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club swizzle sizzle @ the opera house

club swizzle sizzle @ the opera house

A must see for any lover of entertainment, fun, laughter, cheek and brilliant performances that make you want to go to the gym, get incredibly toned and then climb up a pole in a leotard… Club Swizzle is a must see this Summer in Sydney.

The people who brought us La Soirée are back and have put together an amazing ensemble of creatives. Compared and narrated by Murray Hill, this amazing and hilarious show took us through brilliant feats of acrobatics to beautiful bouncing boys and amazing musical performances. The bar became a stage and then a bar again, the performers are superb and I loved it so much, I’ll be going back for more.

IMG_0003Murray Hill bringing the house down, my favourite quote was “Don’t worry, I’m a feminist, I love women… I used to be one”.

IMG_7923Beautiful and etherial pole dancing of the artistic kind.

IMG_8123Meow Meow was a scream… brilliant, very funny and can she sing or what!

IMG_9494The contortionist was mesmerising and oh so shiny.

IMG_9789Gorgeous and very elastic boys bounced all of the place.

And then there was the audience participation section of the evening… a channel 9 producer was first to the pole in a dance off…
IMG_8615He started out shy…

IMG_8653…but that didn’t last long… he quickly shimmied up high…

IMG_8728…and made that pole his bitch!

IMG_8781By chance the second constant on the pole was Lionel Cole from The Voice Australia

IMG_8843…he got right into it and made the most of his time in the spot light…

IMG_8870…his hips did not lie… Beyonce could learn a move or two from Lionel.

I was delighted to see the band leader was none other than my childhood friend Michael Lira, I didn’t know he was in the show. He was born a musician and performer (and I know because I’ve known him my whole life). He used to do concerts in his parents lounge room and he was impressive way back then. So proud and happy to see that he has followed his dreams and that he is so darn good at it.
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Long story short… if you are in Sydney and you get a chance, make sure you go and see Club Swizzle (you can book your tickets here). A brilliant night out.

 

 

most of us do not even know how to ask a question…

most of us do not even know how to ask a question…

Richard Saul Wurman is not only an American graphic designer and architect, he has written over 83 books and is a cofounder of the legendary TED talks (Technology, Entertainment and Design).

He is a legendary thinker but most importantly he knows how to ask a question… and judging by how much he has managed to achieve in his 79 years on earth (and many more to come I’m sure) no doubt he had a quest (or five) in his life…

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If you have a quote you’d like to see illustrated, get in touch 🙂

Lil’ Wendy: 52 week illustration challenge WEEK 3

Lil’ Wendy: 52 week illustration challenge WEEK 3

Lil Wendy 3

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chip life :: benjamin :: balsamic & rosemary

chip life :: benjamin :: balsamic & rosemary

I’m back – first post for the New Year… getting back into all things illustration 🙂

Benjamin had always been a bit of a blue-eyed pretty boy and he became an accidental hipster… one day he became aware of the working conditions of coffee plantation workers and the next thing he knew he was a full blown hipster. He really really really hated the Bondi Hipsters… they just took the piss out of anyone who cared about their food and the earth. He even considered shaving but he loved his beard too much to go that far
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This is the last in the current round of “Chip Life” profiles. I will be making a new series in the weeks and months to come. Get in touch if you know any great Chip Life ideas… someone you know might be just right. Send me a description of what their chip involves and how it affect them I’d love to bring it to life for all the world to share 🙂

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what i learnt this week WEEK 2

what i learnt this week WEEK 2

#WhatILearntThisWeek
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My sister gave her boyfriend and his daughter a ukulele lesson while they holidayed in Hawaii – one of the first lessons they were taught is that a ukulele is NOT a little guitar. Mind blown. I am not a musician (obviously) and this was news to me.
Tweet out your own lesson using #WhatILearntThisWeek and I’ll publish my favourites 🙂

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Lil’ Wendy: 52 week illustration challenge WEEK 2

