Eastern Suburbs Art Group

I was in Ruschutters Bay on 2 May and we popped into M Contemporary to have a look at two artitsts' work. Eloise Cato uses a black substance to create vibrant and dynamic objects (see above). These look like something out of a Harry Potter movie, which I guess was the intention. Somehow they are both traditional and futuristic. Hannalie Taute's work (above) uses an embroidered feature in large reproductions of historical photographs. There is a feminist dynamic here due to the use of a traditionally female medium (embroidery), as well as the association with outdated ideas belonging to the past. Punchy and interesting.

Yesterday went with friends, including one who is also an artist, to sell paintings on the Goods Line in Haymarket. I got there early so by the end of the day was quite tired. We got a spot ear xthe east end of the area designated for selling. I sold one 4-panel painting but importantly had three nice conversations with prospective buyers. The busiest time was from midday to about 2pm. It was a gorgeous sunny day. My friend happily sold two paintings, so everyone was happy. I got the bus/train there and back.

Bronwen and her mother Pamela came along to the show in Ensign, and we met other friends there in Enmore including Christopher, Natasha, Yianni, and Christine. A wide range of mediums and subjects all with the commonality of the colour. A lively crowd kept up conversation for the 90 minutes that we stayed. I made a purchase (see below) and the artist Henry Yuan was in the gallery for the show. Henry in fact has done some beautiful portrait photos of me, which I use regularly when applying for things online. He told me his parents were in the theatre business, so performing is in his blood. The photo looks like a painting it is so detailed.  On the way home I stopped off in Botany and bought Indian food to eat.

It was my honour to be selected to feature on this occasion but I'm afraid my renditions of worls I'd written wasn't all that crash-hot. In addition to some sonnets and dream journals I read a chapter from a prose poetry collection titled 'Winter Nouns'. This was a first for me. I had done sonnets on many other occasions but the ones I chose this time felt wrong. The dream journals were fine. The prose poem was just a jumble of words. But it was great to have the opportunity to air my creations. With an audience. In fact it's always a knowledgeable audience, and I was particularly indebted to Jordan for his insights. I also brought along copies of 'Gold 4WD', my book of poems.

Esag got together with dancers for a casting meeting tonight at Coogee Diggers.  We filmed the performances, which were I think uniformly interesting. It was amazing to me how people could get together and in ten minutes choreograph such diverse routines. We have pencilled in 21 August as the night of the performance. A new website will be made soon.

I had to drop something off so caught this show while at the gallery. Obviously the common element of all the items in the show is the round shape. The one on the left in the photo below is by Kate Riley who runs the gallery with Felix Oppen. There was a large variety of circles, in different objects. The one below shows an emu mum with emu chicks and some other type of bird. I thought it rather sweet, but also slightly enigmatic. I bought the following photo by Michael Comerford. I liked it aesthetically but it also struck a chord with me because it dhows Anzac Bridge and Pyrmont.

Full house tonight and three of my friends turned up (John, Paul, and Mic). We had limericks, opera, and folk songs, haiku, and sonnets and everything else in-between. Jordan (see pic above) read a long rhyming poem. We chatted about rhyme a bit during the break and both agreed that the restriction that rhyme puts on you can be liberating. Caroline (above pic) read out some of her haikus that have been published in the 'Poets at Petersham Bowlo' Anthology. Short and interesting works of high entertainment value. Above pic shows Reggie, John's friend. I didn't take a photo of John singing it was so extraordinary. Another good singer was Marcus who moved the room with his lyrical meditation on being robbed in New York. We had to cut short the second reading session because there had been so many performers, a second session was unnecessary. It's never happened before, said Ann, one of the convenors.