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Viva Shadow Shot Sunday and Happy New Year!

On New Year's Day I went for a walk with my boyfriend and took some shots of things that took my fancy.  This is the spire of St John's in Darlinghurst which is a suburb or two from where I live.

 

Shadow Shot Sunday is an epic meme established by that awesome Brissy gal Tracy of Hey Harriet! Anyone can enter and here are the instructions on how to do so!

Here are some more New Year photos:

Pussy cat Surrey Hills, pretty blue and white and grey tiles Victoria Street Potts Point, a grand old house converted into a glamorous back packer's lodge in Victoria Street, Giza Hair Salon Macleay Street Potts Point, shingle houses St Neots Avenue Potts Point and a canopy of London Plane trees Victoria Street Potts Point.

I hope everyone had a super New Year's Eve. We, as advertised, took it easy and went round to Rushcutter's Bay park to watch the fireworks which gave us a very decent view. The 9 o'clock crackers were actually a bit average and I was thinking maybe I wouldn't bother with the 12 o'clock ones. I was convinced the dastardly credit crunch had had it's wicked way with them! BUT! Thank goodness I did go out for the midnight crackers because they were over the top spectacular and I think the best I've ever seen!! Here's a link to see them in all their wondrous beauty! After they finished we all applauded and hooted!

 

Shadow Shot Sunday = Luna Park

I hope everyone had a lovely Christmas Day and survived the Christmas feast! I had a traditional Australian lunch of the most divine selection of seafood: scallops, lobster, prawns and salmon. Desert was cognac ice cream and berries: raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, blackberries and baked peaches in champagne. Goodness me! I think it was the best Christmas lunch I've ever had! 

Anyway, back to the matter at hand, here is my shadow shot submission. It is the top of one of two towers that flank the face of Luna Park in Sydney. They were modelled on New York's Chrysler building.

Shadow Shot Sunday, by the way, is a fabulous meme set up by the gorgeous Tracy of Hey Harriet! Anyone can enter and here are the instructions on how to do so!

Meanwhile, here are more Luna Park shots.

 

Luna Park was opened in 1935 so all the architecture and artwork in the park is very art deco. It has had a checkered fortune over the years but these days it is in very fine form having been meticulously restored quite recently.

My Dad used to take me there quite a bit when I was little so I am very fond of Luna Park - I have a lot of happy memories associated with it. However, these days I am more interested in the historic art deco sculptures and art work in and around Luna Park rather than the amusement rides themselves.

These cartoony paintings below are by the legendary Hoppy Arthur 'Art' Barton.

Next to Luna Park and probably built around the same time, is an olympic sized swimming pool which has recently been refurbished. I was super pleased to see that they had kept all the delightful and quirky decoration around the perimeter of the pool.

They're fun, aren't they?

Hope everyone is having a great holiday - I know I am!

Clyde the cuckoo.

Gosh! Pardon me for the extended blog absence! Last week was the final week of school which got a bit whirlwind-esque to say the least! After school broke up I went to my Dad's for a bit of R 'n' R. However, I'm back home now and it is officially the first day of my two week break!! Yippeee!!

I got back from my Dad's midday today and the first thing I needed to do was draw!!

This young lad above is my drawing of an Australian Golden Bronze Cuckoo. They live along the eastern coast of Australia and a bit over in Perth (which is on the west coast). His name is Clyde by the way.

What really fascinates me about cuckoos is that almost all of them have this distinctive striped chest. I think it makes them look very smart and dapper!

Here's a photo of a real live Golden Bronze Cuckoo taken in Queensland. What a sweetie!

(Image from here )

I have this young chap available in my shop here.

I hope everyone is well and relaxed and I look forward to popping in to check out all the blog action I've missed this past week!

King of the castle...

Ah! The sweet, dulcet tones of the melodic Australian Cockatoo! Anybody from Australia and anybody who has been to Sydney and has had the pleasure of listening to a cockatoo will know I am being deeply sarcastic here! The cockatoo's call is the most abrasive, screeching, ghastly sound on the planet and yet they hold a special place in every Aussie's heart. Their name is often shortened to "cocky" and boy are they that! So confident and full of chutzpah! As a matter of fact I'm listening to a lone cocky screeching like a madman in the park down the end of my street right now. Bless!

This is my Shadow Shot for this week. Shadow Shot Sunday is a fantastic meme set up by that all round good gal Tracy of Hey Harriet fame! Anybody can enter and here are the instructions on how to do so!

Happy Sunday mes amis!!

Jacaranda Tunnel: Shadow Shot Sunday

 

Every year at this time I make a point of going to this particuar road in Kirribilli. I think this photo probably explains why I insist on going there at least once! Actually, this photo doesn't really do it justice because as you're standing under this fantastic purple tunnel, the blossoms gently fall on you like rain. It's hard not to feel like you're a character out of a Walt Disney movie!

Shadow Shot Sunday is a fabulous meme set up by the gorgeous Tracy of Hey Harriet fame! Thank you Tracy by the way - as Gabbi mentioned on her post from last week - it is just so much fun hunting down a shadow shot!

Absolutely anyone can enter and here are the instructions on how to do so!

Meanwhile, it's going to be another scorcher here in Sydney today but I understand tomorrow is going to be even hotter at 39 degrees! 39!!! ...at this time of year - the mind boggles!

