beckoning

I totally suck at this whole blog thing

2010-06-10T17:22:00.001+10:00

I agree.

The Walrus and the Carpenter

2010-02-11T22:29:00.001+11:00

The walrus and the carpenter
oil on canvas
2009
15 x 10cm

This was painted last year for a particularly smirky individual whilst I was home stick with deadly whooping cough. Yes whooping cough, I didn’t know adults got that either. But as I was saying, I painted it for a man who does nothing but make me smile, blush and giggle. So talented and wonderful…he can play the acoustic guitar gorgeously in the dark, he can order meals in Japanese, he can whip up a mean cucumber gin and tonic, he can amuse you for a full hour speaking in a hick accent whilst driving, he can lighten your mood with a warm shoulder and an ever ready ear to listen to your woes, and much to my delight, he can recite the entire The Walrus and the Carpenter poem (aka The Scared Little Oysters)…voices and all

..."Work?! The time has come," the Walrus said

"To talk of other things

Of shoes and ships and sealing wax

Of cabbages and kings

And why the sea is boiling hot

And whether pigs have wings

Calloo-Callay

No work today!

We're cabbages and kings"...

Spiders in my bathtub

2010-01-26T23:35:00.000+11:00

Angel hair spaghetti legs
On cold white porcelain
Monstrous, ominous, motionless
Tiny silent hunter
I pause to consider your fate
Quite villain, clean little arachnid
A mere moment…
An internal debate

Swift naked decision
Thin fingers reach for distorted reflection
Water, a flood of panic
Still soapy refuge replaced by
Floating fatal monumentum
Flailing cotton limbs
Now it‘s too late

Spiralling fluidity
A carousel into deep lightlessness
Relief for the unwashed
Cleansing of guilt begins
Not a thought for the hunter
Rinse and repeat

A Lion, a Frog and a Whalefish walk into a bar

2009-12-30T17:11:00.002+11:00

A Lion, a Frog and a Whalefish walk into a bar
Oil on canvas board
8 x 16 inches
2008

It’s the old old story… girl meets boy, boy introduces himself as “Ryan”, she says “Lion?” he say’s “No Ryan.” Girl becomes so infatuated with boy that she paints his portrait. [Scene missing] Boy breaks up with girl on the street during the comedy festival, girl didn’t find it very funny. Girl is left with a new friend, boy has a painting. The end.

I’m being dramatic of course, this is a painting of one of my favourite people Lion (the name stuck). I can always count on him to make me laugh or send me something wonderfully stupid. Bastard.

Re-gifted blog

2009-12-24T11:47:00.003+11:00

I just wanted to re-blog this painting because it’s Christmas. I heart Christmas. I want to marry Christmas and have little Christmas babies.

Have an awesome one everybody!

They're just words

2009-12-15T22:04:00.002+11:00

Mushroom cloud
Blood pressure
Cellar door
Bluish grey
Dance floor
North east
Follow through
Mirror frame
Apple core

Selling Michael on ebay

2009-11-29T20:41:00.003+11:00

Welcome to the ebay experiment.
Does art sell via the internet? Will people consider paintings sold on ebay to be art of high calibre? Are Michael Jackson fans willing to buy anything provided his face is slapped on the top if it? Am I just another broke artist in need of a quick buck?

All these questions will be answered in 6 days 23 hours and counting…

Michael Jackson
Oil on Canvas Board
305 x 229 mm
2003

Hacking at large vegetables for fun

2009-11-20T17:43:00.005+11:00

Ok I realise that this isn’t really ‘art’ but I was quite proud of these little carved out herbivore delights. Last month I was asked to decorate a venue for an industry party for yet another Americanised pagan holiday. I thought I’d have a crack at my very first jack-o-lantern pumpkin heads. I think they came out allright for a first try, plus you know when something is good when a slightly intoxicated patron chooses to steal them on their way out. I must say though that the act of making them was one of the most therapeutic experiences I’ve ever gone through. All that stabbing and scooping and gooey gooey goodness… I believe next year I’ll make it a group event.

Incidentally this is the costume that I made for the event, but perhaps that's a story for another time

Hand painted

2009-11-05T19:35:00.003+11:00

Oil on cavas
1m x 1.5m
2004

See I can be cool and do some sort of stencil looking slash streetish art. I'm hip, I'm down with it.
For a moment there I took a step back from the photorealism I regularly ‘attempt’ and had a crack at this high contrast large painting. Then I put my hands in the air like I just didn’t care. And since it’s been up I now know it like the back of my hand. Hands down, worst pun ever. Ok I’ll stop… but you’ve got to hand it to me, I am pretty handy. Boom boom.

