Giant Microbes

Giant Microbes must be the most clever idea ever for plush toys. Not only are they playful and cute, they are educational with a scientific angle. Each one comes with information about the microbe and a picture. Doctors and teachers use them as educational tools. There's nothing else like them and unfortunately you can't get them all over the world. :(

I had not visited their site in a while so I was happy to see they are still going strong and have expanded their range. Now you will find them grouped by type there are that many. You can still get the classic Giant Microbes in the Health group, the Common Cold, The Flu etc. Giardia is a Malady and a favourite of mine. I think it's cool you can buy Scum (Biddulphia)

There has been some artistic license taken, while still maintaining the correct forms and proportions. Most notable, clever and amusing are in no particular order:
Flesh Eating bacteria with embroided knife and fork;
Chicken pox resembles a chicken because of the colours chosen;
Heartworm has a collar with an embroided heart tag;
HIV wears a red ribbon;
MRSA, a Superbug, has a cape!


Right now I've got this one in my system:


As opposed to this one:


Here's an informative article which answers the age old question
What's the difference between the Common Cold and a Flu?
So having read this and visited the link, the next time you feel ill - with snottiness and so forth - you will not only know what ails you but now you have an idea of what the little bugger looks like!

Splendid nudibranches

Check out the amazing nudibranch (pronouced nood-ei-brank) photographs at National Geographic online.

A variation on a sea slug - technically they aren't sea slugs - their ancestors were snails. You could think of them as emancipated snails who shed the oppression of shells in favour of flamboyance and toxins. Hot damn, they're proud of it! :P

What curiously splendid creatures they are, with such gorgeous colours and baroque shapes. Note how small many of them are. So fantastic if you didn't know they were real you would think an artist dreamed them up and sculpted them in ceramics, or built them in a computer.

My favourites are:
Chromodoris dianae (4th image)
Flabellina exoptata (8th image)
Hypselodoris sp. (2nd of the second white background grouping)
Chromodoris sp. (as featured on Cute Overload aka 'Pimp Slug, McSluggersons' 4th last)
Mexichromis mariei (last)

Read the accompanying NG article here.
See more images, learn more about nudibranches, in the NG video here.

Bottled water

I'd always suspected it was a bit wasteful to keep buying bottled water instead of refilling a bottle - even a 'disposable' one - with tap water several times.

This article at Smithsonian magazine online is an eye opener.

You don't realise how much extra water goes into making that bottle of water for you or how much energy is consumed both in making the bottle and transporting it to you. The reality is, most tap water is fine to drink and it actually doesn't taste much different, particularly if it's cooler than room temperature (pop an ice cube in there). The key to reusing any bottle is to wash it out with warm, mildly soapy water regularly - if not everyday - and let it dry out completely.

Guild of the Golden Owl

As I wrote previously I would provide an update on the 2008 Melbourne, Labyrinth Ball. There is now an official website so you can find all you need to know there.
Guild of the Golden Owl, the official Melbourne, Labyrinth Masquerade Ball website

I <3 beautiful scientific illustrations

C/O the Flying Trilobite blog, beautiful scientific illustration by Emily S. Damstra.

Diamonds are a gull's best friend...

Isn't this a cool image? Why do I think so? I think it's because it's a bit artsy, like some of the taxidermy art I've seen but it is also commercial. It's elegant and beautifully monotonal despite being a colour image.



I loathe obvious, groan worthy, was-that-supposed-to-be-funny? puns as much as the next person who prefers a higher form of wit. However, this one popped into my head after deciding today that I would finally post this ad I found in a French fashion magazine. This is after having it displayed near my desk for months. I don't normally think in puns or I would have thought of it as soon as I saw it. That's my defence and I'm sticking to it!

[edit 05/06/09]
Having just checked out this particular series of Peter Lippmann's work I am now wondering if this is one of his or was inspired by it?

Nom, nom, nom, nom!

It's a squirrel shaped nut cracker. I found it in a UK magazine and used it to create this macro.

Post Secret

Post Secret
It wasn't published so I have posted it here.

Kukuxumusu stationery

Long time readers of this blog may recall my adoration of the Spanish Kukuxumusu brand. It means 'kiss of the flea' in Basque, and is pronounced Coo-coo-choo-moo-soo.

A couple of days ago I discovered a store near me that stocks Kukuxumusu stationery (more instore), and a lot of it was on sale. I was stoked and have since bought 7 items, some for a gift but mostly for ME! Whee :D

Don't have a credit card, not in Spain, not in Melbourne, and don't have anywhere near you that sells it, but want something Kukuxumusu? Visit their website and choose from a wide range of free downloads including screen savers, a desktop theme and lots of nifty wallpaper.

Stationary versus stationery

Here’s an easy way to spell the right word when you mean it. All my life – this is no exaggeration – I’ve never bothered to ensure the difference. Today I thought ‘Hell with it, I’m off to Borders to locate a dictionary and get this sorted once and for all!’

Stationary is an object that is not moving.
Stationery is office supplies, Smiggle stuff and Streamline staplers*.

