I can't believe you are saying this to me!!!!

I'm outta town and stuidously avoiding visual stimulation in the country.

At first I thought I'd be like Lucas in Kellerberrin and write critically and intelligently about nothing (no disparagemetn intended - space is a great subject)

But I've come here preceisely in order to avoid 'being' anywhere - to avoid engagemetnt & resopnse with anything beyond my books and papers.........

After a solid seven day cramming crunch I stepped out yesterday to a local cafe.

country cafes a great. the coffeee is finally drinkable (it only took 2 centuries) and they have plenty of space to sit around and cheap meals. I bought lunch and beverages for me and mum and had CHANGE from $15.00!!!!

I was distracted by the art on the walls. Immaculate watercoloursof RODEO scenes, and those weird rustic genre scenes all ingreys and beiges - that I grew up with.

Barbizan meets Banjo patterson

Its VERY VERY HARD after looking at cetain types of paitnigns NOT to be infected - and end up painting that way myself.

I end up wanting to do nice blue hills on the horizon and immacaulte glowing trees, and soft streams and babbling brooks - and stretching skies..... and then I think SHIT!!!!!!

BAD ART IS CONTAGIOUS - so I tried not to look too long.

I liked the watercolour rodeo scene though........gems are everywhere.

OK so this is probably uninformative for sydney readers.

Despite being very far away - with crap mobile reception and a only dialiup ocnnection between me and the wrold - I still hear of stuff.

I missed the dyke porno plates at MOri and have chewed through my piollow with teeth gnashing regret

TOngiht he's got something new - opening - but h err... the white invite didn't give me much of clue.

(that was a really uninformative sentence).

Tomorrow there is an opening at 4A. Think free cognac - but there's probably some art as well. Sorry i've shown my dileetante lieangins or the baject alcoholism of my infromant. I'll blamd the latter. I am a credible cutlrual connosieur aren't I?

Friday - is a new street billboard at MAYS in PEtersham. Think free beer. Good beer. Mays is a graffittie encrusted lane just off May street in St. Peters. Hop skip and a jump form the station - the printers & graphic designers have donated their wall to a monthly turnover of STREET ART - and the local brewery have chipped in to suport the monthly soirees that launch the latest street paint patina.

Dog bless them both!

It compensates for the gloom of the fading graffitti hall of fame in Alexandria and the spreading beigefication or Erskineville (Felix the Cat WHERE ARE YOU?????)
this week is BIG

while in inner west - why not stroll down the hill to marrickville bowling club?

SNo Galleries is nearby and they've got something TRes interesante. SNO are one of the nice things that marke marrcikville interesting...........and they've gota nopening on friday of work by Andrew Leslie & Vicente ButronOpens

see cute and paste below
The next SNO exhibition opens this fri 4th November, so all are welcometoattend our BBQ and refreshments and artists discussions (yes, even ifyour arealist). The showroom is located in a wharehouse at 11 Faversham StreetMarrickville. Note: The SNO 'Showroom' lies directly behind the bowling club up fromtheservice station, and adjacent to the 'dim sim' factory and laundry.SNO 11, features two of the famed and truly mysterious SNO groupcommitteemembers. Andrew Leslie, originally from Perth and who has worked withtheAC4CA association brfore moving here, has made new 'light works' andreflective relief objects that make use of the the gallery walls - as acanvas. Vicente Butron, one time founder of 'Kerb Your Dog' magazine and CBDgallerywill show one of his 'Limited Actions', this is primarily a text basedworkin progress as I understand it - also, a series of print/materials.

I've gotta get back to the books so I'll close wiht these snippets.

I'll be raining it back to won next monday - but unsure when I'll arrive. the follwing week I intend to be in some TREE in TASMANIA. Yep in the itnerestes of art - I'm dreaming of a live crosssover like they do with the melbourne cup.

In the interests of diversity and continuity - I don't want to leave listereners stranded in a culturla wasteland - so Lucas is filling for the next few weeks.
check it out.

