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

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.

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:

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?

It’s Nice That just posted a bio on Kristian Hammerstad. I’ve always been a stickler for pop art, so I had a closer look and found this delightful piece!