Impressionism - Revenge of the Nice

Matthew Collings has a unique way of presenting art to general audience.

I saw him in his brilliant art series 'This is Modern Art', and I really liked his dry sense of humour and his sharp tongue in his presentation.
Very different from another favourite of mine Simon Schama.

There are four artists discussed in this program.
Courbet, Manet, Monet and Cezanne.

I've never read or heard anything that included Courbet in Impressionism movement.
So, this is very interesting.

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Oil Painting Portrait Workshop at Victorian Artists Society - Day 3

I'm not so sure where I'm going on this one :(
I'll be finishing it next week.

Work in progress.

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Oil Painting at Last Peek Studio

Ali

Oil on canvas. 14 x 16 in.

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Ben Quilty; Midday interview in Classic FM

I can't remember when I first saw his painting.
Probably four or five years ago.
He was a finalist of Archibald Prize.

I was immediately taken by his painting style.

Amazingly thick paints were all over the canvas, very bold colours, still, it captured the essence of its subject so beautifully that it surely stood out.

He didn't win the prize that year, but, I became a big fan of his painting since then.

He went to Afghanistan in 2011 as a war artist, and recently had an exhibition in Sydney.

He was in Australian Story at ABC recently. It clearly showed the depth of this artist.

This is another great interview by ABC Radio National. It's definitely worth listening to.

Here is the link.

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'The Fabric of the Cosmos' by Brian Green

I'm a big fan of Brian Green. He is one of what I call 'Four Horsemen' of science, along with Richard Dawkins, Brian Cox and Neil Tyson.

I've read his three best seller books, The Elegant Universe, The Fabric of the Cosmos and The Hidden Reality, but, I must admit, the subject matters are very difficult to understand, despite his admirable efforts to try to make them easier for non scientists.

This four part series does an excellent job to do exactly that.

With amazing computer graphics, he explains the most complex science, Quantum Mechanics, Multiverse, Parallel Universe, Big Bang, String Theory, Arrow of Time, Thermo Dynamics, etc....

Truly a superb documentary which one can watch again and again.
And, how wonderful it is to be able to know a little bit about these majestic things called the Cosmos.

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Vincent Van Gogh - Painted With Words

This superb docudrama from BBC is very unique, in a sense that most of the dialogues are based on the letters exchanged between Van Gogh and his brother Theo.

I liked this format very much. I think it works brilliantly, along with very convincing performance by Benedict Cumberbatch.

It traces this tormented man's life. It's very touching and beautifully shot.
There's not much we didn't already know, but, again, because they're all words written in the letters, it succeeds in bringing viewers far much deeper into his mind.

"Drawing is the root of everything.
My plan is not to spare myself. Not to avoid a lot of difficulties and emotions.
It is of relative indifference to me whether I live a long or a short time.

I'm concerned with the world only in that I have a certain obligation or duty, if you like, having walked the world for 30 years... to leave a souvenir of gratitude in the form of paintings or drawings."

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Oil Painting Portrait Workshop at Victorian Artists Society - Day 2

I'm very pleased with this painting.
Barbara is an amazing artist and a great teacher.
"Squint. Step back. Negative space. Compare adjacent colours. Measure the distance. Triangulation. Be bold...."
I'm really enjoying the workshop in this historic building.

John

Oil on canvas. 14 x 18in.

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Oil Painting, Life Drawing

 Oil on canvas. 12 x 16 in.

Naomi

 

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John Anderson at Australian Galleries

These paintings could be described as scenes from American Graffiti.

Cars, ice cream cones, jelly beans, young boys and girls.... Guns and airplanes, swimming pools...

The artist has a masterful skill to put these things together in beautiful impressionistic paintings.

These images are things he has been through.

I really like these optimistic, playful, but, in a sense very restrained paintings.

“The painting process is really a series of intuitive moves.”

"Painting is supposed to be a journey where you find something out”.

