Kicking off the 2021 year by sharing some of the writing inspiration I’ve gained from a book of Monet's letters and paintings. Let's get writing.
Category: Art
art i experience.
Inspiration
Whenever I'm lacking belief in my writing or stuck on a client project, I only have to take a quick visit to an old book to find some relief. 'MONET by himself.'
Art or Autobiography
Is it possible to see a piece of art and not look for yourself? Or arrange each piece without turning it into your own autobiography of lost toys, lost time lost poetry, and lost vindications? Not today. Blogging-U: This blog…
Putting out fires
wet skies falling over burnt bits of land My Uncle Richard emailed me his latest watercolour a few days ago -- inspired by the "water, wet skies and bits of land" (he told me) of the NSW New England. Yet all…
Street Cat
Posturing Above his subjects Always a street cat, still
Faded
her painted smile outstretched the years of silent heat and stormed cloud
River Warrior
He is beautiful. Representative of an ideal. But never forget, he can never be real.
Fueling a Creative Life
While I'm writing I love to be surrounded in books, pictures and musical instruments. For the past few months I've been working on my new writing space and freelancing office, decorating the walls with cut-up art books. It seemed a…
Book Review: The Everyday Work of Art by Eric Booth
Imagine finding an award winning book (signed by the author) -- that teaches you how to awaken the extraordinary in your life -- in a second hand book bin for less than $3. ‘The Everyday Work of Art’ by Eric Booth is…
Read More Book Review: The Everyday Work of Art by Eric Booth
Handle With Care
we hold in our own hands EARTH and OCEAN do we hold them as carefully as our wallets? This stunning painting by Ilonggo artist Marrz Capanang was created during Artivism 2.0 (Iloilo City, Philippines) earlier this month. Artivism is a…
Book Review: Amazing Peace by Maya Angelou
This wonderful book was found in a shelf of ripped and jaded books in a little department store in the rural Philippines. I've been waiting until Christmas to post my review, and what a wonderful time to read it again.…
ARTIVISIM: public art with a social impact
there’s art on the streets over every broken wall we see ourselves in paint there’s art on the streets in every broken leaf (or the dirty sea) we see ourselves we paint there’s art on the streets in every broken…
Marvin
a gentle voice speaks his heart in poems and paint A little poem for Marvin and all who speak their heart using a paintbrush. Pictured at Artivism 2.0 Iloilo City -- public art with a social impact.
Lion
camouflaged lion between birds & bamboo two restaurants and a salon © 2018 Melinda J. Irvine
Ngaduun (crab)
ngaduun captured by hand back a decade, or more REFERENCES Gumbaynggirr Language Names National Parks and Wildlife Service NSW https://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/resources/education/2010GumbaynggirrLanguageDatabase.pdf Gumbaynggirr Muurrbay Aboriginal Language and Culture Co-op http://muurrbay.org.au/languages/gumbaynggirr/
Fashionistas
torn by the staples the haughty magazine fashionistas My Uncle Richard created these incredibly beautiful, yet haunting portraits by tearing and collaging pieces of glossy magazines. I found them leaning against a window pane in his house.
Whales
whales passing nearby external assembly © 2018 Melinda J. Irvine
Painted Gums
street composition afternoon art © 2018 Melinda J. Irvine As I wander the late afternoons I often ponder how the early masters like Yoshimoto, Basho and Buson would haiku and haiga our 21st century landscape.
