A beautiful bridge

• 'Te Rewa Rewa bridge Photo: Judy Rapley The ‘Te Rewa Rewa bridge is in New Plymouth, New Zealand. My friend took the photo during her visit there last Christmas – thanks. It’s been written that ‘the 19 ribs of the bridge resemble a whale skeleton arching with the prevailing westerly wind.’ Designer Peter Mulqueen shaped the bridge to “touch lightly” on the western side of the river to honour the dead in nearby burial... Read More

The art of being grave

Hidden sculpture walk, Rookwood A friend and artist, Ro Murray, has sent me this invitation to the opening of an art exhibition called, “Hidden”, at Rookwood, Sydney’s major cemetery. What’s interesting about it to me are the hours: from “sunrise to sunset”. Those words got me thinking. This reminds me of a friend I had (once) who mused aloud to me (once) that she gave up drink when she woke up one morning draped across a chookshed roof. I... Read More

New painted compost bin – tra la!

New painted compost bin Some frogs are on top of the leaves, some under them - look closely . . . A local artist who doesn’t wish to be named has donated paints and materials and her skills to paint a new Aerobin donated by the manufacturer.  Read More

Artist enlivens compost bin

New compost bin, artist enhanced Paul and the bin, mates Compare the painted bin with its sister - what it used to look like . . . The compost bin painted by Graham Chalcroft is ‘in the house’. It’s a B E A Uty. Thanks so much, Graham. Paul and I put it in place today, near the corner of Rose and Myrtle.  Now we need to name it. Ideas, anyone? May the artists be with us, Michael  Read More

Chippo to be a trial demonstration suburb

On Monday night Sydney City Council resolved: RECOMMENDATION It is resolved that: (A) Myrtle Street and the surrounding areas, Chippendale, be used by the City as a demonstration site to showcase sustainable street technologies and programs; (B) a detailed plan for the site be developed over the next six months, for funding consideration in the 2011/12 budget; (C) the Chief Executive Officer negotiate an agreement with Mr Michael Mobbs under which he will provide technical advice,... Read More

Arbolito signs up

Michael, A sign for Arbolito, Beth, Beth's hat, Andres Close up of sign Arbolito, ‘The little tree”, has signed up and is fully ‘out there’. We put a sign up made of a used plastic drink bottle;  we laminated an A4 sign, used duct tape to affix it to the bottle, then placed the bottle over the stake for the tree and . . . voila, a sign. Andres who planted and named it left Oz on Friday for Taiwan on his way back to Ecuador. He has set up a facebook... Read More

Some eyesong for the heart

Compost bin with heart n soul A bin to make you smile Some things sing to the heart through our eyes and, after a topsy turvy day as this has been so far, I’ve come to this computer to find something which through my eyes brings a little song to my little heart, that thing which bebops away somewhere. Graham Chalcroft’s work painting our old compost bin is full of life and promise, don’t you think? Good luck to it, and thanks Graham for your work so far.  Next... Read More

The Unknown Chippendale Artist

Recent sculpture by The Unknown Chippendale Artist For several years small sculptures in surprising places have appeared in Chippendale.  And you can walk past many of them and never see them.  I’ll put some photos up another time of the old ones. This one is new and in a very obvious place; I won’t say where as that would take the fun out of it. This is the biggest work so far and the most obvious. “Hello”, whoever you are; I like your work – thank... Read More

Composting art

Compost bin with undercoat Graham Chalcroft, an artist with a studio at Addison Road Gardens, has finished the first stage of his art project on one of our compost bins – the undercoat. Watch this space for Graham’s finished work – the compost bin as art; it’s going to be a bright beauty. M  Read More

The accidents in the street that sustain us

First the restive, urgent, surprising rain this morning as first light fumbled it’s way here, then, later in the day, this lovely email from a Chippo gardener, Paul: ” I want to give names for the compost bins…. Maybe pull name sugestions from a hat? My 1st proposal is Thomas (the bin thats had the highest temp) after Thomas the tank engine because it’s always steaming away….. “ The accidents of the street – such as this – are rich... Read More