Lil’ Wendy: 52 week illustration challenge WEEK 2

Lil Wendy 2

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je suis charlie… je suis liberte… ju suis l’unite

je suis charlie… je suis liberte… ju suis l’unite

I don’t have many words, just sadness and sorrow for the loss of talent at the hand of fanaticism. The courage of those both living and dead who fight with their Bic pens and 2B pencils inspires me… the ancient and wise words of novelist and playwright Edward Bulwer-Lytton are as relevant now as they were in 1839 “The pen is mightier than the sword”je suis charlie cectimm.jpeg

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

what i learnt this week WEEK 1

what i learnt this week WEEK 1

#WhatILearntThisWeek
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I’ve learnt this one the hard way… sometimes you want to win an argument or make a point… so you start a conversation with someone and it opens a massive can of worms. There a few people in my past who I would love to win an argument with but in doing so I would be inviting them back into my life and I just don’t want that. It can be hard to let go but it’s important to consider the price of winning.
After all you don’t have to win to be right!
Tweet out your own lesson using #WhatILearntThisWeek and I’ll publish my favourites 🙂

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Lil’ Wendy: 52 week illustration challenge WEEK 1

Lil’ Wendy: 52 week illustration challenge WEEK 1

Lil Wendy 1

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santa can be potentially terrifying

santa can be potentially terrifying

Driving around at Christmas time I am always struck by the dramatic change from day to night in local festive garden scenes. At night a tall, fat and proud Santa can dominate and enchant a Merry Christmas scene and the same garden during the day can look like a crime scene with a sad and very dead santa lying on the lawn.
Santa Potential

If as an adult it is disturbing to me, it must be confusing and terrifying for some children.

Merry Christmas to all and to all a Merry (dead Santa free) Christmas xo <3

chip life :: leonard :: dill & pickle

chip life :: leonard :: dill & pickle

I think we’ve all known a few Leonard’s in our time. I first came across a few at uni and it took me a while to figure out that their bitterness was just a cover for a fear of being rejected. It can seem easier to lash out rather than wait around to be rejected… but if we all did that we’d never be available to exciting new experiences.

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I think it would be very difficult for someone who has always been very good looking to all of the sudden age and lose their visual appeal. Most of us have a range of social skills we’ve cultivated over the years to attract a mate, find friends and connect with likeminded individuals. Imagine if you only operated on looks, what would be left if it all went away… hooray for average looks coupled with brains + humour + a personality 😛

Get in touch if you have any great Chip Life ideas you’d like to see :)

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ho ho… hoe (a true story)

ho ho… hoe (a true story)

Last Christmas as I walked down George Street, Sydney City, I saw an ‘older scruffy’ man with a pile of boxes selling Christmas hats. I smiled at him (I’m a serial smiler) and just kept on walking by. As I passed him he said “Ho Ho…” and naturally I was expecting to hear the third “Ho”. Instead his tone changed and when he realised my smile was not signifying an intention to buy, he spat out a nasty “Hoe” instead.
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This story is 100% true.

I laughed my head off. I thought this was brilliant and creative.

After all he is entitled to his opinion (even if it’s very misguided).

Merry Christmas shopping and here’s hoping your run-ins with angry individuals are as creative and comical as mine 🙂

you’re in our hearts

you’re in our hearts

No one in Sydney, Australia and our friend nations can stop thinking about the siege currently holding our citizens and our attention for the last 14 hours. I can’t sleep thinking about those people still trapped when they thought today was just another Monday.

I had to draw it out in the hope of feeling a bit better about it but… alas.

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My heart is with them all, and their loved ones. I can only imagine what they are all going through. I would hug them all if I could <3

dare to be more

dare to be more

So many inspirational words were given to us by the very beautiful and very wise Maya Angelo. I think we can all do more and still never truly reach our full potential.
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So try to do more today… be great.

chip life :: hannibal :: salt & pepper

chip life :: hannibal :: salt & pepper

Although I’ve never known a cannibalistic serial killer (that I know of) I have met a few people who have potential!

