matouenpeluche

Martin Sharp

This is Sydney artist and legend Martin Sharp circa 1970. I went to a terrific retrospective exhibition of his work at the Museum of Sydney last week.

Martin Sharp, born (1942) and raised in Sydney, is seen as Australia's number one pop artist. He is best known internationally as the album cover artist for Cream's Wheel's of Fire, the exploding Jimi Hendrix painting and the Mr Tambourine Man Bob Dylan portrait.

 

(Top two images from Art and Australia Vol.47 Spring 2009)

(Disraeli Gears LP Cover from here)

He also co-wrote songs with Eric Clapton, published scandalous (for the 60s) magazines, restored and renovated Sydney's Luna Park, was friend and collaborator of (Tip Toe Through the Tulips) Tiny Tim, designer and artist for beautiful Sydney event posters in the 70s and 80s and a whole heap of other things! Actually, the exhibition itself is a real 4D experience with all his posters and knick knacks displayed in the one huge room. I've decided to go back sometime soon and properly photograph it.

 

(Top: Babylon the great is fallen, fallen. Revelations 18 v2. 2000 - 2006 from the Spring Historic Houses magazine. Bottom three images are postcards from the exhibition: The Sydney Opera House is ten 1983, Tiny Tim, The Chameleon 1982 and Eternity, Haymarket! 1977)

  Martin Sharp was a hero of mine when I was a young cartoonist and illustrator in Sydney so this exhibition was a real treat for me to go to. His posters like the one above of Sydney's Haymarket particularly remind me of my youth and memories of Sydney at that time.

Hope everyone is having/ will have a fabulous weekend!

A (little) Thursday pick me up...

I'm not sure about other countries, but in Australia this kitten is too young to drive...

What I've been up to...

Above is a drawing I did of two sisters over the weekend. It's called Sisters II because I already have a Sisters I as you may or may not recall. I've actually realised that I have a thing for drawing two gals together and that I have well over five "two gals together" prints in my shop now! I think I like the idea of sisters or best friends, compadres if you like. ...and these two gals are in my shop!

 

Also on the weekend, I went to The Museum of Sydney to check out the Martin Sharp retrospective exhibition. Sharp is a famous Sydney pop artist but more on him later - he deserves an entire post to himself - I'm thinking later in the week with any chance! However, I went to the shop at the museum and found some choice Sydney Harbour Bridge painting and lithograph postcards! Yippee because I collect postcards and images from the '30s of the bridge! Here above Sydney Bridge Celebrations 1932 by Adrian Feint, a front cover illustration of The Sydney Mail 1930 by 'F.W' and Building the Bridge by Ralph Emmerson Curtis 1933.

...and I've been thoroughly enjoying wearing the two delightfully pretty rings by Christina of Etsy shop Down and Out Chic (this is her gorgeous blog) seen here above on the right being modelled by Clyde that naughty rabbit. On the left Clyde is modelling a sweet pair of earrings handmade by Gabbi of beautiful blog Felinofelice! I feel very lucky indeed to have these in my earring collection - thank you so much Gabbi!

Hope everyone is having a lovely week!

Ladies and Gentlemen we have a winner...

Yes! We have a winner to the Rose competition and it is David of Art Deco Buildings! Congratulations David! Thank you to everyone who entered!

Meanwhile, Happy Monday and here is a George Barbier to sooth the soul...it's called The Purchase and it can be found here.

Shadow Shot Sunday!

This is my Shadow Shot Sunday snap for the week! It's an architectural ornament on the roof of a building in Macleay Street Potts Point. It's a birdie type thing sitting in a crown/ foliage type thing.

 

 Shadow Shot Sunday is a fabulous meme hosted by that top gal Tracy of Hey Harriet. All are welcome to enter - here are the rules on how to do so.

 

...and don't forget to enter my COMPETITION! You could win three of my prints! Entries close tonight at midnight.

Hope everyone is having a lovely weekend!

Happy Halloween and congratulations Christopher Lee!

(Images from here)

So, Happy Halloween! Even though we are not huge Halloween people us Australians I have been noticing the celebration getting more popular here every year. And I totally approve! It's a heap of fun and a great excuse to dress up and have a party! We had some interesting characters at school yesterday: Spider man, the devil, and a fairy - but my favourite was a very pretty lady bug.

While surfing the web this morning I saw that the beloved Hammer house of horror Meister himself Christopher Lee (seen above as Dracula) was knighted yesterday. Keith of Coolness is Timeless has a terrific post about him here if you'd like to read more. 

I have also been thoroughly enjoying my Art Nouveau birthday book. Here are some more paintings by artist Fernand Khnopff which I thought were a little on the eerie side and perfect for Halloween today...The painting above is The sphinx or Caresses (1896) and the one below is I lock my door upon myself (1891).

Happy weekend all you lovely people out there!!

An afternoon stroll...

It was such a fine day today that I went for a walk this afternoon straight after work. Actually, it is these glorious jacaranda trees that got me out the door. I have been meaning to photograph them for a while now and they seemed to be at their peak, blossom-wise, this afternoon! This one above is a beauty.

After that my boyfriend and I went for a stroll in the pretty afternoon light. I just love daylight saving - the long evenings are the best ever in my opinion! Below are a few of the sights we saw on our walk.

No walk is complete however, without the furry purry ginger tom running out for a tickle and hello just as you get home. I'm sorry these photos of Jaffa don't show his pretty face but every time I get the camera out he goes all shy! At least you get a good idea of his lovely plush ginger coat! You can't hear him purring though - he is spectacularly good at this!

Thank you to everyone for all the lovely comments about my work! It's very encouraging! ...and don't forget the COMPETITION!! It finishes on Sunday evening and on Monday morning I'll be using ye olde Random org thingy to choose who the winner is!

Happy Thursday/ Friday everyone!

COMPETITION!

 

WIN a 4" X 6" = 10cm X 15cm Rose the Circus girl print and two other same sized prints of your choice from my shop!!

HOW?

Visit my shop and leave a comment below telling me which two other prints you would choose should you win.

Entries close midnight Sunday November 1st.

Hope everyone's week is off to a good start!

On the street where I live + Shadow Shot Sunday

This is my Shadow Shot Sunday photo of one of my favourite streets in Sydney and I feel very lucky indeed to live just around the corner from it. It's called Macleay Street and it runs from Kings Cross down to Potts Point where it turns into Wylde Street and then curves down the hill past the naval vessels moored at Woolloomoolloo/ Garden Island and Russell Crowe's house!! True!

Shadow Shot Sunday is a terrific meme set up by all round good guy Tracy of Hey Harriet fame! Anyone can enter...here are the instructions on how to do so!

...and here are some more shots along this pretty street...

A Day at the Races

In Australia we have a major sporting event coming up soon. It's called The Melbourne Cup. This is the 3 minute horse race which famously "stops the nation". Literally. If you happen to be walking the streets of any city in Australia whilst the race is on you will feel like an extra out of Omega Man as you'll be entirely alone. Everyone else in indoors with their hats on eyes glued to the screen clutching their horse betting slips to their breast. It's on every year on the first Tuesday of November.

...and everyone has to wear a hat. I mean everyone. So, as you can imagine the shops here are full to the brim (sorry) with hats. Which leads me to my latest drawing: A Day at the Races! This lovely young thing wearing part fascinator part retro '40s glam hat is now in my shop! You can find her HERE.