“I don’t want to be too obsessed with them, but sometimes you just have to paint your way through something …”

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Henri Cartier-Bresson; The Man, The Image & The World

This superb book contains more than 600 photographs, film stills and drawings by one of my favourite photographers in the 20th century.
And, definitely one of the most important.

I'm amazed how beautiful this hefty book is. It's quite big and the quality of prints is beyond my expectations.

I'm always captivated by his works. He had a capacity to transform everyday subjects into wonderful price of photographic art.
He was really able to see and capture the moment better than anyone else.

I just love every single photo in this marvellous retrospective book.

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Oil Painting Portrait Workshop at Victorian Artists Society - Day 1

Work in progress.

Today is the first day of this two month painting workshop at this iconic building in City.

I just love the atomospher of this place, where giants like John Brack or Fred Williams studied drawings and paintings.

Our tutor is Barbara McManus. She teaches pastel as well as oil painting, and I found she's very approachable. I like her impressionistic way of painting.

I learned a lot today. More than anything else, she taught me how to start blocking out space with colours straight way, rather than drawing a sketch first. Then building up the structure one at a time.

It's very intimidating at first, but, I really loved this method.

All the other students are very talented and skilled. It's amazing to see how they work.

It was really a fantastic session, and I'm looking forward to next week.

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Salon Melbourne

Australia's top three hairstylists got together in  Melbourne, and conducted a cutting seminar today.

Each has their own trade mark cutting styles, and seeing them in action was a great experience.

As expected, Frank did his signature geometric cut, Joey incorporated a barber technique, and Damian showed us how he approaches curly hair.

It was great to see Paul from Biba. I always get an enormous inspiration and encouragement from him.


Joey Scandizzo

   


Frank Apostolopoulos

    


Damian Rinaldo

   

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Oil Painting at Last Peek Studio

Not quite happy with colours :(
It's really a boring one.

Regina

Oil on canvas. 14 x 18 in.

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Collected Poems of Edna St. Vincent Millay

The first time I heard of the name of this American poet was from a lecture by Christopher Hitchens.

He was a guest speaker at PEN AMERICA with Salman Rushdie, commemorating the legacy of Arthur Miller.

He was quoting 'Conscientious Objector', with regards to the threat we face in the 21st century, i.e. Islamic Jihadist.

I shall die, but
that is all that I shall do for Death.
I hear him leading his horse out of the stall;
I hear the clatter on the barn-floor.
He is in haste; he has business in Cuba,
business in the Balkans, many calls to make this morning.
But I will not hold the bridle
while he clinches the girth.
And he may mount by himself:
I will not give him a leg up.

Though he flick my shoulders with his whip,
I will not tell him which way the fox ran.
With his hoof on my breast, I will not tell him where
the black boy hides in the swamp.
I shall die, but that is all that I shall do for Death;
I am not on his pay-roll.

I will not tell him the whereabout of my friends
nor of my enemies either.
Though he promise me much,
I will not map him the route to any man’s door.
Am I a spy in the land of the living,
that I should deliver men to Death?
Brother, the password and the plans of our city
are safe with me; never through me Shall you be overcome.

I was immediately besotted by this and since then, she becomes one of my favourite poets.

There are so many great works in this collection and it's very difficult to pick the best one.

Here, I'd like to quote probably her best known poem, 'First Fig'.

It's a very short and simple one, but, I see an immense beauty in this poem.
It always reminds me of Japanese Haiku poems.

My candle burns at both ends;
It will not last the night;
But ah, my foes, and oh, my friends—
It gives a lovely light!

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'Funk Up Your Head' competition

One of our apprentices at Zucci Hairdressing in Ivanhoe, Kate, entered this competition by Pivot Point Academy, and I took a photo of her work.
A lot of time and energy went into this.

Please go to the Facebook link below, and "Like" it, if you like :)
And if you can share it with others, that would be even better.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10200349388951193&set=o.138144279550259&type=1&theater

Thanks for your help.

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