Now, how to remember the difference?
E for eraser (and easy!).
Or you might prefer:
A for airport full of stationary aeroplanes.
So now we have no excuse to get them muddled ;)


*Judging by Milton from Office Space, they must be bloody good staplers…Love that movie.

Black in Fashion: Mourning to Night

Black in Fashion: Mourning to Night is definitely a worthwhile duo of fashion exhibitions. There's beautifully detailed Victorian dresses, architectual structures, exploration of shape and cuts, a variety of fabrics and surface contrasts best explored in monotone.

My expectations of it were a little topsy turvy - I found the Australian half of it at The Ian Potter Centre more impressive than the international half. It isn’t because the fashion was any better but because I could see it well. The lighting was extremely dim at NGV International. Why should this be when you’re dealing with pieces of the same age and materials? I respect the need for dim lighting of textiles but the disparity between the two shows baffles me.

One showcase had no lights on at all - most likely the light bulb was blown - when we visited on a Sunday afternoon. The space containing these large showcases is designed to cut out most daylight, and has minimal ambient light, so this rendered whatever was in the case invisible. I could just make out what might have been an embroided collar or perhaps an apron. I find this is unacceptable gallery practice for such a prestigious institution.

Most memorable pieces @ the Ian Potter NGV;
Two exquisitely beaded, Victorian mantles,
1950s dresses.
@ at NGV International;
Neoprene dress.

Cute and weird cigarette cards

Here's the cuddly, cute one hugging his grain husk:

Common Hamster
Will's Cigarettes card
c.1930s/40s

Here's a fairly odd, feral looking squirrel (I was originally going to put the hamster one directly on the left of the squirrel but it looked like he was doing something with his grain husk to the squirrel...)

Squirrel
Will's Cigarettes card
c.1930s/40s

Finally, here's the weird one:

Mauritius, Coat of Arms
Will's Cigarettes card
c.1930s/40s
The bi-coloured critters and mammalian-like dodo are what make it for me. It doesn't seem quite so weird when you see what a modern version of it looks like.

Hot production by Timbaland on Red Carpet Massacre

How good are the Timbaland produced tracks on Duran Duran's Red Carpet Massacre? I was driving along listening to the album for the first time thinking, 'meh' when along comes Nite Runner, then I'm like 'Yeaaaah this is HOT stuff!' and chillin' while I flew along the freeway. I don't care for much of the rest of the album although I think the second half is better than the first.

Zoom In (DD/Timbaland/Nate Hills) reminds me a bit of Ladytron a little - not that it's a bad thing.
Right now I'm a bit/totally addicted to;
Nite Runner (DD/Timbaland/Nate Hills/Justin Timberlake),
Skin Divers (DD/Timbaland/Nate Hills),and
Tempted (DD/Nate Hills/Jimmy Douglass).
I reckon with a bit of persistance from a DJ any of these could really fill a dance floor. Gotta love that throbbing, grinding bass and the popping electronic punctuation. I hope DD keep going in this direction.

Oh yeah and kudos to The HorseMuseum for playing Kingdom, one of Dave Gahan's new solo songs at Blitz. I was the only one dancing but those other punters just didn't know what they were missing. :)

Species bias. Sharks < Whales?

I read and reread this article and it disgusts me how people can be so species biased. This is but one case of many that you hear about. Sharks are just as special and important as whales if not more so! They have as much right to swim in the sea undisturbed, and unhunted by anyone who feels like it. I'm not saying I like them but I respect their necessity and place in marine ecosystems.

I find it even more ironic that there's a Jetstar ad right next to it featuring dolphins - again, species bias. I'm not innocent of it. I eat meat. I've eaten flake (shark) with chips many times. Picture the same story being published with a 250kg, 20 year old, 'monster' dolphin. Would there be such a proud glow surrounding it?

I don't think spending approximately 2 hours catching/killing a harmless, shy, cold-blooded (or otherwise), non-edible animal is anything to be glorified or be proud of. I'm anti-whaling - I've even done an artwork about it - but at least the Japanese eat their catch. This provides nothing but transitory glory and admiration from those who should know better. Oh, and a mute trophy to hang on the wall.

The only 'monster' in this story is the human ego.

The Forgotten Entomologist

Listening to Dancing With Myself by Billy Idol/Generation X

'To the colonists there was something odd about a man who kept a live anteater in his bedroom and was kind to cockroaches.'

From 'The Forgotten Apostle' by Stephanie Pain
in New Scientist, 4 August 2007, p44.

This was about the historically overlooked entomologist, moonlighting botanist, Daniel Rolander. He was based at the Dutch colony in Suriname in South America. His journals were recently translated from Latin into English. Rolander was patroned by Carl Linnaeus best known for his system of scientifically classifying plant and animal species.

Advertising Art

Lately I've had access to a broad range of magazines both local and imported. It's got me more interested in fashion and a better understanding or what works/doesn't work and why.

It's a known fact that glossy fashion magazines are largely advertisements with only a small segment having actual content. Yet what fabulous ads they are. The beautifully composed photographs, bold use of colours, shiney and sexy things to covet. The illustrated/arty ads can be particularly striking. Here's a couple that I am loving right now.