I'll keep updating this and be back squarking on air on the 21st.

BTw - I've cut and pasted this extremely depressing thing form NAVA.

Oh god - I think I want to emigrate.

I am writing to alert you to the potential impact of the Sedition Clause inthe Anti-Terrorism legislation proposed for introduction into parliament inthe next few days (for draft legislation see www.chiefminister.act.gov.au).NAVA believes that this will jeopardise both artists' and artsorganisations' freedom of expression and action (see attached media releasesent yesterday). The government has not demonstrated a need for these newsedition laws. These changes should not be made, and certainly not withoutproper public discussion.If the government intends to proceed with the laws then the new offencesare too wide because they affect unfairly and in breach of freedom ofexpression (recognised at international law). The government must limit theambit of the new offences to protect artists, journalists and othersinvolved in the visual arts.NAVA urges you to take immediate action by writing to, ringing or arrangingto meet with any or all of the parliamentarians listed below (and attached)to tell them that changes need to be made to the legislation in order toprotect artists' and other people's rights to freedom of expression.Even if the legislation is introduced into the lower house of parliamentthere is still time to negotiate changes.We have sought the advice of the President of Australian Lawyers for HumanRights as to exactly what changes should be made. This advice is includedhere for your reference.Proposed Amendment to the Anti-Terrorism Bill 2005 Omit sub-sections 80.2(7), (8), (9) Insert after 80.2(6) the following: ³80.2A Exemption Sections 80.1 and 80.2 do not apply to anything said or donereasonably and in good faith: (a) in the creation, performance, exhibition or distribution of anartistic work; or (b) in the course of any statement, publication, discussion ordebate made or held for any genuine academic, artistic or scientific purposeor any other genuine purpose in the public interest; or (c) in making or publishing: (i) a fair and accurate report of any event or matter of publicinterest; or (ii) a fair comment on any event or matter of public interest ifthe comment is an expression of a genuine belief held by the person makingthe comment.² Change clause 80.3 Defence for Acts done in good faith, to require the onusof proof to rest with the prosecution rather than the accused." (The provision is based on s.18D of the Racial Discrimination Act 1975exemption from racial hatred.)As you know, NAVA rarely asks its members to take this kind of direct actionbut we consider this such an important issue that we are contacting you toask that you act quickly to let the decision makers know of your concerns.Thanks in anticipation for your support of artists' and arts organisations'rights.Best wishesTamara--------JON STANHOPE¹S WEBSITE:http://www.chiefminister.act.gov.au <http://www.chiefminister.act.gov.au/> FEDERAL LIBERAL PARTY Senator the Hon Helen CoonanMinister for Communications, Information Technology and the ArtsSenator.coonan@aph.gov.auminister@dcita.gov.au Senator the Hon Rod KempMinister for the Arts and SportSenator.rod.kamp@aph.gov.au The Hon Philip Ruddock MPAttorney-GeneralAg@Ag.gov.au Mr Petro Georgiou MP Member for KooyongP.Georgiou.MP@aph.gov.au The Hon Bruce Baird MP Member for CookBruce.Baird.MP@aph.gov.au Mr Russell Broadbent MP, Member for