I’ve been working on bits and pieces here and there, added a few not-so-new projects to the Portfolio section. They are the Ocean Print, Cycle Pirate, Peace On The High Seas and the Necktie Guitar Strap from what now seems like forever ago. Hopefully you find something you like in them, you may even remember one or more from my older posts. I’m making an effort to get the best images I can, so they may be swapped for better pictures over the coming weeks..

I’m writing from my new desk in my studio (on borrowed chair, thanks Ben), when I’ve a suitable camera in my hands, I’ll be sure to show you what the desk looks like assembled. The fact that soon I’ll have a dialed studio setup has me pretty excited, there’s even a project or two ‘in the works’ again.

That’s all I need. A fresh batch of home-brew..

AND

My new work table is almost finished. The top measures 1800mm x 1000mm and tilts to provide a comfortable printing surface. Here it’s in pieces, it’s getting a lick of paint before I use it. Some super-minimal white on the frame and a Polyurethane coat on the wooden top, to stop the water getting in.

It’s perhaps the most eagerly awaited studio addition to my studio – Everything feels close to complete now it’s here, I can’t wait to use it! Special thanks go to Jem and Laura of Like Butter and their newest employee Ben, for their hard work a fabricatin’.

I’ve added a portfolio section to Really Whale. It’s been a while coming, but I’m now at a point where I’m happy with how it’s going to work.

There’s only a couple of items at the moment – Notorious for lack of documentation, I’ve been rolling in old files and bits of paper only to find I’d never taken good photos of most of my stuff..  Lesson learned! I’m going to make sure I try harder in future, promise.

In the meantime feel free to take a peek. I’ve added a Portfolio link to the navigation up top, and will make sure to post when there’s something new – possibly old, just resurfaced – but none-the-less exciting, to look at.

Oftentimes collaborator and all-round nice guy Sam Haywood, along with yours truly have started a little film review blog called .05 Stars – The main concept being each film we review is watched drunk. The first review, of classic film The Dirty Dozen is up right now for your reading pleasure.

I wish I had found this website earlier. FORA.tv is a website with ‘videos on the people, issues, and ideas changing the planet’, which seems to sum up what the site has to offer, even if a little grandiose. There are lectures and forums given by prominent speakers on topics that are (often) just as interesting. I spent a couple of hours watching without even noticing.  Here’s a couple of programs I liked:

• Tim O’Reilly Talks Web 2.0 – Tim O’Reilly (the guy credited with the phrase web 2.0) talks about the continued evolution of the internet; the extent of its reach, and implications on our future lives. More interesting than it sounds. 
• New Green Building Practices in China – A forum with speakers on several different aspects of a new sustainable building project in Shanghai, where they explored the idea of stacking neighborhoods seperated by garden levels.

It’s one of those sites you sometimes wish the whole internet could be like – you know, useful. It’s great because as far as I know, it’s all free also. Everyone loves free.

Our house is to be invaded by zombies tonight, we’re having a short film shot here – my neck is tingling. Incidentally, tomorrow is the day of Zombie Shuffle 2009. Zombies plenty.

As far away as I am from having a gallery show, there’s a nice article by Julian Duron over at Fecal Face about the ins and outs of your next gallery opening. I found it a pretty good read, but then I’m biased – I love FF. Check out the original article here - Fecal Face Dot Forum: The Exhibition.

I’m currently working on a portfolio section for Really Whale, and looking into various ways I might be able to have an up-to-date PDF folio generated from my WordPress posts. I’d love to have the ability to upload images and descriptions of recent work and have them both in a portfolio section of the site, and appended to a download in PDF format. Plenty of reading/thinking to be done, but if successful could save me a lot of computer time – something I’d really like..

Here’s hoping everyone had a great Easter, and made it back safe. Mine was spent exchanging the greater public’s $900 bonus for bourbon and cokes and vodka lime sodas – I’ve yet to find the time to get back to studio and have some fun. I’ve a rad workbench that’s being built for the space, I can’t wait to see how it turns out!

A few weeks ago now a friend of mine, Jason was in Melbourne and stopped by the studio to play around with some print ideas. Some interesting brush strokes and clouds and things are in the works - I can’t wait to see how the print turns out. Here’s a picture of Jase and myself outside the studio, which might be the first you may have seen of the Ironside building. I really like the old wooden door. This particular photo is also a great example of Jase’s self-portrait technique, I love these photos!