SEPTEMBER

The Shinju festival of Broome came and went, as usual displaying the multi cultural makeup of this little tropical village. Pearl meat was eaten, Japanese drummers were heard, rodeos and horse races held and bush folk sauntered about. A Chinese dragon whirled around, Aboriginal art adorned many walls, exotic food was smelt, beer was swilled and I stupidly tried to spend as much time as possible in the studio with my art.

I packed up the Broome studio with a strong plan to return and do another stint in the future. It was a very productive time in the large and very hot shed where I managed to complete 20 large paintings on linen as well as two series of small works. A small open studio party was held on the 8th September, which gave Broome locals an opportunity to see what I have been up to. It was a hot night with ample beverages. I always find that the body enjoys the tropics and I know I will miss this climate and vegetation. The tropics at times seems rather gothic with clear dark nights making the stars huge and plentiful, noisy big fruit bats swoop about and squawk like bonsai vampires occasionally getting barbequed in electrical high wires, grotty guard dogs bark at anything that moves except their owners, strange activity is heard in the bush, things that you cannot see can kill you in the sea and the mangroves are a little spooky to those that have not grown up nearby them. A huge moon rises over the mudflats where spiky plants pierce the dank goo. Fires rage on the horizon with smoke turning the sunsets blood red. Large lizards can be spotted in gardens lurking about and hunting large insects. Electrical storms fry your emotions and it’s too hot to think logical at times. The heat was building up as I rolled up the large works, stored paint jars, boxed a few things and considered my next few months.

Sydney is next port of call as my thirteenth TRAVAILOGUE exhibition opened at Damien Minton Gallery on the 19th September running until the 7th October. The same opening evening AntarcticArt was screened on ABC TV so it was a highly public day compared to all the quiet studio time in Broome. Now I must begin to head southwards.