Wow Carpet Drawing! Jonathan Bréchignac....

Jonathan Bréchignac's drawing titled, 'The Carpet'.  A full scale carpet, all drawn by hand, with only a biro pen...oh and a and a lot of patience dedication!

Lotte Reiniger...Paper Silhouette Animator

I feel like I must be very late to come across the wonderful animations of Lotte Reiniger, but nevertheless, today I've just discovered her work!  Lotte Reiniger (1899 - 1981) considered herself to be an 'entertainer' and found inspiration from puppets, cinema and traditional Chinese paper cuts. 

This one is called 'Papageno'....I like the birds in this one....

She worked over a light box, and took still frames after each adjustment of the paper silhouettes....

Check out this clever contraption used to capture the frames....

These are still from the animation 'Prince Achmed' which took Lotte 3 years to complete!.....

Here is a short clip of the animation here......

Happy Burns Night!

Today (the 25th of January) is the birthday of Scotland's favourite poet, Robert Burns (happy birthday wee man)!  In Scotland we celebrate by eating haggis, reciting some of his poems and enjoying a dram (or two of whisky).  Burns Suppers are quite popular and are held around this time of year - weekends are a good choice so that you don't need to worry about your hangover the next day!

I live in Melbourne and it has been very hot here the last few days, but this didn't stop me making veggie haggis for dinner last night (boy - was it sweaty in the kitchen yesterday)!  My husband and friends are vegetarian, however, I dont' think I would have cooked the meat haggis even if all the guests were meat eaters...yuck, no way!  I used this recipe which I just googled, and changed it a little bit to suit my own taste (I added cinnamon and chili,  and also swapped red wine in instead of the whisky).  I also put the haggis into short crust pastry and made haggis parcels - ofcourse, you don't need to do this, but it's another nice thing to do.  I served with mashed neeps and tatties and made onion gravy for on top....yummm!

This is a pretty traditional looking plate of haggis, neeps and tatties with lots of gravy of course!

Maybe you're reading this and thinking "Veggie haggis, how can that be haggis?!", well I suppose it isn't really 'proper' haggis, but it has the same consistency and general taste, and best of all there are no wierd parts of animals in it.  Back home in Scotland I always buy the McSween's veggie haggis from the supermarket which is just delicious!  My dad who is a meat lover, even prefers the veggie one over the meat version...and if dad says it is good, then it must be! 
This is the veggie haggis ....

Haggis traditionally is a bit of everything thrown in altogether - hence the yuck parts of animals, pigs blood etc, see here for a traditional recipe.  I have to say that I love it!!!  My favourite is chicken breast stuffed with haggis,wrapped in parma ham and smothered with cream-mushroom sauce....yum!!!

The Address to a Haggis poem was written by Burns in 1786 and is traditionally read when serving the haggis. 

Address to a Haggis

Fair fa' your honest, sonsie face, 
Great chieftain o' the pudding-race! 
Aboon them a' ye tak your place, 
Painch, tripe, or thairm : 
Weel are ye wordy o'a grace 
As lang's my arm. 

The groaning trencher there ye fill, 
Your hurdies like a distant hill, 
Your pin wad help to mend a mill 
In time o'need, 
While thro' your pores the dews distil 
Like amber bead. 

His knife see rustic Labour dight, 
An' cut you up wi' ready sleight, 
Trenching your gushing entrails bright, 
Like ony ditch; 
And then, O what a glorious sight, 
Warm-reekin', rich! 

Then, horn for horn, they stretch an' strive: 
Deil tak the hindmost! on they drive, 
Till a' their weel-swall'd kytes belyve 
Are bent like drums; 
Then auld Guidman, maist like to rive, 
Bethankit! hums. 

Is there that owre his French ragout 
Or olio that wad staw a sow, 
Or fricassee wad make her spew 
Wi' perfect sconner, 
Looks down wi' sneering, scornfu' view 
On sic a dinner? 

Poor devil! see him owre his trash, 
As feckless as wither'd rash, 
His spindle shank, a guid whip-lash; 
His nieve a nit; 
Thro' bloody flood or field to dash, 
O how unfit! 

