Saturday 31 October 2009

Long Lost Siblings

'Quiet Waters' Haughton Forrest (1826-1925)

You might have noticed some paintings wandering round the blog ... perhaps looking a bit lost among the acres of naked pulsating male flesh.

The work above was one happenstance of the rabid auction phase of our lives. Which luckily came to a close about five years ago.

My partner had spotted 'Quiet Waters'. It was almost unnoticed by other previewers, right down on the bottom level of three rows of hung paintings. But then, not much gets past his eagle eye. And the canvas was knocked down to us for way under the pre-auction estimate, justifying - so it seemed - our impetuosity!

Then yesterday, like a previously unknown relative, the following painting came across my internet radar ...

'Hobart Town' Haughton Forrest (1826-1925)

... obviously similar to the one we have but very different from most of Forrest's other mainly marine work ...






Born at Boulogne-sur-Mer in France of British parents, Haughton Forrest (1826–1925) ...


... worked in various public service spheres in England - the Army and the Post Office - before, in 1875, taking up 60 acres of land in Kittoland, Parana, southern Brazil, and then, in 1876, 100 acres on the Ringarooma River outside Hobart in Tasmania. He later returned to the public service sector - as bailiff of crown lands and of the court of general sessions, as inspector of nuisances, weights and measures, and thistles and stock, and as superintendent of police.

And continued to paint all the while.

In 1899, his images of Mount Wellington and Hobart formed the basis of Australia's first pictorial stamps.

But getting back to our extending 'family', I think the similarity between 'Quiet Waters' and its newly found long lost relative is mainly in the chromatic scale. And the almost obsessive attention to detail - which may stem from often working from photographs. In both paintings, there is also an almost human intimacy, created by small leafy outcrops comfortingly jutting into the landscape, with an effect like arms enfolding a loved one.

As the advertisement says 'But there's more'. And we certainly seem to be developing a curious quirk for acquiring one of pairs.

Having not so long ago purchased this work ...


... by modern aboriginal artist, Emily Kame Kngwarreye (1910-1996) ...


... we noticed its twin in an old Christie's catalogue ...


Mmm ... So what's next!

I'll keep you posted.

Friday 30 October 2009

A Bush Is Not Just A Bush Is Not Just A Bush


We all know not every trail or bush really grabs your attention - some seem to be there just to give a frame to what's going on below, in the crotch area.

But when you suspect a thick dark pubic situation, anticipation becomes everything, beginning with the trail ...




... through clapping your eyes on the upper bush (bet you didn't know it had a proper name, taxonomically-speaking!) ...




... to the full monty ...







Of course no self-respecting bush post would be complete without a Mr de Mille close-up moment ...








... or a cameo by the Oscar winning ...


... Brad Jareck ...




... whose full frontal images should be Pulitzer Prize winning photographs ...



And I haven't even got to the nose-deep-in-the-crotch possibilities of bushes ... now how would you describe that special aroma!?

Wednesday 28 October 2009

States of Mind


I suspect this post says something bout my less-than-roused state of mind today - variation, of course, being a good thing!




And says something about my admiration for cartoonist Michael Leunig.
'I have been meditating on the very great pleasure ...' - A Postscript


Our Latino friend here is so damn cute (right word?) when he proselytizes about the exercise and health-giving values of a properly executed wank ...




... with, of course, an annotated demo of his own particular workout routine ...




His effectiveness as a 'great communicator' is, as much as anything, in the delivery - soft, caressing, seductive and intimate.



So I just couldn't resist reprising the earlier post - with some video support ...



Ok, I just need to do a bit of exercise ... back soon!