Saturday, June 5, 2010

Art in the land of Oz




This April I took a trip to Melbourne, Australia. I brought a suitcase full of paintings and had a very successful show in a studio in the St Kilda area. You can read all about it in my article in the latest issue of Island Arts Magazine. I also spent much of my time there painting the incredible eucalyptus trees and exotic flowers that are native to the land of Oz.

The climate, during their autumn, is about as perfect as it can get – nice and warm, with clear blue skies. That's the number one thing I would have liked to bring home with me. But I did bring home something of equal value – a greater knowledge of the art of Australia. And I only scratched the surface. Besides what one would expect, the fascinating aboriginal art, Federation Square has a wonderful collection of 19th thru 21st century art. And then there is the street art – wild and colourful graffiti that brightens walls in the downtown area as well as the suburbian shopping districts.

When I think of Melbourne, my vision is one of red brick, architecture that ranges from Victorian to ultra-modern, lush overflowing gardens, the bare-barked gums, and the dance of graffiti through it all. The question isn't, am I going back? The question is, when?

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