Flash Back

Looking back through photos from London in June 2008 I found a load of street art that I spotted on a walk around the Tate Modern. Some as part of an open air exhibition, others more genuine. A few familiar artists like Invader who I also spotted around Europe. 

Unrelated

Three unrelated images, from different times and places, but all taken the same day. Excitingly featuring three different things that catch my eye. Old advertising signage always interests me and this painted wall in Darlinghurst contrasted against the more modern buildings was an unexpected pleasure just north of Liverpool Street.

Now living in Camperdown I am more aware of street art than ever and this couple  by Wendy Murray made my walk a little more interesting. This was my first exposure to the work of the artist also know as Mini Graff. She is exhibiting at the oh really gallery from the 9th - 15th of April if you want to check out some more of her stuff.

Take away the function of a machine and it becomes an object. This trolley is at a loss without its wheels and look very lonely in the wasteland portrayed by this almost empty car park.

Found

Getting off at museum station today I noticed the pieces of paper dropped by another passenger. Being at the end of the line and the only one in the carriage I thought I should post the shopping list up just incase the owner is lucky enough to find it.

It is amazing the insight that a persons shopping list tells you. This person is obviously female, trendy, organised and caring. Amy will be receiving a Easter card which is very important as the underline suggests. Some kitchen odds and end, then the very fancy sounding soap. My mouth watered at the thought of yummy cookies, even though it goes into no more detail.

Then in a anonymous book recommendation you can check out '100 ways to make your life calm and creative', which i have googled back to this.

A very interesting snapshot of someone's life and a unique souvenir of my trip into the city.

For lovers of fine drop shadow

Using global light set distance to variable, then size and spread to zero.

Living on the street

Discarded on the street not knowing the way home and no one to care for him this nameless face waits patiently, hoping to once again be noticed and welcomed back into the arms of a loved one. 

Be brave little one, the nights are cold and the streets are rough but hope will get you through.

Place of the dead

Wandering the streets on a new route home I slipped through the gates of the church and followed fence around the cemetery . Hidden from the sounds of the city behind tall sandstone walls the broken tombstones and tall grass give the impression of a place forgotten by all, yet the well worn track winding through the plots suggests otherwise. 

St Andrews Cross spiders have strung their massive webs just to the side of the thoroughfare and wait patiently for their prey. In one web a male slowly and cautiously approached a female well aware that the situation could only end badly.

Old gravestones were subsiding and opening up holes in the ground, leading to mental images of the dead rising and roaming the grounds by night. The dense trees and open spaces play with the light across the site obstructing the view like a curved road leaving you always wondering what is just around the corner.

Public Transport

While zooming through traffic on the bus I often use the time to scribble ideas into my sketchbook and spend time reworking or touching up the drawings over a coffee or when the TV decides it has nothing of interest to show. I have tried this many times before but never committed to the entire trip. This time I made it from Circular Quay to the stop around the corner from my place in Camperdown. I positioned myself back and centre and as you can see lurched around for the better part of half an hour. 

On the right you can see where the driver bumped over a kerb startling pedestrians and the passengers who were engrossed in their books. At the top of the page a quick braking when the lights changed and he decided not to run the red this time.

When the hurried takeoffs did not match the rapid braking the pencil moved across the page creating densities of line as the bumpy roads moved my hand sometimes even to the point where it left the page - landing on a different area.

One day I will take the same journey and see if the road tells the same story again.

Oh Really

With a lazy Sunday ready to be taken advantage of I headed down to the Oh Really gallery to see the Australian Stencil Art prize. The gallery is perfect for the medium. Small and a little rough around the edges. Not to mention being a stones throw from King St Newtown and all the alleys decorated in some great art. Definitely worth a look if you are in the area.

Along with the gallery you should have a look down Weeks Lane where you will find one of the highest densities of street art in the area. Though the door below must have a story behind it with all the stencils being upside down.

I have no idea how many times I have walked past this sign (below) without it catching my eye. Now its all I see. Being new to the area I didn't know it before so here is the background on the site - a Guerilla Gardeners project.

