Wayne Thiebaud Cakes 1963

This painting reminds me of my favourite books as a child. I can’t remember what any of them were called but they all had pretty illustrations of cakes. Also one of the reasons I like going to David Jones, looking at the cakes. We got a little Dobos Torte from there last night, and it is unpleasantly dry.

Carnival Horses by Kareena

James’ dad runs one of the big race courses in Auckland so when we were there I got to go in and pat the horses. It was damn awesome. I always thought horse racing was cruel, because vegans always tell you it is and compare it to dog fighting.  But equines are actually very competitive and they love running really fast and getting the praise of being the best. Gambling is still bad in my books as is whipping horses or putting them down just because they make no money for you. The horses I met were well looked after and while happy to be petted were looking forward to getting out on the tracks.

Also according to PETA idealism, it’s cruel to cage birds, well the little tweeters hate being anywhere else. Outside there is the threat of giant crows and the neightbours cat so who wants to be there when you are safe in your nest? Admittedly their cage is longer than they care to fly and having them in something smaller may be mean. Even Andrew Bird who we have had since he was a baby will fly straight back to the cage everytime we take him out.

So if some birds are happy to be in cages and some horses happy to race, what is cruel? Clubbing Seals?

Research has shown that when the hakapik is used correctly the seals die quickly and painlessly and we’re not running out of seals like we are whales. So what’s the problem? One issue is people who are not educated in how to use the hakapik correctly which causes prolonged pain for the animals. But instead of educating, animal rights groups rally against fur wearers >

There is one explanation to why seal clubbing is a prominent cruelty issue. I mean seriously who would you rather have on your poster?

There certainly are instances of animal cruelty which need to be dealt to, but try and look at it from another perceptive. My mother used to pity the Polar bears in the Auckland zoo, because it surely isn’t cold enough for them, and yet scientists are now predicting the north pole to be gone in summer 2013 > which means the only polar bears left will be those in a zoo.

I honestly wish we’d kept some mammoths in a zoo to breed!

‘New Day’, 2005, Oil on board.

Just in case you were wondering what I look like.

via art milk>

Scene from A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Titania and Bottom (1848-1851)
by Edwin LANDSEER
Held in the NGV (Melbourne)

This was the header of this blog before I decided to rip the whole layout out.

What would that classic painting look like if it was painted in today’s gangster landscape?

Thanks Banksy for teaching us to disrespect the masters.

Graffiti Ren >

Bill Green (from Make the Logo Bigger), who is currently filling in at Adrants just claimed some Valley Lodge music video has an original “wtfness” about it. I’d just like to remind everyone that Allen Jones did it first… in 1969:

Dick Frizzell is one of my all time favourite artists.

Sleeping Woman (2008) was top of my Birthday present wishlist this year, I didn’t get it however there is potential of an even better present next year…

We’re going to Tuscany for my birthday and just after this Mr Frizzell himself is doing a 2 week painting workshop there! It would be a dream come true to go, however my flights back are shortly after it starts and with the booking being Florence – London – Kuala Lumpar – Melbourne – where ever I am living, it would be a mission to change. Fingers crossed they let me attend the workshop for just the first couple of days!

Actually come to think of it his son Otis Frizzell taught me how to tag, back in my West Auckland days.

The painting on the right (Grocer with Moko, 1992) was the inspiration for my 6th form painting boards. We had to start with Jim Dyne and thank goodness my teacher recommended this as a segway into a painting style I actually like. I’ve had a love affair with his work since then (minus the Colin McCahon inspired recipes series).

When we heard from a friend he was releasing a range of wines we fly back to Auckland and got 6 bottles from the airport, we drank one (the bottle is now used as a vase), but the rest have been reserved for a special occasion amoungst other far more expensive and better tasting, but not nearly as stylish wines (and a bottle or two of CC):

Will hopefully find out soon if I can attend the workshop, and then just have to save up a million dollars to fund it – or maybe I can sell the paintings I do on trademe to cover costs? Haha

I was meaning to go to the Sculpture by the Sea exhibition at Bondi beach this weekend, however it clashed with my life goal of being the only kiwi to live in Sydney without ever going to Bondi.

I did find some other great outdoor sculptures while I was indoors this weekend.

Giant pencils by Joanna Pohjalainen, in Pedvāle Lativa (a country I have always wanted to visit)…

…and giant penises at South Korea’s “Penis Park“. An engaged woman drowned before her wedding and brought a curse on the local fishermen, so they erected phallus sculptures to keep her horny spirit happy and the fish returned to the sea.

