March, 2010

I have every intention of filling the vast empty spaces of my brain with useful stuff, like practical recipes and plant names. And pre-19th century music. And history. Esp history. But there is something about History as a subject that prompts the term ‘eye-glazing.’ Blame the teachers, of course. (As a writer remarked, she avoided [...]

A most convivial dinner during Earth Hour. The hostess was keen for candles; beeswax from Germany. Choose flattering wick over electric. Imagine how much power we wouldn’t be expending if Sydney looked like this every night: Our hostess: The artist guest: The filmmaker guest: The indigenous festival director guest: +++ Food picture notes for commenter [...]

. In short: Why the Archibald matters: It matters because the Archibald is about the oldest subject in the history of oil painting and the oldest theme in the history of art: the portrait and the figure. Why it doesn’t: The portrait does not figure very much in today’s “contemporary art practice.” It’s not cool [...]

“TankBooks are for people on the move, lovers of literature and connoisseurs of design. Try one and you’ll be hooked.” The TankBook list: Joseph Conrad: Heart of Darkness Ernest Hemingway: The Undefeated and The Snows of Kilimanjaro Franz Kafka: The Metamorphosis and In the Penal Colony Rudyard Kipling: The Man who would be King, The [...]

I was going to write about Simon Schama’s Power of Art (Sundays, ABC2) but can’t resist putting up this wonderful distraction. Sorry, Simon-san. (Afternote, before: this was going to be such a simple post; but it was a shaggy dog in disguise. Grr!) At this point you should be playing the youtube which is what [...]

Don’t know about you but I find it difficult enough drawing people who are sitting still at arm’s length. So drawing someone at five yards who is in constant motion with his back to you is twice the fun. There is satisfaction in nailing even part of a credible image. I was attending a glorious [...]

Terms of engagement: ssam & ssaf: On a youth radio station the other day a woman being interviewed explained how her department did surveys among young folk about sexuality and homophobia – they never use the word “gay.” She didn’t say why but the clear implication was that it was too loaded. What they use [...]