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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illustration friday: routine
Friday, August 22, 2008, 04:29 PM - General, Relationships, Music/Books/Film, Art/Design, Illustration, Illustration Friday


This is Lucinda (I suspect you know which one I am talking about)...

This is one of the pieces I have drawn for a story that popped into my head on Sunday about being true to yourself. Lucinda goes about her everyday in her wolf cloak. I'll post more of these soon, I am possibly half way.
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On TV
Sunday, August 3, 2008, 03:51 PM - General, Relationships, Music/Books/Film, Language, French


So, last Friday, France 3 came to our flat to film a segment on my man's new project COlivri. Today it was shown on the TV, as we don't have a TV we missed it, but supposedly it will be shown tonight as well. It is on line if you want to watch it : COlivri on line. It is in French of course.

Little side note: The photos are by Céline Maes (who doesn't have a website, naughty).
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illustration friday: poof!!!
Saturday, August 2, 2008, 01:26 PM - General, Relationships, Animals, Music/Books/Film, Art/Design, Illustration, Illustration Friday, French


Ahh, Horatio is told by Rémi what it is like to be in love and "poof!" he is seeing stars.

This is part of a series of illustrations I have done in a collaboration with a friend who wants to present her story to publishers in September. It is about an earthworm who falls in love with a star. I believe I have finished my initial drawing to see what they say.
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today's topic is music
Sunday, June 22, 2008, 11:03 AM - General, Relationships, Music/Books/Film, Art/Design, Illustration


In the process of checking out what some musicians are doing at the moment, I stumbled across Jonathan Keeley's new website. He has used one of my illustrations from his CD for the navigation, I am pretty impressed.

I also bought the new CD by Ponies in the Surf : See You Happy yesterday (off evil itunes, but I am anti-accumulation at the moment)... and have been listening to it obsessively, like I used to do as a teenager. Not sure which is my favourite track yet.

The SpookyScareCrows have added a few more crazy tracks to their myspace, eventually they'll get enough tracks together and I'll get to finish their CD cover for them. Keep going kiddies!
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