As a house warming gift James got me a book called The Classic Era of American Comics which I used to have on permanent loan from the public library when I was in 7th form. There is a really cool comic in it which was the muse for my painting class. The book was an awesome present, but what he gave me for our anniversary was even better:

(The comic from the book painted by the guy who also did this > and the photo doesn’t really do it justice it’s huge!).

My gift for him was a whale watching cruise in Port Stephens, there were Humpbacks, dolphins and we got to feed giant pelicans as well as going to this place where you stand in a pool with sharks and sting rays and feed them shrimps. It was a good weekend and it’s been a good year.

Going to have lunch with our account manager at Google today, and it’s Halloween tomorrow so I think there might be a few trekie outfits around the office. I am going as a tiger. Kind of a cop out as I already have a tiger hat and I seem to use it for all dressup parties. Tomorrow night though I will be accompanied with a trainer in sequined vest and whip! I love it.

Also here is a Halloween idea from Mac (makeup not computer):

Thanks to Poppy via Charmed >

Some of the black lines ruin it, and that yellow hair is disguising! It’s much lighter in the paintings.

I saw this ad and thought that’s really nice art direction for an ad about Rothko, who sucked at painting. Which reminded me of a conversation the boyfriend and I had during Mad Men about the Rothko piece in Cooper’s office and how we dislike that kind of “art”.

So it was amusing to scroll down and find out and find out the art director on this ad was the boyfriend’s best friend. Nice work Mr Tucker.

Flinders lane is probably one of my favourite places in the world. I first went there when I was about 17 and it’s always first on my list when I get to Melbourne. The coffee there is terrible, but probably the best you will find in Australia, but the turkish sandwiches and graffiti are fantastic! I like the paste up (pictured above) so much, as until recently my trips to Melbourne have usually been to escape from boys.

I was delighted (and yet sadly nostalgic) to see guest blogger Lucy Feagins blogging about Flinders lane on Design Sponge >

Here is the Nicholas Jones map:

This photo of the President when he was about my age are delightfully eye opening! I am interested to see where he goes politically, and I am skeptical of his Nobel Peace Prize, but I love the person Barack Obama is. He’s come along way from the icecream shop and the badass 80s.

more by Lisa Jack >

by Millamella on Etsy >

These pretty handmade (although I’m sure the plates aren’t) dinnerplates are swell! Perhaps you would feel a bit bad eating of them though and you don’t want to become someone who collects plates – not at this age anyway.

If so then you are an idiot!

However,  a lot of Australians are which is why they have created a widget with handy recipes using avocado to put on your desktop.

I’ll give you a helpful hint, avocado goes with everything, savoury and cold. Don’t put it in soups, don’t put in milkshakes, but feel free to put it in a salad, sandwich or taco. Heck even put it on some corn chips! Did you need to download a widget to tell you all that?

(painting by Craig Stevens)

Widget – Australian Avocados >

from Who Made It on etsy >

I would actually like one made out of much bigger plates so I could serve scones and cakes on it, and maybe rumballs in the cup on the top.

This website came into my life with perfect timing. Tomorrow I move into a new apartment which is very white and I’ve been thinking about how I will decorate it. Surface View turn a bunch of images from the National Gallery (london) and other places into wallpaper basically. Being a big fan of the early renaissance work  in the NG and also of early romance comics I would quite like to plaster my home with these. Unfortunately I don’t think the landloard would be as enthusiastic and the new rent price has diminished by life budget.

Here are two I like, on the site’s template to see what they look like in different rooms:

But I love this website >
It really articulates how talentless Pollock was, as well as being fun.

Eduardo Paolozzi is on of my favourite artists. On my 17th birthday I went to the “Art in the 60s” exhibition at the Auckland Art Gallery to see a number of his collages which were on display. It was probably my best ever birthday.

One hindrance in my love for Paolozzi is not much of his work has made it to the world wide web. And when I visited the Tate galleries last year only one of his works was on display – and it was a painting. Sigh.

So it was an absolute delight to see one this fantastic artist being honored on It’s Nice That this morning! I wish I was in London this weekend to go the exhibition. Can anyone tell me where I can find some more of his work on display when I am in England/ Scotland?

I was reminded today of how much I adore Berkley Illustrations, and seeing as we are looking for a new home at the moment thought maybe I should give myself an early house warming gift (or two).

Which ones do you think I should get? Other suggestions from the store are most encouraged.