Inspiration for Hollywood
A real- and very spunky- ant photographed for the researchers at the Australian National Insect Collection. I feel a Spielberg movie coming on...
Great visit to ANIC
One of the benefits of WABA membership is behind-the-scenes visits to world-class collections. I recently arranged for our members a trip to the Australian National Insect Collection. It took me back to growing up with an 'ento' in the family. I loved the wing structure on this robber fly- part oriental comb, part baleen, part leaf. So many analogies come to mind and none of them at all relevant! I was stunned by the discovery of structural colour in many beetles- a feature we could perceive with 3D glasses. Now there is a red flag for speculative hypotheses!
Hyacinth Macaws coming along
A happy night in the studio because the commission is coming along well. The macaws are nestling nicely. The huge apple box above the studio, which normally keeps with company with a constant ticking of falling operculums, gifted me a perfectly shaped perching stick! I am not so happ with the feet. Planning a secret trip to the Bungendore antique shop... to inspect their pet parrot's feet at close range!
Dinosaur nest
So I had nowhere to store the children's soccer balls. The seasonal prunings sat contemplating the green waste bin for a week before an idea came to me. Every home needs one!
Lichen landscape
Artist- come and see this! Put away your polymer clay or stucco, ceramic, paint and angle grinder- in fact whatever toy you wield. It has all been done before... and better! We artists are full of holes and fall like the shadows on nature's canvas. I have seen good imitations of nature's 'modern art' on canvas but they lack the salt and crunch of the original. I like that I must fight the glare to glean something.