Happy Sunday folks!

Martin Sharp

This is Sydney artist and legend Martin Sharp circa 1970. I went to a terrific retrospective exhibition of his work at the Museum of Sydney last week.

Martin Sharp, born (1942) and raised in Sydney, is seen as Australia's number one pop artist. He is best known internationally as the album cover artist for Cream's Wheel's of Fire, the exploding Jimi Hendrix painting and the Mr Tambourine Man Bob Dylan portrait.

 

(Top two images from Art and Australia Vol.47 Spring 2009)

(Disraeli Gears LP Cover from here)

He also co-wrote songs with Eric Clapton, published scandalous (for the 60s) magazines, restored and renovated Sydney's Luna Park, was friend and collaborator of (Tip Toe Through the Tulips) Tiny Tim, designer and artist for beautiful Sydney event posters in the 70s and 80s and a whole heap of other things! Actually, the exhibition itself is a real 4D experience with all his posters and knick knacks displayed in the one huge room. I've decided to go back sometime soon and properly photograph it.

 

(Top: Babylon the great is fallen, fallen. Revelations 18 v2. 2000 - 2006 from the Spring Historic Houses magazine. Bottom three images are postcards from the exhibition: The Sydney Opera House is ten 1983, Tiny Tim, The Chameleon 1982 and Eternity, Haymarket! 1977)

  Martin Sharp was a hero of mine when I was a young cartoonist and illustrator in Sydney so this exhibition was a real treat for me to go to. His posters like the one above of Sydney's Haymarket particularly remind me of my youth and memories of Sydney at that time.

Hope everyone is having/ will have a fabulous weekend!

What I've been up to...

Above is a drawing I did of two sisters over the weekend. It's called Sisters II because I already have a Sisters I as you may or may not recall. I've actually realised that I have a thing for drawing two gals together and that I have well over five "two gals together" prints in my shop now! I think I like the idea of sisters or best friends, compadres if you like. ...and these two gals are in my shop!

 

Also on the weekend, I went to The Museum of Sydney to check out the Martin Sharp retrospective exhibition. Sharp is a famous Sydney pop artist but more on him later - he deserves an entire post to himself - I'm thinking later in the week with any chance! However, I went to the shop at the museum and found some choice Sydney Harbour Bridge painting and lithograph postcards! Yippee because I collect postcards and images from the '30s of the bridge! Here above Sydney Bridge Celebrations 1932 by Adrian Feint, a front cover illustration of The Sydney Mail 1930 by 'F.W' and Building the Bridge by Ralph Emmerson Curtis 1933.

...and I've been thoroughly enjoying wearing the two delightfully pretty rings by Christina of Etsy shop Down and Out Chic (this is her gorgeous blog) seen here above on the right being modelled by Clyde that naughty rabbit. On the left Clyde is modelling a sweet pair of earrings handmade by Gabbi of beautiful blog Felinofelice! I feel very lucky indeed to have these in my earring collection - thank you so much Gabbi!

Hope everyone is having a lovely week!

Shadow Shot Sunday!

This is my Shadow Shot Sunday snap for the week! It's an architectural ornament on the roof of a building in Macleay Street Potts Point. It's a birdie type thing sitting in a crown/ foliage type thing.

 

 Shadow Shot Sunday is a fabulous meme hosted by that top gal Tracy of Hey Harriet. All are welcome to enter - here are the rules on how to do so.

 

...and don't forget to enter my COMPETITION! You could win three of my prints! Entries close tonight at midnight.

Hope everyone is having a lovely weekend!

An afternoon stroll...

It was such a fine day today that I went for a walk this afternoon straight after work. Actually, it is these glorious jacaranda trees that got me out the door. I have been meaning to photograph them for a while now and they seemed to be at their peak, blossom-wise, this afternoon! This one above is a beauty.

After that my boyfriend and I went for a stroll in the pretty afternoon light. I just love daylight saving - the long evenings are the best ever in my opinion! Below are a few of the sights we saw on our walk.

No walk is complete however, without the furry purry ginger tom running out for a tickle and hello just as you get home. I'm sorry these photos of Jaffa don't show his pretty face but every time I get the camera out he goes all shy! At least you get a good idea of his lovely plush ginger coat! You can't hear him purring though - he is spectacularly good at this!

Thank you to everyone for all the lovely comments about my work! It's very encouraging! ...and don't forget the COMPETITION!! It finishes on Sunday evening and on Monday morning I'll be using ye olde Random org thingy to choose who the winner is!

Happy Thursday/ Friday everyone!

A Day at the Races

In Australia we have a major sporting event coming up soon. It's called The Melbourne Cup. This is the 3 minute horse race which famously "stops the nation". Literally. If you happen to be walking the streets of any city in Australia whilst the race is on you will feel like an extra out of Omega Man as you'll be entirely alone. Everyone else in indoors with their hats on eyes glued to the screen clutching their horse betting slips to their breast. It's on every year on the first Tuesday of November.

...and everyone has to wear a hat. I mean everyone. So, as you can imagine the shops here are full to the brim (sorry) with hats. Which leads me to my latest drawing: A Day at the Races! This lovely young thing wearing part fascinator part retro '40s glam hat is now in my shop! You can find her HERE.