I enjoy being a muse

2009-10-22T12:01:00.002+11:00

Nope, these are not my art pieces. I’m dedicating this post to the work of some of my very gifted artist companions and the work they’ve recently created that depicts yours truly.
I’m not certain if they were particularly inspired by my general Bec-ness or if my big head just happened to get in the way of their camera lenses. Either way my mum always said that I was a work of art. Thanks Mum, you’re the best.

How lucky am I for having such wonderful creative friends. Thankyou guys, you make me feel very special and only you could make me look this interesting. Now excuse me while I work on my next pose…

Carla Edgerton

Jessica Lawrence

Courtney Webb

Suzie Cochrane

Please contact me if you wish to learn more about these artists.

Dialdog

2009-10-10T13:32:00.005+11:00

This is the first painting in my In The Goat Blue series. Being stretched for time and space I’ve decided to paint on these gorgeous little 6x8 canvases. They fit so snug in my palm whilst I enjoy the intellectual entertainment we like to call free to air television.
Dialdog kind of brings together my passion for dogs and retro items. I also didn’t want to miss out on being apart of this art movement that I’ve decided to title Neo Nostalgia. There will be more to come soon…

Too bad I gave this away to a potential employer with a note saying “I don‘t mean to 'hound' you but I hope to hear from you soon.” But that’s ok because they gave me a stunning limited edition print in return. Otherwise known as a rejection letter. Really spoke to me.

Dialdog

2009

Oil on canvas

6 x 8cm

Everything will still be ok

2009-10-06T13:43:00.003+11:00

Now gather round kiddies, I’m going to tell you about the olden days. Back then we used something called ‘film’ in our camera’s, then we would take this film to get it ‘printed’… ah memories ♫
There’s a picture of me that was taken BF (before facebook). I have a hand full of bird seed and an arm covered with disease infested aggressive pigeons. Ridiculous would be an understatement for my facial expression. Pure dumbass. If aliens saw this photo they would have a misjudgement of the human facial anatomy. If I ever feel I can’t laugh at myself I look at it (and lol :P).

Don't worry this is going somewhere. Similarly, when my mood is swinging back and forth like a Melbourne weather forecast I gander at this photo below. It’s just a simple shot of a lawn taken very early one morning far far away in a distant land (aka my old backyard). I don’t know why but it makes me feel calm. Then I lived happily ever after. The End

Tantrums

2009-10-02T15:15:00.000+10:00

There is a common breed of monster
That is often paralysed by frustration
Recognised by slumped bodies
Screwed faces
Awkward fists
And unearthly cries
Nnnnoooooooaaaaaagghhh!!!
Translation:
I want
I want
I want
I hate you
Occasionally clad in Spiderman attire
And sequined slippers
Jekyll is no longer hidden
Their routine is made public
How entertaining
My position is easy
However….
Are you okay?

Copyright or copywrong?

2009-09-29T21:31:00.003+10:00

Simple, yet effective.

I needed a new wallpaper…one that would cheer me up a little (pfft, typical female) so I jumped on to the google machine like Dick Van Dyke in a chalk drawing and put together this little powerpoint collage after a particular crappish day. You know you’re an internet geek when you find typography to be soothing. I guess it’s not stealing if I’m not selling it. I feel better already, see -> :)

Thankyou miss_om for the inspiration

Elvis lives

2009-09-28T21:11:00.008+10:00

I started it in 2003, along with a number of portraits of various celebrities who are especially known for self reinvention - usually with a dramatic image change e.g. Madonna. I just finished adding a rather dapper twisty moustache to Mr Presley for the simple reason that moustaches are perhaps the best thing on this world apart from traffic courtesy waves and fresh bubble wrap. Especially insanely overly groomed moustaches, I wish I had one… sigh.
I don’t know about you but I think it makes him look rather suave, like Malibu Stacey with a new hat.

Please note that this post originally had details about an RMIT fundraiser auction (ha, I nearly wrote funraiser) which is still going ahead however I am unable to include this piece. However if you wish to obtain this painting, or any others, please don’t hesitate to contact me.

Nail biter

2009-09-27T22:09:00.005+10:00

I found this image on the floor of a Brunswick street record store back in 2003. A stunning piece of fashion photography that I felt could be even more seductive with the richness of a velvety toned oil. I painted it with an image of Dracula above my easel… kind of looks like a Twilight book cover now… whoops.

Untitled
2003
Oil on canvas board
30 x 40cm

Fortnight

2009-09-22T12:38:00.002+10:00

Sto usando il babelfish per scrivere questa frase

Yeah that’s right.