It seems that some people try so hard to prove their worth but never really feel worthy meaning you can easily deeply offend them with a lighthearted quip. A flippant comment made in jest can deeply wound and in silence they wait in the shadows to get their revenge much much later when you least expect it. Revenge can take many forms from dagger eyes, slanderous lies all the way up the psycho chain to violence and shallow frying.

Scan 3.jpegWhile this is clearly based on Dr. Hannibal Lecter from the 1991 movie The Silence of the Lambs there are real nut jobs like him in the real world. It’s scary to think that they walk among us so just be careful who you put down or pick a fight with… you don’t want to end up on their dinner plate.

Get in touch if you have any feedback or great Chip Life ideas to share :)

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high heels or high iq… you choose

high heels or high iq… you choose

I love to watch people and I often conduct my own research… such as observing heel height v’s facial expression. It’s not exactly scientific but it does impress me that some of the best ‘resting bitch face’ I see around town are on women who are wearing high heels. The higher the heel the bitchier the ‘resting bitch face’.

It seems that western women are addicted to suffering! I personally don’t get it. Perhaps it’s because I’m tall or that I can’t wear heels, but to voluntarily suffer for no real reason is beyond me. A lot of women I know say that they feel sexier and more attractive when they wear heels but isn’t the benefit of longer looking legs and calves that ‘pop’ lost when the facial expression is not at all enticing? Maybe there is an evolutionary link that I’m not aware of that drives the obsession with artificial height despite the high cost of comfort + happiness + face-appeal.

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I know a lot of women will not like my views on this – perhaps they can educate me on the enlightenment that can be obtained from wearing heels (at least on a daily and non-special occasion basis). I feel for their feet 🙁 poor puppies.

chip life :: river :: spicy guacamole

chip life :: river :: spicy guacamole

It can be hard to live on the fringe… just on the edge of what is considered ‘normal’ by society. But for many people they have no choice as they can’t bring themselves to join the rat race. An alternative lifestyle can be very appealing and have many benefits but it also brings with it a set of prejudices that can make fringe dwellers feel even more isolated and pushed out of the main stream.

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It seems that anyone who is willing to challenge what is considered ‘normal’ will attract some ridicule or derision. Just because someone is living an alternative life or a hippieish existence does not mean that they are a push over. Someone who gets kicked around enough will eventually come out kicking. It’s not all peace, love and mung beans.

Life would be so boring if we were all the same and these spicy gems bring colour and flavour into our world.

Get in touch if you know any great Chip Life ideas you’d to share :)

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chip life :: margaret :: french onion

chip life :: margaret :: french onion

It sometimes seems amazing that our early years on this planet can hold such a long lasting impact on our lives. Regardless of how long we live there is always something that will keep popping up from our youngest of years.

We can learn a lot from listening to our oldies and perhaps that is where some of the secrets of life are hidden 🙂 I have known many women and men like Margaret who bring up their hard learned life lesson. While we can not fully appreciate them due to our charmed existence we can still learn from their hard earned wisdom.
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Our beliefs along with our “chips” are a product of our experience and we don’t seem to choose the ones that impact us the most.

Take time out to chat to someone who may have a pearl of wisdom to share – it might just make your day.

Get in touch if you have any great Chip Life story 🙂

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artists i like: aaron kuehn

artists i like: aaron kuehn

Aaron Kuehn’s Skeleton Typogram is one of those amazingly simple and beautiful ideas that makes you wonder “why didn’t I think of that?“. What a great visual tool to casually learn the bones of the human body. Any student or teacher can benefit from having such a thing of beauty hanging on their wall.

This is what using illustration to communicate is all about. Love love love it! Why not *buy a signed 38cm x 56cm print or some Hand Letterpressed Mini Prints (hand made in Portland, Oregon) for the student, physio or doctor in your life.

SkeletonTypogram-AaronKuehn

There is something primitive and cave man like about seeing Aaron’s skeleton in Letterpress plate form in the process of printing. Quite fitting.

SkeletonTypogram-AaronKuehn Letterpress

I love the fact that this is Aaron’s description on his on website. Hooray for bones indeed.

