded and bedazzled for all so see ..... if only!

What a great idea!
Related Posts with Thumbnails