Just popped up a new web site for the good folks at Mountain Breeze …

Couldn’t resist getting another Dunny. This time the blind box revealed a treasure by Amanda Vissel. The American artist gives a healthy nod to the wonderfully simple angular shapes, and muted tones of 50s Beatnik art.

Thanks to my new chums at Villain in Sydney Rd, Brunswick.

I’m becoming a big fan of a little store on Sydney Rd, Brunswick… 696 is a low commission based, free rental space, shop/indoor-outdoor gallery, which supports local, national and international talent and just cool knick-knackery in general.

Last night I sucked back a few VBs at their latest gig - Get Trucked. Dozens of artists were given a blank trucker cap to customise. All were sold at a flat rate, and proceeds will go to charity.

The small space was bursting with millinery magnificence

An outstanding piece by M2O

Melika. of 696, in all her truckery finery

Pierre Lloga with his hat creation

Tam in front of the hat she bought by Shauno

Tam’s buy

Me in front of my new hat by Beastman

The Beastman cap

One of the main things I wanted to do when I arrived in Melbourne was to drink free wine. The best place to do that is at gallery openings. The fact that I’m fond of art makes for a happy, drunken marriage.

September saw me drink quite a bit of free wine. Here are some highlights …

Making-doo by Niels ‘Nails’ Oeltjen
Lamington Drive, Fitzroy

Niels’ work looks like Steampunk scenes painted by an Eastern European folk artist. Huge boards are covered in sundried colours, and depict machines as houses, and birds free of their cages.

Niels in front of the mural he created for the exhibition

Niels and his mum in front of a quilt she made, based on one of his paintings

The very lovely Carly and Tam in front of Niels’ signature piece

Japanese Pop and Modern Art
Collingwood Gallery

30 Japanese artists came together for a very eclectic show. Everything from calligraphy to manga was bursting from the walls in the sizable gallery.

Izumi Ishihara provided some live painting

Some sculptures chillin’

Tam in front of her favourite piece … I was 1 wine away from buying it!

BOMBSHELL BABES
Kustom Lane Gallery, Hawthorn

One of my favourite galleries in Melbourne is Kustom Lane in Hawthorn. The refurbished shed is packed with Lowbrow goodness. The latest exhibition did not disappoint!

Several photographers got together to show their take on the pinups of the 40s. Not only was there great art on the walls, but great art spilled out into the streets - 50s cars and rockabilly lasses as far as my happy eyes could see.

Paul Vanzella’s Cadillac …. yum! Now this is a real car!

A handcrafted steel Tiki wood burner … now I know what I want for my birthday!!!

’tis the season for Kidrobot to release their 3 inch masterpieces… Dunny Series 5.

The series features 19 different designs including two mystery figures. Artists included are Amanda Visell, Aya Kakeda, Clutter, Devilrobots, Dirty Donny, Frank Kozik, Huck Gee, JMGS//Jellymoon, Jesse LeDoux, JK5, Junko Mizuno, Kathie Olivas, MAD, Mad Barbarians, MISHKA, Reach, Sneaky Raccoon, Steven Harrington, TOOFLY.

I eagerly tore upon my blind box to discover a gem by Steve Harrington. This is the beauty of the Dunny world, I wasn’t very familiar with his work until I got his big-eared little creature, now I’m a fan:)

A new client, which I can’t name yet, wanted an illustration of a stressed-out, business bloke. Here he is …

A bit of a revisit to Bettie Trooper, this time our devilish heroine has been promoted to the nose cone of Darth Vader’s Tie Fighter, complete with flying, stormtrooping Cherubs.

mmm… the dark side never looked so good!

Also did a web site for local Melbourne illustrator, Lucy King.

Happy to say that work has been flooding in of late.

Here are some of my recent features for me ol’ chinas at cgsociety.org…

I read an article in The Age this weekend about the pop-cultural dominance of Sanrio’s Hello Kitty. I couldn’t resist having a play with the title, hence the birth of Hello Pity.

Had a Google search to see if this obvious play on words already existed in the interwebs, couldn’t find anything – i’d be amazed if it doesn’t exist somewhere out there. Anyhoo, it’s a little bit of whimsy to brighten up my otherwise corporate-designing day.

For a short time only:)