But mark the Rustic, haggis-fed, 
The trembling earth resounds his tread. 
Clap in his walie nieve a blade, 
He'll mak it whissle; 
An' legs an' arms, an' heads will sned, 
Like taps o' thrissle. 

Ye Pow'rs, wha mak mankind your care, 
And dish them out their bill o' fare, 
Auld Scotland wants nae skinking ware 
That jaups in luggies; 
But, if ye wish her gratefu' prayer 
Gie her a haggis!

 And here it is live in action....

I thought this was pretty cool...

Haggis is great washed down with whisky, but even better with Irn Bru...

Let's not forget the bagpipes.....

Wherever you may be, happy Burns Night!

Jennifer Angus....Insect Artist!

I just came across this Canadian artist, Jennifer Angus when I was doing some research for school.  She uses dried insects to make intricate patterns on walls and often creates full room installations. 

I think it is wonderful, and I'm in awe!

Some videos.....in these clips she talks about how she believes pattern is a language and is used for communication...an interesting thought!

This video shows in depth, the long process in which she goes about creating a piece for an exhibition...

'I Say Fever' by Ramona Falls...an awesome animated film clilp!

My husband just showed me this brilliant film clip for Ramona Falls' 'I Say Fever' film clip, and I love it!  It looks like it is made up from old Victorian illustrations and is very, very clever!  I especially love the part where the birds take the humans' heads off and they turn into animal heads!

Check it out....

This beardy man is very cute....

 This is the part I like best...

A beautiful little booky mystery...and Scottish to boot!

Oh my!  I've just watched this BBC clip on an anonymous paper artist who has been getting all the Edinburgh folks in a dizzy, and it's not hard to see why. 

"A gift in support of libraries, books, words, ideas….. and all things *magic*"

So some little crafty, paper genius is 'gifting' these intricate, delicate and magical sculptures to various cultural centres in Edinburgh, Scotland....libraries, museums and the lovely Film house cinema in honour - of their work.  The artist leaves messages and clues alongside the sculptures.  Quotes and inspiration from the work of Ian Rankin and Edwin Morgan appear, alongside delicate paper cuttings and mini paper mache sculptures, all of which seem to jump out of books......how lovely!!!

I found these images and more detailed information on the sculptures at this on line article.

JUST MAGIC!

(This makes me a little homesick for Scotland and Edinburgh!)

Brother by Mat Corby...just lovely!

I saw this on the Frankie magazine blog a few weeks ago.  I hadn't heard of Mat Corby before and I'm a little bit in love.  Isn't this song just lovely?! Isn't he just lovely?!

This song is on Triple J's Hottest 100 list - and I'm off to vote!

x

An Argument With Myself...a very cute song!

I love this little song, especially because it is based in Melbourne!  Isn't it fun when a place you know is in a song, book, film, TV show etc...it makes you feel kind of special!  Enjoy! x

Lucas Grogan

Hello folks,

I recently found a link to Lucas Grogan's work, and I love it!  He is a Melbourne based artist and his website is:  http://www.lucasgrogan.com/

You'll find this blurb about him on there...

"Lucas Grogan is a Melbourne based artist who uses needlepoint, installation, painting and drawing to explore themes of isolation, inclusion and cultural collisions, through an autobiographical lens. Having studied at the University of Newcastle, Grogan has exhibited in Sydney, Newcastle, Melbourne, Brisbane and Hong Kong. His work has been collected by Newcastle Region Art Gallery, Artbank, Duetsche Bank and private collections."
He uses a lot of blue and white, and I like that his work has lots of pattern, words and it looks like aboriginal paintings.  Best of all, it looks like he has a lot of fun with his work (I may be wrong, but I think it looks like a lot of fun to make)!

I especially love the piece 'You Look Terrific Babe' that he did for Movida (a great tapas bar in Melbourne) in Hosier lane, which is really close to The Forum and Federation Square.

You can see him in action in this link...

...and this one...