The Wildflowers Are Always Out in Blackheath
Blackheath flowers blossom all the year back of the toilet block wall
All Stretched Out
inspired art by oceans all stretched out our human community © 2018 Melinda J. Irvine Location: Mandurriao, Iloilo City (Philipppines) This lovely mural is at the Atria in Iloilo City. #sustainable #ourfutureoceans
Rizal Park Manila
Inside Rizal Park Manila is a confronting piece of art depicting the execution ceremony of Dr José Rizal by the Spanish Army in 1896. It's a surreal encounter wandering between executioners and victim. This installation art magnifies the size and…
Finding Art in the Everyday
It's wonderful to be finally living my art life. The one I've read about, planned, danced around, grasped, rejected, lost, realised. It isn't a medium like ... I'm a writer, I'm a poet, I'm a painter, I'm a dancer. No.…
Holes in the Road
no matter where you step there's always a hole in the road maybe we're all in one © 2018 Melinda J. Irvine Daily Post: Cavity I'm part of Post A Day 2018 Location: Jaro, Iloilo City (Philipppines)
Goddesses of Molo
Oh the Goddesses of Molo stand silent all the day static, still and stationed with not a thing to say. The Goddesses of Molo underneath our little Lord six sultry sculpted women without a single word. © 2018 Melinda J.…
Old Man
leaned to the stick hand raised to the sun "listen" he whispered "your time here is done" but they flouted his 'wisdom' hands clenched to their swords refusing kind words for shining rewards © 2018 Melinda J. Irvine Daily Post:…
Off to Sea
concrete cast boy alive for the ocean winsome © 2017 Melinda J. Irvine Daily Prompt: Winsome I'm part of Post A Day 2018 Location: Banate, Iloilo (Philipppines)
Atmospheric
women's gowns compete with Christmas lights resplendent to the ceiling © 2017 Melinda J. Irvine Daily Post: Atmospheric I'm part of Post A Day 2017 Location: Jaro, Iloilo City (Philipppines)
Give Way
Art on streets of the flavourful city of Sydney. © 2017 Melinda J. Irvine Flavourful I'm part of Post A Day 2017
Disobey
urban street art sprays him above the gutter © 2017 Melinda J. Irvine Daily Prompt: Disobey I'm part of Post A Day 2017
Dark Carousel
pointing i followed his vague directions into some dark parade until a graffitied street, red stopped, then turned me out © 2017 Melinda J. Irvine Daily Prompt: Carousel I'm part of Post A Day 2017
A Box of Marbled Paper
My mother is a talented artist and has experimented in many different mediums over the years. One of my favourites is paper and only yesterday I was thumbing through some paper marbling she did for me last year. At the…
The Mental Health Section
Thumbing the sketchbook I find the mental health section Volume 1: "She Thought She Might Implode:" In Blue Biro. Volume 2: (Out of Print) © 2017 Melinda J. Irvine Daily Post: Detonate and Volume I'm part of Post A Day…
Fiction Flowers
this scribbled blossom I must have dreamed of triffids in a dusty book © 2017 Melinda J. Irvine Daily Post: Blossom and Create I'm part of Post A Day 2017
Street Paint Eyes
street paint eyes broken bamboo bits hang like teeth © 2017 Melinda J. Irvine Daily Post: Buff I'm part of Post A Day 2017
Trace
as he writes I ask "Ano ini?" ... Man-og! [snake] © 2017 Melinda J. Irvine Daily Post: Trace I'm part of Post A Day 2017
A Great Chance to Learn About Collaboration!
Sharing this lovely Poetry and Illustration workshop presented by my friend June Perkins: it's for kids and it's free. From a very young age I loved poetry and it's so wonderful that June is inspiring kids into poetry. I only…
Fragments of Artivism
creativity an urban reprieve outside collective focus Artivism was a curated street art collaboration of Ilonggo Artists sponsored by the British Council. The gallery in this blog is a collection of fragments I photographed from the complete work which spans a carpark…
Artivism Iloilo City
Wandering the streets of Iloilo City last month I was privileged to witness Artivisim: a curated street art performance and collaboration sponsored by the British Council. Artivism is a portmanteau from the words “art” and “activism” and seeks to raise awareness of…
Leaving the Temple
wreathed boy spoke limestone or held bird © 2017 Melinda J. Irvine Photo: Limestone statuette of a boy with a wreath of leaves
Frog on a Straw Hat
little frog sitting long wooden centuries this me writing poems © 2017 Melinda J. Irvine Photo: Netsuke of Frog on a Straw Hat I haven't written a poem or been out photographing for weeks, so it was a delight to read…
A Recognised Craft
long since a palm tree weaved tight, neatly stitched by hands above now below © 2017 Melinda Irvine Daily Prompt: Craft and Recognize
He’s Never Seen Clean
tiny warrior wall that’s never seen clean which is the artwork? © 2017 Melinda Irvine Daily Prompt: Clean
Ocean Mosaic
Ocean's bright lighting each swell and surge captured, art. Blue and exquisite. © 2017 Melinda Irvine Daily Prompt: Exquisite
Tempted by the Sea
My grandmother's hands found little ships in tree bark. Tempted by the sea. © 2017 Melinda Irvine Daily Prompt: Tempted
MATYRS
As others melt, some face summer's heat. And two brave pink bottles protest. © 2016 Melinda Irvine Daily Prompt: Protest and Martyr
Panoply
My parents are avid collectors so the challenge for today's prompt wasn't what to photograph, but how to photograph the panoply that is their house. I decided to concentrate on small section of the buttons. © 2016 Melinda Irvine Daily Prompt: Panoply
Three
Discover Challenge: One, Two, Three! © 2016 Melinda Irvine
It’s not this time of year without …
Driving along with my mother in tow this morning, I was looking for photographs for this week's photo challenge when I suddenly realised ... It’s Not This Time of Year Without… a sign on the main road advertising prawns. A big U-turn later,…
The Sea Beneath Us
Photographs of street art and graffiti style murals by Melinda Irvine.
