There's something under the spire...

and it's a wonderfully put together exhibition celebrating the long and varied career of Australian stage and screen actor Geoffrey Rush. And its FREE!! The Extraordinary Shapes of Geoffrey Rush is at the Arts Centre until October 27.

This is what I get up to during my holidays. Getting to see all the wonderful exhibitions happening in Melbourne.  I don't think I'll ever get over missing A Day in Pompeii due to studying hard for the final high school exams. My love living this city and getting access to all things arts.

If your thinking 'Geoffrey who'? Then its Barbosa from Pirates or the speech therapist from The Kings Speech. Also if your thinking this you should get yourself to the city and find out just how much stuff this actor has been in.

It's an exhibition featuring heaps of things to take a look at including many costumes, photos, annotaed scripts, awards (yes that's an Acamedy, Tony and Emmy all lined up on the piano) and lovely chalkboard quotes with many exhibits were lent by the man himself. You first get to look at his early years and inspiration before the space is roughly divided into sections by the types of characters that he has played. And there have been many from a pirate to priest to supervillian to yes a woman.

 My favourite things were probably the costumes, those that I had previously seen on screen or stage (yes I saw him on stage!) physically in front of me and the annotated scripts. Not that I would ever now how an actor goes about their craft to bring a character or scene to life but its cool to see those scripts behind the performances.

No pictures allowed so even better hears the man himself giving a tour:

My comic book life #2: Blast from the past

Okay so I'm 22 today. But here's a visual representation of what actually really happened on another birthday of mine from long ago:

LOL. Welcome to the family where nobody ever remembers the exact ages of everybody else.

I still love you sis =P

Sometimes I imagine my life as a comic book...

... complete with punchines made up of awkward moments and epic fails.

Just an idea for a birthday card i drew up recently.Yes I know those people don't have faces; I didn't want to risk stuffing them up. So they shall remember faceless party people.

"All children, except one, grow up."

Today I was a kid again and went along to the Children's Book Festival a FREE event at the State Library in partnership with the Wheeler Centre. At first I was a bit hesitant to go because I figured the event would be mostly attended by children (obviously) and parents, of which I am neither. However, my love for picture books won out and so I hopped on the train into Melbourne.

Fitting for the day I started reading Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie on the ride in. Only got a chapter in but it good so far! I'll tell you more about when I get around to finishing it. I got the title for this post from its opening sentence.

It was a day catered for kids with performances, a petting zoo, face painting, meet the authors/illustrators, book signings and places for kids to created their own comics/books/crafts.

Is that a guy in a orange suit?! YES it IS!! Yay for bright colours!

Make your own book...

or a Great Wall of Comics

nawwww

AND WE ALL KNOW FROGS GO LA-DEE-DA-DEE-DA!!! Is stuck in my head now thanks to a performance by Rhys Muldoon. That guy from playschool! At least I think he's still on playschool judging by the reception he got from the kids who rushed onto the stage.

He was on playschool back when I watched it which was a loonnnng time ago now. And on The Genie From Down Under (any 90's kid remember that show?). He also plays dad characters on Lockie Leonard (one of the best kids shows, based on the books by Aussie Tim Winton) and House Husbands. And now you know that I watch more Australian television than the average Australian and this guy is officially my second favourite Australian entertainer/performer/actor person after Hugh Jackman. Hehe Hugh Jackman should do a playschool episode that would be fun.

Back inside the library and there is a small display of some wonderfully illustrated Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll. This one was my favourite. It's a page from a pop-up version. So its 3D and was in a glass box so the photo doesn't do it justice. Pop into the State Library to check it out; its free and there until May 20.

Ducked into the Readings bookstore in the library and wanted to get this T-shirt so badly! It's a T-shirt of one of my favourite picture books that I discovered one day randomly. More on the book in a future post perhaps. Also I would've been perfect for a kids themed party coming up. But alas, I couldn't get itbecause it only came in kids sizes. And even though I'm tiny I looked at this and judged it wouldn't have fit. Sigh :( I bought a book instead (hence the bag in the first photo) which I'll write about some other time.

Final thing for the day, a meet the author session with Rhys Muldoon.  The kids really like the guy and he interviewed a whole bunch of them which was very sweet. The lucky chosen kids loved it and the adults in the audience had a fun time too. Who knew that today's kids favourite foods are couscous, pancakes with spag bol sauce and CAPSICUM?! At least dinosaurs, kid spies, and Going on a Bear Hunt are still favourite stories. Things haven't changed too much :p

Being interviewed by Rhys from Playschool!

Story time! Jasper and Abby & the Great Australia Day Kerfuffle  by Rhys Muldoon, ft. KRudd's cat.

Hehe can you spot the kid in the very Aussie hat??
Well that's it for today! I had a lovely arvo by myself if slightly out of place. I'd recommend anyone with kids to go next year (which said kids of course). The kids wandering around today seemed to have a blast.

To end:

“A children's story that can only be enjoyed by children is not a good children's story in the slightest.”- C.S. Lewis

Marching towards winter

It's cold! I'd been waiting for a cold day to post this scribble. Didn't think it would be so soon what with the odd heatwave-in-march we've just had in Melbourne.

The photo's taken on an angle becuase the drawing looks better that way hehe. I think this one started with the beanie which got a head which got a body all during a break in my lecture.

I'm excited about colder weather though. Hoodies time!!!! Best item of clothing ever... equal with trackies.
Keep rugged up and don't get sick!

Said the lamp to the cat

This one is a scribble I did one day in a philosophy lecture. It's one of many that I sketched on the page - I'll post the others up slowly - so that makes me think that I did them during a break in the lecture. It's been that long that I've also forgotten if the cat came first or the lampost.

I like this scribble because to me it looks like the lamp, an inanimate object is having a conversation with the cat. Such a scene is not possible in real life but it makes me happy thinking of the wonderful things that can happen in the imaginary/fictional world.

After I finished this scribble another drawing - one done by someone who can draw better than I - came to mind. It's the cover of The Arrival by Shaun Tan. Can you see why I formed such a connection? It's a beautiful picture book with the story told entirely through illustrations. Here's what it looks like. I'd encourage you go wander in a bookstore (yes they still exist!) and have look. Shaun Tan is an amazing illustrator and storyteller. And his Australian! He has written a bunch of books and perhaps I'll post about his work in the future.

21 Fun

Drew a card for a friends wishing her a Happy 21st Birthday!!
It's a card so not a spontaneous sketch. I had the idea in my head to start with.
Thought process: birthday> balloons> age 21> 21 ballloons!! > girl holding big bunch of baloons!