Friday 19 February 2010

Art in Photos - Mark Duncan

Tonight was the opening of new photographic exhibition here in Darwin.

Yes, an unashamed visual art afficianado........although ballet leaves me a bit cold, and that has caused some internal family squabbles too.

So........off we all went to the Framed Gallery [ see
http://www.framed.com.au/ - it is a good gallery] to see this new exhibition of - photographs.

Some pundits think photography is not art. NOT SO, in my view.

The photographer was Mark Duncan, one of several artists in the family, all doing different things. For more detail and prior work see
http://www.duncanimages.com.au/ although this present exhibition is not yet available to see online here.

Some stunning images of the Northern Territory, printed on a range of materials but mostly paper and textured canvas type materials, and large images.

They were mostly outstanding, although as always, there can be a few that do not "get" you.

A modest range of the images is on the site:
http://www.framed.com.au/art/newExhibits/MarkDuncan.html

I am not placing a copy here...........look your self. They are worthwhile seeing!

Image I of Nourlangie Rock does not do the real photo justice.......it is a vibrant red rock image, and I must admit, I have seen the same location look that way. However, the images are very good overall.

Wednesday 3 February 2010

Serious Bomb Blast in Darwin

Early days...........only happened an hour ago, but reports indicate at least up to 12 people hurt, one seriously.

It appears that the TIO office in Cavenagh Street has been the target. But reports are still sketchy.

---------------------------------------------------
It is now 10pm.........all over red rover.

It seems a disgruntled customer of the TIO used petrol and firecrackers as a crude explosive device.......and it sort of, worked.

Fourteen people in hospital and 4 or 5 are still in intensive care [ high dependency unit]. It was a big show with much material on local and national media. See - http://www.abc.net.au/local/audio/2010/02/03/2809435.htm?site=darwin

or

http://www.news.com.au/national/man-throws-bomb-through-doorway-of-darwin-woolworths-up-to-10-hurt/story-e6frfkvr-1225826351900

Tuesday 2 February 2010

The Antlers Slipped

Mazoe, a very friendly Rhodesian Ridgeback, has been known to wear a pair of Christmas antlers .......you know, the ones with brightly flashing lights and a felt headband, commonly worn as a pre Christmas decoration.


This time the rather large antlers slipped.





Interesting what an old, now seedless, palm spathe can be used for! She loves to walk through them, just helping to clear the yard.


I kid myself it is a set of antlers.

Monday 1 February 2010

It Has RAINED in January

It is the monsoon season so you expect rain in January. But.....it has rained a LOT. Twenty four out of thirty one days this month here in Darwin, and if you take the period before the end of 2009, there was rain on thirty six days straight from late December through to mid January.

Not the wettest month on record [ January 1995 - 940mm] but with 622mm it was about 1.5 times the average, and the wettest January in 12 years.

Several cyclones were brewing around the north of Australia too in January, but none thankfully reached Darwin although a few did create some havoc...........and a lot of positives too.

Cyclone Laurence after crossing the WA coast continued through to the east part of Australia, passing through areas around Alice Springs and brought drought breaking rains. Around Alice Springs they had over 140mm of rain in a few days........about twice that fell for 2009!

At the present time ex Tropical Cyclone Olga that has meandered around the Gulf of Carpentaria and the Coral Sea over the past two weeks as both a cyclone and a tropical low, has now moved into Queensland as a massive, deep, tropical low with very high rainfalls and considerable river flooding in north, west and southwest Queensland. BUT........very welcome rain. This system is quite likely to bring flows into Coopers Creek, floods to the upper Darling River and the Murray River by the end of the week, as it moves south across the continent.

For some of these areas this will be drought breaking rain.

Ironic that a tropical cyclone with its genesis at the northern tip of Australia will eventually bring rain to South Australia just about 3500km to the south!! Not always pleasant to be in the path of a cyclone, but the rain they bring is vital for rural areas.