CRIMSON AND CLOVER

I don't know why I still get surprised when I try and draw horses and it's just really goddamn difficult.

Anyway, this one is for a childhood memory of spending all day with my best friend making clover chains to put on our horses. She had a brown-and-white paint who used to bolt hills and run under trees, but was otherwise pure sweetness, and I had a red-chestnut named Mohawk, who had a sun-bleached mane, and couldn't put a foot wrong if he tried. 

It's also for the recent realisation that if I can call that particular memory my own, I was granted a very, very special life.

WANDERING: MONTJUIC CEMETERY

Volcom dress and backpack

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H&M hat

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LeSpecs glasses;

Harley Davidson boots

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Gypsy Warrior concho ring

; all other jewellery is vintage/market/eBay. 

I'm usually most awestruck by natural wonders -- I can see how cathedrals and big bridges are impressive, and I'm yet to see the pyramids or the Taj Mahal, so maybe I'll change my tune then, but usually I'll take a waterfall over a church, the ocean over an historic building. 

Montjuïc Cemetery in Barcelona might just be the exception to that -- we passed it on the drive in from the airport, on our first day in the city, and I couldn't stop thinking about it. It's almost incomprehensible how many families and individuals are emotionally tied to that steep mountainside overlooking the port. 

It's terrace upon terrace of the dead, but more importantly -- and less morbidly -- it's a huge monument to remembering the lives of loved ones, to enshrining the sacredness of life and everything that happens within it, and to pushing back the curtain for a few more years while people still visit the past, the lost love, while they still bring flowers and icons and wipe away the dust and soot. 

Mostly, it's the kind of place that makes you realise how awesome some man-made monuments can be, but it also illuminates the futile and naive frustrations that drive humans to make beautiful things.

 Even if we can't properly comprehend mortality and loss, at least we can make a damn good shrine to it. 

SKETCHBOOK: LOOK HOMEWARD, ANGEL

So, I've been away travelling for the past six weeks, around Europe and a little time back home on the north coast of New South Wales. Most of the above pages are from Italy and Spain, except the first few, which were drawn on my parents' farm, the product of 3am-jetlag-wake-ups and about 10 cups of tea in a row, as I celebrated my reunion with the good black leaves.

I'm now back in my normal world in Melbourne: I wake up to familiar bird calls and distant traffic hums; the tapwater tastes as it should; I no longer have to be alert to train stations as they slide past on the way to work; I know where to eat, where to shop, where to avoid; my desk in the office is the same as I left it, and the computer still has the same quirks; I pass the same people at lunchtime, and on the commute home; and, at the end of the day, the ignition, steering wheel and pedals of my car are all comfortingly

mine. 

Which all sounds entirely mundane.

And maybe it is, but I've realised that I actually thrive on routine and repetition; in days largely constructed of auto-pilot and well-worn paths. Because it is in the spaces around those routines, in the times when I can just let my mind wander, that I explore the other avenues and let my mind expand into different ideas and territories. For me -- and this is, of course, not for everyone -- routine creates a scaffolding of things-I-don't-have-to-think-too-hard-about, upon which I can hang a whole bunch of other weird magic musings and half-spun plans.

So I guess that means I'm happy to be home. At least, until the next bout of restless unease or wretched homesickness for the coast sets in ...

NEVER ONCE SEEN

Backpack, crochet wrap, and pants - Volcom; boots - Harley Davidson; sunglasses - Le Specs.

Frangelico and Coke on ice, old film cameras with perfect light leaks, poppies, passports, and a medium-sized brown dog. Twin Peaks, True Detective and Cormac McCarthy. Long baths with too-hot water, blood oranges in thin slivers, fire at sunset and spiced tea at dawn. John Lee Hooker, Steve Earle, and the Black Angels. Silence, dust, and iron chill. Travel plans, estimations of wonders to come. It’s two days now until we head toward home, and five days now before we take off for faraway lands, full of things we have never once seen before. 

SKETCHBOOK: WONDER SEEKER

FOR THIS MAGIC

On the train, listening to John Lee Hooker – and today John Lee Hooker, only, works for this magic – to make all the people disappear, and the train disappear, and the city disappear … to be replaced by green plains, by hills or trees, by a line of sight clear to the horizon. By solitude, by depth, by something closer to life and nature.

