I’d Like to Do That

De Kooning always had a theme in the back of his head, according to my book Elaine De Kooning: The Spirit of Abstract Expressionism Selected Writings. He would see something and say “I’d like to do that.”  I had said that to myself just a little while ago.  There always seems to be something to paint, some subject to convert to oil.  I have been saving a collection of photos for a body of work that will translate to paintings.

Car parks. When I go grocery shopping I see shapes and colours. Concrete wet or dry can transform into wonderful shades of grey. Angles and extensions and roof-top vents make interesting subjects against rectangular skies.

The book is a wonderful collection of essays by Elaine De Kooning that gives an insight into the work of artists such as Franz Kline, Hoffman, Rothko, Albers and many more. Some of the essays go into interesting details first-hand of technique and materials and written by herself as an abstract artist so I am finding this book has a unique perspective.

A bit like my view of car parks.

My Volume is Turned Down.

Yesterday I listened to Andrew Christofides talk about his work in an exhibition titled Square One at Wollongong City Gallery. I was envious of his quietness - both in painting and manner. He talked about his influences and his preference for the quiet artists – Kasmir Malevich, Vemeer and Titian.  Once again I was delivered one of those serendipitous moments.  This week my library books were one on Kasmir Malevich and another on Titian. Is the universe asking me to turn down my volume in painting?

At what point did Malevich and Mondrian leave all the rest out of their work, pare the objective down?  There was a small Ralph Balson work that Christofides had also made reference to. It was blocks of colour overlaid and simply beautiful.

I have always admired these painters and while the hard-edge abstractionists never quite fitted me, I have the temperament and touch of a red-haired gestural painter. I felt that perhaps I need to go back. Control the mark making even more. Turn down the volume.

Once again I know it won’t last, next month I’ll return to Canberra for a return visit of the abstract expressionists and I’ll want the volume full blast.

 

Secrets in My Garden

Sketch of my geranium at loralyn- Windang sketchbook

The garden is where I watch and think. Some people ask me if  I miss my old home. I shake my head, it’s just stuff but I miss my garden. I wonder how the trees have grown, what spots of the paths are covered. What birds are nesting. Are the swallows still allowed in my studio. Are the big black sulphur crested cockatoos screeching and stripping my hakeas. Are the ashes beautiful colours now in autumn.

I have saved a small piece of my garden in this one small sticky geranium.

 

 

 

 

It was originally in Yvonne Boyds garden at Bundanon. I broke off a small piece and it came home for a while, was potted and re-planted.

 

 

Although broken and re-stuck it emerges with a dainty coral coloured petal every now and then. It’s a stolen momento that lives in my new garden. I have snapped pieces and passed them on to other artists in their gardens.

Geraniums have always had a special meaning for me.

From Sundays Garden Growing Heide Lesley Harding & Kendrah Morgan

My new gift, a book on Sunday Reeds Garden at Heide is a reminder of how much artists and gardens are connected.

Thank you to the secret gardener for inspiring me on a cold autumn day to get out and look at my secret geranium.

The Home Duey System

From my new gift book Sunday’s Garden by Lesley Harding & Kendrah Morgan

What am I reading is never a simple question. I have my categories of books and you can see by this blog, I like to categorize. They go like this:

Peter Sharp: Will to Form Hazelhurst Regional Gallery & Arts Centre

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1.   The Art Book:   This is a book solely about art, artists, art history, art art art.

Dogs in Australian Art by Steven Miller

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2.   The Library Book:   Currently on borrow from one of a few libraries I belong to- so can be sub-categorized into which library. Also can fall into most categories except the Train as I am prone to adding to State Rail Lost Property Book Section.

Just Kids by Patti Smith

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3.   The Train Book:   usually a shorter, easier read made for stops and starts and distractions. Can also fall into Art Book Category

A History of the Land Purchased for the Building of Port Kembla Steelworks by DK Reynolds

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4.   The Research Book:   This book as the name suggests directly affects the art practice. It is usually a historical record of places, artists or mythological stories. Sometimes text books. Yum.

Grimm’s Fairy Tales from Sue’s Ipod

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5.   The Ipod Book:   This is a similar category to the Train Book, made for shorter reads but always happens to be fairy stories, fables (aesop mainly) or childhood books. Handy for extended unexpected waiting periods.

Dirt Music by Tim Winton read by William McInnes

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

6.   The Listening Book:   I have an old tape player in the studio so I like to listen sometimes when I paint. Can be sub-categorised into Tapes, Records and Podcasts.

Sundays Garden

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7.   The Gift Book:   This can throw the whole category system out of whack. It may mean that Library Books need to be returned before their due date, Train Books need to be read in a house to move things along, Ipods are left uncharged in the excitement and I have no time to paint and listen.

Wishin’ I Could See Whisson

“I’m discovered and forgotten, discovered and forgotten and it will go on…..”

Ken Whisson’s painting used to be tucked around a corner near the lifts at the National Gallery in Canberra. I felt like grabbing it and giving it centre stage. Shaking it in front of people and saying “Look, look!” instead the NGA underwent massive reconstruction and in the jumble of works -it moved! Yes. Heide Gallery in Melbourne is having a whole Whisson show and unfortunately I can’t make it but I have the next best thing -the catalogue (no surprise Glenn Barkley has contributed to this wonderful book).