McMillanRussell.Broadbent.MP@aph.gov.au The Hon Judi Moylan MP Member for PearceJ.Moylan.MP@aph.gov.au Mr Paul Neville MP Member for HinklerP.Neville.MP@aph.gov.au Mr Malcolm Turnbull MP Member for WentworthMalcolm.Turnbull.MP@aph.gov.au The Hon Dr Brendan Nelson MP Member for BradfieldB.Nelson.MP@aph.gov.au George Brandis, Senator for Queenslandsenator.brandis@aph.gov.auMarise Payne, Senator for New South WalesSenator.payne@aph.gov.au FEDERAL LABOR PARTY Kim Beazley, Leader of the OppositionKim.Beazley.MP@aph.gov.au Peter Garrett, Parliamentary Secretary for Reconciliation and the ArtsPeter.Garrett.MP@aph.gov.auNicola Roxon Shadow Attorney-GeneralNicola.Roxon.MP@aph.gov.au STATES/TERRITORIES MINISTERS NSW: The Hon. (Bob) Robert John DEBUS, MPNSW Minister for the Arts, Attorney General, Minister for the Environment,and Minister for the Arts bob.debus@debus.minister.nsw.gov.aubluemountains@parliament.nsw.gov.au ACTJon Stanhope, Chief Minister, ACT, Minister for the arts, heritage and indigenous affairs,Attorney-Generalstanhope@act.gov.au NTMs Marion Scrymgour MLA,Minister for Arts and Museumsmarion.scrymgour@nt.gov.au The Honourable Dr.Peter Howard Toyne,Minister for Justice and Attorney-Generalelectorate.stuart@nt.gov.au QLDHon Rod Welford MP,Minister for Education and Minister for The ArtsEducationAndArts@ministerial.qld.gov.au Hon Linda Lavarch MP,Attorney-General and Minister for JusticeAttorney@ministerial.qld.gov.auAttorney@qld.gov.auCorporateCorrespondence@qed.qld.gov.au SA The Honourable Mike Rann MP,Premier, Minister for the Artspremier@saugov.sa.gov.au The Honourable Michael Atkinson MP,Attorney-GeneralAttorney-general@agd.sa.gov.au TASLara Giddings, Minister for the ArtsLara.giddings@development.tas.gov.au Judy Jackson, Attorney Generaljudy.jackson@justice.tas.gov.au VICThe Honourable Mary Delahunty,Minister for the Artsmary.delahunty@parliament.vic.gov.au The Honourable Rob Justin Hulls,Attorney Generalrob.hulls@parliament.vic.gov.au WAThe Hon Sheila McHale MLA, ,Minister for Culture and the Artssheila-mchale@dpc.wa.gov.au The Hon Jim McGinty, BA BJuris(Hons) LLB JP MLA,Attorney General; jim-mcginty@dpc.wa.gov.au STATES/TERRITORIES OPPOSITION NSWMrs Jillian Gell Skinner, MP,NSW Shadow Ministers for the artsnorthshore@parliament.nsw.gov.au Mr Andrew Arnold Tink, MP,Shadow Attorney-Generalepping@parliament.nsw.gov.au SAMrs Joan Hall MP, Shadow Spokesperson, Artsmorialta@parliament.sa.gov.au Hon Robert Lawson MLC,Shadow Attorney-Generalraelene.zanetti@parliament.sa.gov.au WASue Walker, Shadow Minister for the Artsswalker@mp.wa.gov.au Bill Scott, Shadow Attorney-Generalbscott@mp.wa.gov.au VICAndrea Coote,Shadow Minister for the Artsandrea.coote@parliament.vic.gov.au Andrew McIntosh,Shadow Attorney-Generalandrew.mcintosh@parliament.vic.gov.au TASMichael Hodgman,Shadow Minister for the Artsmichael.hodgman@parliament.tas.gov.au Jeremy Rockliff, Shadow Attorney-Generaljeremy.rockliff@parliament.tas.gov.augreens@parliament.tas.gov.au QLD Stuart Copeland, Shadow Minister for the ArtsCunningham@parliament.qld.gov.au Mark McArdle, Shadow Attorney-GeneralCaloundra@parliament.qld.gov.au ACTRichard Mulchany, Shadow Minister for the Artsmulcahy@parliament.act.gov.au Bill Stefaniak, Shadow Attorney-Generalstefaniak@parliament.act.gov.au NTJodeen Carney Shadow Attorney-Generaljodeen.carney@nt.gov.au Terry Mills, Shadow Minister for the Artsterry.mills@nt.gov.auelectorate.blain@nt.gov.au ------------------------------------------

cheers

mayhem