Things that are happening lately -- above and below ...

So, two exciting things – (1) I’m now a Volcom Ambassador, which means lots of new and exciting things are coming up. Also, other Ambassadors include crazy-amazing word-wizards and artists like Gemma O’Brien and Jamie Browne, so I’m in incredible company.

(2) I’m heading over to Europe in about a week, for six weeks – firstly to Belgium before a drive over to Sweden, and then Iceland (!!), before heading down to Italy and Spain.

This also means that as of tomorrow I’m shutting my online store for about two months … so if there’s something you have your eye on, make haste here!

So hopefully in among all this there’s time to start posting on here again – and also time for making some really cool content to share xx 

SEQUINS AND DOOM

Lenni the Label Doom Jacket, Volcom jeans, vintage hat, sunglasses and turquoise necklace.

I'm probably not the best collaborator. I should be, and I'd like to be, as an artist. But after spending so much time working alone, in my own head, in a bubble that at times is so intensely focused I can't even hear what is going on around me, it's a bit hard to admit someone else into that space. And when you're used to being the sole arbiter of ideas in your work, it's a weird thing to try and see someone else's vision. 

So, it's a good thing that Lenni the Label knows how to take an idea and run with it. The Doom Jacket is one of my very favourite incarnations of my work, mostly because, well, sequins and tie-dye. I love how Lenni took this tiny little drawing, that I wouldn't have thought twice about using anywhere, and made it something new and striking.

The only downside is that it's freezing and blowing arctic winds and rain in Melbourne right now, so it's really no time for short sleeves.

But soon enough ...

COLLECTIONS OF THINGS

Lately, I'm having an excellent time buying more books than I can read (on wildflowers, Ram Dass, Del Kathryn Barton), hiding from the cliche Melbourne weather (rain failing at whim, freezing and grey), painting on my hands, collective native flowers, and re-watching the Jurassic Park trilogy. 

ALSO, I've been cleaning up my collections of things (mostly stacks of paper, prints and sketchbooks), and so now I have a few prints with 30% off here, including some old favourites and some editions that I thought had run out. Just use the code PRINTSALE at the checkout. 

COLOUR AND LOVE

Leather jacket by Volcom.
Some things are simply beautiful and colourful and weird and fun.

SKETCHBOOK: WONDERFILLED AND AWESTRUCK

An accidental super-autumnal colour palette is beaming through lately -- it could be the depths of the Melbourne winter weighing too heavily on me, or just a new interest in native Australian flora. 

Anyway, this is my sketchbook/s lately -- I feel like I've spent a few huge weekends working on secret things I can't share yet, so it's nice to be able to share all these accumulated bits-and-pieces. 

Here's to more fires and a bit less rain, longer days and more exploring, and the best thing about winter, of course, jonquils and leucadendrons. 

MAKIN' MAGIC

Things keep being added to the to-do list; until, for some of the things, they’re too late to do. Good ideas are stacking up and being stored away; we’re thinking about major plans and minor goals – at 3am in the morning, on the drive to work, when we’re out running, or grocery shopping.

We’re thinking about planting vegetables that will survive the winter, about planning trips overseas, about brand management and business plans, about university applications, about moving house, about packing up, about something – anything – new. We’re scrabbling for a path that will free us up a little, searching for the salve that soothes young restlessness.

I know we’re all kinda like this.

But another thing I know, as I reschedule another plan, or put off chasing another idea, that as long as I can cross one thing off the list each day, I’m making progress. Slow progress, no doubt, but inevitable, indelible progress. 

THINGS ONCE COMMONPLACE

Above: Lenni embroidered 'Doom' coat, Trust the path unseen print.

Trying to see exponential value in things that I'm largely immune to the wonder of. 

VIBRANT VIBES

1. Balancing Weenie // Trust the path unseen print and Gypsy Warrior jewels.

2. Blue gel ink madness, collections, proteas.

3. I went home to the farm and held some baby goats // Autumnal optimism.

4. Ceremony print // Sketchbook musings.

5. Northern prep // Flash sheets.

6. More Northern…

7. Wayward one, available here … but I’ve taken quite a shine to it and might take it down and just keep it for myself // She’s Friday evenings, loud Ted Nugent and straight, warm whiskey – Nugent print available here.