“EXO… ENDO… TYPO! Your life, your organism, your soft tissues but a puddle on the ground, if not for the ancient seg­men­tal structure of the Ver­te­brates. The ORIG­I­NAL HARD CORE is evolving for 400 million years now. Hominids, like you, are using the latest upright tech­nol­ogy orig­i­nat­ing only 4 million years prior.”

Aaron also does anatomical drawings/prints of bicycles, a suspension bridge, a bee and a ukulele.

Support living artists and while you’re at it follow Aaron on Twitter or visit his site.

* I am in no way affiliated with this site and do not make any $$$ from your purchases 🙂

chip life :: jessica :: jalapeño

chip life :: jessica :: jalapeño

We always assume that hot people have it easy but apparently there is a down side to being too attractive.
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It would be one of the better curses to have but I’m sure it can be a barrier for some. Hot face and body does not mean someone is dumb. I guess it all comes down to the old saying “don’t judge a book by it’s cover.”

Get in touch if you know any great Chip Life stories to share :)

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world AIDS day

world AIDS day

December 1 is World AID’s Day – this global event started in 1988 to raise awareness of HIV and AIDs. Take this opportunity to support people living with HIV, commemorate those who have died and to talk about it with our loved ones so that we can all be aware of how it is transmitted.

In the mean time take two minutes out of your day to enjoy this gorgeous and colourful animated video teaching us what condoms can and – more importantly – can’t protect us from 😛
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It is estimated that as of 2013, 26,800 people in Australia are living with a diagnosed HIV infection. Food for thought.

Happy World AID’s Day!

 

r.i.p. phil hughes :(

r.i.p. phil hughes 🙁

So sad… had to draw about it. This really hurts my heart as it seems to have done for so many of us. A beautiful man killed just doing his job 🙁 Hug your loved ones EVERY DAY.

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chip life :: jon :: smokey bacon

chip life :: jon :: smokey bacon

Perhaps a bit appropriate being ARIA week and celebrating the glitz and glamour of everything music… we often forget about the underdogs working behind the scenes. It must be very hard to grow old and no longer feel relevant.

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We often joke about old people telling us stories that start with “when I was young” but if that was the best time of their life who are we to judge them heading back there as often as they need.

Get in touch if you have your own Chip Life story to share :)

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artists i like: liz climo

artists i like: liz climo

Liz Climo is an illustrator and artist who in her spare time creates beautiful and delightful animal cartoons. You see Liz works on The Simpsons. I love The Simpsons so that alone is worthy of a lot of respect. But then she has carved out a massive fan base online publishing these gorgeous animal comics. They are so simple and so funny.

She has published a picture book called The Little World of Liz Climo (hardback available on Book Depository with free shipping) and she is releasing a new picture book in 2015 called Rory the Dinosaur: Me and My Dad. The Books are well worth the purchase as only a sample of the drawings are shared online so you’re still getting a lot of great new material (plus you’re supporting a living artist).

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These are just too cool for school.

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Who doesn’t love a good Breaking Bad parody!

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I sometimes wonder if I’m afraid of heights being so tall… I do relate 😛

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I think all non-gamers can relate to this.

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The story lines are so simple and sweet.

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An alarming number of the cute and cuddly animals in Liz’s drawings try to eat each other… just injecting a does of reality.

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I guess it would be confusing for some animals… like the turtle who tried to hump the shoe (watch the video LOL).

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Just in case you needed a costume idea for an upcoming Christmas Party…

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And just in time for Christmas – got to get me some Candy Canes.

Find and follow Liz on Twitter, Facebook and on her Tumbler site. You can buy her books at Book Depository, prints from Society 6 and and T-shirts from Shirts and Ladders.

Support living artists 🙂

 

chip life :: anthea :: chilli & lemon

chip life :: anthea :: chilli & lemon

Some bitter Betty’s don’t realise that they have a role to play in the hand that life deals them. I’ve known women who complain that no one gives them attention but won’t make an effort to look nice or even be friendly. Some people just choose to be bitter and don’t realise that they can make a change at any time.

