Swamp

In my town of Rockhampton there is a suburb rather ironically named Depot Hill. Ironic, because it is the first place to go under when the Fitzroy river bursts its banks. Actually there is a small rise in the centre of the area that becomes an island during major flood events. One place that does tend to get damp floor boards is the slightly less ironically named Swamp Store. I went there today to sketch it for Illo Friday’s current challenge ‘swamp’, I thought it would fit the bill nicely.

Today is a beautiful, warm clear summery day, but by this time next week, I might have a more swampy version of this drawing. You see, there has been a heap of rain in the last week or so in the Fitzroy River catchment area (second biggest river catchment in Australia), and in about four days time, they predict that the river will reach flood levels of around 8 metres. That’s not enough to cut off the town and flood the airport like last year’s 9.2m but it will turn Depot Hill into an island, and the swamp store will again get its floor boards wet. Most houses in that part of town are on stilts, as they are through most of Rocky, but the store isn’t… if you look carefully you will see the tide marks on the power pole from last year.

To put last year’s flood into context, it was the fourth worst since they started keeping records and isolated the town for two or three weeks. That won’t happen next week, but again the Swamp Store and the surrounding houses will be swamped!

e-cupid

He looked across the crowded room,

Her radiance struck his eye,

    Love's arrow struck within his heart...

But he wasn't supposed to DIE!

   The power surged, the sparks: they arced.

One glance, and he was dead.

    The Doctor came and saw the scene

"ELECTROCUPID", he said. 

E-cupid. The bringer of love in a post-modern age? This started as a doodle in my note-book, which spawned a nonsense poem. Then came the idea of animating it using Macromedia Flash, but who'd've thought that 8 short lines would be such an epic to produce. One day, I'll get around to it, but in the meantime, on the top is an embossed aluminium, brass and plastic representation, mounted on Jarrah timber.

The lower one is an illustration of the same character done originally in Flash. Is this the nature of creation? An idea can be brought to life in various ways, it's up to the artist to explore which way is best for their particular creation. Maybe this could be the basis for a sit-com, or a hot-air baloon...

Well, Here goes! I have sent a T-shirt design in to Threadless, and people are voting on it as I type. If I get a high enough score, they'll print it and send me a nice cheque. But I need all my friends to gather around, vote early, vote high, vote often! There might be a T-shirt in it for you...

Intention does not Guarantee Results

Well, that wasn't the reaction I was after! I thought she loved animals, so I showed her my pet rat Ludwig. My intention was that she would see how cute Luddy is, and we could be friends.

Instead she is screaming about disease and smelly, stinky rats, and going 'eeewwww!' and 'gettit away from me.

Sigh...

I'll never understand girls.