The phrase ‘It’s a small world’ is being given a whole new meaning with Donald Trump in the White House. Instead of standing as a beacon on the hill, Trump is taking us down into a winding valley, where we can’t see too far ahead. Where we don’t know what’s around the corner. And he’s walling off the valley, so it’s hard to reach out … Continue reading Is Trump the greatest president of all time?
I’ve often spoken of the serendipity of creativity – how our heads suck in every thing we experience – sights, sounds, tastes, colours, moments and jumbles them up to create something new. Last year, I stopped over in Japan on the way back to Australia for a couple of days to break up the 26 hour flight and it was there I saw wood block … Continue reading What happens when you cross Japan with Australia?
Here’s the thing – getting a commission from someone is always a little bit tricksy. You go from doing whatever you like, whatever is in your head, to creating something for a specific person with specific tastes for a specific environment. Even though many benefactors will say ‘Do whatever you like!”, you can’t not be influenced by them. You want them to like what you … Continue reading Finding your twin is not easy
Having worked as a creative in the advertising industry for 20 years, it was always a bit of a mystery where the creative idea came from. I remember my 16 year old nephew doing work experience with me and he went home after a week to tell his father that for a job I drank coffee, went for walks, sat around and talked and read … Continue reading The serendipitious nature of art inspiration
In a strange way, Michael Chamberlain is responsible for starting my life as an artist. It’s even stranger since we never met, I never sat in his classes or heard his voice fill a room. By chance, I saw Azaria’s baby bracelet in a display cabinet at the National Library of Australia and that simple object brought home the obscene tragedy of parents being charged … Continue reading Rest well Michael Chamberlain, you fought hard for justice
Sometimes I create an artwork that’s a little unloved. It gets turned around to face the studio wall and is kind of forgotten about. I recently came across this work ‘Who pushed Annette?’. When I was about 8 years old, my cousins visited our house from Sydney. My mum and dad were renovating our house. Six cousins were standing in the doorway looking into this … Continue reading Taking another look at forgotten works
There’s some things we keep going back to again and again as an artist. For me, it’s memories of my childhood. I can’t quite pin my finger on why, other than it’s formed who I am as an adult. I truly believe we carry our childhood all our lives and when we meet people as adults we still greet them as a child looking out from within our … Continue reading Letting the inner child loose
Ray Monde 