March Mailbag 2021 No 2

Subscriber J in Newstead, Central Victoria has alerted us to this news item:

The Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery in Hobart is filled with people waiting for the swift parrot to disappear.

The Hobart artist Lucienne Rickard has spent five weeks drawing a large-scale pencil sketch of the critically endangered bird. Picking up her eraser, she tells her audience, “If we don’t do something soon, this is what will happen.”

Photograph: Jesse Hunniford (1)

Back in July 2020 Julie brought you a post about the Extinction Studies begun by Lucienne Rickard at the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery (MTAG).

Commissioned by the Detached Cultural Organisation, the objective was to understand the process of species extinction and shine a spotlight on concerns for the future of biodiversity in the natural world. 2

Beginning each day during museum opening hours, Lucienne would draw an extinct animal on a huge piece of graphite film, and then immediately erase it. Next day, she would begin another detailed drawing on the same paper, eventually wearing it thin, with the previous erasings still showing through, and the shavings gathering around her feet.

Read more about the Lucienne's Extinction Studies by clicking here.

And if you missed Julie's earlier post on Lucienne Rickard please click here.

The visit by A in Oakleigh to the Otway Ranges and the follow up post on The Otway Black Snail brought many responses and Gayle in Melbourne has sent in her own images of the Otway Black Snail. Thanks Gayle - incredible in situ photography and I love the background texture.

The tiny Otway Black Snail is seen by few people but Melbourne has been invaded by another type of creature - UooUoos.

Jane introduced you to The UooUoo Art Trail and our spies tell us she is still out there with her camera attempting to find every UooUoo that has set up home in our city.

Our eagle eyed subscriber H in Glen Iris spotted this UooUoo in the Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne. Pictured is her daughter E with Vombatus Uoo by Nathan Ferlazzo which reflects the joy of being outside among nature and wildlife.

Inspired by the Vombatus Uoo, 5 year old E, decided to colour in the template Jane provided on her post about the UooUoos.3

Related to the local art scene - Jane and I were able to take in the exhibition at the Bayside Gallery, Brighton where our subscriber and artist Kate Stewart is showcasing two of her works. Her daughter Oleana also had works in the exhibition.

If you would like to see some of the works being created by Kate and learn more about her artistic processes please check out The Narrative of Art Process with Kate Stewart.

Some time back Caroline wrote a post on Pixie O'Harris and the Missing Paintings. Pixie O'Harris (1903-1991) was an Australian book author, painter, illustrator and broadcaster. Recently I was contacted by a Facebook Follower of the blog who wrote to me saying:

Hi Anne I just came across your site telling about the lost paintings of Pixie O’Harris. I have just found a book, I have had packed away, by Pixie O’Harris and have seen that it has actually been signed by her. Kind Regards B.

Below is the cover of the book and signed page: thank you B for sharing this treasure with us.

A sobering thought and image to conclude this month's mailbag concerning the number of homeless people who are living on the streets of the large cities throughout the world.

Subscriber and photographer Chris O'Brien in New York has given permission for this powerful image to be displayed on the AnArt4Life blog. Chris in New York has once more captured an amazing shot with a message - homeless in the snow @34th Street Herald Square. As Chris questions with the title:

Homeless or just rubbish?

Certainly food for thought!

Homeless or Just Rubbish by Chris O'Brien ©

Credits
1. the guardian.com
2. Detached Cultural Organisation, Tasmania. detached.com.au
3. These images are posted with the permission of E and her parents.