Anyways, this is some more of my Euro trash paintings. Really just a mash of particular things that snatched my attention during my jetlagged, heat stricken, hung-over state of consciousness. They now sit above my bedroom door frame… far from the gelati stained, cobbled laneways from whence they were first inspired. I feel a song coming on…

Fortnight
2004
Oil on canvas board
305 x 229mm per panel

Food Court Sparrow

2009-09-21T09:36:00.001+10:00

My dear shopping centre food court sparrow
You are but a pet
An aloof toy among florescent lights
A novelty within banality
My lovely morning food court sparrow
You are not a jester
You are a fairy king
Your kingdom, a forest of plastic chairs
Spray and wipe
The fruit is ripe
Spray and wipe
Your audience awaits
My darling pocket food court sparrow
Your entrance marinates gossip
And I sweetly tolerate your presence
But they talk about you
You and your artificial habitat
You and your growing McDonalds fat
Thankyou for your conversation
For your oblivious performance.
For your invitation
My adorable starlet food court sparrow
I am a guest in your home
I’ll brush these crumbs for you, you know

Sunday

2009-09-20T20:59:00.007+10:00

Anyone who knows me well is aware of my quiet obsession with hands and feet. Luckily for me most people on this blue planet have two of each to satisfy my strange appreciation. Although my feet can usually be found in my mouth (a condition that I‘m learning to live with), occasionally they are under the doona having a conversation with another pair of rather handsome hooves. I assure you that a smile resides on the other end.

Twas A Graveyard Smash

2009-09-18T13:11:00.010+10:00

“I was working in the lab late one night

When my eyes beheld an eerie sight

For my monster from his slab began to rise

And suddenly to my surprise

He did the mash…”

Ah what a classic. I adore timeless villains and monster characters.
I also love placing these pieces directly across from my screaming ladies from time to time. Sneaky sneaky art.

Prams

2009-07-25T16:44:00.000+10:00

Blue
Grey
Black
Sometimes Red
Steel frames
Rubber wheels
- Three is preferred
Impossible clips
Black buckles
Black straps
How does this reflect
the passengers intent?
- Movement is deferred
Stain proof
Hole proof
Child proof
I know it’s not a toy
But where is the joy?
- Safety is ensured

Hand of Santa

2009-06-28T14:11:00.002+10:00

At the risk of sounding pretentious, I spent a few months studying art history in Italy in 2004. My mentor there once described to me what he disliked about my art;

“Your work is like a Christmas cracker, once you get a hold of it, it goes BANG in your face only to reveal a cheap novelty and a stupid joke. What you should be doing is creating art that is like a fortune cookie. A hidden message is found after gentle deconstruction, and you are encouraged to think about the bigger picture.”

I adore Christmas crackers. Bite me.

Escalators

2009-06-21T10:30:00.004+10:00

This jagged tongue of transportation
Fuels a phrase referred to levels
. Upstairs
. Downstairs
Irrelevant to most intellects
Some others, anxiety pilots caution
Ridden, abused
You should inhale this moment of stillness
It is a chance to locate your compass
A chance to kiss a shoulder
However
This mechanical brute mocks you
For you are not still, you are in motion
Progression without effort
. Up stairs
. Downstairs
Yet if momentum malfunctions…
Stop!
A universe of confused frustration
Consumes the consumers
How dare you make me use my own legs
. Up stairs
. Down stairs

Purple Noise

2009-06-21T09:54:00.016+10:00

I painted these in my first year of uni. Still unsure why exactly, I think it was because I was keen to establish myself in the class as someone who painted images purely for personal amusement. Which I assure you is a fast way to avoid receiving gold stars from your mentor.

True to my treasure hunting nature, I found all these ladies in magazine advertisements (obviously except one iconic screamer). With these expressive faces I wanted to create something that was loud and funny… and I’m thrilled to say that a smirk still surfaces when I glance at it.

Screaming Ladies

Oil on canvas board

25.4 x 30.5 cm per panel

2002

I blog therefore I am

2009-06-17T21:45:00.008+10:00

So here’s yet another blog. One more faint cry for obscure attention on this already crowded planet we call the internet. But tell you what, I’m going to take my odd socks off and dip my feet in to see how it feels. I’ve decided to refrain from just posting links to other peoples creativity (which is still fabulous as long as you express a valid point of view), instead I’ll be treating this as my own art space. A virtual gallery if you please. I feel more connected to the things I love in life when my head is conversing with my hands and I tire of keeping it to myself.

I hope you enjoy my paintings, pictures, photography and poetry. And if you don’t then that’s fine too.

Now, since this is a visual record of my of my attempt to knock on the door of the art word, here’s a photo of my banner appearing out of fat air. Why I choose to use my bedroom floor as an appropriate studio space is often a question my lower back asks, however my decision making has failed to respond with an answer… apart from an enthusiastic pitch to paint with my red wine. What? It just so happened that this cheeky little Cabernet Sauvignon was the perfect shade of… wine.

I blame the terps.

Watch this space

2009-06-10T21:35:00.000+10:00

First blog... first post... you'd think I'd have more to say