SEPTEMBER

There are whales out there in the water along with sharks, dolphins, rays, large turtles, jellyfish, plenty of fish and soon a lot of surfers who will invade the Island next week. School holidays have arrived in this part of the world and North Stradbroke Island is a good place to escape school and city life in general. I contemplate Island life and the possibility of working here for an extended period. Sydney was also considered but its cost of living makes everything just a little bit more complicated. At this point of time I think it is certainly best to locate myself in a small town to minimize costs and big city distractions but where is best?. A studio in the tropical northern part of Australia seems to be the answer as I have found hot and humid climates rather stimulating and productive studio environments. I must admit that icy polar studios are also to my liking. It seems I am still very climatically challenged or should I say just confused? Thanks to an Australia Council grant I will be able to focus on a series of large paintings so I hunt for a spacious and stable studio. The Visual Arts and Craft Strategy, an initiative of the Australian, State and Territory Governments, have assisted this project of mine.
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The GO COME BACK? Brisbane exhibition opened on a warm Tuesday evening in the suburb of Woolloongabba at the Bellas Milani Gallery. Six large paintings along with a series of nine tiny Polar garden landscapes were shown.

I am travelling with Carolina Furque a photographer from Argentina who slowly learns English, Australian slang and the strange, mostly relaxed Australian way of life. As always Brisbane has been both interesting and relaxing to spend a little time in. After the exhibition we shall fly to Darwin for a few days. This I look forward to, as it has been a few years since my last visit to the Northern Territory. I have fond memories of this small capital city that I first visited in 1984. Besides observing the growth of Darwin I will make preparations for my eleventh TRAVAILOGUE exhibition to be held at the 24HR ART contemporary art space next March. So it is time to head up to the tropics where the demanding humidity of the build-up season is just about to build-up.