8. Waratah rising // Flynn Skye dress-ups in the cactus garden.

9. Fisherking // Vibrant vibes.

10. Gum blossoms // Hydrangeas.

11. VB flower arrangements // Volcom love and proteas.

12. Rogues volts of euphoria (reading Tom Wolfe forever) // Overjoyed with commonplace beauty.

13. Weenie dawg // ELO. 

BLUE JEAN BABY

Volcom beanie and jeans; Pony Gold Wayward One hand-painted denim jacket; Gypsy Warrior rings; Vanessa Mooney necklace; all other necklaces, rings and glasses are vintage/market finds.

So the blog has been on a bit of an extended hiatus … with the last crazy weeks of the Northern exhibition at Southset Gallery, catching up with commission work and undergoing the rapid-morph into a winter hermit, I haven't been able to find much time to shoot photos and post them here. 

But hopefully that will change soon … I've got lots of big plans and ideas, as well as some crazy exciting adventures just a short way down the track.

… Stay tuned. 

WAYWARD ONE

Pieces from my solo exhibition 'Northern' are available for purchase online here.

LET'S DRAW

I made a little stop-motion video to celebrate the fact that next weekend I'm hosting an illustration workshop at Southset warehouse in Moorabbin, Melbourne. More info here. 

It's pretty laid-back affair, looking at materials, techniques, pursuing creative ideas, and a few little tips and tricks that I wish someone had told me when I was starting out! 

If you're in Melbourne, come hang out!

x

SKETCHBOOK: REMAINED UNTAMED

The sneaky southern hemisphere winter snuck up on me while I was working too hard and not taking care of myself properly; so now I have a super-dodgy flu and have been lying around watching movies and snuggling the Weenie Mutt for what feels like forever, but is only two days. 

Luckily I was hyper productive in the weeks before, so I can share all these sketchbook out-takes and musings with you, not to mention a whole wall of artwork on display over at Southset Gallery in Moorabbin. 

Get down there if you're in Melbourne -- the show is up until the end of May... plus we're running a kind of laid-back artist workshop, where I'll take you through some creative processes and techniques, different materials, ideas and how to develop them, as well as a few little tricks and tips I wish people had told me early on.

If you're interested, sign up here.  

 After that, I'm turning back into a little art hermit and keeping everything between the pages of my sketchbooks for a while. Oh, and if you can't make it down to Southset, some of the artworks are available for purchase online here.

NORTHERN X SOUTHSET

For those of you who couldn't/can't make it, here's a little sneak peak inside Southset gallery, where my artwork is hanging for the rest of May as part of my solo show, Northern. 

Thank you to everyone who helped out, and who came along to say hi. 

Also thanks to the lovely girls at String of Events who shot some pictures of the show too (check them out here).

If you're in Melbourne, you can check out the show by visiting Southset at 5 Levanswell Road, Moorabbin, open Fridays 2-6pm and Saturdays 10am-3pm. 

Also, I've put a couple of limited edition prints that were featured in the show up for sale  here, and my older prints (not including posters) are 20 per cent off, using the code: NORTHERN. 

STRANGE NATURE

Keilor, 2014. Rachel Urquhart.

The universe is no narrow thing and the order within it is not constrained by any latitude in its conception to repeat what exists in one part in any other part. Even in this world more things exist without our knowledge than with it and the order in creation which you see is that which you have put there, like a string in a maze, so that you shall not lose your way. For existence has its own order and that no man's mind can compass, that mind itself being but a fact among others.

IT'S TIME ...

Hey Melbourne friends -- and any friends inclined to travel -- come check out my work this Friday, May 2, at Southset Gallery in Moorabbin (5 Levanswell Road at 6pm). 

This is my first solo show, so it's super exciting and stressful and fun and probably responsible for the minor instances of problem drinking that are increasingly occurring as I approach deadline. But on that note, come down and have a beer and look at this weird stuff I made. I think some of it is pretty alright.