Cheryl Orsini

Another dear friend from my University days is the marvellously talented illustrator/designer Cheryl Orsini. With a cheeky sense of humour, a wicked grin and whimsy in the mix, she and her work make me smile and giggle and very happy! Oh, and make me want to be a kid again, or just have my own so I can read them her books!!

Cheryl's cute as a button blog: http://cherylorsiniillustration.blogspot.com/

Edwina White's animation The Way the Wind Blows

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZJRJ_X9LjE

My Etsy Shop

Today I opened shop online with Etsy... Yeehah! So you can now buy my handmade creations you may have seen on my website. Enjoy!

Dance Parade NYC

Oh to be in New York city this coming Saturday 16th May!!! Dance Parade is happening. I ask all of those readers in NYC to get yourself, your feet, legs, hips and booty down to Broadway at 1pm to shake it, wiggle it, jump it, sweat it, bump and grind it all the way to Tompkins Square Park, and have oodles of fun for me too... I'd be there if I could, let me tell you - there's not much I love more than dancing for pure pleasure... Have been known to happily dance in public... Check the link for more details.

The official site: http://danceparade.org/EE/

Michael Leunig

Michael Leunig (portrait by Jacqueline Mitelman) is in my opinion Australia's National Living Treasure (as in the Japanese tradition!). He is a much loved cartoonist, poet and philosopher, whose wisdom a friend of mine En-En sent me the other day... My heart was touched - everytime I read one of his poems or look at his whimsical drawings, I just feel home and thankful that he exists to share his wisdom and humour with us! I've even had dreams about Mr Curly (top)...

Here is the Spring prayer that En-En sent me...

Dear God,
We celebrate Spring's returning and the rejuvenation of the natural world. Let us be moved by this vast and gentle insistence that goodness shall return, that warmth and life shall succeed, and help us to understand our place in this miracle. Let us see that as a bird now builds its nest, bravely, with bits and piece, so we must build human faith. It is our simple duty; it is the highest art; it is our natural and vital role within the miracle of Spring; the creation of faith.
Amen
Thank you Leunig

Maria Fernanda Cardoso

My dear friend Brandy sent me the exhibition leaflet for this wonderful Columbian born artist Maria Fernanda Cardoso, who lives and works in Sydney. Her latest exhibition at Grant Pirrie Gallery Emu Wear features elaborate wearable pieces made from Emu feathers! They are exquisite and seem to cross boundaries between shamanistic tribal coats, cloaks of Maori elders or Native Americans and the world of western Haute Couture...

Joetta Maue

Today I discovered a fellow text embroidering artist Joetta Maue, who lives in Brooklyn New York, and whose artist statement on her website made me cry with a sense of recognition and silent complicity... another kindred spirit is out there!

Not only is she a word embroidering artist but also a medium format photographer! Spooky, but oh so lovely this kind of sychronicity...

I love her blog also... will be keeping an eye on this little yellow birdy and who knows, maybe one day our work will hang in the same space?