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I hope I never choose bitterness as it is a yucky feeling and it makes any beautiful person instantly ugly.

Get in touch if you have any feedback or great stories to share :)

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artists i like: peter dahmen

artists i like: peter dahmen

Peter Dahmen is a German artist. He is in fact a Paper Architect. His love for pop-up came about from his need to catch public transport with a major work while he was studying graphic design. I am still amazes me how our lives can change direction because of the most random things.

Peter manages to capture movement and shape in his dynamic paper works and he has managed to turn his love of pop-up into a full time career.

Here is a short documentry on Peter and how he got into paper architecture. His work and attention to detail is amazing.

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This is one of Peters own videos featuring 5 Awesome Pop-Up Sculptures

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Here is another one of Peters videos featuring Six Amazing Pop-Up Paper Sculptures

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You can follow Peter via his site, on Facebook and Twitter.

chip life :: andy :: bbq

chip life :: andy :: bbq

I think we’ve all met ourselves a few dooms day enthusiasts who carry on about the inevitable end of the world. Why they think it will happen in our lifetime is beyond me. They can be very entertaining if not a touch scary. They usually have more than a few conspiracy theories as to how the end of civilisation will come and I try my hardest not to get too involved in those conversations.

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You never do know though… there is a very slim chance they could be right so best to not offend them should you one day need to crash their tent village. Best to just nod, smile and move along while avoiding eye contact.

Get in touch if you have any feedback or stories about your chip :)

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artists i like: elizabeth mayville

artists i like: elizabeth mayville

I really love Elizabeth Mayville’s work. She is an artist and illustrator based in Michigan. Her work focuses on ‘home’ and the little things that make us happy 🙂

Elizabeth Mayville still lives

Her beautiful still lifes are some how monotone and colourful at the same time. I really enjoy this type of painting. Her metallic and glass Cakestand, 2012, oil on canvas, 12 x 12″ (above left) reminds me a bit of one of my all time favourite painters… see below>>>

Margaret Preston Implement blue 1927Margaret Preston, Implement blue 1927

Margaret Preston (29 April 1875 – 28 May 1963) was one of Australia’s most accomplished female artists of the last century. She was very prolific in the 1920’s through to the 1940’s working as a painter and print maker. Aboriginal and Japanese art informed her contemporary and modern style. She was a trailblazer in her time and her work is still relevant today.

Elizabeth Mayville Landscapes

Back to Elizabeth Mayville‘s work… her gorgeous landscapes are perfection. This is just how I see the world. She has an amazing talent for cutting back on the detail but still telling a great story on her canvas.

Elizabeth Mayville Animals

Elizabeth‘s portraits of animals are very sweet and minimalist. Once again she has simplified the colour pallet and the background to showcase the gorgeous faces of her fury and feathered friends.

You can see a comprehensive list of Elizabeth’s fine art and illustration work on her site and you can purchase a prints & original works on etsy.

Support living artists 🙂

chip life :: sandy :: salt & vinegar

chip life :: sandy :: salt & vinegar

In high school we had a teacher who had a chip on her shoulder. She would always pick on our group (or so it seemed in our teenage minds) regardless of whether we were being good or a bit cheeky. After a while we knew that she would single us out and while she made her rounds at lunchtime we would try to reach an imaginary chip on our shoulder (mime protest). We discussed the flavour of her chip and then brushed imaginary crumbs off our shoulders. She had no idea what we were doing and this probably added to her idea of us being trouble.

This idea of people walking around with a chip on their shoulder has stuck with me throughout my adult life and when I see someone being arrogant, angry or annoying I can get distracted by what flavour their chip might be. It’s a great distraction from their bad behaviour and my story telling/writing mind can get lost in the narrative of their Chip Life.

I have done a series of 10 illustrations of people wearing their chip… some of these are people I’ve met, some are characters from TV shows and some are people I watch on the train (in a totally non-creepy way) and imagine their life story + Chip Life.

