singers

This is my latest project. A series of five paintings to display at a co -opera event coming to our little town of Callington. The venue will be the Dog n Ute Hotel and the theme, naturally enough.......... operetic drinking songs. Nov 26th 2005
Friday kiddy lit.......................



Have You Ever Seen a Goanna?

Have you ever seen a goanna
running up a tree?
One day when I stood very still
one tried to run up me!
Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!

It's About Time

This is Timmy. Previously named Con of the conversation pieces. He has been restrctured into a clock for an exhibition called 'It's About Time.' The word 'time' is actually Tim with an e = Timmy. He has no attire to determine to which time period he belongs so he is essentially 'timeless'. But he is leaning forward over the chair constantly looking toward the future which is the only direction in which time moves. Furthermore, he is staring off into the distance with is single eye which is of course a clock! He is the ultimate 'time piece!'

kiddy lit; Hotdogs

Have you ever had a hotdog
that you wore instead of ate?
The type that makes a gooey mess;
the type your parents hate.

Did the tomato sauce run over you
and all over your clothes
and make a big, red, sticky river
from your chin down to your toes?

Did you have another,then another,
then another one?
Did you make a super hotdog mess?
Did you have a heap of fun?

Well if you've had a hotdog
that you wore instead of ate;
the messy, gooey, icky type,
the type your parents hate.
Consider yourself lucky
'cause when all is said and done,
the one that doesn't make a mess
is the one that's ...JUST NO FUN!!!!

mug shot

See very recent picture of yours truly (19th Sept). Taken last night for an exhibition catalogue mug shot. I don't use make-up these days. I use spackle!

talk back radio

Here in Adelaide we have a few great programmes on the ABC radio. You can always tell when I have been spending long hours in my studio because that's when I tend to talk about things I've heard on the radio. ABC droppings so to speak.Well, its mainly Matthew A and David B that have me stop what I'm doing to jot down some 'roo droppings.' Hmmm!( That's why I like radio so much.You can keep on working and still ....... these guys mess up that theory a bit.) It's a talkback show so you keep up with all the quacky as well as intellgent droppings of other Adelaidites. Very eyeopening. Anyhow, the other day they had people call in with metaphors or funny sayings. Every day depictions to add colour to everyday situations. Well ! They had more calls than ever for this. Aussies have always used metaphor and simile quite naturally in their every day speech and its nice to know this habit is alive and well. Here are just a few from the callers. Some are a little bawdy of course.........
As popular as a turd in a punch bowl.
As full as a Pommie's complaint box
Excuse me for reaching I just got off the ship.
See ya later. Thanks for the warning.
This one was from an Indian man. 'Hikum Flunky'.Which roughly translates to " he had a sudden rush of shit to the brain.My personal favorite!
And now for the winner; one aimed at those younger than you who think they know it all............. I was in Bagdad when you were still in your Dad's bag.
Eventually you have to get a little bit 'affected' by listening to talk back radio.

friday and kiddy lit

Seems once a teacher always a teacher. Many years ago I tried my best to leave the teaching profession. I worked in the hospitality industry waitressing and bartending, I painted condominiums and shovelled snow,earned an art degree (BFA) and became an AOT (artist among other things) and a 'story teller.' I saw story telling and the performing arts as just another form of art only now the medium becomes 'me'! Lot cheaper than paint I have to say. So on the surface all this looks like I've successful made my way out the chalky game. On closer examination though one might see that story telling and performing arts is not just another form of art but rather another form of............teaching! Maybe I never wanted to get out (yes I did, yes it did) but rather had to figure out away of doing it to accommodate my failing health. Of course this is still really exhausting but in developing routines that work on stage maybe eventually they will find their way into children's books. This seems to me a natural progression. Still I find myself back relieving in the Kindy! Just in the blood I suppose.
So every Friday I am going to post a little piece of kiddy lit. from a series of little poems I am working on call Have You Ever? Here's my very first one..............
Have you ever had the Hiccups?

Have you ever had the hiccups
and they didn't go away
'though you got inside a paper bag
and stayed in there all day?

Did someone say
just hold your breath
until your face turns blue
or drink water hanging upside down?
An impossible thing to do!

Did you ever think that witches
sent them to you as a curse?
Then realise that thinking about them
only made them worse!

Did you ever have a hiccup and a cough
that came together
Or a hic and then a cough
and then a sneeze.......
GOSH, GOLLY! Have you ever?

If you've had the hiccups
and they didn't go away
and you had them for an hour
or even half a day

Don't complain or feel too bad
You may have cause to laugh
if you stop and think
just what might happen
to a hiccupping........GIRAFFE!!


Ronda Eden

droppings on mernie

I spent about 13 years in the USA where, after sorting through a good number of 'unsuitables' I found an excellent husband. When I first spotted Mernie he was shovelling manure on the ranch that he owns in Wyoming and I knew that I just had to have him. So I bundled him up in my suitcase an took him home to Australia. I was surprised at how easy it was to get him through customs. The only thing they absolutely insisted upon was giving his boots a good scub!
So I got myself my cowboy.Only now he wears an Akubra on his head and Rossi boots on his feet. Of course we got ourselves a couple of horses just to make sure that customs had some boots to clean on the next trip.

promotion to kindergarten

Lately I've been picking up a little relieving work teaching at the Kindy across the road. Well teaching is not exactly the right description. Those kids know it all already. They have completely their own agenda. I have actually been enjoying it in spite of the fact that I'm not really up to it health wise at the moment. I don't know exactly why I prefer it to the 'big school'. Maybe its because there are not as many of 'them' and there are more of 'us'! Or maybe its because I'm only there for a half a day at a time and can go and collapse in the afternoon.Or maybe its because you get to talk to the kids without any real expectation concerning the outcome on their part.I like the idea of guiding rather than moulding. Oh except in my studio where I love to mould and do it quite often.

supposed to be in the last one..oops

promotion to kindergarten

My First Blog

Actually Mernie is doing this while I think of something to write.