His paint is fresh and lively, I’m wishin’ I could smell it.

Too many exhibitions, too big a world.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Musicians Love Dogs & Writers Love Cats

Well that seems to be the inference in this article by Emily Temple that recently linked from one of my blogs about David Hockney. I’m a dog person so I think that means I can’t write (or perhaps shouldn’t).

This week my library pick up was wonderful Dogs in Australian Art by Steven Miller. Does it get any better – art and puppies in one book, and it’s not heavy! But wait it gets better. My favourite artist Noel McKenna has my breed of dog -SNAP! (here’s a work he did based on lost dog posters)

Tim Storrier brought his dog Smudge to share in his glory of the win at the  Archibald Prize at the Art Gallery NSW so I have decided to share the love and do another quiz – I know about time! This time it centres around doggies and artists.

Take a stab: How Much is that Doggie in the Window?

The One that Got Away

One of my favouritist photos of all time is one of my beautiful daughter flicking through books on a sale table outside the San Francisco library. It was one of those days, it was crisp clear skies, we were rugged up and we saw the library by chance, it was unplanned and a book sale! Afterwards we ate organic strawberries from a paper bag. I can still smell them. The books and the strawberries.

Today was the Lifeline Big Book Fair and one of those days that I look forward to all year. Sometimes I will travel hours to check out a book fair.  Apart from the hunt for bargain books, I love the rows, the signs, the scouts cooking sausage sandwiches and again the smell.

I have increasingly budgeted myself on book buying, mainly for precious space on the bookshelf. This time being half-priced Sunday I was happy with the catch but the one that got away is playing on my mind.

Then I remembered I had brought my camera as I wanted another shot like the one in San Francisco and had already taken some random photos.  I realised I could take a snapshot, like a prized marlin, kiss it and toss it back. It didn’t have to be stuffed and mounted. Maybe it will find a better home, a large open bookshelf one where it can stand face forward with air around it, maybe even on a stand.

Maybe I will be fishing in a book fair in a far away place and it will be the right time.  I know there are plenty more fish in the sea, but I am wondering where it is now, it was late when I left it. Packed away in a box for the next fair? Maybe it wasn’t such a great idea to throw it back.  If you do stumble across it any stage maybe you could let me know. I didn’t exactly tag it before release but this is what it looks like. By the way I don’t collect shells, it’s just a beautiful book. My prize book that I came away with today, a small 3 x 5″ book on the Art or Oceania Masks of Papua New Guinea – how much? 50 cents.

Better a Clever Enemy than a Stupid Friend

I had this wonderful image all ready for my post yesterday.  The Gardener and the Bear – a page from the manuscript of the Anvar-i Suhayli (the Lights of Canopus) by al-Kashifi (detail) Iran c. 1550-75 from the British Museum. Once again from that wonderful book on Grayson Perry The Tomb of the Unknown Craftsman.

The story goes in reward for the man’s kindness, the bear seeks to kill a fly on his face with a stone. The inscription reads “A clever enemy is better than a stupid friend.” Let’s just say I feel like a gardener this week and this fable seems to reek of rock.  I have taken to the paintbrush today at last but it was to paint a pot.

The moral, Stop painting pots, I need to get out of the garden before someone chucks that stone!

This is my painting of a rock. It has not yet hit me in the face.

The 3 Bears and My Head of Porridge

“Creativity is often just mistakes.” Grayson Perry

  I nicked into Wollongong library just to return a few CDs. I wasn’t expecting Grayson Perry to emit sonic rays of “Come and Get Me” from the pyramid of new releases. But he did. The Tomb of the Unknown Craftsman.

Meanwhile this morning Katharine PhotoBooth had me commenting about badly drawn bears in dioramas.  Somehow my blogging, book and art-world had been stirred and dished up in the lumpy form of Alan Measles.

I wasn’t going to let my brain be porridge today. I was going to be switched on, plan, make lists but it soon became bergoo (this was my Dad’s term for porridge -I have no idea if bergoo is a real term, spell check doesn’t seem to think so ). I was the first person in library-land to borrow the book and I had to start reading. Grayson Perry had ridden his way into my life lately in the most amazing way.

Alan Measles was Perry’s bear. Inspired by the collection of the British Museum, Alan Measles lives through Grayson Perry.  Once again the organisational side of me slid from the burner. I thought maybe by stirring the porridge in my head a little longer it would form some solid mass, slowly percolating and becoming cohesive. The ingredients are Alan Measles, Dioramas, New Guinea Masks and Bears but something is missing, that dash of brown sugar that will make it interesting, sweet, digestible. Maybe it’s Bungendore.

This photo and Alan Measles is from the book Grayson Perry The Tomb of the Unknown Craftsman

Betty Churcher’s Notebooks

This is just an easy delightful read after the last tome and a world away from expressionist New York. I feel like I did flying into Sydney-all space and light.