This is titled, Me and My Pets and is a tribute to all the pets I have owned through the years.
Within the home, the serving of food was subtly geared to the status of the person in the family. The killing of a chicken was an event. In a household of perhaps two or three dozen people, only the more important and elderly people, or a visitor, were
I collected these pieces of Nature from my garden yesterday. Autumn always reminds me of my childhood – the smell of burning leaves, the sound of crackling and crunching underfoot, the fresh misty mornings.
Sometimes while I’m busy writing and being distracted by other things, I turn around and find these curious little drawings on my desk. It must be time for a doggie walk.
When I was studying Chinese painting in China I spent most of those years copying, stroke for stroke the paintings of the old masters. What I thought in the beginning would be tedious and boring, quickly turned into study on a much much deeper level, profound in many ways.
Drawing Birds
Mar 02: Just Thoughts
Hairy birds, Missoni birds, Batman birds, chicken pox birds, holey birds and stripey birds.
MY AUSTRALIA DAY STORY
Jan 26: Just Thoughts
I was walking down Swanston Street in Melbourne alone one day, near the old City Baths, (I was about 15 years old) when I saw a homeless man coming towards me. He looked rough – dirty clothes, unshaven face, scraggly hair, the type of man whose age has been obliterated by hard times.
I was standing on the train platform staring at some street art on the other side of the tracks, when I read these words,
Whenever I read this extract from Cheryl Strayed’s “Tiny Beautiful Things: Advice on Love and Life from Dear Sugar” I cannot help but tear up.
The Open Spaces picture book creators’ retreat run by the Australian Society of Authors was fantastic! We spent a fun packed and inspiration filled four days learning, sharing, collaborating, renewing old acquaintances and forming new ones. Here are just a few of my impressions.
Yesterday was my last school visit for a few months. I gave a Chinese painting workshop to Year 7 students at Luther College in Croydon Hills. Here are some of the gorgeous paintings they did. These are closeups of the birds
Whenever I read a story be it a novel, short story or song I am enriched. When these stories come from students, I am in awe of the talent that is all around us.
The Rainbow Collector
Sep 05: Just Thoughts
Ideas for stories are everywhere. They come as gifts to the writer. Here are the gifts I received this week. And two had to do with rainbows!
As cultural ambassador at St Albans East Primary School the talented students from years 3-6 have been doing some creative writing with me.
The Lovely Lady
Aug 06: Just Thoughts
On the sill in my writing room stands the Lovely Lady Full of grace and wisdom she watches me write Sometimes she dictates the words to a story The sound of her voice is like crystals gently kissing Sometimes she laughs at me
As we come to the end of 2011, I reflect on the year that was. In May, our daughter Lei Lei left home to live in New York. She has been away before on a gap year in France after Year 12,
I love this ipad app called Kwik Draw. It works like a light box. Before I purchased Kwik Draw, if I wanted to enlarge a drawing I used to have to take it to the printers and get them to do a photocopy.
My little Hero
Oct 12: Just Thoughts
On Sunday I went down to Freshwater Creek, near Geelong, to take a look at my new puppy. He is an English cocker spaniel and I’m going to call him Hero.
the gift of doodling
Sep 25: Just Thoughts
In this TED talk, Sunni Brown shows us how important doodling is to learning. Part of being a children’s author is visiting schools to talk about books and writing. I’m an illustrator too, so for my primary school talks I have the students do an illustration with me. What if students were allowed to doodle […]
rainbow latte
Jun 03: Just Thoughts
While at Mr Tulks in the State Library of Victoria yesterday, a rainbow alighted on my coffee. It tasted of magic and dreams and faraway places. And then it was gone.
Sun and Moon Dance
Apr 25: Just Thoughts
It has always been a wonder to me how the Sun and Moon are almost exactly the same size when viewed from Earth. What are the chances?