November Reign
Sometimes it takes paints and hands to help us see. Our streets are always art. © 2016 Melinda Irvine This post is also my contribution to the Blogging-U course Photography: Developing Your Eye II (Day 9 Double).
Lady Goes Out For Water
lady out for water stepping to the usual place but the only water she will carry are the tears that stain her face © 2016 Melinda Irvine A different take on the wordpress weekly photo challenge: H20
Edge
here i am inside the edges. strangely finding symmetry once more. © 2016 Melinda Irvine
The Art Lesson
Swept indoors due to monsoon season and the art wall is appreciated more and more. While the rain is belting down and Jerry is watching another animated movie, the walls are get closer and closer in our little room, but the…
Street Sound
your little cries loud; so loud you pull my ears too my eyes too, my heart. © 2016 Melinda Irvine
The Way to Write Poetry
A tribute to my grandmother and those who teach us to write The Way to Write Poetry is a book by Michael Baldwin. I found it among the many bookcases in my grandmother’s house after she died in the winter…
Sand
lines circles swirls space © 2016 Melinda Irvine
at night
in the quiet of night when jerry and the TV are sleeping i cut into art books and stick them on walls. © 2016 melinda irvine
I Am Ready to Fly
i am ready to fly and the wind is with me ... © 2016 Melinda Irvine The lovely painting was inside an old book called 'Fairyland' by Ida Rentoul Outhwaite. I found in the shearing shed at my grandmother's farm…
love the people you meet
Sometimes I get emails and messages from people who tell me they feel inspired by what I am doing. Truthfully, this website is actually more selfish than they realise. Truthfully I don't always feel love towards the people I meet…
Please don’t throw your garbage into the sea
Help me collect it instead. Yesterday Jerry and I went down to Gredia Park to start picking up rubbish. There is so much of it. We are going back today at 4pm, along with some the children of Botongon. Sadly…
Art Books for Children
Yesterday I was watching Bubble Guppies with my little house mate Jerry; an episode where the little mer-people were visiting the post office. It became immediately obvious to me that Jerry would have no concept of the post office and what it…
Richard A. Ward: artist and uncle
I have been back in the Philippines exactly one week now and I simply could not have returned if it weren't for my Uncle Richard A. Ward. For many years uncle Richard existed only as a name at the bottom…
Elephants and Art
I arrive at the Singapore Zoo expecting elephants not art © 2015 Melinda Irvine
Aboriginal rock art of the Anaiwan peoples
The visual arts are always a surreal experience for me as I wonder on the human hands and the human mind guiding them. This rock art of the Anaiwan peoples is no exception. After I captured these photos and video…
Church of Molo
During my last days of my 2014 visit to the Visayas, I visited the Church of Molo, San Pedro Street, Molo, Iloilo City, 5000 Iloilo, Philippines. "This church was constructed in 1831 under the general supervision of Don Joseph Manuel…
Coolatai Bush Cinema
Last month I went out to the Coolatai Bush Cinema and made some amazing new friends. Kelly and her eco-sisters have created a beautiful space in tiny Coolatai and magically attracting an array of interesting, artistic folk and deep thinkers. Authors, ecologists,…
Unpublished art
I created this post to honour the life and unpublished art of my Uncle Lincoln A. Ward. The last six (6) weeks has been an emotional, sad, inspiring, joyful and spiritual experience re-connecting with the family I hadn't spent time…
How many lives?
My uncle Frank and I turned up at the Itty Bitty Gallery in Inverell the other day to see my friend and pseudo cousin Andrea Horwood. We were delighted to find her putting the signature and finale to her newest…