Having Fun in a Changing World
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When is graffiti art and when is it vandalism? I love the work of Banksy – clever social commentary – but I hate tagging (the mindless scrawling of a graffiti signature). I think graffiti art belongs on public buildings, but private property should be out of bounds. Melbourne has great examples of graffiti in its laneways, but it also has the asinine guff that pollutes our neighbourhood on people’s fences, walls and even vans.
I had a day to come up with ideas for Arctic Circle yesterday and started by cycling to the Botanic Gardens and wandering around the recently refurbished Guilfoyle’s Volcano. I then biked on to the State Library where the children’s book illustration exhibition sucked up over an hour of my time. Great original art, sketchbooks and interviews by illustrators including the charming Leigh Hobbs and the awe-inspiring Shaun Tan.
Tags: guilfoyles volcano, melbourne, royal botanic gardens, state library
The Tim Burton Exhibition at the ACMI
I never really thought of Tim Burton, the film director, as a cartoonist, but the guy definitely shows the symptoms in his ACMI exhibition. Masses of drawings, a vivid imagination and the desire to tell a story, even in just one panel. You couldn’t take photos, so I had fun trying to sketch some of what I saw.
This started as a sketch on a doodle pad and then became one of his more effective acrylic paintings
There were a lot of fantastic creatures
NB. The exhibition was packed. Even first thing on a Wednesday, a couple of weeks after the exhibition had opened. Despite a $19 entrance fee. This would be unheard of for a cartoonist’s exhibition. Just goes to show that moving pictures are the way to go…
Tags: acmi, cartoonist, cartoons, exhibition, melbourne, tim burton
Last week, I was on my way to my creative writing class at the City Library when I came upon this fellow in Flinders Lane. 
His name is Jesse Olsen and I like his drawing.
Tags: drawing, graffiti, inkwork, melbourne, shop, shopfront
I doubt Hector’s is a good place for coffee, but I imagine free wi-fi is scarce in the Arctic.
Hector puts in free wi-fi
Hector turns off free wi-fi
I wrote this after noticing the number of laptop users in my local cafe, Presse. They sure know how to eek out a cappuccino.
Tags: arctic, cafe, cartoon, Circle, comic strip, free, melbourne, wi-fi
We had a great Christmas down at the Mornington Peninsula and after an extended time away from the drawing board, it’s hard to get back into the creative mindset. The heat doesn’t help (mid 30s today and 41 degrees C predicted for Monday) as I’d rather be at the beach.
Showing the family the sights: Luna Park
A picture of a little penguin (no flash!)
Took a walk out to Point Nepean - crazy surfers in the Rip
Saw our first Australian snake in the wild- possibly a brown snake, maybe a copperhead, definitely poisonous
A blue-tongued lizard
Preparing to bodyboard at Gunnamatta with my sister
My gorgeous niece on Christmas Day
Bushrangers Bay
Kangaroos on the path to Bushrangers Bay. One stood at least 7 feet tall
We joined the locals jumping from the jetty at Flinders
Billie really enjoyed his holiday
Our garden was a little overgrown on our return. The potatoes took over like Triffids.
Tags: another heatwave, holidays, melbourne, victoria
Hector pours Lenny a coffee
Melbourne has so many good places for coffee. One of my favourites is Loco in Elsternwick.
I particularly loved this little bit of cartoon art on my cappuccino.
Tags: barista, cappuccino, coffee, latte art, melbourne
Earthcare St Kilda seeks boardwalkers to watch over penguins
I’m a member of Earthcare St Kilda in Melbourne and they are seeking volunteers to join our Penguin Guide team on St Kilda pier during the daylight saving period (from mid – October to March).
Members of the team will be rostered to supervise public penguin viewing at the pier from dusk until around 10.00 pm, including:
No previous penguin knowledge or experience is needed as all training and equipment will be provided by Earthcare St Kilda to volunteers.
Attendance at one training session on the afternoon of Sunday 27th September, a willingness to be rostered on duty at least once per fortnight and plenty of enthusiasm is all we require.
For further information or to register your interest, please contact
Kim Cowie at Earthcare St Kilda on 0413 433 111
Tags: earthcare, environmental, little blue penguins, melbourne, penguin watch, st kilda pier
Oscar harnesses the power of aikido
Port Phillip is a great council. They sponsor, or promote a lot of community-building activities. I go to a community tennis session on Friday afternoons and my yoga class used to be free (I now pay for a class with the same teacher). This last 6 weeks I’ve been doing a self-defence course run by the Elwood Aikido dojo and it has been challenging to say the least. I think I’ve learnt a lot and most of what I’ve learnt has been psychological and not physical.
But I’m looking forward to getting my Friday nights back!
(Especially as boyfriend and dog arrive here on Wednesday, yay!)
Tags: aikido, course, melbourne, self-defence, throw