From a Spanish magazine
I feel this will inspire a future collage from me. I quite like the coke ad that's around at the moment with a similar composition but this is more my style. Gorgeous!



Moxie Sleepovers, cute kitsch
I don't know who the artist is for this but it's an amusing and striking artwork. Moxie's website is a sweetly feminine, interactive place to visit.

Music to Drive to

Going by my list of favourite tracks to drive to, good driving music is often good dancing music. Here's some of what I had on my On-the-Go list on my i-Pod.

For a sunny day, especially past trees and greenery
My Baby Just Cares for Me - Nina Simone
Girls and Boys - Blur
Ticket to Ride - The Beatles
Day Tripper - The Beatles

Through undulating urban streets, or on the freeway
An Honest Mistake - The Bravery
Train of Thought - The Sharp
All I ever Wanted - The Human League
Strict Machine - Goldfrapp
Pulse - Covenant
Relativity - Grafton Primary
Dance Little Sister - Terence Trent D'Arby

With the windows down, sweeping past traffic going the other way which adds a sound effect, complementing the track
Peek-a-boo - Siouxsie and the Banshees
Horror Show - Birthday Massacre
Suffer Well - Depeche Mode

Cruisin' in mah vee-hic-cal
It's Like That - Run DMC Vs Jason X
It's My Prerogative - Bobby Brown
World in My Eyes - Depeche Mode (Cicada Remix)
Fame - David Bowie
Fashion - David Bowie
The Way I are - Timbaland

That said, something by Vivaldi can be nice and calming as well, aiding concentration.

Was this Henson's inspiration?

I'm currently working on a sculpture that will incorporate a wooden chess set. I painted all of the white pieces red. In the process of doing this the bishops reminded me of a muppet from one of my favourite, classic Muppet Show skits (muppet wiki entry here).

It occurred to me that as an artist inspiration can come from all sorts of places and when you're least expecting it. You can see the man in the moon, creatures in floral textile patterns and wonderful landscapes in a polished stone. You delight in the little details not everyone sees.

Perhaps Jim Henson (R.I.P.) got his inspiration one day, playing chess? Or maybe he just drew and it arrived. I shall have to dig out my Jim Hensons' Muppet Doodlings book and see if there are any sketches for the muppet concerned.

In the meantime have a chuckle, courtesy of my elite photo editing skills ;)

Obey the Yellow...

Obey the Yellow
This post might not mean much to anyone outside of Melbourne, or perhaps it will be funnier because of it.

Background info
We have trams running on our roads and yellow lines and bumps to indicate where/when cars are allowed to drive on the tram track area. It’s all very sensible, and exists to minimise delays to trams which have right of way. Obey the Yellow is a current Vic Roads campaign to raise awareness about these road rules unique to Victoria, and most vitally inner Melbourne.

Anyhooo back to this being amusing…
…I find the figure/mascot used in this campaign somewhat weird. While his build is definitely male he has a Ken doll, store mannequin genital bump. His bitumen black body has a bright yellow racing stripe from the top of his head, through his groin and along his inner legs to his feet.


Image from brochure distributed on trams.

In a picture I saw this morning near Melbourne Central he was lying on his side, almost come hither style!
In the TV ads and on the website he morphs out of his CGI road like the T-1000 in Terminator 2, batting his non-existant eyelashes, smiling benevolently, as he swishes a little car about in his hand.
It’s all just a bit odd.

February 2008, top exhibition picks for this fortnight

Melbourne CBD

I recommend this fine exhibition of sculpture by Bertram Mackennal, " NGV, Fed. Square. It's free, and on until Feb 24th.
He was known for his beautiful female nudes. I grew up familiar with Circe (generally pronounced sur-see in English, but maybe be called sur-kee, or KEER-kee if you want to be more Greek). My dad used to be a security guard at the old gallery before its refurbishment and most Sunday afternoons we would visit and have afternoon tea with him. I used to be both daunted and fascinated by this particular statue. She's still quite imposing up on her pedestal, but more so when you're a child :). I used to stand in front of her as if she were casting a spell over me. She's still got that magic... There also a lovely marble of Diana, Goddess of War.

This afternoon I checked out a few other shows.

The Melbourne Museum has an $8.50 entrance fee. There were some interesting things but I don't feel that it was worth that when there's so much free stuff at NGV that is of wider importance culturally. Half of that price would have been more reasonable.

Craft Victoria has a poetic show of glassworks by Brenda Page, Once Upon... on until March 1. She takes childhood toys and gives them a bigger sense of meaning through the fragile medium of glass, and with little black graphics of bunnies, insects, people, animals, words and guns. My favourite was the sling shots. Nicely installed and an interesting use of colour and medium.

The jewellery show by Caz Guiney, Precious Nothing, also at Craft Victoria. was beautifully presented, perhaps more so than some of the actual pieces merited. I liked the idea of this. However there were a few castings of objects that don't have interesting forms including what appears to be an obsession with pigeon poo! I did like the jewellery taken from architectual features and disposable drinking cup lids. Worth seeing, if only to turn the idea of what is precious on its head.