 

cectimm_Chip_Life_Sandy

This is Sandy. We all know someone who has gone into teaching for altruistic reasons who end up getting beaten up by the ‘system’. This is true in many countries… not just Australia. Perhaps some teachers lord their power over their students because they’ve realised they will NOT be the great change maker they once dreamt they would be.  Perhaps the teacher who inspired Chip Life was herself a disillusioned educator grabbing on to any sense of power she could – or maybe, just maybe she thought we could be much more if we applied ourselves rather than acting like a bunch of clowns.

I will publish the remaining 9 illustrations in the days to come.

Get in touch if you have any feedback or great ideas to share 🙂

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artists i like: eve d’alessandro (nee meagher)

artists i like: eve d’alessandro (nee meagher)

I really love Eve’s work.

I admire her ability to paint (almost) every day and how she sends her work out there into the world. Just this year she has started entering art competitions and has been selected as a semi finalist in the 2014 Doug Moran National Portrait Prize and is a finalist in the 2014 Portia Geach Memorial Award, NOW showing at the S.H. Erving Gallery until December 14, 2014.

Eve Meagher_Julian Meagher

This is Eve’s portrait of her brother Julian Meagher. This painting was selected in the semi finals of the 2014 Doug Moran National Portrait Prize.

Eve Meagher Procrastination

This painting called ‘Procrastipainting – this is me to a tea’ is a gorgeous depiction of Eve putting off till this afternoon, what can be painted right now. Endless cups of tea can be one of the best and most accessible tools available to the professional procrastinator. Procratipainting is a finalist in the 2014 Portia Geach Memorial Award.

eve d’alessandro 2014 Portia Geach Memorial Award

This is Eve at the opening of the 2014 Portia Geach Memorial Award.

Make sure you make your way to the S.H. Erving Gallery before December 14 and see a bevy of amazing female painters.
Support living artists.

Keep painting and procrastipainting Eve. Love your work <3

artists i like: abigail brown

artists i like: abigail brown

 

Abigail Brown is a London based textile and paper artist.

I haven’t had the privilege of seeing Abigail Brown’s work in person but I have a feeling I would love it 🙂 There is something mystical and magical about her animals that seem to have crawled out of the pages of a beautifully drawn children’s picture book.

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It seems that the love of fabric and thread is genetic as she grew up watching her seamstress grandmother work and this passion was not lost on a young Abigail.

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I always delight in seeing how other people deal with fabric addiction – and she really makes it work.

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While she is internationally known for her birds, she also makes delightful paper creatures that either stand alone or proudly hang on walls in the style of hunting trophies (but much cuter and kinder to our fury friends).

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She shares her process on twitter which is very generous and always delightful to see.

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Who wouldn’t want one of these gorgeous creative characters on your wall. Each critter is unique and hand made so no two are the same.
Just wonderful <3

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Abigail works in London and she shows her studio either by appointment or twice a year with Open Studios. If you would like to get a work commissioned you can get in touch with her directly. Follow Abigail and her whimsical work on Facebook, Twitter or on her own website.

If you’re considering collecting art… try to support living artists 🙂

sitting is the new smoking

sitting is the new smoking

It’s been said many times of late and we’re becoming acutely aware of the health problems arising from our sedentary lifestyles. Sitting really IS the new smoking… as much as Orange is the New Black! It seems that everything is the new something but when it comes to over-sitting… it’s a drug we’re finding hard to kick.

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My mate Sabrina wrote the above statement on Facebook and it just perfectly sums up a little bit of what is wrong with all of our lives.

This is becoming such a problem that the Australian Physiotherapy Association have started a campaign to raise awareness and get us all moving – so get up and GO!

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never trust a hug… dr who

never trust a hug… dr who

 

Anyone who knows me, knows I love Dr Who. This mornings season finale was awesome (as ever) and I’m looking forward to the Christmas special.
I can’t say I share Dr Who’s views on hugging but I can see his point. I guess it is a good way to hide the emotions on your face that you don’t want seen. Food for thought Dr Who.Never Trust A Hug.jpg