A Beautiful Book

This has to be one of my all time favourite illustrated books but

it comes with a rather hefty price tag. I only own a diary version.

If you are feeling particularly affluent today it is available from

 Amazon.com

...lucky you! xox

Georges Méliès

I have long been in love with the fantastique work 

of french film pioneer Georges Méliès.

His visions have greatly inspired my work in performance,

my art making, and my creations of costumery and millinery.

A box set of over 170 of Georges Méliès films

is now availiable from Amazon. C'est maqnifique!

Hey Mickey!

Mickey by Sir Peter Blake 

1930s Dean Rag Book Co. velveteen toys here and here

Cyndi Lauper with Mickey Mouse at Disney World, Florida 

Lucky Boy Sunday (& vintage toys)

Mickey and Minnie at Disneyland 1959

Pop Art by Hannah  (Ms. Rosa's 3rd Grade Class)

I found another great Disney book in an Op shop recently.

It's filled with loads of beautiful colour reproductions and a 

whole chapter on early Disney work entitled 'The Mousetro'.

The book's called The Best of Disney
and it's also available at Amazon.

the images above aren't from the book... 
just a few of my more obscure Mickey favourites

xox

French Modern

I absolutely LOVE this interior ↓

First published in Ameublement et Decoration Modernes

I love the beautiful shapes of Mid-Century Modern designs.

This wonderful interior is from a 1961 french design magazine.  

Can you believe it? Such a contemporary looking space!

Images via Modern Findings

{Mirka}

The Mirka exhibition at 

HEIDE 

finishes tomorrow.

Mirka Mora and the circle of artists she belonged to,

have been of such inspiration to me and my work.

Books on her art, and that of the rest of the Heide Circle ,

have been at my fingertips ever since I can remember...

the exhibition catalogue

is available here online

her use of symbolism... flowers, birds, angels, dolls, animals;

'primativ style; mythical, fairytale themes and vast portfolio

metamorphosising as painting, sculpture, mosaic and more,

has captured my vivid imagination ever since I was a child.

Mirka Mora with her soft sculptures

My grandmother Clare, learnt doll-making from Mirka at 

the CAE in the 1970s and produced many beautiful mythical

creatures and dolls in this house where I am now living.

She and my grandfather ran a kind of folk art gallery up here

with a regular weekend market selling local arts and crafts,

and had glass cases built in which Clare exhibited her dolls.

doll by Clare K. Woods (my grandmother)

I spent endless hours as a little girl watching my

'Nana' create all manner of beautiful art objects.

Strangely enough, where we were living in the city for 3 years,

was directly across from Mirka's old studio at 8 Rankins Lane.

my 'Heidi' doll

I would stare at it every day from my own tiny workroom...

How nice it would have been to have popped into Mirka's on

my breaks for a cup of coffee and a chat about doll making.

Ari outside the doorway to Mirka's old studio

The Museum of Modern Art at Heide 

is one of my favourite places to visit around Melbourne

the old farm house at Heide

I love the history of the place, and I love so much the work

of the artists that it (and John and Sunday Reed) supported.

Girl by Joy Hester 1957

The gardens are so beautiful, especially th kitchen garden,

and the modernist building is a really incredible space to visit...

Heide II

But it's such a pleasure to me, being able to walk through

the old house since it's restoration, and imagine what it would

     have been like...

as a sanctuary for artists through the 1930s to the 1950s

John Reed cutting Joy Hester's hair 

while Sunday Reed Watched

Once Upon A Time

'greetings from the wonderful world'

my collage works on vintage card circa 2008

Well, we finally went to see the Disney exhibition at 

ACMI last Friday... and it was really truly wonderful!

I know a lot of people have issues with the world of Disney... being a corporation... past political alliances... the faceless no. of artists creating each piece that the Disney name is then put to... but the work itself, especially when one is given the 'oh so rare' opportunity to view it up close and personal, is simply incredible.

Walt Disney was definitely a visionary, I'll say that about him!

ONCE UPON A TIME: WALT DISNEY
THE SOURCES OF INSPIRATION FOR THE DISNEY STUDIOS

I purchased this fabulous book a few years back.
It's available here online and is well worth a read.

When you think about it The Walt Disney Studios have had
just as much influence on art and artists (if not more) as they
themselves have been influenced by the work of others...

The Saddest Place on Earth: 
The Art of Camille Rose Garcia