Street art #2

These are just two of the pieces of local street art that make me smile every time. The music puts a tune in my head and usually I end up whistling to myself. Not that the tune is ever the same. Maybe one day I will put it on a scale and see if it works on piano. And Berk from the Trap Door has me as a 8 year old cross legged in front of the television laughing at the hyperactive Drutt and booming voice of the Thing Upstairs.

I am not a collector, but I collect

While out and about I can't resist dropping into every op shop and second hand dealer. These are two of my favourite pieces picked up recently. A fantastic worn leather camera case from around the 1920's, its beautiful warm tone and shapely latch will hopefully get some use as a new sketch kit. The second is a printing plate that I lugged back from Greenwich adding four kilograms to my check in luggage. I have reversed the image so that you can read the details. If you have primary school italian skills you should be able to work it out. Enjoy.

Cartographic art

One lazy day and a blank canvas later I managed to almost frantically put paint this canvas and add the illustration over the top after hanging it for an evening. Ruining it once then recovering for if nothing else an interesting finish. 

The base layer references the local area and the roads around my house while the illustration started with the birds that constantly perch in the garden, eying off the insects around our sprouting seedlings. Our occasional butterfly that flitters among the flowers is a pleasant change from the plague of moths that are attempting to devour every piece of clothing in the wardrobe.

Accidental art

These stacked milk crates were screaming out to me as I walked past. Bright blues, interspersed with reds and greens. A great structure and accidental art by the cafe workers.

Life drawing

Just for something different I have joined the Sydney Sketch Club to motivate me to put pencil to paper more often. The first event to pop up was life drawing. Having never done life drawing before it was great to have a group of people who were so professional about it. I can guarantee that I was the only 'artist' using a tech pencil and a sharpie marker. Finding drawing the same thing (person) multiple times a little tedious, I resorted to changing my style for nearly every sketch. Needless to say I walked away clean, while the others has charcoal from fingers to elbow. The next event is an outdoor and I am looking forward to getting out and socialising.

Street Art

The great thing about moving to a new neighborhood is finding the places that make it unique like this great wall of kung fu movie posters in Pierce St, Camperdown. Not my work but very cool. With plenty of street art around my area I will keep adding it here.

In the down time

Having only recently moved to Sydney I have a lot of spare time to search for work. Fortunately for some friends that means i have plenty of time to create engagement party invites (shown above without details until the event has passed) and format resumes and portfolios. Hopefully some of these projects lead onto something bigger. Until then I will take the opportunity to explore the city.

My adventures have recently taken me to the Object Gallery in Surry Hills to see 'Abundant'. Thoroughly impressed by the conceptual architecture that was exhibited for the International Architecture Exhibition in Venice, I was even more amazing to see the showcases of bird nests on which the detail was no less incredible.

The Scottish Highlands

Rooftop sunset

From a vantage point above the city of Goteborg  the Masthugget Church breaks above the horizon.

Paris by night

By night the bustling city of Paris takes on a glow and magical feel that only just makes its presence felt through these images. 

A Gehry surprise

Wandering the streets of Hannover this Gehry Tower came into view. What a great surprise for both an architect and a designer to come across. Its twisted frame made the rest of the city look far too straight.

The line

Tiny sketches done in seconds that say more than the lines they are made of.

A Touch of Colour

Captured moments

Sometimes you just don't have the time to sit and sketch or the moment passes too quickly. But with a click of the camera you can relive the moment again to capture the magic onto paper.

Sunset over Barney

On a evening walk through East Albury I put pencil to paper for this quick impression. Looking over South Albury, Wodonga and the Muray River everything is hidden by trees and the rolling hills took centre stage as the sun dipped below the horizon and played against the clouds.

Line Family

Very quickly sketched and then later grouped together these four emerged while riding the tube to work in London.

A flavour from home on a train ride to work

Sitting on a cramped train, after a ride on a cramped bus with an English flu an Australian flavoured sketch was what appeared. With a very quick colouring in photoshop I may have to come back to this one at some stage to see if i can do it justice.