matouenpeluche

Portrait of a Lady Gouldian Finch

Behold the lovely Amadina who is a Lady Gouldian Finch, who is actually also a...lady. Female Gouldian finches have a violet/ mauve bib, while the males have a purple bib. The Lady Gouldian Finch was first described by John Gould, famous ornithological artist who named the bird after his wife. You can read more about the Gouldian Finch here and here.

Charles Dickens Cat Quote

Non-cat people look away now! (*ahem*) Here's another quote for all those cat lovers out there. I didn't know Charles Dickens was a cat fancier, however, I whole heartedly agree with him on this point.

Thought of the Day

A thought of the day courtesy of that great Victorian/ Edwardian French sculptor Auguste Rodin. Other great things Rodin said were:

"Nothing is a waste of time if you use the experience wisely"

"Sculpture is the art of the hole and the lump"

"I invent nothing, I rediscover"

"The work of art is already within the marble, I just chop off whatever isn't needed" 

"I am like a moon that shines on an immense, unknown sea where ships never pass"

Grandmaster Kitten

This is Grandmaster Kitten. He has the tunes and the rhymes to start any party. Here's his favourite rhyme:

 

I'm Grandmaster Kitten here on the tables

selecting wicked beats whenever I am able

I am the kitten that will get the whole place jumpin'

the people really think that I'm a special somethin'

Joseph Saddler - the man he is my scratching king

he's the pioneer who began the hip hop thing

with him and the Furious rhyming up a storm

the breaks and the hip hop revolution was born

it is my aim to pay tribute to their skills

that I may do my job and give the people thrills

 

So, just so you know, the Joseph Saddler mentioned in the rhyme above is the legendary Grandmaster Flash who along with his Furious Five were one of the first 'groups' to perform hip hop way back in the mid seventies. Incidentally, there is an interesting documentary on Netflix at the moment called "Hip Hop Evolution" which talks about the beginnings and overall history of hip hop over the past four decades.

Reading Books

This is my new print "Reading Books". The last book I read, which I highly recommend, was "Experience" by Martin Amis. It is an autobiography/ collection of memoirs that he wrote several years ago which I've been meaning to read forever. It didn't disappoint! It is very, very funny in parts, but also moving and insightful in others. It's a non-linear account of Amis' life as the famous son of a famous writer. I have read most of Amis' books and this autobiography has put me in mind of reading them again; "London Fields", "Night Train" and "The Information" being my favourites. I am quite partial to autobiographies and biographies and have read quite a few over the years and this is without a shadow of a doubt the best I've ever read.

Walter Burley Griffin's Willoughby Incinerator

The Willoughby Incinerator is an Art Deco gem that has been lovingly restored and converted into a a cafe and art gallery. Built and designed by Walter Burley Griffin in 1930, it is also very historic. As you may or may not know, American architect Walter Burley Griffin worked at Frank Lloyd Wright's Oak Park Studio (1901 - 1905) and then later won an international competition to design Australia's capital city Canberra in 1912. After he completed Canberra, he made his home in Castlecrag and set about designing and developing the three suburbs of Castlecrag, Middle Cove and Castle Cove. There are also several Burley Griffin designed stone buildings in Castlecrag that still stand in addition to the quirky suburb and street layout which anyone familiar with Canberra would recognise as being designed by Walter Burley Griffin due to its circular nature.  

Anyway, I have been meaning to take some photos of this art deco beauty for some time now and finally this morning I got the chance! 

Information from here and here (and my father!).

The Crown

All images from here.

Have you been watching Netflix's "The Crown"? I have, and I'm thoroughly enjoying it! I didn't take to it immediately: nobody truly looked like the royals and I was a bit put off initially by the depiction of the royals being "ordinary" etc however, its gorgeous production design, fabulous script, understated acting and possibly accurate behind the scenes historical detail won me over! I am particularly impressed by Claire Foy who plays Queen Elizabeth - she is really quite terrific at being very regally contained, but believably human at the same time. Most of all though, I think John Lithgow as Winston Churchill is the star of the series. I feel certain he will be up for an Emmy or Golden Globe for his performance here. 

Anyway, watching him has inspired the following two images I cobbled together based on famous quotes uttered by the great man himself.

 

Ernest Hemingway was a cat fancier...

                                       One Cat Just Leads to Another...

Ernest Hemingway, author of The Old Man and the Sea and A Farewell to Arms, was a keen cat lover. He had a six toed cat given to him by a ship's captain. Apparently, this cat's descendants still live at his home in Florida which has been turned into a museum.

You can read more about Hemingway's museum and six toed cats here.

 

Grace Cossington Smith and the Sydney Harbour Bridge

Grace Cossington Smith: The Bridge in-curve, 1930.

One of my favourite landmarks in Sydney is The Sydney Harbour Bridge. I drive over it most days and every time I do, it is an absolute treat! Even whilst driving you can appreciate the aspect, the view of the approaching city and the wonderful cloudscapes. It's even better when you walk over it - the view is spectacular - so high up and all that beauty of the harbour and ferries and The Sydney Opera House below.

 

These paintings and drawings of the bridge being built are by local Sydney gal Grace Cossington Smith. She was born in 1892 in Neutral Bay (quite close by to where the bridge stands) and was a pioneering modernist Australian artist. I think these are some of my favourite art works depicting Sydney.

 

Top (left to right): The Bridge in Building (1929), The Curve of the Bridge (1928 - 1929), Study for The Bridge in Curve (1929), Not Titled (Sydney Harbour Bridge in Construction - 1930 or 1931) and  Circular Quay from Milson's Point (1929), 

Endre Penovác

I came across these magical pussy cat water colours by Serbian artist Endre Penovác recently. He has to my mind captured the essence of the feline in these paintings, don't you think? You can see (and buy!)more of his wonderful work here ---> Saatchi Art.