I took in ACMI's Wonderland exhibit. It had inklings of a classic Sherlock Holmes-like escape room vibe, but that receded. What replaced it was a journey. There were rooms featuring original illustrations, footage from the oldest filmed versions of Alice in Wonderland. There were rooms for Charles Lutwidge Dodgson ephemera, as well as for magic … Continue reading Bec in Wonderland
Art
Making it real
It's not unusual for me to have ideas bubbling away and then dismiss them out of hand even before a plan or action can take place to make them concrete. But occasionally I do more than talk. For instance, I established my Medium account for my short stories and essays. But I've had this idea … Continue reading Making it real
Review: Dark Imaginings
Gothic literature can be dramatic, macabre, and weirdly insightful. To my tired eyes some examples of Gothic, like Castle of Otranto are also unintentionally and refreshingly hilarious. Yet Gothic tropes persist in popular culture even as they were interrogated centuries ago, and continue to be. Since it is Rare Book Week in Melbourne I took … Continue reading Review: Dark Imaginings
Seen one, haven’t seen them all
Wandering around the Art Gallery of New South Wales was weirdly disorienting. It was a new building to me, but it was filled with familiar artists: Australians like John Brack and Grace Cossington Smith in addition to the usual Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood painters. Obviously, the individual works were different to those in the NGV or anywhere … Continue reading Seen one, haven’t seen them all
Thou art that
I wasn't going to take part, and then I vacillated for a while, then I decided to, so I did. Yes, I will be entering this year's Sketchbook Project run by the Brooklyn Art Library. I am justifying my entry to myself because when I saw the listed themes to work to, I had an … Continue reading Thou art that
Review: The Lady and the Unicorn
In an exclusive The Art Gallery of New South Wales is showcasing the set of six tapestries from France, made around the year 1500 known as the Lady and the Unicorn. It is the third time they have travelled, so I thought I should too, and made the trip to see them before they return … Continue reading Review: The Lady and the Unicorn
Arting about
I had so many profound reflections to detail after seeing Colony at the NGV, and then going to Sydney to see the Lady and the Unicorn tapestries at the Art Gallery of NSW, and the 21st Biennale, SUPERPOSITION: Equilibrium & Engagement at the Museum of Contemporary Art, also in Sydney. Oh, and an exhibition of contemporary Mexican art … Continue reading Arting about
Changing things up
Hi. Thanks for dropping by. If you've visited before you may note things look a bit different. If you are a new visitor, hey there and welcome to this note that exists mainly to explain that I've updated this site's look. Any new visitor will not care about this because you have never been here … Continue reading Changing things up
Under a spell
There is a final sentence in one of Tim Winton's short stories in his intertwined anthology The Turning that winded me with its beauty, poise and connectedness to what had gone before. I can't remember the story exactly, it was one of those grim seaside slices of life he is an expert at crafting, but … Continue reading Under a spell
Life outside the frame
Many would consider the small towns I lived near and grew up in boring. It was the 1980s and they lacked the services and excitement of the cities. But they didn't lack for character, nor characters. There was a woman who lived on the fringe of town (when I say town I mean one of … Continue reading Life outside the frame
Writing Bec 