Bliss by Peter Carey
Saturday, August 23, 2008, 02:18 PM - General, Relationships, Music/Books/Film, Language, English


Peter Carey's hero is a happy innocent; he remembers his childhood as a Vision Splendid, indulges his wife and children, and is universally regarded as a Good Bloke. Then he dies - only for nine minutes, it's a heart attack - and wakes up in Hell. His wife is unfaithful, his partner's a rat, his son pushes drugs, his daughter sells herself, his advertising company promotes products that cause cancer.
Against these torments Carey provides a saviour: hippy Honey Barbara, pantheist, healer, whore. Honey is to Harry as Isis is to Osiris. Together they conquer Hell and retire to the forest where their children inherit the legend of paradise regained...
THE NEW STATESMAN


Peter Carey's Bliss is a book I read a long time ago, just after I left school, and recently re-read to see if my impression of it had changed. I was pleased to realise that it had. I have heard many mixed reactions towards the book despite it's award winning status. It hasn't aged, and is full of Carey's love of the Australian vernacular (sometimes I wonder if anyone else understands what he is talking about outside of Australia), and it actually made me laugh again and cry (at the end), despite knowing the story.
I have written this commentary for COlivri, join in the discussion if you wish.
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60km ride... and then some
Monday, June 16, 2008, 09:13 AM - General, Relationships, English, French


Yesterday, we went on a "60km" bike ride with the ADAV (like the reclaim the streets crew in Australia) from Roubaix EuroTeleport, along the canals to Kortrijk (Courtrai) and then west along the canals, which was called the Lys then back into France once we hit Werwicq, went south through Lincelle, Bondues, Mouvaux, ROUBAIX! 83kms. It rained from about midday to 4, I was cold most of the day, but at least I had a wet weather top, unlike the VdB who was covered in mud, plus soaked.
The reason we did it was to see if we could do it, plus how we would feel the next day, and if we could do it again... and again for about 1000kms. You think we're crazy don't you? We have talked about doing a ride in France before, but the opportunity came up to, perhaps ride from Lille to Entrevaux (and hour North of Nice, in a car) where VdB's father has a property, for the 14th Of July.
I don't feel too bad now I am moving, but damn my butt hurts where I sat on the saddle all day. That is really my only complaint. I don't think we are ready to do it. Not this time.
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Can you believe I have finished it?
Thursday, June 5, 2008, 04:47 PM - General, Relationships, Art/Design, Illustration, Stores: Etsy, Blue House, Screenprinting, English, French


With much patience and letting me come twice a week from Alain, I have finished the Ern Malley book! I have to have an exclamation mark, because it is necessary.
If you would like to see the work I have done on Ern Malley, have a look at my Flickr Set: Ern Malley, there are scans of the book in there now too. I haven't put them on my website yet, I need more time than Flickr needs to do that, and I am too excited!
If you are at all interested in obtaining a copy of the book, feel free to contact me. I may put one in my Etsy Store soon.
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almost, almost...
Friday, May 30, 2008, 02:06 PM - General, Relationships, Art/Design, Illustration, Screenprinting, English, French




So, as you can see, my book is finished... kind of. It is printed. I am now counting how many complete, perfect copies there are, folding... nominating certain copies to certain people (who asked for particular defects for example). Next step is to sew them, sign, number et voila!
It feels strange to see it done.
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illustration friday: dance
Tuesday, June 20, 2006, 06:56 PM - Art/Design, Illustration, Illustration Friday, English


Joan figured that after her operation, she had extra space to hold Sunday night dances for penguins.

I drew this little black and white treasure on the Eurostar back from London, resisting to read Penguin Lost by Andrey Kurkov after reading Death and The Penguin in a matter of two days. Something I have fallen out of the habit of doing due to English books not always being easy to find without an internet hunt. Especially when you are a "reading snob" as I am called. So I bought his second book while in the middle of the first, so I had it. Glad I did.

Anyhow, Penguins were burnt into my brain.
So we have dancing penguins.
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